EMAIL DETAILS

Tuesday - March 3, 2015


Principal's Letter


NOTES FROM SALLY


Announcements


BRYAN GARMAN REALLY DOES WANT TO MEET YOU! - TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 7:00 P.M.
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC NOTES
7TH AND 8TH GRADE SPRING PARENT POTLUCKS
ALL COMMUNITY MEETING FOR WORSHIP - MARCH 15
SHOOTBACK - PHOTOS BY KIDS FROM NAIROBI AND DC
THE MS NEW BOOK FAIR IS COMING


Other


COMMUNITY SERVICE CORNER
QUAKER QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
MS NEWSLETTER INFORMATION


News Around the School


US NEWS


MS NEWS


Principal's Letter


NOTES FROM SALLY
This week’s query: What good does a day of service do?
No assembly this week since there is no school on Friday.
Is the third time the charm? Meet Bryan Garman tonight in the Meeting Room at 7 PM. If the weather is bad, (oh no!) follow the information on the website about evening activities.
Singers from our Fifth and Sixth Grade Chorus are performing in the Thirteenth Annual National Cathedral Schools Children’s Chorus Festival tonight March 3rd, 2015, 7:30 p.m. at Washington National Cathedral. The concert features Georgetown Day School, Holton-Arms School, Landon School, National Cathedral School, Norwood School, Sidwell Friends School, St. Albans School, St. Patrick’s Episcopal Day School.
On Thursday the Middle School will have an all-school service activity for the morning. Grade levels in 5/6 and teams in 7/8 will have a speaker, have Meeting for Worship, and then be involved in service projects for the remainder of the morning. Here are the projects that students and faculty will be doing:
- 5th and 6th grade: Thoughtful Treasures for NIH
- Team Land: St. Coletta’s School and sandwich making for Martha’s Table
- Team Sky: A Wider Circle
- Team Sea: Martha’s Table
Following the service activities, 7/8 students will have some time with staff from the American Friends Service Committee to talk about social justice issues.
Minimester news: Local groups were announced last week. All students in local programs will be bringing home a general permission form and itinerary. Unless otherwise noted, students will be dropped off and picked up at the normal times each day. For parents of students who will be traveling: we have been having some email difficulties! If you are missing information from your trip chaperones, please contact them!
7th and 8th grade students are invited to a dance at Sheridan School next Friday, March 13. Admission is $10, and the dance runs from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. If you have questions, please contact the school.
One more reminder: Friends Family Science Night at the Air & Space Museum next Tuesday, March 10. See last week’s Tuesday Letter for the details.
Thanks to graduated parent Kevin Reese for making some repairs on our beautiful mobile on the second floor! Kevin, Mary Dufour, and a group of students built that during Minimester 2008.
Congratulations to National Geographic Bee school winner 8th grader Alex Lee – he has qualified for the state round tournament and will compete in late March. Best of luck, Alex!
Also congratulations to 8th grader Sophie Peikin. Her original drama “The Angelas are Angels” was one of five plays presented at the Playwrights for Change performance last Saturday at the Atlas Performing Arts Center. Congratulations, Sophie!
8th grade parents: I’ve had a couple of questions about the timing of course signup after the email with the updated Upper School curriculum information. Our sign-up dates are in April; refer to the sheet that was circulated last month for details. This will all happen after spring break.
Mark your calendars – on Tuesday evening, April 14, Rosetta Lee will be speaking to Middle School families in the Meeting House. Her topic will be the developmental needs of adolescents, searching for identity, and the need for social grouping and autonomy. This will be a great evening – I hope you will plan to come! More details will be coming after break.
Student CTP test scores will be coming home next week. The following link offers a guide to interpreting the scores:
https://www.programworkshop.com/6.0.0.0/custom/ERB/Reports/8.3/PDF/ISR.pdf


Announcements


BRYAN GARMAN REALLY DOES WANT TO MEET YOU! - TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 7:00 P.M.
Trying again -- Middle School parents are invited to meet Head of School Bryan Garman on Tuesday, March 3 at 7:00 p.m. in the Robert L. Smith Meeting Room. RSVP to events@sidwell.edu or 202-537-8110. If you couldn’t make the morning meeting in January, have more questions or want to share your thoughts with Bryan please come. Bryan learned who he wanted to be in room 212, of the Harrison Upper School Building. Please visit room 212 tour to learn more about opportunities to meet Bryan.

