UPPER SCHOOL STUDENT LEADERS WORK WITH MIDDLE SCHOOLERS
Monday, April 23rd
Putting their diversity training to work, a select group of upper school students will oversee a mini workshop with SSFS 8th graders. They will be leading a fishbowl activity and discussion aimed to investigate racial issues.

NATIONAL DAY OF SILENCE
April 18th, 2007
Many SSFS students will be participating in this day of silence: "The Day of Silence, a project of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) in collaboration with the United States Student Association (USSA), is a student-led day of action where those who support making anti-LGBT bias unacceptable in schools take a day-long vow of silence to recognize and protest the discrimination and harassment -- in effect, the silencing -- experienced by LGBT students and their allies." ~ From GLSEN's Day of Silence page (http://www.dayofsilence.org/)

"CRASH" MOVIE NIGHT SALON
Friday, April 6th, 2007 - SSFS Performing Arts Center: 5:00pm pizza & refreshments followed by film at 5:45pm
"You think you know who you are. You have no idea." Grab a friend, grab some dinner and then join us for a free movie night followed by thought provoking discussion. The Academy Award Winning movie "Crash" will be shown on Friday, April 6th at the SSFS Performing Arts Center. "There is good and bad in all of us. This movie explores this concept like no other. It will make you think about the nature of bigotry and stereotypes. The characters switch from heavy to hero in a way that is deeply moving and exhilarating." This is a night you won't want to miss! We invite all Upper School students and faculty from all divisions to join us (please note that due to this film's mature subject matter, it is not appropriate for MS and LS students) This event is sponsored by SSFS Parents Association Diversity Committee. To obtain an accurate headcount for food please RSVP by 4/5/07 to Sydney.jacobs@verizon.net

ESCAPE ON THE PEARL: THE HEROIC BID FOR FREEDOM ON THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
SSFS Parent, Mary Kay Ricks (Molly '07), will have her first book - Escape on the Pearl: The Heroic Bid for Freedom on the Underground Railroad - published at the end of January. "A story of people, politics, and power, this gripping and deeply poignant narrative revives one of the least known yet most important chapters of American history and elevates it to its rightful place."

There will be several book talks in the Greater Metropolitan area:

• February 10 at Politics & Prose, 6:00pm, 5015 Connecticut Avenue NW
• February 17 at Silver Spring Borders, 4:00pm, 8518 Fenton Street
• February 22 at Charles Sumner School & Museum, 6:30pm, 17th & M Streets NW

2007 INTERNATIONAL ASSEMBLY
Thursday, March 1st, 2007 - 9:35am-10:35am in the Performing Arts Center Theater
Sponsored by the SSFS Upper School French & Spanish Department, the Performing Arts Center Theater will be the site of the eleventh annual cross-cultural student talent showcase. The International Assembly has become a community favorite as it is both student run and driven.

UPPER SCHOOL CELEBRATES MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
Thursday, January 11th, 2007
An event conceived and implemented by the students, the Upper School gathered to recognize and celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day by participating in discussion groups that examined issues of diversity at SSFS. The facilitators, mostly members of the SSFS Black Student Union (BSU), led discussion forums that paid tribute to the man, his legacy, his dream, and provided the opportunity to reflect on progress made in regards to race relations in America today, as well as the opportunity to speak on issues of direct relevance to their lives.

UPPER SCHOOL PARTICIPATES IN WORLD AIDS AWARENESS DAY
Friday, December 1st, 2006
The Upper School's AIDS Awareness Club promoted World AIDS Day by encouraging students to wear informative signs on their backs pertaining to this world-wide epidemic. According to UNAIDS estimates, there are now 39.5 million people living with HIV, including 2.3 million children, and during 2006 some 4.3 million people became newly infected with the virus. Around half of all people who become infected with HIV do so before they are 25 and are killed by AIDS before they are 35. In 2005 UNAIDS handed over responsibility for World AIDS Day to The World AIDS Campaign (WAC). The slogan for their work, "Stop AIDS: Keep the Promise", is an appeal to governments, policy makers, and regional health authorities to ensure that they meet the many targets that have been set in the fight against HIV and AIDS. This year's theme, "accountability", is designed to inspire citizens across the globe to hold their political leaders accountable for the promises they have made on AIDS. Targets such as the All by 2010 pledge made by world leaders last year, and the Millennium Development Goal to halt and reverse the spread of AIDS by 2015, are in serious danger of being sidelined or ignored, and much more needs to be done to ensure that these critical promises are kept. To learn more about The World AIDS Campaign visit: http://www.worldaidscampaign.info/

