US Wednesday Letter -- 1/4/12 - BidenLaptopEmails

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US Wednesday Letter -- 1/4/12

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2012-01-04 06:00:00

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Wednesday - January 4, 2012

From the School

Message from Lee

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a restful and refreshing winter break.

Exams begin tomorrow and continue through next week. If you have any questions or concerns about exams, please contact Mamadou Guèye, Upper School Academic Dean. School is closed on Monday, January 16 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and second semester begins on Tuesday, January 17. First semester grades will be posted online on Friday, January 27.
From the Yearbook Staff

Dear Parents of Seniors,

Put your thoughts and feelings into words and pictures! Yearbook recognition ads are a great way for parents, families, and friends to commemorate student achievements and important milestones. In addition, revenues from recognition ads help Sidwell to create a better yearbook. We’re very excited to announce that this year all of the yearbook pages will be printed in full color. Also, all of the recognition ads can now be designed online directly by you! To design and pay for your personalized yearbook ad, please follow the directions at the "read more" link below. Your ad order must be received by January 9, 2012. If you have any questions feel free to contact one of the editors (Bridget McElroy & Caroline Bomstein) via email at sfs.philos@gmail.com. Thank you!

Sincerely,
Sidwell Friends School Yearbook Staff
Read MoreGuidelines for Wisconsin Avenue Drop-Off and Pick-Up

Moving hundreds of students, parents, faculty and staff through the garage during peak hours is a challenge. Over the past year, the School has been working with the Parents Association and an outside consultant to improve traffic flow, and ensure the safety of our Community. We have sent recommendations to the DC Department of Transportation (DDOT) for action. For your safety and the safety of our students, please review and follow these required guidelines:

Be respectful and patient. It is not always possible to get in and out of the garage quickly, especially at peak times. Please plan your activities accordingly, and remember that safety comes first.

There is absolutely no cell phone usage (hands-free or not) while driving on campus. Model responsible driving behavior for our students.

Pull forward to drop-off and pick-up students. Pull as far forward as you can to allow others to drop-off or pick-up behind you. Pull far to the right so that other cars can easily pass on the left. Direct students to enter and exit vehicles on the curb side only.

Do not wait in the pick-up/drop-off lane; park in a space. Help support the environment and the health of our community by turning off your car while waiting.

Do not double park or block key intersections. If you cannot find a parking place, continue through the garage in order to avoid blocking traffic or park on the lower level of garage.

Be considerate. If you see someone trying to pull out of a spot, please provide adequate space.

Use caution when exiting by the Post Office. This drive is shared by the Post Office and student walkers, who are often distracted or walking with headphones. If confused about which traffic signal to view, use the Rodman Street garage exit instead.

If you need to wait for your student, find a spot in the garage, on a nearby street or along Zartman Circle. Have your student call when he/she is ready for pickup, or come to a pre-arranged location.

Feel free to use the Zartman Circle for drop-off and pick-up.

Lower School parents meeting the bus are encouraged to use lower level parking. The lower level provides easy access to the pickup point to the Lower School bus by the north stairwell. It is also easier and safer to navigate with small children.

Many thanks for doing your part to keep our community safe. Questions or Comments, please contact Jeanne Gemmell at gemmellj@sidwell.edu.
11th Grade Families: January 22 Community Service Project Reminder

11th Grade Families - Please "save the date" of Sunday, January 22, 2012, for our 11th Grade Community Service Project!

This project will involve all Sidwell 11th graders and their families and directly benefit our city and people in need. On Jan. 22, from 8:30-12:30pm, on the plaza in front of the Martin Luther King Public Library in DC, our teenagers will join in serving warm food and distributing toiletries and clothing directly to the homeless.

We hope to have 100 percent participation in this effort. While students are expected to provide most of the effort, parental support is crucial. After winter break we will send 11th grade families a link to an electronic sign-up sheet for shifts and food preparation. If you forgot to donate your old winter coats to the Next-to-New Sale, this project is another good opportunity to share them with those in need. And please hold onto those airline toiletry kits that have been collecting in your drawer. We will be asking our students to bring in new toiletry items.

We are still looking for parents who wish to take an active role in this project. Please contact one of the members of the Steering Committee for the project if you are interested:

Nancy Hyatt nancydale712@gmail.com
Andrew Trotter atrotter@aol.com
Kirstin Zinger zingsaudi@yahoo.com
Attention Parents of Juniors
Eager_Summer_Grant_Flyer.pdf
The Mark Watson Eager ’74 Summer Challenge grant will be offered again for juniors. The grant covers a portion (up to $4,000) of a three to four week outdoor summer excursion undertaken by a Sidwell junior. Student who wish to apply for the grant should submit their applications to Lee Palmer by Monday, January 23. More information is attached.

