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Thursday - February 3, 2011


From the School

QUERY
When unsure how to handle a
disagreement or misunderstanding,
what does your heart tell you to do?

4YSOME REMINDERS ABOUT PROTOCOL
Changes in transportation: Please write a note including your child’s first and last name and the first and last name of the other child to the classroom teachers on the actual day when there is a change in transportation. If you have to send an email, include Mrs. Conte. All notes eventually are sent to the Health Office so changes can be made to various lists. Children remember changes more easily if they carry a paper note with them in the morning of the day of change. We will never make a change based on a verbal request as our memories can be imperfect at times! Remember that Diane Everts must agree in advance with any drop-in to Aftercare as the staff to student ratio must be maintained. Reminders about reporting a student’s absence: Please call/email the classroom teachers and Mrs. Conte so we know that all students are safe. Thanks for helping us by following these guidelines.WEATHER CLOSURES AND DELAYS
For all closures and delays, as stated on the inside front cover of the Parent Student Handbook, we will make announcements on the website, through email, on the Hotline (202-537-8176)(especially helpful if you do not have power), on WTOP and on NBC 4. We will only use AlertNow phone, email and text messages for extreme emergencies.NEXT MATH CLASS FOR PARENTS -- FEBRUARY 4
The next Math Class for Parents will be tomorrow, Friday February 4 at 7:45 AM in the Math Lab (upstairs in the Manor House). The focus this time will be on division. This class is relevant to parents of students in all grades. During the class, we will discuss how division is taught from PK through 6th grade and what parents can do at home to help their child better understand this important topic.

Also, please stay tuned -- we will likely expand the Math Class for parents series beyond this next class. An announcement will be in an upcoming Thursday letter.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Raina and MerrySAVE THE DATE!
Family Science Night at the Air & Space Museum will be on Tuesday, March 8. This evening program is for families with children in 3rd-12th grade. It will include access to certain galleries in the museum, a dynamic lecture by a way cool scientist and the 3-D IMAX Film “Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D.” Details on how to register will be appearing soon in this very newsletter


PA Announcements

PARENTS FROM GRADES 2-4: BREAKFAST WITH RICH
On Thursday, February 10, from 8:15-9:00 AM, parents from grades 2-4 are invited to the Meeting House for a casual light breakfast with Rich Lodish. This is your chance to ask Rich questions or share insights, thoughts, or feedback at the midpoint of the school year.COMMUNITY HEALTH INITIATIVE -- A DISCUSSION WITH TOM FARQUHAR
PARENT POP QUIZ

Do Sidwell Friends Students:
A) work very hard and constantly feel too much stress?
B) coast compared to students in China and India
C) find the perfect balance between academic rigor and downtime, or
D) I have no idea and/or my kids are still young, and I don’t know what the future will hold

Whether you picked A, B, C or D, the Community Health Initiative Committee invites you to a discussion with Head of School, Tom Farquhar on finding balance in student life. All parents are welcome to join us for this important conversation to be held in the Upper School Dining Room on Monday, February 7, 7-9 PM. Please note the change of venue for this meeting!
REFLECTIONS FROM THE PA DIVERSITY COMMITTEE
Seen on bumpersticker: Less judgment, more curiosity

We welcome your comments and feedback, as well as your experiences. Email arringtonlp@hotmail.com.SUPPORT SFS WHILE YOU SHOP AT GIANT AND SAFEWAY
Register your Giant Bonus card and Safeway Club card and Sidwell Friends Parents Association will earn revenue as a result of your purchases. Enroll online at www.giantfood.com/aplus. Enroll for the Safeway eScrip program at www.escrip.com. Thank you for your continued support of the Sidwell Friends community. Questions? Contact Donna Grell at dgrellbv@yahoo.com.LOWER SCHOOL FAMILY SWIM PARTY
Save the Date: February 26, 5:30-7:30 PM

Calling all Lower School students, siblings, and parents! The annual swim party is where your kids can play, exercise, eat pizza, and return home clean and ready for bed! The Rollingcrest-Chillum Splash Pool has play areas for all ages and swimming abilities. The facility boasts heated pools with water slides, a lily pad, fountains, and an area with a beach grade entry for toddlers.