INTERNATIONAL SLAM POET CHAMPION TAKES THE STAGE AT SSFS
Thursday, November 30th, 2006
1996 International Slam Poet Champion, Gayle Danley, performed some of her award-winning work for the SSFS Upper School student body in the Performing Arts Center. Featured on "60 Minutes" for elevating Slam poetry to a new kind of street art, Ms. Danley combined movement, voice, drama and the written word for an unforgettable spoken word experience. To learn more about Gayle Danley visit her website: http://www.gayledanley.com/

QUAKER SCHOOLS RECEPTION AT PEOPLE OF COLOR CONFERENCE
Thursday, November 30th, 2006, 7:00pm-9:00pm
Sponsored by Sidwell Friends School, the Friends Council on Education, and member schools
Each sponsoring school should plan to attend the reception and bring promotional materials about their school, especially job descriptions for known openings for 2007-2008. Representatives of Sidwell and the Board of the Friends Council on Education will welcome the group and speak about Friends’ commitment to diversity. During the reception, conference attendees will have a chance to network, mix, and mingle with Quaker School teachers and administrators. Hopefully, people will have a chance to set up more extensive conversations (interviews) for another time. NAIS will help to promote the event, but word of mouth (SPREAD THE WORD), and passing out invitations once in Seattle will be important to this gathering’s success. Sidwell Friends is the leading sponsor of this event, and participating schools are invited to contribute toward the costs for this reception. Friends Council has stepped forward to co-sponsor this event. The suggested sponsorship amount is $250 per school, with a goal of 10 participating schools. If you are interested in co-sponsoring, please contact Min Kim directly. If you are unable to send representatives to this conference, schools may be able to ship materials to the hotel to be available at the reception. For more information, contact Min, Sidwell Friends School: kimm@sidwell.edu, (202) 537 8100 x8156

UPPER SCHOOL PARTICIPATES IN TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE
Tuesday, November 21st, 2006
According to the GSA Network (www.gsanetwork.org), "The Transgender Day of Remembrance is held in November each year to memorialize those who were killed due to anti-transgender hatred or prejudice. Although not every person represented during the Day of Remembrance self-identified as transgender, each was a victim of violence based on bias against transgender people. The list of deaths available at http://www.rememberingourdead.org only contains those deaths known to the transgender community or that have been reported to the media. The Day of Remembrance is held in November to honor Rita Hester, whose murder kicked off the “Remembering Our Dead” web project and a San Francisco candlelight vigil in 1999. Rita Hester’s murder — like most anti-transgender murder cases — has yet to be solved. The Transgender Day of Remembrance serves several purposes. It raises public awareness of hate crimes against transgender people, an action that current media doesn’t perform. Day of Remembrance publicly mourns and honors the lives of transgender people who might otherwise be forgotten. Through the vigil, we express love and respect in the face of national indifference and hatred. Day of Remembrance gives transgender people and their allies a chance to step forward and stand in vigil, memorializing those who’ve died by anti-transgender violence. Putting on the Day of Remembrance in schools can also be used as a way to educate students, teachers, and administrators about transgender issues, so we can try to prevent anti-transgender hatred and violence from continuing."

SSFS ANNUAL SIMPLE MEAL
Monday, November 20th, 2006
Simple Meal is a lunch where SSFS donates the extra proceeds saved by purposefully having only red beans, rice, French bread, and whole apples for dessert. The symbolic value of our "simple meal" as an awareness-raising experience is a Quaker Tradition from which many lessons come, including but not limited to educating students about hunger issues.

