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Tuesday - June 2, 2015


Principal's Letter


NOTES FROM SALLY


Announcements


CONGRATS TO 8TH GRADE MATHEMATICIANS
ALL COMMUNITY MEETING FOR WORSHIP
VIRTUAL TOWN HALL MEETING WITH BRYAN GARMAN
OPTIONAL SUMMER READING FOR PARENTS
THANK YOU NEWSLETTER EDITORS
PARENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO HELP WELCOME FAMILIES
FRIEND TO FRIEND
THE PARENTS ASSOCIATION NEEDS YOU
REIMBURSEMENT REQUESTS FOR PA ACTIVITIES DUE BY JUNE 4


Other


NEWS FROM THE NURSE: ANNUAL PHYSICAL EXAMS
GENERAL SCHOOL COMMUNICATIONS SURVEY
QUAKER QUOTES
MS NEWSLETTER INFORMATION


News Around the School


MS NEWS


Principal's Letter


NOTES FROM SALLY
This week’s query: What did I learn about myself this year, and how can I keep that in mind as I look forward to next year?
Many thanks to all who completed the climate survey for our self-study next year. 86% of Middle School parents completed the survey – that’s great!
The 5/6 Track Meet will be held today starting at 9:00a.m., weather permitting, and will run through the morning. Parents are welcome to attend. (Rain date is tomorrow.)
Today is the final day for 7/8 academic classes.
Summer reading lists for Middle School are now posted on the website. Please go to the Middle School section, then the library tab, and then look for summer reading lists. Current 6th grade families received reading lists as part of their transition packet.
Your child will be cleaning out his or her school cubby or locker, and PE locker this week. Please remind him or her to pick up artwork from the art teachers, and to also check the Lost and Found areas in the Middle School and Athletic Center to locate missing items. Please return all library materials, laptop equipment, and hard-bound textbooks.
The last day of school is Thursday June 4th. It is a full day and dismissal will be at 3:30p.m. The 8th grade closing ceremony will be held later that evening for 8th grade families. Parents of students in other grades are welcome to attend the closing (daytime) assembly on June 4th from 2:30p.m. - 3:30p.m.
Middle School students with 4th grade siblings who wish to attend the Lower School graduation event on June 4th are welcome to do that. Please coordinate arrangements with the homeroom teacher or advisor.
8th grade parents: 8th graders will be taking their math exam on Wednesday. They will also have a grade-level Meeting for Worship and will rehearse for the closing ceremony. On Thursday they will rehearse again, have a Vertical Voices performance, and be with their teams until the closing assembly. They should be in the Arts Center by 6:30p.m. for the closing ceremony. Don’t forget to send in items for the time capsule envelopes through the end of July.
7th graders will be with their teams off campus on Wednesday, and Advisors have sent home permission slips to be signed. Also, on Thursday 6th graders will be out for the day so please ensure that students dress appropriately for the weather and bring a water bottle for these events.
Final reports for the year will be posted online early in the week of June 15th. We will send an email to let you know when they are available.
Homeroom and team placement for rising 5th, 6th, and 7th graders will be sent in early July. We will also post a list of supplies that students will need for next year around the same time. Final class placements math, science and language for 8th graders going on to the Upper School will be part of the comment in the final report card.
Thanks in advance to all of you who will be hosting welcome events for our new students and families over the summer. Please remember to be inclusive of the current student families as you plan these events.
We are beginning to think about assemblies for the 2015-16 school year. We welcome your suggestions!
Keeping your Brain in the Game!
While we are all (students and teachers) looking forward to the summer break, scientists have shown that we do lose ground in the summer in terms of skills and content learned during the school year. We have several opportunities for those families looking for opportunities to stay sharp and get ready for the fall. Our Kickstart program in July is a comprehensive math and language arts review. For those who are unable to take advantage of this opportunity we recommend the Summer Skills workbooks available at summerskills.com by grade and subject. Also, if you would like math suggestions, your child’s math teacher has a list of resources appropriate for student’s needs and interests.
The Middle School office will be open all summer, although Julia, Jared and I will take turns getting some vacation days in. Anne Kennedy and Michelle Parker do not work full time in the summer but will answer messages and emails periodically. Always use the main Middle School phone number if you need something right away.
Thanks so much to all of the PA officers, especially to this year’s co-clerks Ira Apfel and Jenifer Panner! We appreciate all of the time and hours that you spent to make this a good experience for our students and families!
Our thanks, too, to our many Parent Volunteers, especially those who have taken shifts at the front desk. We depend on you to help us keep up with the daily tasks in the office. Please contact Julia Porter (porterj@sidwell.edu) if you are interested in this opportunity for next year.
We also send a hearty thanks to all who provided snacks for our faculty meetings. We feel well taken care of!
On behalf of all of us here in the Middle School, we wish you a restful and happy summer! It is such a privilege to work with our wonderful students and families, and we will miss seeing you over these summer months!


