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Thursday - April 7, 2011


From the School

QUERY
"How can we work together
to invent ways to keep the earth
and its oceans clean and safe
for creatures and all living things?"
- Grade 1NO ALADDIN FOR LS STUDENTS
Please share the announcement below in the next two Thursday Letters. Unfortunately, due to Founder's Day falling during the same week of the show, Lower School will not be attending the special matinee performance of Aladdin on Thursday, April 14. We would love to see as many Lower Schoolers at the Friday evening and Saturday matinee shows.

Thank you,

Tim Reagan, Director & Mary Milroy, ProducerYEARLY HEALTH AND EMERGENCY FORMS
Yearly physical exam appointments should be made as soon as possible. Sidwell Friends School will accept physical exam results beginning from January 2011. All Lower School students must have a physical exam each year. Dental exams are not required. The Sidwell Friends School Physician’s Report, Maryland Immunization Certificate (for new students and those children who have received any immunizations during the past year) and Lower School Transportation Arrangements forms are due July 15, 2011. Go to SFS website, login to parent portal. Find Health Services, Health and Emergency forms – Lower School Forms. Please call or email if you have questions. Barbara Conte, RN 202-537-6992, conteb@sidwell.edu.CLASS PLACEMENT
If you have any comments about your child’s classroom placement for next year please put your thoughts in writing and share them with Rich Lodish by Friday, April 22 (this includes rising 5th graders). However, please feel no obligation to do so as teachers carefully and sensitively look at what is best as each student moves on to another grade. Page 20 of the SFS Handbook for Parents and Students 2010-2011 gives a complete description of the placement process. The Handbook section is as follows:
“The placement of children within available classrooms is the Principal’s responsibility and incorporates the professional judgment of the teachers. At the end of each school year, teachers from adjacent grades spend a great deal of time discussing each child and determining the most suitable placement for the following year. Such factors as individual student needs, interests, temperament and learning styles are balanced with the logistics that make for a cohesive class. The teachers and Principal collectively determine class make-up with an eye toward an effective and diverse mix of student capabilities, achievement, leadership and friendship. If the teachers or Principal receive parent input, it enters into the placement equation, although the final decision rests with the School.”
CURIOUS ABOUT MIDDLE SCHOOL?
Come and hear about the division from the students. On Thursday evening, April 14, there will be a presentation by a panel of Middle School students about their experiences. This is particularly aimed toward current 4th grade parents, but any Lower School parent is welcome to attend. Join us in the Meeting House at 7:30 PM.


PA Announcements

PARENT EVENT TONIGHT! FINDING A BALANCE WITH CLAIRE SHIPMAN
Tonight at 7:30 PM in the LS Meetinghouse, Lower School parent Claire Shipman and author of New York Times bestseller “Womenomics” will lead a discussion on balancing the many demands of our very busy lives. Whether you work at home, in an office, as a volunteer or as the principal caregiver in your family, time has become the new commodity, and we all need help figuring out how to hoard it and spend it. Shipman wrote the book with fellow SFS parent Katty Kay, and she will share their research, as well as strategies to help parents navigate their professional and private lives. A Q&A session will follow. Babysitting is still available! Contact Pamela Kurland (pamela.kurland@gmail.com) or Rebecca Rippey (rippey@rcn.com). Cost for childcare is $10 per student.COUNTRY AMBASSADORS SELECTED
Thank you to the volunteers representing Russia, Turkey, Iran, Ethiopia and Brazil. You can still get involved by becoming a volunteer to support our ambassadors. Contact arringtonlp@hotmail.com for details.REFLECTIONS FROM THE PA DIVERSITY COMMITTEE
“You can’t stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.” Winnie the Pooh We welcome your comments and feedback, as well as your experiences. Email arringtonlp@hotmail.com.STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE MAY 2
Please join Head of School Tom Farquhar, the All-School Parents Association and the Sidwell Friends Board of Trustees for an update on Sidwell Friends School’s Strategic Plan. The meeting will take place at the New Quaker Meeting House, Wisconsin Avenue Campus, on May 2, from 7-9 PM. The Board of Trustees has been working for over a year in consultation with parents, faculty, alumni and students on developing a strategic plan which will define the education skill sets through year 2024, the expectations for Sidwell Friends faculty as master learners, how the School's Quakerness defines our values and priorities, and the business models that allow us to reach our goals. As this important works approaches its final stages, please come for an update and discussion on these vital and exciting issues. We look forward to seeing you there.