FALL DIVERSITY WORKSHOP AT THE POTOMAC SCHOOL
Wednesday, November 15th, 2006
The Potomac School
1301 Potomac School Road
McLean, Virginia  22101
Registration begins at 3:45 p.m. $50 per person
Speaker: Donna Nakazawa, author of Does Anybody Else Look Like Me?
According to Donna Nakazawa, the current generation of multiracial children has prompted our society to reexamine its beliefs about race and racial categories.  This shift has created an opportunity to help children rethink their beliefs about race and, as a result, develop healthier and more authentic racial identities.  Educators have an important role to play in this process.  Nakazawa, who has focused her research on multiracial children, will lead workshop participants through a developmentally-based analysis of what multiracial children experience at different ages and grade levels.  Along the way, she will explore the tools which teachers can use to support their students, the characteristics of multiculturally competent schools and the questions and concerns which commonly arise in school settings.

NINTH & TENTH GRADES PARTICIPATE IN NCBI PREJUDICE REDUCTION WORKSHOP
Wednesday, November 15th, 2006
The entire ninth and tenth grades class will participate in a Prejudice Reduction Workshop created by the National Coalition Building Institute. This workshop focuses on celebrating similarities and differences, recognizing misinformation about various groups, identifying and healing from internalized oppression, claiming pride in group identity, understanding the personal impact of discrimination through stories, and learning hands-on tools for dealing effectively with bigoted comments and behavior. The day long event is facilitated by SSFS student leaders who have been trained to lead the series of activities. SSFS welcomes the opportunity to learn more about each other, while having a meaningful dialogue about how to combat stereotyping and other actions that diminish our society.

RICK WILSON FROM AFSC SPEAKS ABOUT SOCIO-ECONOMIC DIVERSITY
Thursday November 2nd, 2006, 8:50am-9:40am
Rick Wilson, who directs American Friends Service Committee’s West Virginia Economic Justice Project, spoke at an assembly held in the new Performing Arts Center. Rick works out of the West Virginia office and does political advocacy for issues of economic equity, which is a theme in the Upper School advisories this year. Some of our students are familiar with Rick from the Logan, West Virginia, intersession community service project. Rick spoke about ways in which individuals can make a difference in working for economic equity. Rachel Stevens (07) said, “I was moved and inspired.” He also presented the assembled group with alarming statistics on the extent of economic inequity in our society. Amelia McLaughlin (07) stated “I thought the chair exercise really illustrated the economic injustice in our country.” He used humor as well as passion to make his points. Rick involved students in the presentation by bringing them up on the stage to act as props for his ideas. “It was informative. I was not aware of the extent of economic inequity in our country”, said Hannah Smith-Barrett (07).

SSFS WELCOMES SCOTT FRIED
Thursday, October 5th, 2006
On October 5th, 2006 the Upper School welcomed Scott Fried into our community and I think he had a major impact on all of us. Scott Fried is a national public speaker, health educator and author.~ He has devoted the past thirteen years of his life lecturing in nearly every state in this country, as well as Israel, England and Canada, reaching more than a million people.~ He has spoken at over 500 institutions, including colleges and universities, high schools and middle schools, summer camps, synagogues and churches. Scott spoke with the whole Upper School about AIDS, Love and The Secret Lives of Teenagers. In addition, he had break-out sessions with each grade throughout the day and had lunch with members of the GSA and AIDS Awareness Clubs. The students really liked this format because they were able to get to know Scott in a more intimate setting and ask him personal questions.

Scott used himself as Exhibit A. He began his lecture with his story of how he got infected with HIV in 1987 at the age of 24, during his first and only unsafe sexual encounter. His unstoppable approach to educating others can be encapsulated into one thought: one must understand the value of one's own life, and hold it sacred, in order to refrain from dangerous behaviors that could lead to HIV infection and other crises.

