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Thursday - June 3, 2010


From the School

QUERY
"What can we do to continue caring for our environment
As we travel to interesting new places, meet new friends
And try new foods over the summer?"
-- Written by Grade 1LOWER SCHOOL JUNE REPORTS
Portal Instructions Lower School.docThe Lower School no longer mails reports home. They will be available online as of Friday, June 18 following the same practice as the Middle and Upper Schools. Final report cards will be held until household, emergency, and health information is updated online. Instructions on how to access your child’s report online are available via the attached document. Parents should log in to the Parent Portal – Select “Educator Online” from the banner – Select “Report Card” and the .pdf icon for the current marking period. If you have any difficulty logging in to Educator Online contact Jane Lenherr, Registrar on 202-537-8169 or by email at registrar@sidwell.edu. Read MorePRINCIPAL FOR THE DAY: BAD HAIR DAY!
This year Principal for the Day will be Monday, June 7th. We would appreciate it if students would try to look like their parents with a bad hair day! Prizes will be given for the worst hair style. Special treats will be served during lunch. And parents are welcome to come looking like their children on a bad hair day!!LUNCH ROOM MANNERS - GRADES 2, 3 AND 4
Over several weeks the noise in the lunch room has been increasing to a point where it is affecting everyone in the room. In this atmosphere the children are unable to enjoy a peaceful lunch with their friends. We will be asking children to talk in a very low voice to their direct neighbors during lunch and this will make for a quieter and more relaxed lunch atmosphere. We appreciate your support in helping to develop a more civil and respectful lunch room.TEAM TWO TO CAMP PECOMETH
On Friday, June 4th, Team Two will travel to Camp Pecometh to celebrate our year together and to immerse ourselves in an outdoor experience reminiscent of our Woodland Indians theme study. This camp is located on the Eastern Shore in the town of Centreville, MD. Parent volunteers will drive us, leaving at 9:00 am and returning at about 8:30 pm. The day is packed with fun activities including games, crafts, canoeing and a hay ride! We will enjoy bag lunches from home, dinner provided by the camp, and s’mores around the campfire after our closing team council meeting. Please make arrangements for this late pick up.TEAM TWO TO TAKO GRILL
Team Two will go out to lunch and top off our year by taking a culinary trip to Japan. We’ll walk to Tako Grill where we will enjoy a sampler plate that includes miso soup, sushi, veggies tempura, chicken teriyaki and several other Japanese goodies… yum! Grade 2x will go on Monday, June 7th and Grade 2 on Tuesday, June 8th.LAST DAY OF SCHOOL: FRIDAY, JUNE 11TH AT 12:00 NOON
The last day of school for all Lower School students is Friday, June 11th. We hold the 4th grade graduation ceremony from 9:15-10:00 am in the gym. The 4th graders enjoy the ceremony, join their families for a reception, and then leave campus for a swim party.

All PK through Grade 3 students attend the graduation ceremony and then return to classrooms for the remainder of the morning. We dismiss the students at 12:00 noon (no lunch is served) and ask that parents pick up promptly because the LS faculty and staff are invited to a Parents Association Appreciation Lunch. The shuttle bus will run to the Wisconsin Avenue campus immediately after dismissal.

There is no Aftercare on Friday, June 11th. The last day of Aftercare is Thursday, June 10th.


PA Announcements

FINAL TUESDAY MEETING FOR WORSHIP
Join your child for the last Meeting for Worship of the school year, on Tuesday, June 8th 1:20-2:00 pm. Next Tuesday grades PK-3 will be in the Multi Purpose Room for an All School Meeting for Worship, and all fourth graders will be in the Meeting House. Parking during Meeting is available in the driveway/carpool line. Meeting begins promptly at 1:30 pm.FOURTH GRADE CORNER
4th GRADE GRADUATION
The 4th grade graduation ceremony will be held on Friday, June 11th from 9:15-10:00 am in the gym.
ATTIRE FOR 4TH GRADERS
Boys - White dress shirt with collar or polo shirt (long or short sleeves); Dress pants, no jacket or tie.
Girls - Simple white or pastel dress or nice slacks and similar top. The outfit may be solid color or with a subtle design.
Please contact Anna Urciolo with any questions (urcioloa@sidwell.edu).
GRADUATION PARTY FOR 4TH GRADERS
Graduation is quickly approaching, and our children will soon be middle schoolers! To celebrate this special day, there will be a graduation party for our 4th graders on June 11th, 2010 at the Edgemoor Swim Club. The children will walk to Edgemoor after the graduation reception ends at 10:30 am for swimming and lunch, and then return to Lower School at 1:00 pm to be picked up by their parents. It is for graduates only.

