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Tuesday - May 12, 2015


Principal's Letter


NOTES FROM SALLY


Announcements


INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC NOTES
OPPORTUNITIES TO MEET WITH BRYAN GARMAN
PARENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO HELP WELCOME FAMILIES
PARENT SURVEY
PBS AND PLAS END OF YEAR RECEPTION
REIMBURSEMENT REQUESTS FOR PA ACTIVITIES DUE BY JUNE 4
FRIEND TO FRIEND
UPPER SCHOOL ART EXHIBITION - GALLERY OPENING AND SPRING PLAY


Other


TIME TO SETTLE UP ACCOUNTS AT THE FOX DEN
COMMUNITY SERVICE CORNER
QUAKER QUOTE
MS NEWSLETTER INFORMATION


News Around the School


US NEWS


Principal's Letter


NOTES FROM SALLY
This week’s query: How do you continue to work hard when you feel tired or overwhelmed?
Assembly: 8th grade drama scenes. Parents are welcome!
Are you wondering about the big thermometer in front of the Middle School? We hope that you will participate in a survey to assess the School’s climate as part of our upcoming self-study and reaccreditation process. You can access the anonymous online survey at this link:
Sidwell Friends School - Middle School — Parent Survey Link http://www.schoolclimate.net?l=e&t=p&v=319&c=1152793
The survey takes about 20 minutes and must be completed in one sitting. For those of you who find yourselves waiting for students before or after School meetings and events, computers are available in each of the division libraries for parent use to complete the survey. Laptops will be available before the May 12 Parents Association meeting for those who come early and would like to take the survey at that time. If you would like more information about the Self-Study or the survey, please contact Clerk Becky Farnum at farnumb@sidwell.edu or 202-537-2451.
Each year we select books to be part of our “Big Read”, an opportunity to have our entire community of faculty, parents and students read and discuss books about identity and inclusion. This year, for 5th and 6th grades, we have chosen Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson. This National Book Award-winning work tells the autobiographical story of growing up in the south as an African-American girl in the 1960s and 1970s. It is a beautiful book written entirely in verse!
For 7th and 8th grade, we have selected The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. The author recounts the trials of a Native American teenager, Arnold “Junior” Spirit, during his first year in high school. The author uses humor to soften the sometimes difficult and emotional story of a loveable, misfit protagonist.
A limited number of copies of these books are available in the library, office and with Ms. Nichols and Ms. Clarkson (and, of course, from the library and book stores as well!) We hope that everyone will join us in The Big Read.
You may have noticed that we now have some extra help on 37th Street from our Security officers. We hope that this will improve the traffic flow – please follow their direction.
It was lovely to see so many grandparents and special friends last Friday for Grandparents Day!
Thank you so much to everyone who contributed to the annual casserole bake for Martha’s Table – we sent 48 casseroles to them.
Also a big thank you to Nina Saaty and Team Land for holding a bake sale to benefit the victims of the earthquake in Nepal. They raised $250, which will be sent to AmeriCares.
As the year ends, we remind students not to leave their belongings unsecured on the campus! Too often students leave bookbags or valuable sports or technology items lying about. We do our best to track them down, but lots of people walk through the campus, and unattended items are vulnerable to theft.


Announcements


INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC NOTES
7/8 Handbell Choir: Tuesday 7:25 a.m.
5/6 All Instrumentalists: Wednesday rehearsal period
7/8 All Instrumentalists: Wednesday rehearsal period
Jazz/Rock Band: Thursday 3:45 – 5:00 p.m.
7/8 Handbell Choir: Friday 11:00-11:15 a.m.
All 7/8 Instrumentalists: Monday, May 18 3:30-5:30 p.m. Arts Center (snack provided)