He is the author of two books. If I Grow Up: Talking with Teens about AIDS, Love and Staying Alive is a moving chronicle of his experiences and lectures. My Invisible Kingdom: Letters From the Secret Lives of Teens, presents a cross-section of the thousands of letters from students who have written to Scott in an attempt to share their pain. Scott has generously donated his book titled My Invisible Kingdom to The SSFS Library and I hope you all get a chance to read it.

The students reacted so positively to Scott’s message and this is what they had to say.

“I thought he was determined to help others and his message was very positive. The main message was don’t take life for granted.”
Andrew, 12th Grade

“I thought he was such a good speaker because what he said applied to everyone. It wasn’t just for people who are gay or have HIV. Everyone could relate.”
Isabel, 12th Grade

“He really did a good job of seeing everyone. I liked how he tried to look at all of the students individually, that was really cool.”
Elle, 12th Grade

(Adapted from Scott’s website www.scottfried.com)

THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE
Thursday, September 21st, 2006
Established by a United Nations resolution in 1981, the International Day of Peace was first celebrated September 1982. The International Day of Peace provides an opportunity for individuals, organizations and nations to create practical acts of Peace on a shared date. Use the International Day of Peace annually to highlight the Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World, 2001 to 2010. We'd like to ask SSFS faculty, staff, and students to stop for one minute at 12:00pm to meditate on Peace. To learn more about The International Day of Peace click here: http://www.internationaldayofpeace.org/background.htm

ROADS TO YOU: CELEBRATION OF ONE WORLD
Friday, May 12th, 2006
A musical assembly designed to promote peace, tolerance, and cultural exchange, and under the patronage of Queen Noor of Jordan, SSFS is proud to host Roads to You: Celebration of One World on Friday, May 12th, in the Performing Arts Center from 8:50am-9:40am, featuring an ensemble from the International Musicans Assembly.

REVEREND ELBERT RANSOM
Tuesday, March 14th, 2006
Sponsored by the SSFS Parents Association, Reverend Elbert Ransom will spend the day on campus in a variety of ways, addressing students in all three divisions. His visit will begin with a reception in Westview Dining Hall hosted by the PA at 8:15 a.m., followed by an assembly in Clifton Performing Arts Center at 8:50 a.m. for 8th-12th grade students. The rest of the Reverend's stay will be spent meeting with students in smaller groups, ranging from Upper School African American Literature and History courses, as well as American Cultures II with the international student population, to a chat with 4th and 5th graders in the Lower School to discuss themes of integrity and peace. As a civil rights activist from 1955-1968 and an aide to Martin Luther King, Jr., Reverend Elbert Ransom participated in the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the Selma to Montgomery March to D.C., and open housing demonstrations in Chicago. He was also the city manager of Resurrection City (Poor Peoples Campaign). He is an ordained Baptist preacher; and adjunct instructor at Virginia Theological Seminary; and president of REACH, Inc., a human relations firm. On behalf of the U.S. Information Agency he was on a speaking and lecturing tour to Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Australia and Brazil in 1997. Last year, he did conflict resolution in Bosnia on behalf of the U.S. Department of State. To learn more about REACH, Inc., (Racial Equality and Cultural Harmony) click on the following link: http://www.reachcultures.com/about.html

INTERNATIONAL POTLUCK
March 3rd, 2006
Sponsored by the SSFS Upper School International Club, and in conjunction with the International Student Program, Westview Dining Hall will be the site of an international potluck for all interested. Starting at 6:30pm, admission is just one dish.

5TH ANNUAL DC METRO MIDDLE SCHOOL DIVERSITY CONFERENCE
Friday, February 24th, 2006
Six SSFS Middle School students will attend this conference to be held on the grounds of the National Cathedral, Washington, DC. The topic is "What Can a Middle School Student Do To Make Her/His School Equitable and Fair?" The day's schedule includes small group discussions and a performance of the Georgetown Day School's current theater piece, The Issue, which illuminates the actors’ questions, observations, and concerns surrounding social class, and drawn from the company members’ own experiences.