Children can change into their swimsuits at school or at Edgemoor, so please remember to pack a swimsuit, towel and a change of clothing for your child. In case of rain, the children will remain at Edgemoor for some indoor activities. A special permission slip for the graduation party will be sent to parents via email. Please return the permission slip directly to Ms. Conte by June 7th.
In addition, we are looking for chaperones to help out that day. If you are interested, please e-mail debrabolog@aol.com.COMMUNITY SERVICE CORNER
CANNED VEGGIES INSTEAD OF FRESH VEGGIES!
Our vegetable chopping is done for the year, but your help is still needed! Please send your student to school with a canned vegetable on the next two Wednesdays and help us make sure that the food pantries have supplies for needy families during the summer! Donated foods will be delivered to Martha's Pantry and A Wider Circle. -- Catherine Weiss, Community Service Committee, catherine.weiss@starpower.net.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING WITH COMMUNITY SERVICE
With enormous support from parents, faculty, students and administrators, our school community performed hours and hours of service this year. Together we delivered 1,200 pounds of chopped and seasoned soup vegetables to Martha's Table; we donated and read over 1,000 books to Brightwood Elementary School children; we made over 65 trips to Bethesda Cares to donate unserved lunch food; families helped at A Wider Circle and Martha's Table on weekends throughout the year; and we helped Lower School maximize its paper, bottle and can recycling . . All this, just to name a few things!

On Service Days, our children formed reading partnerships with students at Brightwood, cleaned up the banks of the Anacostia River, collected acorns and other seeds for a Potomac watershed restoration project, gardened and composted vegetable trimmings at Lower School, and made sandwiches and bag lunches for Bethesda Cares and Martha's Table clients. Because of your deep commitment to community service and willingness to volunteer your time, our children are able to undertake meaningful projects. For the students, community service is "something we do at Lower School", a part of everyday life. Thank you for making this possible!
-- Catherine Weiss, Beth Zeugin and Lisa Ward, Community Service Committee
END-OF-YEAR 3RD & 4TH GRADE CLASS PICNICS
Please bring your whole family for these annual evening get-togethers, which take place from 5-7 pm at the Lower School. The whole family is invited to attend.

