EMAIL DETAILS

Sunday - December 4, 2016


Principal's Letter


MESSAGE FROM MAMADOU


Announcements


GAMETIME! WINTER 2016/17


Events


BETHESDA FRIENDS MEETING EVENT: DEC. 5
CASTING CALL FOR PARENTS OF SENIORS: DEC. 6
SYRIAN REFUGEE YOUTH EMPOWERMENT: DEC. 9
UPPER SCHOOL ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT: DEC. 9 AND 11
GRANDPARENTS INVITED: UPPER SCHOOL ARTS WEEKEND: DEC. 9 AND 11
FAMILY SERVICE OPPORTUNITY: SHOE BOX PROJECT: DEC. 10 AND 11
SFS AT THE WIZARDS: JAN. 6
SAVE THE DATE: A NIGHT FOR SCHOLARS: APRIL 22
NEW! UPPER SCHOOL GRANDPARENTS AND FRIENDS DAY: MAY 12


Other


QUAKER QUOTES AND QUESTIONS
ONGOING TOILETRIES COLLECTIONS


News Around the School


Principal's Letter


MESSAGE FROM MAMADOU
Dear Friends,
Collection this week was a powerful, firsthand account of the Holocaust. The Jewish culture club invited a Holocaust survivor, Manny Mandel, to speak about his experiences growing up in Budapest, Hungary, until he and his family were deported and interned by Nazis in 1944. Manny and his mother were part of the exchange that Adolph Eichmann made with Allied forces, allowing them to survive and escape first to Switzerland and then to Palestine and the United States.
We have several important events on the horizon that I hope you will attend. On Friday, December 9, the Fall Visual Arts Exhibition and Reception will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Arts Center. Then, at 7:30 p.m. in the Caplan Theater, we will have our Instrumental Music Winter Concert. On Sunday, December 11, we will hold our annual Winter Choral Concert at 2:30 p.m. These are great community events for all parents and students. Please join us for a weekend of the arts!
On December 10 and 11, the robotics team will be hosting two FIRST Tech Challenge qualifying tournaments in the Athletics Center. Our teams (RoboFoxes, Iteration Infinity, and the Rooks) will be running the event on the 10th and competing on the 11th. This is the first home competition for the Sidwell Friends teams, and they would love to have supporters in the audience. Matches take place between 10:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. and from 1:00 to 3:15 p.m., followed by elimination rounds from 3:45 to 5:15 p.m. Please feel free to drop by anytime to observe our robotics teams in action. As with our other clubs, interested students who have not gotten involved yet may join robotics now to gain exposure and prepare for next year’s competitions. Questions should be directed to Darby Thompson at thompsond@sidwell.edu.
The Upper School Winter Dance will be held in the cafeteria on December 10 from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. The theme, "Decades," won the Student Government-sponsored vote. Seniors have the '60s and '70s, juniors the '80s, sophomores the '50s, and 9th graders have “the Great Depression.” The dance is open to all Upper School students. Dates are not required. We encourage students to attend with groups of friends!
We will hold an informational meeting for the China Fieldwork Semester (CFS) at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, December 5, in room 104-106. CFS 2018 will be the fifth year of this remarkable study-away opportunity sponsored by the School. CFS is an experiential, interdisciplinary, hands-on research program in Northwest Yunnan Province, a place with tremendous cultural diversity and biodiversity. It is open to all 11th and 12th grade students each spring, and there is no Chinese language prerequisite. Please direct questions to CFS program director John Flower at flowerj@sidwell.edu.
Warmly,
Mamadou
Mamadou Guèye
Upper School Principal


Announcements


GAMETIME! WINTER 2016/17
GAMETIME! is our athlete support program that features every varsity team once each season. Everyone is encouraged to lift up the players by wearing the School colors, cheering, and waving rally towels and pom-poms. Treats are always provided for fans.
We start the winter season with a wrestling meet against Bullis on Wednesday, December 14, at 5:00 p.m. Come cheer our defending MAC champions: They own 14 MAC titles, the banners for which are on display in the wrestling room in the Athletic Center. If you are bringing a group of students to this meet or to any of the games and meets listed below, please e-mail pa.athletics@sidwell.edu—we’d like to recognize you to the team and coaches if time permits.
Other GAMETIME! events include

Girls' basketball vs. NCS: Tuesday, January 24, at 5:30 p.m.
Dance ensemble performance*: Thursday, February 2, at 7:00 p.m.
Boys' basketball vs. Maret: Tuesday, February 14, at 5:30 p.m.
Boys' and girls' swim and dive vs. St. Albans/NCS: Thursday, February 16, at 4:00 p.m.