2006 INTERNATIONAL ASSEMBLY
Thursday, February 16th, 2006 - 8:50am-9:40am in Clifton Performing Arts Center
Sponsored by the SSFS Upper School French & Spanish Department, Clifton Performing Arts Center will be the site of the tenth annual cross-cultural student talent showcase. The International Assembly has become a community favorite as it is both student run and driven.

SSFS HOSTS 9th ANNUAL QUAKER YOUTH LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
Thursday, February 2nd - Saturday, February 4th, 2006
Sandy Spring Friends will host approximately 170 upper school students and faculty from over 20 Quaker schools for the 9th Annual Quaker Youth Leadership Conference. The theme of this year's conference is Passion and Compassion. Students will explore this theme through presentations, discussions, and service. The keynote speaker is Lori Heninger, former Quaker Representative to the UN. She is currently the director of Education in Emergencies Initiative of the Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children.

DEBRA MIMS: "MY GRANDMOTHER TOLD ME, A TRIBUTE TO AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN"
January 20, 2006
A Lower School assembly in which 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders will meet Grandmother Mims as she searches through an old trunk in her attic. Each item she pulls out sparks a memory of days past and of courageous Black women and their struggles to be free to vote, and to get an education. Using monologues, poetry and songs, Debra Mims leads the audience in this highly interactive walk through an important part of America's history.

UPPER SCHOOL CELEBRATES MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
January 12, 2006
On Thursday, January 12th, Upper School students gathered to recognize and celebrate Martin Luther King Day by participating in discussion groups that examined issues of diversity at SSFS. The event was entirely conceived and implemented by the students. The facilitators, mostly seniors, led groups of 18-20 in consideration of the following issues: identity, newly formed affinity groups in the Upper School (BSU, ALAS, Chinese Culture Club), exposure to diversity on campus as preparation for life outside of SSFS, day/dorm student relations, acceptance of individuals new to the community, possible effects of expansion. The opportunity to speak on issues of direct relevance to their lives was well received by the students and the discussions were lively and fruitful.

STRATEGIES TO HELP PREVENT CYBERBULLYING
December 12, 2005
Hosted by our Middle School in Yarnall Lobby at 7:00 p.m., Sandy Spring Friends School welcomes Rachel Simmons, author of the New York Times bestseller, Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls. She will discuss strategies to help prevent cyberbullying and issues of internet safety.

Rachel Simmons has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Today, Dateline NBC, as well as NPR's Diane Rehm Show and Talk of the Nation. Ms. Simmons' work has been profiled in numerous publications, including The New York Times Magazine, The Washington Post, and The Los Angeles Times. Rachel speaks all over the country and is currently the director of The Girls' Leadership Institute, a trainer for the Empower Program, and a consultant to schools all over the country. Odd Girl Out was recently adapted into a Lifetime television movie, which premiered in April of 2005.

MIX-IT UP DAY
November 15, 2005
Sponsored by the Multi-Cultural Club, Mix-It Up Day has become a recent SSFS tradition. In an effort to encourage people to interact with those with whom they normally may not, Upper School students are asked to sit at lunch with students according to similar shoe size. So please mix it up, have some fun, and sit with people you usually don't.

SSFS ANNUAL SIMPLE MEAL
Monday, November 21st, 2005
Simple Meal is a lunch where SSFS donates the extra proceeds saved by purposefully having only red beans, rice, French bread, and whole apples for dessert. The symbolic value of our "simple meal" as an awareness-raising experience is a Quaker Tradition from which many lessons come, including but not limited to educating students about hunger issues.

INTERNATIONAL POTLUCK
October 28th, 2005
Sponsored by the SSFS Upper School International Club, and in conjunction with the International Student Program, Westview Dining Hall will be the site of an international potluck for all interested. Starting at 6:30pm, admission is just one dish. Entertainment will be provided by some of SSFS' very own International Students.

STORYTELLER NOA BAUM
October 27th, 2005
On October 27th, the Middle School will host the acclaimed storyteller Noa Baum during assembly time. Since 1982, Noa's multicultural stories have captivated and inspired children (gr. K-12) and adults with themes of peace, wisdom, courage, generosity and hope.