Fourth Grade: Thursday, June 3rd
Third Grade: Monday, June 7th
FIELD DAY SUCCESS!
THANK YOU to Amy Goldberg and all of the fabulous Field Day Volunteers who helped Mr. Fleming and Mr. Gold make Field Day a tremendous success. The kids enjoyed the Jamaican theme, food, and music, and the grown-ups (mostly) managed to survive the heat. Kudos to all!
THANK YOU TO OUR WELCOME TEAM
A heartfelt thank you to our Welcome Committee Co-Clerks, Dianne Harrison and Powell Jones, for their tremendous work in spearheading the lower school welcome team this year. We would also like to thank our Co-Vice Clerks, Liz Baldick and Carrington Tarr, as well as all of the parent volunteers, staff, and administration for their help in willingly and happily greeting, hosting and informing the new families for the 2010-11 school year. PARENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED AT THE FOX DEN
Looking to volunteer in a coffee house setting? Your search has ended! The Fox Den, located on the Wisconsin Avenue campus, is currently looking for parent volunteers to help out for the 2010-2011 school year. If you enjoy a coffee shop/clothing store atmosphere and a chance to interact with high school and middle school students, this is the place for you. This fun opportunity requires no retail or restaurant experiences. Please contact Ellis Turner at 202.537.8100 ext. 8108 (turnere@sidwell.edu ) or Donna C. Osborn at 202.537.8198 ( osbornd@sidwell.edu ) if you have any questions. Click here to visit the Fox Den and find out more about the store.
SEEKING ROOM PARENTS FOR 5TH GRADE NEXT YEAR
Are you interested in serving as a Room Parent for your child’s 5th grade class next year? The MS Parents Association is seeking volunteers to serve as room parents in 2010-2011. If you are interested, please email Belinda Nixon, bnixon@stanfordalumni.org, or Gita van Heerden, gsvh@verizon.net. Thanks in advance for your interest!
LAST CALL FOR PA REIMBURSEMENT REQUESTS
If you have spent money on behalf of the Parents Association this year, please note that the last date to submit receipts for reimbursement will be Tuesday, June 15, 2010. Please check with PA Division Clerks or PA Presidents to verify your budget. Note that original receipts only will be accepted and downloadable forms must be signed by the PA Clerks or Presidents. You can mail completed paperwork to them, or place it in the PA box in your division or at Zartman House – just confirm that they have received it. For more on PA Financial Procedures, click here. Questions? Ask PA Treasurer Jay Dunn jdunndc@cs.com or PA Co-President Amy Davies armrdavies@starpower.net.


Other News

RENT THE TURF ON SUNDAYS!
The Auxiliary Programs Office is please to begin renting the turf athletic field on the Wisconsin Avenue Campus. We will begin renting the field on a pilot basis, Sundays as of September 12th. Priority will be given to current Sidwell families, Alumni, and faculty/staff. Please go to the rental portion of the website: http://www.sidwell.edu/broadcast/action/clickthru.aspx?id=366.1068.515645.55595.6510 to download the application form. You may also contact Justine Khadduri at Khaddurij@Sidwell.edu for more information.LS THURSDAY NEWSLETTER INFORMATION
How to Subscribe
To receive the Thursday Letter via e-mail, send an e-mail to Thursday@listserv.sidwell.edu with only the word "SUBSCRIBE" in the subject line.
How to Unsubscribe
If you have wish to have your name removed from the subscription list, send an e-mail to Thursday@listserv.sidwell.edu with only the word "UNSUBSCRIBE" in the subject line.
How to Submit an Article to Thursday Letter
Send submissions to PA.LSNewsletter@sidwell.edu by 2 pm Wednesday. 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.
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.

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.
LS newsletter submissions should be sent to PA.LSnewsletter@sidwell.edu.


Calendar


Thu, Jun 3rd

4th Grade End of Year Picnic

LS Upper Field
5:00pm - 7:00pm


Fri, Jun 4th

PK Circus


9:00am


PK Circus

LS MultiPurpose Room
9:00am - 10:00am


7/8 Grade Dance

US Dining Room
6:30pm - 10:00pm


Sat, Jun 5th

SAT Testing


8:00am


Mon, Jun 7th

PA Athletics Committee Meeting

Zartman Drawing Room
8:30am


All 4th grade camping trip to Sheridan Mountain Campus


8:45am - 3:00pm
6/8/2010


World Expo

Middle School
4:00pm - 5:30pm


3rd Grade End of Year Picnic

LS Upper Field
5:00pm - 7:00pm


Wed, Jun 9th

MBS Book Buyback

US Crane Room
8:00am - 4:00pm


Thu, Jun 10th

MBS Book Buy Back


Fri, Jun 11th

4th Grade Graduation and party

Lower School and off campus
9:00am


PK - Grade 3 Last Day of School. Closing at 12 noon.


9:00am - 12:00pm


Middle School 8th Grade Graduation

AC Theater
7:00pm


Sat, Jun 12th

Bethesda Friends Working Group on Racism Meeting

LS Meeting House
10:00am - 1:00pm


Upper School Commencement


10:30am


Fri, Jun 18th

US Grades Posted Online


More


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