OPPORTUNITIES TO MEET WITH BRYAN GARMAN
All School Parents Association Meeting with Bryan Garman, TODAY, May 12 at 7:30 p.m.
The Parents Association invites all Sidwell Friends parents to a meeting with Bryan Garman on May 12 at 7:30 p.m. in the Robert L. Smith Meeting Room. Dessert will be available at 7 p.m. Bryan will update us on a number of topics including the Athletics Task Force, the upcoming all school climate survey and two new all school positions: Director of Equity, Justice and Community and Director of Global Initiatives and Service Learning. Parents Association clerks will also be available to provide information about parents association activities this year and plans for next year. There will be some time for your questions. Child Care will be available, so please contact Kathi Webb (webbk@sidwell.edu) if you plan to use it.
Virtual Town Hall Meeting: Friday, June 12 at 12 noon
You are invited to a Virtual Town Hall Meeting with Bryan Garman moderated by Doug Thornell ’95. The Town Hall Meeting will take place on Friday, June 12 at 12:00 noon, and you can submit your questions in advance when you register online.

PARENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO HELP WELCOME FAMILIES
Did you know that 39 new students are coming to Middle School next fall (in addition to the rising 5th graders!)? We need your help welcoming them: new 6th and 7th graders are invited to a Scavenger Hunt and Ice Cream Social from 1:30-3:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 31. Current parents and students will show new kids around and answer parents’ questions. This is a great chance to get to know the new families and enjoy some ice cream with friends. If you can help, please contact Carrington Tarr (cctarr@gmail.com) or Allison Leader (ableader@gmail.com), MS Welcoming co-clerks. Thank you!

PARENT SURVEY
We are asking all parents to participate in a survey to assess the School’s climate as part of our upcoming self-study and reaccreditation process. You can access the anonymous online survey here. The survey takes about 20 minutes and must be completed in one sitting.
This survey is a critical element of the self-study process, which in turn forms the underpinning of our forthcoming request for reaccreditation by the Association of Independent Maryland Schools (AIMS) and the Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges. The goal is to have 100 percent participation among parents, students, faculty and staff. Thank you for your support.

PBS AND PLAS END OF YEAR RECEPTION
Parents and students from all three divisions are cordially invited to join the Parents of Black Students and the Parents of Latino Students for an end-of-year reception. We will be gathering in the Upper School Dining Room on Thursday, May 28 from 6:00 -8:00 p.m. Graduating seniors will be recognized. In addition, seniors and their parents will share their thoughts about progressing successfully through all the divisions at Sidwell.
A light dinner will be served and we would like to know how many guests to expect, so the favor of a reply is kindly requested at www.SignUpGenius.com/go/10C0D4AA8A728A31-sidwell2
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Maurice Ross, PBS Co-Clerk at mbross@verizon.net or Lisa Fuentes, PLAS Co-Clerk, LisaFuentes@gmail.com.

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.

FRIEND TO FRIEND
Tennis Round Robin on Sunday, May 17
The Tennis Round Robin is less than one week away! Co-Chairs Eleni Rossides and Raina Fishbane invite your families to join us on Sunday, May 17 from 3:30 to 6:00 p.m. at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center (home of the CitiOpen!) for an afternoon of tennis and fun with community members of all ages and skill sets. This is a great opportunity to meet Head Varsity Tennis Coach Octavio Delasobera and many of the top boys and girls varsity players, including Jacob Walker '16 and Caroline Monahan '16, who will be participating in the event. Even if you are not a tennis player, come enjoy the matches, food and fun! Adult tickets cost $50 and student tickets cost $30. Sponsorship opportunities are also available and all proceeds benefit student financial aid. Click here to register today! If you have any questions, please contact Jessie Jacobson, director of special events, at jacobsonj@sidwell.edu or 202.537.8442.
Auction Prizes Pick-Up by June 1
Still need to pick up your auction prizes? Please visit the Office of Institutional Advancement located on the lower level of Zartman House no later than June 1 to claim your certificates and tangible items. Pickup is available between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on weekdays. Many thanks for your support!

UPPER SCHOOL ART EXHIBITION - GALLERY OPENING AND SPRING PLAY
Come and celebrate the opening of the Upper School Spring Art Exhibition in the Rubenstein Gallery from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 15. The show includes work created in the Drawing, Painting, Digital Art, Photography, Ceramic and AP Studio Art classes. The gallery opening will be followed by the Upper School Spring Play, "Harvey," at 8 p.m. Make it your arts night at Sidwell Friends. Refreshments will be provided. If you would like to help our arts faculty with the installation of the student work, please contact Anna Tsouhlarakis, Studio Art teacher and Director of the Rubenstein Gallery at tsouhlarakisa@sidwell.edu.