FRIENDS SCHOOLS' STUDENTS OF COLOR COLLEGE FAIR
Saturday, September 17th, 2005
Delegations of students from 22 Friends high schools in grades 10-12 and their parents will have an opportunity to meet with representatives from a wide variety of colleges from throughout the country. Over 150 colleges have been invited.

The purpose of the event is to:

• inform families of color about the unique aspects of the college process that applies specifically to them;
• make it economically possible for students of color to be exposed to a wider range of colleges and universities;
• give students of color in our schools an opportunity to network and build relationships with admissions representatives who will be reading their applications;
• reduce the social isolation that students of color may experience at predominantly white schools; this event expands the sphere of relationships for students of color, outside of just their own schools;
• provide parents with the valuable financial aid information that so often influences where their children end up matriculating; and
• further position Friends schools in the forefront of the minds of the colleges.

To learn more click here: http://www.westtown.edu/alumni/parents/foc/collegefair.shtml

NINTH GRADE PREJUDICE REDUCTION WORKSHOP
April 29th, 2005
On Friday, April 29th, the entire ninth grade class participated in a Prejudice Reduction Workshop created by the National Coalition Building Institute. This workshop focuses on celebrating similarities and differences, recognizing misinformation about various groups, identifying and healing from internalized oppression, claiming pride in group identity, understanding the personal impact of discrimination through stories, and learning hands-on tools for dealing effectively with bigoted comments and behavior. The day long event was facilitated by SSFS student leaders who had been trained to lead the series of activities. All the students welcomed the opportunity to learn more about each other and themselves, while having a meaningful dialogue about how to combat stereotyping and other actions that diminish our society.

NATIONAL DAY OF SILENCE
April 13th, 2005
Some SSFS students will be participating in this day of silence: "The Day of Silence, a project of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) in collaboration with the United States Student Association (USSA), is a student-led day of action where those who support making anti-LGBT bias unacceptable in schools take a day-long vow of silence to recognize and protest the discrimination and harassment -- in effect, the silencing -- experienced by LGBT students and their allies."
~ From GLSEN's Day of Silence page (http://www.dayofsilence.org/)

GENDER IDENTITY, SEXUAL ORIENTATION & HELPING STUDENTS FEEL SAFE AT SCHOOL
Wednesday, April 6th, 2005
The Upper School Counselor and The Gay/Straight Alliance Club have invited Carol Dopp to come and speak with the Upper School students during lunch on Wednesday, April 6th. She will cover topics including gender identity, sexual orientation, and how to help all students feel safe at this school. In addition, she will focus on the issues of fear, self-hate, isolation, and depression that youths often deal with as they struggle with their gay identities.

Carol Dopp has a master's of education degree in counseling and another in curriculum development. She has taught and/or counseled for the past 23 years in various independent schools in the DC metro area. Currently she is the grade 9-12 counselor at Potomac School. Her training over the past 18 years has focused on human sexuality.

This informative lunch discussion is optional for all students, and we are looking forward to having Carol on our campus. This event is also the kick-off to the National Day of Silence which will take place the following Wednesday April 13th.

MAKANI THEMBA-NIXON TO LEAD PARENTS ASSOCIATION DISCUSSION
Tuesday, March 15th - 8:15am in Yarnall
The PA Diversity Committee is having one of its members (Makani Themba-Nixon) lead a discussion at the next Parents Association meeting on the morning of Tuesday, March 15th at 8:15 in Yarnall.  Makani Themba-Nixon is Executive Director of The Praxis Project, a nonprofit organization helping communities use media and policy advocacy to advance equity.  Makani was previously director of the Grass Roots Innovative Policy Program (GRIPP), a national project of the Applied Research Center to build capacity among local organizing groups to address institutional racism in welfare and public education policy.  She is author of Making Policy, Making Change: How Communities Are Taking Law into Their Own Hands and a contributor to Rethinking Schools, along with many other edited book projects. Her latest book (co-authored with Hunter Cutting) is Talking the Walk: Communications for Racial Justice.  Perhaps most importantly, she's the mother of Laura Parish (SSFS Class of 2008).