The Rollingcrest-Chillum Splash Pool is at 6122 Sargent Road, Chillum, MD. Facility opens at 5:15 PM for changing, everyone can start swimming at 5:30 PM. Pizza, snacks, and beverages provided. Volunteers needed for setup/refreshments/cleanup. Contact Anjali Prakash (anjali.prakash@comcast.net)or Simon Steel (ssteel@harkinscunningham.com) to volunteer or if you have questions.COMMUNITY SERVICE CORNER
WEEKEND VOLUNTEERING FOR FAMILIES IN JANUARY
Weekend slots fill quickly.
A Wider Circle
Join SFS families at A Wider Circle in Silver Spring on Sunday, February 6 from 1-3 PM. Volunteers will help sort children’s clothing, household items, pantry foods and furniture. Your time will greatly benefit AWC’s Neighbor to Neighbor as they help families who are just leaving shelters to make a warm, safe, and comfortable home. All families welcome (ages 4 and up), Third and Fourth Grade families encouraged. Please RSVP to Sara Jane Harris, sjrharris@comcast.net.
Wondering when your grade is slated to volunteer? Click "Read More" below.
COMMUNITY SERVICE DAYS ARE COMING
In the coming weeks, the Community Service Committee will be looking for parent volunteers to help with the community service projects on the parent-teacher conference days, March 1 (K and 1st grade) and March 3 (2nd, 3rd, and 4th grades). If you are interested in volunteering, please mark your calendar.
FOOD, TOILETRIES, AND BABY ITEMS FOR OUR NEIGHBORS
The Kindergarten, First and Second Grades are dedicating their upcoming Service Days to helping Bethesda Cares, Martha's Table, and A Wider Circle. This year, in addition to collecting food and toiletries, we will be collecting baby items including gently used clothing up to size 3. If you have any out grown baby clothes, we would love to use them for the children to make “baby bags” as one of the service projects. We will be collecting items between Monday, February 14 and Wednesday, March 2. Read More


Other News

PENNIES FOR PATIENTS
During the month of February, Ms. Brownlee’s advisory is leading its third annual “Pennies for Patients” fundraiser, a Leukemia and Lymphoma Society program that helps collect important funds for blood cancer patients. Simply by collecting and donating pennies, the research on and patient services for blood cancers increases, and more patients are able to have effective treatment. Last year, students in the DC metropolitan area raised $450,000 to fight blood cancer and provide services for patients and their families. There are collection boxes in the main offices of the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools, as well as in Zartman House and the Fox Den. Donations can also be made online at http://nca.sy.llsevent.org/Sidwell. Any and all support is appreciated. If you have any questions, contact Lauren Brownlee at brownleel@sidwell.edu or 202-537-8180.IT'S ALMOST HERE: THE 2011 GBBC FEBRUARY 18-21
@font-face {
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}@font-face {
font-family: "Cambria";
}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-size: 11pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }a:link, span.MsoHyperlink { color: blue; text-decoration: underline; }a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed { color: purple; text-decoration: underline; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across the continent. Anyone can participate, from beginning bird watchers to experts. It takes as little as 15 minutes on one day, or you can count for as long as you like each day of the event. It’s free, fun, and easy—and it helps the birds.
Please check out the website: http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc
There is something for everyone: GBBC for Kids, Science Stories and more. Just click on “How to Participate” and you’re off and running. No matter where you are on President’s weekend, you can find a regional list and join in. I hope we get a lot of participants this year and lots of bird stories to tell. Any questions, contact Anna Urciolo at urcioloa@sidwell.edu.
Good birding!IS YOUR CHILD HAVING A BLAST PLAYING BASKETBALL THIS WINTER?
Keep the spirit alive by signing up for a week of Sidwell Summer Basketball Camp! 5 weeks of camp offered June 13-July 15. Encourage your whole team to come for a week together! Sign up before Saturday, February 12th and we’ll give you $25 off a session. If you refer a new camper to Sidwell Summer and get 5% off your session! (To get the discount, pay only the deposit when you sign up online and then send a quick email to Karen at mcclellandk@sidwell.edu and she will apply the discounts). Sign up online at www.sidwell.edu/summer. E-mail (summer@sidwell.edu) or call us (202-537-8133) with any questions.2011 BLACK HISTORY MONTH SHOW PRESENTED BY THE BLACK STUDENT UNION