Other


TIME TO SETTLE UP ACCOUNTS AT THE FOX DEN
The countdown has now begun to the end of school and ‘zero’ balances on The Fox Den accounts. Please take a moment to check in with the staff at The Fox Den on the status of your student’s account.

- All accounts with negative balances must be settled up prior to the end of the year.
- All accounts with positive balances will be rolled over into the next school year.
Any special team orders that were not paid for (and quite possibly not picked up) during the course of the year have now been charged to those students’ accounts. Emails will be sent to students with negative balances the first week of May.

Payments may be made over the phone (202.537.8198) with a credit card, or in person via credit card, check or cash.

Please contact Marnee Robinson, The Fox Den manager, with any questions or concerns at robinsonm@sidwell.edu or 202.537.8198.

COMMUNITY SERVICE CORNER
Thanks to everyone who participated in the Martha's Table casserole bake. We collected 48 yummy dishes!
Upcoming Dates:
May 14: 7/8th Service Day
May 15: 5th Grade Hangout
May 31: AWC Service Club Grand Finale

Many thanks to those fifth and sixth graders (and their parents!) who participated in the service club this year at A Wider Circle. We'll have a grand finale on Sunday, May 31 at 1 p.m. Please contact Dana Milbank (dana.milbank@washpost.com) with any questions.
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 QUOTE
"Traditional Quaker Meeting, as inaugurated in the seventeenth century, has been called an experiment in religious anarchy. Because all authority is vested in all members, all people are equally entitled to speak. Each Meeting is like a gamble with the human spirit, a wager that more will be brought out of the room than was brought in - more depth, more insight, more truth, more knowledge, more growth in each and among all."
~Robert L Smith, former head of Sidwell Friends School
Quaker Quotations are intended to deepen the understanding of Quakerism in the Sidwell Friends School community. Questions and suggestions may be directed to Cynthia Richie Terrell at 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.


US NewsUpper School math teacher speaks about her revolutionary past
Maria Koziebrodzka shares her personal account of growing up in Cold War-era Poland and her role in the resistance.
Read More"They heard we were coming and quit"
Sidwell Friends was honored to host Tuskegee Airman William Fauntroy.
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, May 12th