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC NOTES
Hairspray Pit Band: Monday 3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
7/8 Handbell Choir: Tuesday 7:25 a.m.
5/6 and 7/8 String Ensembles: Wednesday rehearsal periods
Jazz/Rock Band: Thursday 3:45 - 5:00 p.m.
7/8 Handbell Choir: Friday 11:00 - 11:25 a.m.

7TH AND 8TH GRADE SPRING PARENT POTLUCKS
Please join your fellow parents for an enduring and cherished Sidwell Friends tradition, the Grade-Wide Potluck. These potlucks provide a great opportunity to spend some quality time with parents from your child’s grade in a relaxed, informal environment. Each grade’s potluck will be held at a parent's home on one of the following dates:
7th Grade - Sunday, March 8 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
8th Grade - Saturday, March 14 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Be on the look out for an email from your Grade Reps with all of the details, including the name of the host and directions to their house, as well as the foods each guest may bring. Please come, eat, and enjoy!

ALL COMMUNITY MEETING FOR WORSHIP - MARCH 15
The next all community Meeting for Worship is on Sunday, March 15 at 10:30 a.m. in the Robert L. Smith Meeting Room. First Day School*, with activities for school-age children, will start about 20 minutes after the beginning of meeting. Refreshments will be offered at the rise of meeting. Please RSVP to Kathi Webb (webbk@sidwell.edu) if you plan to attend; please let us know if you anticipate bringing children who will participate in First Day School.
*For more information on the background of "First Day School," go to the Quaker Question section of this Tuesday Letter.


SHOOTBACK - PHOTOS BY KIDS FROM NAIROBI AND DC
Rubenstein Gallery, Kogod Arts Center
February 2- March 13, 2015
Shootback empowers young people to tell their own stories and express their creative voices through photography, writing, and critical thinking about the world around them. Founded in Nairobi, Kenya, in 1997 by American photographer Lana Wong, Shootback started by putting cameras in the hands of teens in Mathare–one of Africa's largest slums–and culminated in the publication of Shootback: Photos by Kids from the Nairobi Slums, a documentary film, and an international traveling exhibition. Eighteen years on, Shootback continues to train a new generation of young photographers in Mathare; eight of the original Shootback students are now professional photographers and filmmakers.
In Washington, DC, Shootback is helping to bring photography and writing programs to DC public schools and at-risk youth in collaboration with various nonprofit education organization.
http://www.shootbackproject.org

THE MS NEW BOOK FAIR IS COMING
Calling all student artists! The MS New Book Fair will be held on April 20 and April 22-24, and we could use your artistic talents to help decorate the halls with flyers and posters. We will provide you with all of the book fair dates, details and instructions. You will send us your artistic creations to be proudly displayed during the weeks leading up to the fair. If you hear your inner Van Gogh calling, just stop by the library and talk to Ms. Grady or Ms. Hanson.
For those of you who prefer to recite poetry, sing, play an instrument or act, your turn is coming. The MS library will be hosting an open mic night on Thursday, April 23 at 5:00 p.m. Thanks for your support!


Other


COMMUNITY SERVICE CORNER
WAF Sidwell food drive.pdfOngoing Collections in M.S. Lobby through March 13
Winter Canned Food Drive - Help Fight Senior Hunger with We Are Family!
We Are Family is excited to partner with Sidwell Friends School and Hearst Elementary School on a food drive and volunteer activities that will benefit District older residents!
We Are Family provides services such as free monthly grocery bags, friendly visits, transportation, and advocacy to older residents of the Columbia Heights, Petworth, Adams Morgan, Shaw, and North Capitol neighborhoods. Please help us collect food for distribution through our Helping Hands Minimester. Click on the document above for more information.
Toiletries and Linens
- Dignity-condition items (for humans) at A Wider Circle
- Shabby fleece blankets and towels (for our four-legged friends) at Washington Animal Rescue League
- Tattered linens will be transformed into dog/cat toys during our “Paws and Claws” Minimester
Collection bins for WARL linens also in the 5th grade hallway. See Susanne Saunders or Michael Salmon if you have questions.
Important Dates:
March 5 - Middle School Service Day
March 15 - 5th and 6th grade service club at A Wider Circle: ongoing project to manage the Kids' Corner.
Contact Dana.Milbank@washpost.com for additional information.
Contact MS Community Service Co-clerks Eva Xanthos at eva.xanthos@verizon.net or Lisa Arrington at arringtonlp@hotmail.com or your Grade Reps for volunteer opportunities.