*Dance ensemble members earn PE credit for their work and, as a result, are featured as part of GAMETIME!


Events


BETHESDA FRIENDS MEETING EVENT: DEC. 5
Parents are invited to a film screening and panel discussion on Monday, December 5, at the Bethesda Public Library (near the Lower School). Incarcerating US will be shown at 6:30 p.m., followed by a panel discussion until 9:00 p.m. Admission is free. The event is sponsored by Bethesda Friends (Quaker) Meeting. Incarcerating US is a feature-length documentary that exposes America’s prison problem and explores ways to unshackle the "land of the free" through vital criminal justice reforms. With 2.3 million people behind bars, the United States has the largest prison population in the history of the world. Through dramatic firsthand accounts, expert testimony, and shocking statistics, Incarcerating US asks fundamental questions about the prison system in America: What is the purpose of prisons? Why did our prison population explode in the 1970s? What can make our justice system more just? For more information, please call 202-365-2420.

CASTING CALL FOR PARENTS OF SENIORS: DEC. 6
It’s time to start planning our Senior Celebration! This is a Parents Association-sponsored evening with food, fun, and a little foolishness! It is the big event before the main event (graduation!) and a time to celebrate our seniors and the memories we've shared as a community over the years. The Class of 2017 Senior Celebration will take place on Saturday, June 3, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the Kogod Arts Center. A light supper and parent-supplied entertainment will be provided. In the past, the parent entertainment has included silly skits, songs, and slide shows. Traditionally, at some point all the parents take the stage!
Many volunteers are needed to make this event a success. With that in mind, all senior parents are invited (and urged) to join us for our first meeting on Tuesday, December 6, at 7:00 p.m. in the US Choral Room. We need help planning the event, composing funny lyrics, writing skits, producing videos, organizing a slide show, and adding a few new ideas to the mix! If you haven't volunteered yet at Sidwell Friends, now is your chance ... in fact, it is literally your last chance as a Class of 2017 parent. Don't miss the opportunity to help make this an awesome, fun, and memorable celebration for all of our graduates.
—Peggy Dotzel and Jackie Roberts, Senior Celebration Chairs
(Margaret.dotzel@verizon.net; jroberts3413@gmail.com)

SYRIAN REFUGEE YOUTH EMPOWERMENT: DEC. 9
On Friday, December 9, the Global Initiatives and Service Learning Program—in conjunction with the Upper School MENA (Middle East/North Africa) club, a group of Middle School students led by Burt Nadler, and 16 other schools from across the District, Maryland, and Virginia—will lead a day of awareness, advocacy, and fundraising for Relief International's efforts to help Syrian refugees. Every dollar raised will be used to increase the educational opportunities of Syrian youth at Camp Za'atari in Jordan. To support this initiative, parents may provide students with spending money that day and/or purchase a T-shirt at booster.com/project-turquoise. The T-shirt features the motto "The world is in our hands … humanity has no borders" on the front and the names of participating schools on the back.

UPPER SCHOOL ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT: DEC. 9 AND 11
Friday, December 9, 5:30–7:30 p.m. in the Arts Center's Rubenstein Gallery: Upper School Art Show and Reception featuring work by Upper School students in visual art, photography, ceramics, and AP studio art. Come see their work and meet the artists and their faculty mentors.
Friday, December 9, 7:30–9:30 p.m. in the Robert L. Smith Meeting Room: performances by Upper School musicians in the chamber orchestra and jazz ensembles.
Sunday, December 11, 2:30–4:30 p.m. in the Robert L. Smith Meeting Room: performances by Upper School singers, including the 80-plus member chorus, the chamber chorus, and several student a capella groups singing works from a variety of genres.

GRANDPARENTS INVITED: UPPER SCHOOL ARTS WEEKEND: DEC. 9 AND 11
The Grandparents and Friends Steering Committee is encouraging constituents to come to the Upper School Art Show and Concerts the weekend of December 9–11. Members of the committee will be present to extend a special welcome to grandparents and friends. Please feel free to invite your student’s grandparents and other special friends. An invitation was included in their recent December newsletter, posted here as well.