Polly Bomstein and Lynn Sachs, All School PA Co-Presidents

RSVPs required to: Adrianne Isaacs at isaacsa@sidwell.eduFINAL WEEKEND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR
Martha's Table
On Monday, April 11th from 10 AM to 12:30 PM, we have 5 volunteer slots to work at Martha’s Table making and bagging donated food to feed people who are hungry throughout the city. All families welcome (ages 4 and up), Second and Fourth Grade families encouraged. (Families can leave earlier than 12:30 PM if they need to.) Please RSVP to Felice Roggen at froggen@mac.com. Please do not sign up unless you can commit to the morning as this will prevent another family from using the slots.


Other News

2011 ONLINE AND LIVE AUCTION INFORMATION
THE ONLINE AUCTION IS OPEN NOW! Be sure to register here and place your bids this week for the online auction! All items close on Sunday, April 10. The online auction offers many great items including restaurant gift certificates, artwork, Nationals tickets, Spa treatments, and more! As an auction donation, Praline Bistro in Bethesda is donating 10% of their proceeds on April 12 to the Events for Student Scholarships program—be sure to stop by!! The Live Auction will take place on April 16. RSVP’s are due by Friday, April 8. Spots are going quickly so be sure to get your RSVP in as soon as possible! We need your help!!! We are still looking for volunteers to help set-up the day of the auction. Volunteers are needed from 10 AM to 3 PM, and you can stay as little or as long as you would like. Please email events@sidwell.edu if you are interested. Night-of volunteers are still needed as well, if you are interested please contact Bart Hipple at 301-699-8373 or barthipple@comcast.net.CAR WASH FOR CREW--MAY 1
Clean that winter grime off your car and support the Sidwell Crew team! The annual Spring Carwash is the team's primary fundraiser. Help the team, help yourself drive away clean! Sunday May 1st, from 11 AM-2 PM, Upper School garage.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


Thu, Apr 7th

1x to Florida Avenue Market


8:45am - 2:30pm


Parent Event: Finding A Balance with Claire Shipman

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


Fri, Apr 8th

3y Play

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


Mon, Apr 11th

No School - All School Professional Day


Tue, Apr 12th

Founders Day


Wed, Apr 13th

Grade 3 to Sully Plantation, Colvin Run Mill


8:45am - 2:45pm


Thu, Apr 14th

3y to Old Town Alexandria


8:45am - 2:45pm


Blood Drive

Wannan Gym
2:00pm - 5:30pm


LS Parents Panel about MS

LS Meeting Room
7:30pm


PA Arts Committee Meeting

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


Fri, Apr 15th

Nutrition Assembly

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


MS Spring Play of Aladdin

AC Theater
7:30pm


Sat, Apr 16th

Auction

Off Campus


MS Spring Play of Aladdin

AC Theater
1:00pm


Mon, Apr 18th

Passover begins at Sundown


Grade 4 to Buddhist Temple


9:00am - 11:00am


Grade 4x to A&J Restaurant


10:30am - 12:30pm


Tue, Apr 19th

Passover


Wed, Apr 20th

K CHI Meeting

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


PK CHI Meeting

LS Quaker Meetinghouse
7:30pm - 9:00pm


Thu, Apr 21st

4y Play

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


Team Two to Freer-Sackler Gallery


9:45am - 12:30pm


Wed, Apr 27th

1st Grade CHI Meeting

LS Quaker Meetinghouse
7:30pm - 9:00pm


2nd Grade CHI Meeting

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


More


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