QUAKER QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
TODAY’S QUESTION: When I visited a Quaker Meeting they had something like Sunday School for the kids but called it First Day School instead. What’s the reason for the name?
Early Quakers re-examined many different 16th century habits and customs in terms of whether they coincided with Quaker beliefs and practices. In that vein, the tradition of naming days of the week after Pagan gods struck many Friends (and others) as inappropriate—something akin to an unintentionally worshipful gesture. After all, rendered in modern English the days of the week would be Sun’s Day, Moon’s Day, Tiw’s Day, Wodin’s (or Odin’s) Day, Thor’s Day, Frigg’s Day, and Saturn’s Day, but we rarely think about that.
In response, Friends adopted the practice of calling the days of the week by number instead - First-Day instead of Sunday, Second-Day instead of Monday, Third-Day instead of Tuesday, and so on. Over the past century the practice has diminished, but as often happens in language, one deeply habitual use—First-Day School—remains as a vestige. Why have Quakers dropped the practice more generally? In part, as Friends have adapted to the modern age they have focused on witnessing core testimonies like peace and equality, and they have recognized that peculiarities of speech, such as this one, tend to distract listeners. Perhaps also, as Quakers today work to honor other faith practices, it could seem odd to single out references to old Pagan deities as something in need of change.
Quaker quotes alternate with questions about Quakerism in this newsletter feature. To ask questions about Quaker history or practice or what-have-you—anything you may have wondered about but weren’t sure whom to ask—email our Sidwell Friends Quaker Life Committees’ authors at quakerquestions@sidwell.edu!

MS NEWSLETTER INFORMATION
How to Submit an Article to Tuesday Letter: Please send submissions, in the body of the email, to PA.MSNewsletter@sidwell.edu by 2:00 p.m. on Monday. Please reference "Newsletter Submission" and the publish date(s) in the subject line. Do not include any formatting such as indents, bullets, boldface or all-caps and keep submissions succinct. If you have a form or flyer to include with your submission, send it as a PDF attachment. Receipt of your submissions will be confirmed as soon as possible. Submissions may not run for more than three weeks.
How to Modify an existing Submission: Please send a redline or otherwise clearly indicate the change to be made in a second email.
School Calendar: Calendar entries that appear in the right column of each Newsletter are automatically generated by the school, not by the Tuesday newsletter editors. Any changes to the school calendar are made through the school scheduling office at scheduling@sidwell.edu.


US NewsWrestler Miles Brown '15 takes his competitors to the mat
All-American wrestler Miles Brown ’15 completes an awesome season with a strong performance in the finals.
Read MoreGirls' varsity basketball takes first place in their division and wins the ISL A Tournament!
In December, Anne “Poff” Renninger achieved her 500th career win as coach of the team and then led them to another first–first place!
Read More


MS NewsWonders of the Rainforest
Middle School students learn about third eyes, detachable tails, and hissing bellies—up close and personal.
Read More


The Parents Association newsletters are a forum for communication among parents and provide announcements concerning School or PA events or information related to a School or PA event.
MS newsletter submissions should be sent to PA.MSnewsletter@sidwell.edu.