FAMILY SERVICE OPPORTUNITY: SHOE BOX PROJECT: DEC. 10 AND 11
Families (children ages 4 and up) are invited to help organize, assemble, and wrap shoe boxes filled with an assortment of care items for people experiencing homelessness in our community. The drop-in event is from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 10, and Sunday, December 11, at Friends Meeting of Washington (2111 Florida Avenue NW in DC). Come see where the inspiration for the Sidwell Friends Giving Tree Project began! For details, e-mail Anita Drever at anita.drever@gmail.com.

SFS AT THE WIZARDS: JAN. 6
SFS Community Night at the Washington Wizards is Friday, January 6. The 7:00 p.m. game is against the Minnesota Timberwolves; tickets are $25 and will be on sale through December 18.
The SFS chamber chorus will sing the national anthem. Early access for our group begins at 5:00 p.m. and includes a variety of pregame opportunities for children and adults to get close to the players. Purchase tickets by clicking this link, or cut and paste this URL into your web browser: https://groupmatics.events/#/event/SFS. Sign-ups for special access pregame student opportunities (Fan Tunnel, Bench Warmer, Anthem Kids, courtside seating) will be available online the week of the game.

SAVE THE DATE: A NIGHT FOR SCHOLARS: APRIL 22
Mark your calendars for the 46th annual spring fundraiser at Sidwell Friends! A Night for Scholars will take place on Saturday, April 22, 2017, in the Sidwell Friends Athletic Center. The evening includes global cuisine stations, silent and live auction packages, student performances, and the Fund-a-Scholar video premiere with giving opportunities. All net proceeds benefit student financial aid.
Please consider supporting this important fundraiser by

Volunteering to serve on the committee (a kickoff meeting will take place in January, date TBA)
Becoming an event sponsor
Advertising in the event program
Hosting a sign-up party or contributing to an existing auction package
Telling your friends and attending the event

Interested in learning more? Please contact Jessie Jacobson, director of special events, at jacobsonj@sidwell.edu or 202-537-8442. Thank you for your support of our efforts to raise money for student financial aid.

NEW! UPPER SCHOOL GRANDPARENTS AND FRIENDS DAY: MAY 12
SFS will host the first Grandparents and Friends Day at the Upper School this spring. Please mark the morning of Friday, May 12, on your calendars. (Grandparents and Friends Day at the Middle School will take place in the afternoon that same day.)
Please provide contact information for your Upper School student's grandparents or special friends using this online form by January 13. The School will send invitations in the coming months.
If you have any questions, please contact Jessie Jacobson, director of special events, at jacobsonj@sidwell.edu or 202-537-8442.


Other


QUAKER QUOTES AND QUESTIONS
“Any great change must expect opposition, because it shakes the very foundation of privilege.”
—Lucretia Coffin Mott (1793–1880), speaking to the long arc of struggle for gender equality

Quaker quotes alternate with questions about Quakerism in this newsletter feature. To ask a question about Quaker history or practice, e-mail our Sidwell Friends Quaker Life Committees’ authors at quakerquestions@sidwell.edu!

ONGOING TOILETRIES COLLECTIONS
If you are traveling and staying at an establishment that provides toiletries such as soap and lotion and you do not use them, please bring them to school. We share them with many local nonprofit organizations such as Bethesda Cares that help underserved populations. Collections are ongoing; items may be dropped off at Lower School, Middle School, or Zartman House.


Upper School Weekly E-Newsletter Submissions

How to Submit an Article to the E-Newsletter. Fill out the form at www.sidwell.edu/submit by 12:00 p.m. Thursday.

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 Upper School Weekly E-Newsletter is a forum for communication among parents and is designed to provide announcements concerning school events or information. E-newsletter submissions should be filled out at www.sidwell.edu/submit.


