SFS LS THURSDAY LETTER 3-17-2011

SUBJECT:

PRI: NORMAL

FROM:

T

thursday@listserv.sidwell.edu

DATE:

2011-03-17 07:30:00

MSG_ID:

<24a37c40b29c2258eeb60670360d2c73@listserv.sidwell.edu>

RECIPIENTS:

TO:

H

R. Hunter Biden <hbiden@senecaga.com>

CONTENT: TEXT: YES | HTML: YES

PROCESSED

Thursday - March 17, 2011

From the School

QUERY
We have so much to learn from our teachers
and from each other. How can we focus our
attention on learning? When is the right time
to talk and socialize?
3YTEAM TWO TO THE NATIONAL ARBORETUM
On Tuesday, March 29, Team Two (Grades 2 and 2x) will celebrate Sakura with a visit to the National Arboretum. We will tour the ancient Bonsai tree collection and explore A New Year Stone Exhibit: Year of the Rabbit. This exhibit celebrates the transition from winter to spring that Asian cultures traditionally consider the beginning of the New Year. After the discussions and exhibits, we will have lunch by the Koi pond and then wrap up our visit by writing beneath the beauty of the Cherry Blossom trees. Your child will need a bag lunch and drink for our trip. Please do not send glass containers or containers that need to be returned. Please make sure to send your child dressed appropriately for the weather. We are looking forward to this very special trip and the enjoyment of the splendor of the season. 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.LOST AND FOUND
Team Two went through the lost and found box again and thanks to everyone’s support all coats, except for two were labeled. Hurray! Now, as warmer spring weather arrives, we need to extend the labeling effort to sweaters, sweatshirts, fleece, etc. Also, please encourage your child to check the table at the end of the lower hall in the Groome building to retrieve any lost items. Unclaimed items will be donated to Martha’s Table. Thank you for helping us help your child become more responsible.NEW DATES FOR UPCOMING MATH CLASSES FOR PARENTS--NEXT PROGRAM APRIL 8
Due to school closures and conflicting activities and programs, the next math class for parents will be held on Friday April 8. The class will be held at 7:45 AM in the Math Lab (upstairs in the Manor House). The focus this time will be on fractions and decimals. This class is relevant to parents of students in all grades. During the class, we will discuss how fractions and decimals are taught from PK through 6th grade and what parents can do at home to help their child better understand these important topics.

On Friday May 6, we will be holding our last class of the year. We will send out further information about this class as we get closer.

We hope to see you then.
Merry and Raina

PA Announcements

COMMUNITY SERVICE CORNER

Service Day Posters
Interested in seeing what the children did on their service day? Come by the Manor House and check out the service day posters.
WEEKEND VOLUNTEERING FOR FAMILIES IN MARCH
This is the last month to volunteer for A Wider Circle and Martha’s Table. Weekend slots fill quickly.
A Wider Circle
Join SFS families at A Wider Circle in Silver Spring on Sunday, April 3 from 1-3:00 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), First and Third Grade families encouraged. Please RSVP to Sara Jane Harris, sjrharris@comcast.net.
Martha's Table
On Monday, April 11 from 10 AM to 12:30 PM, we have 12-15 volunteer slots to work at Martha’s Table making and bagging donated food to feed people who are hungry throughout the city. You can even take a tour through the kitchen where you will see the enormous pot your Wednesday Veggies fill to make the famous Martha’s Table soup! 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 by March 28th 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.
Wondering when your grade is slated to volunteer? Click "Read More" below.
Read MoreGOING SOON -- TIME TO CHECK THE LOST AND FOUND
On Thursday, March 31, volunteers will clean out the lost and found bin and donate unclaimed items to Martha's Table. Thanks to our second grade helpers, labeled clothing will be returned to its owner if possible. Please check the bin before March 31, and remember to label your child’s clothing.REFLECTIONS FROM THE PA DIVERSITY COMITTEE
"It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength." Maya Angelou

We welcome your comments and feedback, as well as your experiences. Email arringtonlp@hotmail.com.PARENT EVENT: FINDING A BALANCE WITH CLAIRE SHIPMAN
Save the date! April 7, 7:30-9 PM, in the 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. To arrange for babysitting, contact Pamela Kurland (pamela.kurland@gmail.com) or Rebecca Rippey (rippey@rcn.com).

Other News

EVENTS FOR STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP -- 2011 AUCTION

Important Auction Details
Online Auction: April 4-10
Live Auction: Saturday, April 16 at The Andrew Mellon Auditorium
You should have received your invitation in the mail last week! Please note that seating is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. Please return your reply cards via mail or fax (202-537-8449) promptly. Responses are due by April 1, but it is likely that we will max out before this date. Auction catalogs will be distributed to families through the youngest child shortly after spring break. Read this newsletter and Events for Student Scholarships emails because we will be featuring some of our most exciting items leading up to the Auction. We have many great things in the Online, Silent and Live Auctions! Highlights include a Bonefishing Trip in the Bahamas, Box Seats to Wicked at the Kennedy Center, Washington Capitals Tickets, Restaurant Gift Certificates, and more!
Auction Volunteers Needed: We're looking for volunteers to work the 2011 Auction on April 16. This assignment is unique: people on this committee can enjoy the evening at the auction and help a great cause. Duties include: monitoring silent auction tables, closing sections, collecting and organizing items, handing out invoices, and disbursing items. No experience required, no meetings beforehand (we'll send instructions by email and provide training at the start of the evening). You just need to be ready, willing and available for the duration of the event -- and you'll have a fun auction experience! Contact Bart Hipple at 301 699 8373, barthipple@comcast.net.

CAR WASH -- SUNDAY APRIL 3, TO BENEFIT OUTING CLUB
Bring your car to the Wisconsin Avenue garage on Sunday, April 3, between 11 AM and 4 PM, for the Outing Club Car Wash. Drive on in, and for a reasonable charge, club members will wash your car and you will drive out with a clean car and the satisfaction of having supported the activities of the Upper School's Outing Club. Thanks for your support! Read MoreSPRING SPARC SIGN UP NOW
Sign up now for the spring 2011 SPARC program! Workshops this season will include Chess, Robotics, Baseball, Soccer, Drama, Rollerblading, Chorus, We Like to Move It! and more! Sign up early as space is limited in many of these workshops and they are sure to fill. The application can be found on the LS SPARC & Aftercare webpage. Questions? Call Katelyn at 202-547-8401 or email burcawk@sidwell.edu. SPRING BREAK CAMP 2011
School's out so let's have some fun! Join us by the day or for the whole week for AM Soccer, AM/ PM or full day Handwork Day Camp, or AM/PM or full day Spring Break Day Camp! More information can be found in the School Year Camps section of www.sidwell.edu/summer. Sign up by clicking "Apply Now" on any of the Sidwell Summer webpages. Questions? Call 202-537-8401.
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, Mar 18th

Spring Vacation begins

Mon, Mar 21st

Spring Break Camp

Lower School
9:00am - 3:00pm