Calendar


Tue, Mar 3rd

Meet the Head of School - MS Parents

Robert L. Smith Meeting Room
7:00pm - 8:30pm


Wed, Mar 4th

LS Parent Conferences - Half Day


8th Grade Conversation with Sally

Rosenberg Theater
8:00am - 9:15am


Thu, Mar 5th

LS Parent Conferences - Half Day


PA Executive Steering Committee Mtg

Rusch Team Rm
8:30am - 9:30am


Fri, Mar 6th

LS Parent Conferences - No School


MS Report Writing - No School


US Report Writing - No School


Sun, Mar 8th

7th Grade Potluck

Off-campus (Home of Lisa & Pope Ward)
7:00pm - 9:00pm


Tue, Mar 10th

National Latin Exam

US Dining Room
8:00am - 9:00am


Thu, Mar 12th

All MS Meeting for Worship - Parents Invited

Robert L. Smith Mtg Rm
8:00am - 8:45am


7th Gr. Parent Social

Zartman Drawing Rm/Off Campus
6:30pm - 8:00pm


PA Arts Committee Mtg

US Library Board Rm
7:00pm - 9:00pm


Fri, Mar 13th

US Musical - "Merrily We Roll Along"

AC Theater
8:00pm - 10:00pm

Visit this Link


Sat, Mar 14th

8th Grade Parent Social

Off-campus
7:00pm - 9:00pm


US Musical - "Merrily We Roll Along"

AC Theater
8:00pm - 10:00pm

Visit this Link


Sun, Mar 15th

All Community Meeting for Worship

Robert L. Smith Meeting Room
10:30am - 12:00pm


US Musical - "Merrily We Roll Along"

AC Theater
2:30pm - 4:30pm

Visit this Link


Mon, Mar 16th

MS Minimester


Tue, Mar 17th

MS Minimester


Wed, Mar 18th

MS Minimester


33rd Annual Zeidman Lecture

Robert L. Smith Mtg Rm
8:00pm - 9:00pm


Thu, Mar 19th

MS Minimester


Fri, Mar 20th

First Day of Spring Break/Potential school make-up day


Spring Break


3/27/2015


More


Athletics


Thu, Mar 5th

Lacrosse - Boys Varsity - Scrimmage vs. Walter Johnson


4:15pm


Basketball - Girls Varsity vs. McKinley Tech


6:00pm


Fri, Mar 6th

Baseball - Varsity - Scrimmage vs. Cardozo HS


4:00pm


Sat, Mar 7th

Baseball - Varsity - Scrimmage vs. Blair


11:00am


Baseball - Junior Varsity - Scrimmage vs. Blair


1:00pm


Tue, Mar 10th

Lacrosse - Boys Varsity vs. Bishop O'Connell


4:00pm


Softball - Varsity - Scrimmage vs. Baltimore Friends


4:30pm


Wed, Mar 11th

Tennis - Boys Varsity - Scrimmage vs. Bishop McNamara


4:00pm


Thu, Mar 12th

Baseball - Varsity vs. Gonzaga High School


4:30pm


Baseball - Junior Varsity vs. Gonzaga High School


4:30pm


Fri, Mar 13th

Softball - Varsity vs. Stone Ridge School


4:15pm


Softball - Junior Varsity at Stone Ridge School


4:15pm


Sat, Mar 14th

Lacrosse - Girls Varsity vs. DC Classic vs. St. John's


Baseball - Varsity - Quaker Classic - Johns Hopkins University


Lacrosse - Boys Varsity vs. DC Classic vs. St. John's


1:00pm


Mon, Mar 16th

Lacrosse - Girls Varsity vs. Mercersburg Academy


4:15pm


Softball - Varsity vs. Calverton


4:30pm


Lacrosse - Girls Junior Varsity vs. Mercersburg Academy


5:45pm


Tue, Mar 17th

Baseball - Varsity at Maret School


4:00pm


Tennis - Boys Varsity vs. Landon


4:00pm


Baseball - Junior Varsity vs. Maret School


4:15pm


Softball - Varsity at Holy Child


4:15pm


Wed, Mar 18th

Track & Field - Boys Varsity at St. Stephen's & St. Agnes


4:00pm


Track & Field - Girls Varsity - St. Stephen's & St. Agnes Meet


4:00pm


Tennis - Boys Varsity vs. Bullis


4:15pm


Tennis - Boys Junior Varsity at Bullis


4:15pm


Thu, Mar 19th

Softball - Varsity vs. Georgetown Day


4:15pm


Lacrosse - Boys Varsity vs. Bishop Ireton


4:30pm


Fri, Mar 20th

Softball - Varsity - March 20 - 24: Disney Wide World of Sports


3/24/2015


Baseball - Varsity - March 20 - 25: Disney Wide World of Sports


3/25/2015


More


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