Read MoreChina Trip - Summer 2012

Sidwell Friends School Summer 2012 Grassroots China Fieldwork Course: Histories of China through the cultural landscapes of Xizhou, Yunnan, will run from July 1 – July 29, 2012. The cost for the one-semester credit course trip is $5,600 (all inclusive). Financial aid is available for this trip.
Read More

PA Announcements

ArtRageous: call for Performers and Parent Volunteers

Performers -- it's not too late! If you are a troubadour who loves to sing, a dancer who loves to prance, a magician with a few tricks up your sleeves, or a band that has got its groove on, please contact Maude Fish at maude.fish@comcast.net and let her know of your interest in performing at ArtRageous on Sunday, January 29. Please send her the following information: your name; your grade; what you will perform and who it's by; and any accompanist or audio/visual equipment needs. Maude Fish will get back to you as to your performance time and place (and will try to accommodate your scheduling needs). Don't be late for an important date -- ArtRageous 2012 is just around the corner.

Parents -- we need you! Sunday, January 29 from 1-4. Come and join the fun. Volunteer for half an hour, or for as much time as you have. Email Sarah Blake at sarahblakedc@gmail.com.
Additional P.A. Arts Committee Meeting: Thursday, 1/12

An ADDITIONAL Parents Association Arts Committee Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 12, from 7:30-9:00 p.m. to plan for ArtRageous 2012. The meeting will take place in the Upper School Library Meeting Room. This 1/12 meeting is in addition to the meeting scheduled for Thursday, January 26th. Many Sidwell students already have signed up to participate, and there remains important planning to make all things flourish at ArtRageous 2012, so we look forward to seeing you there.
All-School PA Meeting: Monday, Jan. 23, 7:00 pm

January 23 PA Meeting Topic: ‘Of the Best Sort but Plain’: An Exploration of Quaker Aesthetics in American Art and Architecture.

Please join Sidwell Friends parent and art historian Amy Henderson for a discussion of Quaker aesthetics in the new Upper School Meeting House on Monday, January 23, from 7:00-9:00 pm. Through a visual survey of Quaker material culture -- from such everyday objects as clothing, furniture, and silver to paintings, quilts and architecture -- Henderson will explore the many ways in which Friends throughout American history have used objects to communicate, as well as navigate, Quaker values. She will discuss what constitutes a shared Quaker aesthetic and how such an aesthetic has changed over time and place.

Other News

Quaker Quotes

“If we divide into camps -- even into violent and the nonviolent -- and stand in one camp while attacking the other, the world will never have peace. We will always blame and condemn those we feel are responsible for wars and social injustice, without recognizing the degree of violence within ourselves. We must work on ourselves and also with those we condemn if we want to have a real impact.”

Ayya Khema, “Be an Island,” as reprinted in Annapolis Friends Meeting January 2012 Newsletter

“Quaker Quotes” is a weekly submission by Melissa Belman (melissa@ecologicflooring.com), Holly Moore (htmoore@gmail.com) and Cindy Terrell (ctcabin@gmail.com). We welcome ideas.
Sidwell Friends Rowing Team: Erg, Play, Love

Wash away your guilt from consuming too many Valentine's chocolates and join the Sidwell Friends Rowing Team for a fun-filled way to get out and exercise. The first annual National Capital Erg Races: Erg, play, love event will be held at Sidwell Friends very own athletic center on Sunday, February 12, 2012. In addition to some serious erg events to test your mettle, try some of the fun couples and mixed relays. Watch coaches compete against one another, come in Valentine's costumes for a special creativity prize, and more! Mark your calendars now!
Read MoreUS Wednesday Newsletter Information

How to Submit an Article to the Wednesday Letter. Send submissions to PA.USNewsletter@sidwell.edu by 2 pm Tuesday. Please reference "Newsletter Submission" and the publish date(s) in the subject line. Items should be submitted as text in the body of the e-mail. Please 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, please send it as a PDF attachment to your email. Receipt of your submissions will be confirmed as soon as possible. Please be aware that submissions may not run for more than 3 weeks.

Modifying an existing Submission: if it becomes necessary to modify a submission, please send a redline or otherwise clearly indicate the change to be made.

Note Concerning the School Calendar: The calendar entries that appear in the right column of each Newsletter are automatically generated by the official school calendar and are not subject to editing by the Newsletter Editors. All changes or additions to the school calendar must be made through the school scheduling office, reachable at: scheduling@sidwell.edu.
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Calendar

Wed, Jan 4th