Calendar


Mon, Dec 5th

8th Grade - Conversations with Rachel

MS Library
8:00am - 9:15am


Auditions - US Musical

Caplin Theater
2:00pm - 7:00pm


China Fieldwork Semester 2018 Meeting

US Room 104/106
7:00pm


Tue, Dec 6th

POSTPONED - Fox Den Pop-Up Store at LS

LS Quaker Library
8:00am - 11:00am


Auditions- US Musical

Caplin Theater
4:15pm - 7:30pm


Wed, Dec 7th

US PA Steering Committee Meeting

Rusch Team Room
8:05am - 9:35am


PAS Lunar New Year Volunteer Meeting

LS Quaker Meeting House
8:30am - 9:30am


AC/PG meeting

US Library Board Room
12:00pm - 2:30pm


Auditions - US Musical

Caplin Theater and Choral Room
3:30pm - 7:30pm


7th and 8th Grade Winter Concert

Mary Ellen Caplin Theater
7:00pm - 9:00pm


Thu, Dec 8th

POCC

Atlanta Georgia

12/10/2016


US MFW

RLS Meeting Room
9:35am - 10:20am


Auditions- US Musical - Callbacks

Caplin Theater
3:30pm - 6:00pm


Fri, Dec 9th

6th Grade - Conversations with Rachel

MS Room 111
8:00am - 9:15am


US Arts Show and Reception

RLS Meeting Room Foyer and Rubenstein Gallery
5:30pm - 7:30pm


US Winter Instrumental Concert

Robert L. Smith Meeting Room
7:30pm - 9:30pm


Sat, Dec 10th

DC/MD FIRST FTC Robotics Qualifier

Athletic Center
6:00am - 7:00pm


SSAT Test

US Dining Room
8:00am - 1:00pm


FAMILY SERVICE OPPORTUNITY- SHOEBOX PROJECT- FRIENDS MEETING OF WASHINGTONTitle

Friends Meeting of Washington
9:00am - 1:00pm


Debate Tournament

MS Classrooms - MS Drama Studio
9:00am - 4:00pm


US Winter Dance

US Dining Room
8:30pm - 10:30pm


Sun, Dec 11th

DC/MD FIRST FTC Robotics Qualifier

Athletic Center
6:00am - 7:00pm


US Winter Choral Concert

Robert L. Smith Meeting Room
2:30pm - 4:30pm


Wed, Dec 14th

AC/PG meeting

US Library Board Room
12:00pm - 2:30pm


Thu, Dec 15th

US MFW

RLS Meeting Room
9:35am - 10:20am


John Touchton Meeting

RLS Meeting Room
11:25am - 12:10pm


Alumni Holiday Party

Off Campus - Lia's Friendship Heights
6:30pm - 9:00pm


Fri, Dec 16th

Chamber Chorus to LS

Lower School
9:00am - 10:00am


US Winter Assembly

RLS foyer and Meeting room
1:00pm - 2:15pm


US Arts Guild

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


Sat, Dec 17th

Winter Break Begins


SFS Annual Wrestling Tournament

Rusch Team Room
8:00am - 4:00pm


Wed, Dec 21st

AC/PG meeting

US Library Board Room
12:00pm - 2:30pm


Chamber Chorus at Clyde's

Area Clyde's Restaurants
7:00pm - 9:00pm


Thu, Dec 22nd

Chamber Chorus at Clyde's

Area Clyde's Restaurants
7:00pm - 9:00pm


Fri, Dec 23rd

Chamber Chorus at Clyde's

Area Clyde's Restaurants
7:00pm - 9:00pm


Sat, Dec 24th

Chamber Chorus at Clyde's

Area Clyde's Restaurants
7:00pm - 9:00pm


More


Athletics


Tue, Dec 6th

Basketball - Girls Junior Varsity at Maret School


4:15pm


Swimming & Diving - Boys Varsity vs. St. Stephen's & St. Agnes


4:30pm


Swimming & Diving - Girls Varsity vs. St. Stephen's & St. Agnes


4:30pm


Swimming & Diving - Boys Varsity vs. Georgetown Day


4:30pm


Swimming & Diving - Girls Varsity vs. Georgetown Day


4:30pm


Swimming & Diving - Boys Varsity at Maret School


4:30pm


Swimming & Diving - Girls Varsity at Maret School


4:30pm


Wrestling - Varsity at St. Albans


5:00pm


Wrestling - Varsity vs. George Mason


5:00pm


Squash - P.E. Class (Co-Ed) at Potomac School


5:30pm


Basketball - Girls Varsity at Maret School


5:45pm


Wed, Dec 7th

Basketball - Boys Junior Varsity at Bowie HS


5:30pm


Basketball - Boys Varsity at Bowie HS


7:15pm


Thu, Dec 8th

Indoor Track - P.E. Class (Coed) - Early Bird Invitational @ Episcopal


