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Tuesday - May 19, 2015


Principal's Letter


NOTES FROM SALLY


Announcements


INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC NOTES
THE PARENTS ASSOCIATION NEEDS YOU
PARENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO HELP WELCOME FAMILIES
FRIEND TO FRIEND
PARENT SURVEY
PBS AND PLAS END OF YEAR RECEPTION
REIMBURSEMENT REQUESTS FOR PA ACTIVITIES DUE BY JUNE 4


Other


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


News Around the School


US NEWS


LS NEWS


Principal's Letter


NOTES FROM SALLY
This week’s query: How do we know if someone is a good person?
The 7/8 choral and orchestra concert will be held this Wednesday evening (5/20) at 7 p.m. and again on Friday afternoon (5/22) from 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Parents are welcome at either show! Students will need to wear their “blacks and whites” for both performances.
Thanks so much to those of you who have completed the Climate Survey as a part of the school’s Self-Study and Reaccreditation process. The survey is open until this Friday, May 22.
Next week 7th and 8th graders will be having their last tests for the trimester, followed by the 8th grade algebra exam on Wednesday morning, June 3.
Also next week, the final 7/8 dance will be held at the Lower School in Bethesda. Please note this different location! Beginning at 6:30 p.m., the 8th graders will be honored at dinner, followed by the 7/8 dance from 7:30 p.m. – 10 p.m.
The last day of school is Thursday, June 4. It is a full day and dismissal will be at 3:30 p.m. Parents of students in other grades are welcome to attend the closing assembly on June 4 from 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. The 8th grade closing ceremony is that evening for 8th grade families.
All student laptops will be collected on Tuesday, June 2, 2015. Students and advisory/homeroom teachers will complete a pre-collection checklist that will identify any damaged/missing equipment. The pre-collection checklist will be sent home for review and signature. We ask that you examine your child’s equipment and submit the signed checklist (along with payment for missing/damaged equipment, if applicable) no later than Friday, May 29. Replacement costs for missing/damaged equipment are outlined in the Middle School Laptop Handbook and should be submitted to our Academic Technology Coordinator, Tracie Yorke in Room 215. Report cards will be withheld until all damaged/missing equipment matters have been satisfactorily resolved. If you have concerns about damaged/missing equipment, please contact Ms. Yorke at yorket@sidwell.edu or 202-537-2448.
Please look around for any Middle School library books – everything is due back to the library at the end of this week. Also, the Middle School collects and reuses all hard-bound textbooks to save money and resources. Please look for those and send them in to be collected by the classroom teachers.
Please be sure that students go by the art rooms to pick up their work from earlier in the year. We also encourage students to check the two lost and found bins for their belongings.
The SFS Middle School Debate team travelled to Bowie, Maryland on May 16 to participate in the last DC Urban Debate League tournament of the year. There were teams from 14 schools present, including the 26 debaters (9 teams) from Sidwell. The SFS team fared very well, winning the second place trophy overall. Team and individual awards were also excellent, with the team of Eric Doddy, Steven Forrester and David Hacker going undefeated and placing first overall in the tournament! In addition, of the top ten teams, the team of Claire Choi, Sydney Yi and Clara Pierson placed fourth overall and the team of Oliver Bass, Emma Passmore and Alex Sundberg placed eighth overall. Individual speaker point awards were also outstanding, with Claire Choi placing second overall, David Hacker placing third, Clara Pierson placing eighth and Lauren Adler placing 9th overall. Congratulations to all of the debaters for an outstanding tournament and for a great year. Please stay tuned for future announcements about Debate next year as the League is expanding and there will be two new debate formats for Middle School debaters for next year.
Send a Rabbit to Camp! If you’d like to host Charlie the Library Bunny for a week or 2 (or a month), please contact Cynthia Grady gradyc@sidwell.edu or Alicia Hanson hansona@sidwell.edu in the Middle School Library.
And congratulations to Tim Reagan, who was awarded his Doctorate in ceremonies at Lesley University in Boston this weekend!


Announcements


INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC NOTES
All 7/8 Instrumentalists: Wednesday (5/20), rehearsal period (Arts Center)
All 7/8 Instrumentalists: Call Time Wednesday (5/20) at 5:30 p.m., Arts Center (Show at 7 p.m.)
7/8 Instrumentalists: Call Time Friday (5/22) at 12:30 p.m., Arts Center (Show at 2 p.m.)
No 5/6 Orchestra rehearsals this week

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.

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.
OR, could you help welcome new-to-Sidwell 6th and 7th grade students at our popular Scavenger Hunt?
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!

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-Chair Felice Roggen at froggen@mac.com.
SPRING CLEANING? 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 items that you are no longer using 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 dropoff time before the next school year starts, please contact Jessie Jacobson, director of special events, at jacobsonj@sidwell.edu.
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. Pick-up is available between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on weekdays. Many thanks for your support!

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 - 8 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.


Other


COMMUNITY SERVICE CORNER
May 31: A Wider Cicle (AWC) Service Club Grand Finale
Many thanks to those 5th and 6th grade students (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.

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.

QUAKER QUOTES AND QUESTIONS
Quaker Quotes alternate with Questions about Quakerism in this newsletter feature. The Quaker Life Committee (QLC) is thinking ahead to the coming year and would love to know what questions you have about Quaker traditions and practices, Friends schools, and other topics related to Quakerism. Please send your questions to the QLC 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 NewsQuakers dominate the inaugural D.C. State Athletic Association tennis tournament
All three possible team trophies are awarded to Sidwell Friends.
Read More


LS NewsAn interdisciplinary approach to the importance of water in ancient China
A combined look from the disciplines of science, art, and social studies.
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


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


PBS/PLAS End-of-Year Reception

US Dining Room
6:00pm - 8:00pm


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


Tue, Jun 2nd

US Exams - Math

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


Wed, Jun 3rd

US Exams - History

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


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


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


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


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


2:45pm


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


2:45pm


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


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