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4th Grade Parents,

This Thursday (March 3rd) is the 4th grade Service Day trip to Brightwood
Elementary. Details about the trip are included below. Please take a look
and see what the service project is all about. Please let me know if you
have any questions!

Catherine Weiss (catherine.weiss@starpower.net)


*March Service Day: Fourth Grade*

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*Project:* On Thursday, March 3rd, after the close of academic activities
(on a parent-teacher conference day), the fourth grade will return to
Brightwood Elementary School in Northwest Washington to read with 3- and
4-year-old buddies in the Head Start, Preschool and PK classes. These
reading partnerships began in the fall as part of the fourth graders’
service theme of “kids helping kids.” Fourth graders will select two books
from their home libraries that are age-appropriate and bring them to read
with their buddies. Students will bring the books home with them after the
Brightwood visit. When the fourth graders arrive at Brightwood, they will
go to the classroom they visited in the fall and will sit with their
buddies. A Sidwell parent chaperone will start the day by reading a book
aloud to the group and then students will break off with their partners to
read the books brought by the fourth graders. After the reading, the
partners will do a craft project together. This visit to Brightwood is the
culmination of their relationship with their buddy. **

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*What to Expect:* Before the service day, you may wish to talk to your
child about what service means to your family and why it is important. You
might want to talk with your child about the importance of books in your
family. Ask your child about memories they have of being read to as a young
child. Ask your child about his or her memories of the fall visit; were the
books chosen to share appropriate? What did your child especially enjoy?
What was challenging? Your interest in the service day will ensure that
your child gets, and makes the most out of the experience.**

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*Dismissal:* Fourth grade will depart Lower School at 12:15 pm and will be
dismissed at 3 pm from Lower School. Students will not walk through the
carpool line. Rather, parents will pull up in front of the Meeting House
and their child will be called. **

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*Lunch/Snack:* Students will eat lunch in their classrooms before boarding
the bus, and a nut-free afternoon snack (provided by SFS community service
volunteers) will be provided during the afternoon.**

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*What to Bring:* Fourth graders should bring two picture books from home
that are age-appropriate for 3- and 4-year olds. Fourth graders should
practice reading them aloud prior to the service day.**

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*Important Notes:* The SFS shuttle will leave Lower School at 12:15 pm on
the Service Day and will NOT return for a second pickup at 3 pm. Every
child must be picked up at Lower School at 3 pm, unless they are going to
Aftercare. Aftercare is scheduled as usual. No regular SPARC classes are
held during the week of conferences, only the SPARC camps, which have
separate registration forms.**

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** Please consider supporting the collection of items for Martha’s Table,
Bethesda Cares and A Wider Circle. Our school is collecting canned and
dried foods, toiletries and baby items. On March 1st, Kindergarten, 1st and
2nd grade students will sort and package the collected items as part of
their service day projects. See Thursday Letter for details.**


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