PA All-School Transition Meeting

US Dining Room
6:00pm - 7:30pm


PA All School Meeting with Bryan Garman

Robert L. Smith Meeting Rm
7:30pm - 9:00pm


Wed, May 13th

6th Grade Parent Peer Group Meeting

LS Meeting House
8:00pm - 9:00pm


Fri, May 15th

5th Gr. Hangout

Wannan Gym and MS Courtyard
3:30pm - 5:00pm


Upper School Art Exhibition - Gallery Opening

Daryl Reich Rubenstein Gallery
5:30pm - 7:30pm


US SPRING PLAY - "HARVEY" by MARY CHASE

AC Theater
8:00pm - 10:00pm

Visit this Link


Sat, May 16th

US SPRING PLAY - "HARVEY" by MARY CHASE

AC Theater
8:00pm - 10:00pm

Visit this Link


Sun, May 17th

US SPRING PLAY - "HARVEY" by MARY CHASE

AC Theater
2:30pm - 4:30pm

Visit this Link


Tennis Event

William H.G. Fitzgerald Tennis Center
3:00pm - 7:00pm


Wed, May 20th

7/8 Spring Concert

AC Theater
7:00pm - 9:00pm


Thu, May 21st

All MS Meeting for Worship - Parents Invited

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


Mon, May 25th

Memorial Day - No School


Tue, May 26th

US Exams - Review Day


Wed, May 27th

US Exams - Reading Day


Thu, May 28th

US Exams - Science

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


5/6 Spring Concert

AC Theater
7:00pm - 9:00pm


Fri, May 29th

US Exams - Language

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


7/8 Dance

LS Multipurpose Rm
6:30pm - 10:00pm


7th Gr. Parent Peer Group Mtg

LS Meeting House
8:00pm - 9:30pm


8th Gr. Parent Peer Group Mtg

LS Library
8:00pm - 9:30pm


Sun, May 31st

New 6-8 Grade Student Ice Cream Social/Scavenger Hunt

Sledge Garden (Wannan Gym in case of rain)
1:30pm - 3:00pm


Mon, Jun 1st

US Exams - English

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


More


Athletics


Mon, May 11th

Tennis - Boys Varsity - DCSAA Tournament 5/11 - 5/15


5/15/2015


Wed, May 13th

Softball - Varsity - DCSAA State Tournament


Baseball - 7/8 B vs. Maret School


2:45pm


Softball - 7/8 A at National Cathedral School


2:45pm


Lacrosse - Girls 7/8 A at National Cathedral School


2:45pm


Lacrosse - Boys Varsity - MAC Tournament (higher seed)


5:30pm


Thu, May 14th

Softball - Varsity - DCSAA State Tournament


Track & Field - Girls 7/8 - Draper


Track & Field - Boys 7/8 - Draper


Baseball - 7/8 A vs. Maret School


2:45pm


Lacrosse - Boys 7/8 A vs. Potomac School


2:45pm


Tennis - Boys 7/8 at Potomac School


2:45pm


Baseball - 7/8 B at St. Stephen's & St. Agnes


2:45pm


Tennis - Boys 7/8 - B team vs. Potomac


2:45pm


Baseball - Varsity - MAC Tournament Rain Date


5:30pm


Lacrosse - Boys Varsity - MAC Tournament Rain Date


5:30pm


Fri, May 15th

Softball - Varsity - DCSAA State Tournament Semi-Finals


Crew - Girls vs. Stotesbury Cup Regatta


5/16/2015


Sat, May 16th

Softball - Varsity - DCSAA State Tournament Finals


Crew - Girls vs. Stotesbury Cup Regatta


Mon, May 18th

Softball - 7/8 A at Potomac School


2:45pm


Softball - 7/8 B vs. Potomac School


2:45pm


Lacrosse - Boys 7/8 A at Bullis


2:45pm


Lacrosse - Girls 7/8 A at Potomac School


2:45pm


Tennis - Boys 7/8 at Bullis


2:45pm


Baseball - 7/8 B vs. Potomac School


2:45pm


Wed, May 20th

Track & Field - Girls Varsity - DCSAA Championship


Track & Field - Boys Varsity - DCSAA Championships


Baseball - 7/8 A at Flint Hill


2:45pm


Tennis - Boys 7/8 vs. St. Stephen's & St. Agnes


2:45pm


Thu, May 21st

Track & Field - Girls Varsity - DCSAA Championship


Track & Field - Boys Varsity - DCSAA Championships


Track & Field - Girls 7/8 - Middle School Championships


Track & Field - Boys 7/8 - Middle School Championships


Baseball - 7/8 A vs. Georgetown Day


2:30pm


Softball - 7/8 A vs. Georgetown Day


2:30pm


Softball - 7/8 B vs. Georgetown Day


2:30pm


Lacrosse - Boys 7/8 A vs. Georgetown Day


2:30pm


Lacrosse - Girls 7/8 A at Georgetown Day


2:30pm


Tennis - Boys 7/8 vs. Georgetown Day


2:30pm


Wed, May 27th

Baseball - Varsity - DCSAA Quarterfinals


Fri, May 29th

Baseball - Varsity vs. DCSAA Semifinals


Sat, May 30th

Baseball - Varsity - DCSAA Rain Date


Lacrosse - Girls Varsity - Alumni Game


10:00am - 1:00pm


Sun, May 31st

Baseball - Varsity - DCSAA Championships @ Nationals Stadium


11:30am - 11:00am


More


3825 Wisconsin Avenue NW Washington, DC 20016 Tel: 202-537-8100 Fax: 202-537-8499