Announcements


CONGRATS TO 8TH GRADE MATHEMATICIANS
Congratulations to 8th graders Mitchell Jubeir, Nathan Shapiro, and Oliver Bass, all of whom solved the April/May Math Challenge correctly. You can view their brilliant solutions on the Math Counts bulletin board outside of Mr. C’s room, or on the Math bulletin board in the 5/6 hallway. The next Math Challenge will be posted in September.

ALL COMMUNITY MEETING FOR WORSHIP
You are invited to join the Sidwell Friends community for an All Community Meeting for Worship on Sunday June 7 at 10:30 a.m. in the Robert L. Smith Meeting Room on the Wisconsin Avenue campus. Light refreshments will be served at the rise of Meeting.
An alternative program will be offered for school-age children. Children will start Meeting with the group and be invited to join the leaders of the children’s meeting after about 20 minutes of worship. Please RSVP to Kathi Webb (webbk@sidwell.edu) if your children will participate in this program.
If you would like to learn more about Meeting for Worship, the PA Quaker Life Committee's page on the parent portal contains helpful materials and links provided by the faculty and parent Quaker Life Committees. A Quaker Book of Wisdom by Robert L. Smith also contains a helpful chapter titled “Worship” sharing his experiences at Meeting from childhood and as an adult.

VIRTUAL TOWN HALL MEETING WITH BRYAN GARMAN
You are invited to a Virtual Town Hall Meeting with Bryan Garman, which will be moderated by Doug Thornell ’95. The Town Hall will take place on June 12. You can submit your questions in advance when you register online.

OPTIONAL SUMMER READING FOR PARENTS
Ron Lieber, author of The Opposite of Spoiled, will be speaking to Sidwell Friends parents on Monday October 26 about when and how to talk with children about money and financial matters. Lieber, personal finance columnist for The New York Times, says that his “...book is intended to start conversations about money in our families, schools and communities. But it’s meant to be only the first word, not the last one.” He sees parent discomfort in talking with their children about money as a missed opportunity to both model important financial behaviors and imprint lessons about what they care about most. That is, conversations about money can lead to discussions about important personal values and causes. We hope Ron’s discussion will lead to further conversations in our School community. If you would like to borrow a copy from SFS this summer please contact Kathi Webb, copies will also be available in the division libraries next fall. Please mark your calendar for this evening event in the Robert L. Smith Meeting Room.

THANK YOU NEWSLETTER EDITORS
Thanks to the Middle School newsletter editors (Georgine Newman-Alawode, Camilla Carpenter, Jesse Cowan, Jen Lanoff, Allison Leader, Joy Lewis and overall coordinator and editor Amy Swindell) for your work this school year. We would have been lost without your faithful attention to our many messages about plays, service projects, hangouts and more.

PARENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO HELP WELCOME FAMILIES
Can you host a potluck, hangout or any fun group activity to welcome new 5th and 6th grade families?
Families of current 5th and 6th graders are needed to help welcome new families this spring and summer! Can you host a potluck dinner for a small group of parents? Can you and your child host a hangout for either a small or large group of new kids? You might go bowling, spend a couple hours at the local pool, make casseroles for Martha’s Table, go for a hike and get ice cream, or shoot baskets in your backyard. Whatever the activity, you will help us welcome these nearly 40 new families to our Middle School community. If you can help, please contact Carrington Tarr (cctarr@gmail.com) or Allison Leader (ableader@gmail.com), MS Welcoming co clerks.

FRIEND TO FRIEND
VOLUNTEER FOR THE 2015 NEXT-TO-NEW SALE!
We are currently seeking volunteers and section heads for the 2015 Next-to-New Sale. Starting in early September and running through mid-October, we need volunteers to manage sections, organize, price, set up donations for display, serve as cashiers at the Sale, clean up post-Sale and pick up local donations. You can spend as much time helping as you would like -- even a few hours is a huge help! If you're interested in volunteering, please contact Co-Chairs Felice Roggen at froggen@mac.com and Melanie Jacobsen at mjacobsen12345@gmail.com
Link: http://www.sidwell.edu/support_sfs/events-for-student-scholarship/next-to-new-sale/index.aspx
Spring Cleaning or Moving? Donate Items to the Next-to-New Sale
Are you in the throes of spring cleaning? Do you anticipate a summer move? Are you going to tackle a home improvement project once school is out? Consider donating gently used items to the Next-to New Sale, the School's large community secondhand sale that takes place in the Wannan Gym over Homecoming weekend! Our biggest needs include furniture, bikes, clothing (including boutique items, bags, wallets, jewelry, shoes), toys, housewares, rugs, sporting equipment, strollers, infant/toddler clothing, and children’s books (we are not accepting adults' books). All donations are eligible for tax deduction. To coordinate a drop-off time before the next school year starts, please contact Jessie Jacobson, Director of Special Events, at jacobsonj@sidwell.edu with your suggested drop-off day and time.
Link: http://www.sidwell.edu/support_sfs/events-for-student-scholarship/next-to-new-sale/index.aspx

THE PARENTS ASSOCIATION NEEDS YOU
We are Seeking Volunteers to Fill Middle School Positions for Next Year
If you enjoy community building and would like to make an important contribution to the School and your child's experience at Sidwell, please volunteer as a room parent for your 5th or 6th grade class, team parent for your 7th or 8th grade team, or dance committee clerk. Each of these positions are only a year long and we are looking to fill positions in all grades in the Middle School.
If you are interested in serving, would like to suggest someone else, or simply would like more information, please e-mail Renee Fried, MS co-vice clerk, at reneefriedzone@gmail.com, or Beth Zeugin, MS co-vice clerk, at bczeugin@comcast.net.
Thank you! It feels great to get involved and help out at SFS.