4:00pm


Basketball - Girls Junior Varsity at St. Stephen's & St. Agnes


4:15pm


Basketball - Boys Freshman vs. Flint Hill


4:30pm


Basketball - Girls Varsity at St. Stephen's & St. Agnes


5:45pm


Fri, Dec 9th

Basketball - Boys Varsity - Gonzaga Classic


8:30pm


Sat, Dec 10th

Basketball - Boys Varsity - Gonzaga Classic


Wrestling - Varsity at Episcopal High School


10:00am


Wrestling - Varsity vs. Gonzaga High School


10:00am


Basketball - Boys Junior Varsity at Episcopal High School


12:00pm


Basketball - Boys Freshman at Episcopal High School


12:00pm


Basketball - Girls Varsity at Episcopal High School


2:00pm


Basketball - Girls Junior Varsity at Episcopal High School


2:00pm


Sun, Dec 11th

Basketball - Boys Varsity - Gonzaga Classic


Mon, Dec 12th

Basketball - Girls 7/8 B at Holton-Arms


2:45pm


Basketball - Girls 7/8 C at Holton-Arms


2:45pm


Swimming - Boys 7/8 vs. Holton-Arms Meet


2:45pm


Swimming - Girls 7/8 vs. Holton-Arms Meet


2:45pm


Basketball - Girls 7/8 A vs. Holton-Arms


3:00pm


Tue, Dec 13th

Basketball - Girls Varsity vs. Georgetown Day


4:00pm


Basketball - Boys Junior Varsity vs. Georgetown Day


4:00pm


Basketball - Boys Freshman at Takoma Academy


4:00pm


Indoor Track - P.E. Class (Coed) - Georgetown Prep Practice Meet #1


4:00pm


Swimming & Diving - Boys Varsity vs. Georgetown Day


4:30pm


Swimming & Diving - Girls Varsity vs. Georgetown Day


4:30pm


Swimming & Diving - Boys Varsity vs. St. Andrew's School


4:30pm


Swimming & Diving - Girls Varsity vs. St. Andrew's School


4:30pm


Basketball - Girls Junior Varsity vs. Georgetown Day


5:30pm


Basketball - Boys Varsity vs. Georgetown Day


5:30pm


Wed, Dec 14th

Basketball - Girls 7/8 A vs. National Cathedral School


2:45pm


Basketball - Girls 7/8 B at National Cathedral School


2:45pm


Basketball - Boys 7/8 A at Bullis


2:45pm


Basketball - Boys 7/8 C vs. Bullis


2:45pm


Squash - P.E. Class (Co-Ed) at National Cathedral School


4:15pm


Wrestling - Varsity vs. Bullis


5:00pm


Thu, Dec 15th

Wrestling - 7/8 at Mater Dei


2:30pm


Basketball - Boys 7/8 A vs. Georgetown Day


2:30pm


Basketball - Boys 7/8 B vs. Georgetown Day


2:30pm


Basketball - Girls 7/8 A at Bullis


2:45pm


Basketball - Girls 7/8 B vs. Bullis


2:45pm


Swimming - Boys 7/8 vs. Landon


2:45pm


Swimming - Girls 7/8 at Stone Ridge School


2:45pm


Basketball - Boys Junior Varsity vs. Maret School


4:15pm


Swimming & Diving - Boys Varsity vs. Maret School


7:30pm


Swimming & Diving - Girls Varsity vs. Maret School


7:30pm


Swimming & Diving - Boys Varsity vs. St. Mary's Ryken


7:30pm


Swimming & Diving - Girls Varsity vs. St. Mary's Ryken


7:30pm


Swimming & Diving - Girls Varsity vs. Holy Child


7:30pm


Fri, Dec 16th

Basketball - Boys Freshman at St. Albans


4:00pm


Basketball - Girls Varsity vs. Coral Glades HS - Kreul Classic


4:15pm


Basketball - Boys Junior Varsity at St. Albans


5:30pm


Basketball - Boys Varsity at Archbishop Spaulding - Bullis Holiday Tournament


6:30pm


Sat, Dec 17th

Basketball - Boys Varsity - Bullis Holiday Tournament


Wrestling - Varsity - SFS Invitational


9:00am


Basketball - Girls Varsity vs. Fort Lauderdale HS - Kreul Classic


7:30pm


Sun, Dec 18th

Basketball - Boys Varsity - Bullis Holiday Tournament


Mon, Dec 19th

Basketball - Girls Varsity vs. Cardinal Gibbons CHS - Kreul Classic


4:30pm


More


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