We would like to invite any interested LS and MS students to participate in this year’s Black Student Union show! No previous performance experience is necessary. Participation is open to all interested and available students. However, students with special skills, such as playing an instrument or dance, are welcome to submit ideas to the director. This year’s show is titled, “Scratching the Surface: What’s Underneath?” and will be directed by Holly Bass, who directed last year’s show.
If you are interested, please let Karen O’Neill at oneillk@sidwell.edu (LS fourth grade teacher), and your child’s classroom teacher. For a schedule of rehearsals and to learn more about plans for this year show, please click on the "Read More" link below.
Read MoreMOVIE NIGHT OUT WITH SIDWELL SUMMER
Drop off your ‘camper’ for his/her own night out Saturday, February 12 5-9 PM (then you go out for dinner/movie!). Participants (ages 4-12) will enjoy crafts, sports, pizza and a movie. Reserve your spot now by returning the sign up form.
Questions? Call 202-537-8133 or email summer@sidwell.edu.GOLF TOURNAMENT
If you are a golfer this is the perfect volunteer opportunity for you. We are looking for people to serve on the Golf Tournament committee. The chairs, Margaret Krull and Andre Fraser, need your help. There will only be one meeting on February 24 at 1PM. Even if you can’t attend this meeting, you can still volunteer! Please contact the Events for Student Scholarships office at 202-537-8110 or by email at events@sidwell.edu if you are interested or for additional information. Also, save the date for the tournament which will be held at Kenwood Country Club on Monday, June 13.LS THURSDAY LETTER INFORMATION
How to Subscribe/Unsubscribe
Our automated listserv subscription service is currently down. To subscribe or unsubscribe to the newsletter, please send an email to isaacsa@sidwell.edu and indicate whether you would like to subscribe or unsubscribe.
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


Fri, Feb 4th

Math Class for Parents

LS Math Lab
7:45am - 8:30am


LS Assembly: Lions of Industry, Mothers of invention

LS Multi-Purpose Room
9:00am - 10:00am


Mon, Feb 7th

All-School PA Community Health Initiative Conversation with Tom Farquhar

US Dining Room
7:00pm - 9:00pm


Thu, Feb 10th

2nd - 4th Grade Breakfast with Rich

LS Meeting Room
8:15am - 9:00am


US Dance Ensemble Concert

AC Theater
7:30pm


Fri, Feb 11th

Grade 1 Play

LS Multi-Purpose Room
9:00am - 10:00am


US Dance Ensemble Concert

AC Theater
7:30pm


Sat, Feb 12th

NEMNET Diversity Career Fair

US Dining Room
9:00am - 4:00pm


AC in DC a cappella concert

AC Theater
5:00pm - 10:00pm


Wed, Feb 16th

Diversity Discussion with Tom Farquhar

LS Meeting Room
7:00pm - 9:00pm


Thu, Feb 17th

Parents Coffee with Tom Farquhar

US Dining Room
7:30am - 9:00am


3rd Grade Parents' Peer Group Meeting

LS Multipurpose Room
7:30pm - 9:00pm


4th Grade Parents' Peer Group Meeting

LS Meeting Room
7:30pm - 9:00pm


PA Arts Committee Meeting

US Library Board Room
7:45pm - 9:30pm


Fri, Feb 18th

BSU- Black History Month Show

AC Theater
7:00pm - 10:00pm


LS Assembly: BSU Performance

LS Multi-Purpose Room
9:00pm - 10:00am


Mon, Feb 21st

Presidents Day - No School


Tue, Feb 22nd

1st Grade Parents' Peer Group Meeting

Multipurpose Room
7:30pm - 9:00pm


2nd Grade Parents' Peer Group Meeting

LS Meeting Room
7:30pm - 9:00pm


Wed, Feb 23rd

Grade 1x to the Phillips Collection


9:00am - 2:30pm


More


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