REIMBURSEMENT REQUESTS FOR PA ACTIVITIES DUE BY JUNE 4
Please submit all reimbursement requests for Parents’ Association activities to the PA mailbox in Zartman by Thursday, June 4 – the last day of school. Original receipts are required and should be taped (not stapled) to the back of the reimbursement forms. Please email Rebecca Rippey, PA Treasurer, at rippeyrebecca@gmail.com if you need a copy of the reimbursement form or have any questions. Thank you.


Other


NEWS FROM THE NURSE: ANNUAL PHYSICAL EXAMS
This is just a friendly reminder as we begin to prepare for the 2015-2016 school year.
Physical Examinations and Immunizations Required for Attendance
All health-related forms must be submitted online via Magnus Health. No paper health forms will be accepted at the School.
Annual Physical Exams: All students are required to have an annual physical exam during the 12-month period immediately preceding the first day of the school year. You will receive an automated email reminder directly from Magnus Health 6 weeks prior to the expiration of the physical examination. A DC Universal Health Certificate must be completed and signed by a physician or advanced practice nurse and submitted to the School via Magnus Health. (Sign into the Parent Portal and click on the link Update Student Health Information). Parents will be given both oral and written notice if they fail to provide the required form. If after 30 days it has not been submitted, the public health authorities will be notified.
In addition to submission of the DC Universal Health Certificate as described above (12-months prior to first day of school), in order to participate in all school and physical activities, students must update the Vital Health Record (by July 1stwithin the calendar year), and the Consent to Treat Form (by July 1st within the current calendar year). If you find that you will not be able to furnish the School with an updated Health Certificate by the expiration date of the last physical examination, you may have the health care practitioner write a note indicating that your child “is cleared to participate in physical and other school related activities until next physical exam scheduled on….” This note will suffice until that scheduled physical exam is completed and should be submitted via Magnus Health.
Immunizations: In accordance with DC law, all students must submit documentation that they have been vaccinated against specific illnesses before the school year begins. Tdap, Meningitis and HPV immunizations are required by the D.C. Department of Health for students 11 years and older entering 6th through 12th grades. No student will be allowed to attend School without a Certificate of Immunization unless the student has been exempted in accordance with law. In order for a student to be exempted from providing certification of immunization, parents must submit a completed religious or medical exemption form on an annual basis to Magnus Health, via the parent portal on the SFS website.

GENERAL SCHOOL COMMUNICATIONS SURVEY
Parents, please take a few minutes to share your opinions on general School communications including weekly division e-newsletters, social media, wall calendar, printed directory, and more.
Click on the link below to take this survey, which will be available until June 5.
(Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/26KR5LH)

QUAKER QUOTES
"My prayer for each of you is that
you will make your life commitments
on the basis of who you are and not
on the basis of external voices.
Be patient with yourselves
during the searching years it
usually takes to find your own path
to an integrated and expressive life.
It won't be easy.
There are no shortcuts."
Earl Harrison, former head of SFS, speaking to the graduating class of 1998
Quaker quotations are intended to deepen the appreciation of Quakerism in the Sidwell Friends School community. Questions and suggestions may be directed to Cynthia Terrell ctcabin@gmail.com

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.


MS NewsBanking on a Change in How Our Clothes Are Made
Sixth graders travel to the World Bank to help address labor conditions in the garment industry.
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, Jun 2nd

US Exams - Math

US Dining Rm, US Classrooms
8:30am - 10:30am


Senior Project Performance

Rosenberg Theater
7:00pm - 8:00pm


Wed, Jun 3rd

US Exams - History

US Dining Rm, US Classrooms
8:30am - 10:30am


Senior Project Performance

Rosenberg Theater
7:00pm - 8:00pm


Senior Project Performance

Choral Music Room
8:00pm - 9:00pm


Thu, Jun 4th

Middle School - Last Day of School


8:00am - 3:30pm


Lower School Closing Ceremony


9:00am - 10:30am


Lower School - Last Day of School


9:00am - 12:00pm


Middle School Closing Ceremony

AC Theater
7:00pm - 9:30pm


Fri, Jun 5th

US Closing Day


Upper School Commencement

Zartman Garden
10:30am - 12:00pm


More


Athletics


No events are currently available.
More


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