AIDS EDUCATION & AWARENESS: UPPER SCHOOL ASSEMBLY
Friday, March 4th, 2005
Coordinated by senior Anna Finn through The AIDS Awareness Club, and in conjunction with Health & Wellness Week, a workshop was arranged for the Upper School student body in which to participate on Friday, March 4th. This two-hour workshop focused on AIDS education and awareness. With three speakers from The Safe Haven Project, the focus of this assembly was on the realities of living with HIV and AIDS. These speakers discussed "the power of the individual to create profound and positive change upon the world around them - that finding ones passion is the key to service, and that no matter what, service should be a cornerstone in the lives of every individual." Please go to the following link to learn more: http://www.charityadvantage.com/safehaven/Programofferings.asp

2005 INTERNATIONAL ASSEMBLY
Thursday, March 3rd - 9:35am-10:35am in Clifton Performing Arts Center
Sponsored by the SSFS Upper School French & Spanish Department, Clifton Performing Arts Center will be the site of the ninth annual cross-cultural student talent showcase. The International Assembly has become a community favorite as it is both student run and driven.

PREJUDICE REDUCTION WORKSHOP
Friday & Saturday, February 4th & 5th
A group of Upper School students will participate in a two-day training session designed to teach them how to lead a one-day workshop on Prejudice Reduction designed by the National Coalition Building Institute. This Prejudice Reduction workshop focuses on celebrating similarities and differences, recognizing misinformation about various groups, identifying and healing from internalized oppression, claiming pride in group identity, understanding the personal impact of discrimination through stories, learning hands-on tools for dealing effectively with bigoted comments and behavior. (For more information see: www.ncbi.org)

SOCIAL JUSTICE AND DIVERSITY LECTURE SERIES: TIM WISE
January 26, 2005
(From Eastern Educational Resource Collaborative flier)
Tim Wise is the Director of the newly-formed Association for White Anti-Racist Education (AWARE) in Nashville, Tennessee. He lectures across the country about the need to combat institution racism, gender bias, and the growing gap between the rich and the poor in the U.S. Wise has been called a "leftist extremist" by David Duke, "deceptively Aryan-looking" by a member of the Ku Klux Klan, and "the Uncle Tom of the white race," by right-wing author, Dinesh D'Souza. Whatever else can be said about him, his ability to make the right kind of enemies seems unquestioned.
Read more about Tim Wise...
Wednesday, January 26, 2005, 7:00-9:00pm
Georgetown Day School
Lower School Campus
4530 McArthur Blvd. NW
Washington, DC 20007
Tickets: $10 advance purchase, $15 at the door as available
To obtain tickets contact: Easted1@aol.com or call 202-464-1996

INTERNATIONAL POTLUCK
December 10, 2004
Sponsored jointly by the SSFS Upper School International & Culture Clubs, and in conjunction with the International Student Program, Westview Dining Hall will be the site of a winter holiday theme international potluck for all interested. Starting at 6:30pm, admission is just one dish. Entertainment will be provided by some of SSFS' very own International Students.

FOSTER DOAN TO SPEAK AT SSFS ABOUT THE PECULIARITIES OF QUAKERISM & EDUCATION
November 16, 2004
Please come to the next PA meeting on November 16, 2004 at 8:15 a.m. in Yarnall Lobby. Foster Doan will speak to us about the peculiarities of Quakerism and how it affects our children's education. Foster has a rich history in Quakerism and education. He taught religion classes at Friends Select School, was Executive Secretary of the Committee on Education for Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, and was Head of the Religion Department and Dean at Westtown.

Please join us for the next speaker in our Quaker series. Parents and staff have found our previous Quaker speakers to afford a wonderful opportunity. We look forward to seeing you on the 16th!

MIX-IT UP DAY
November 16, 2004
Sponsored jointly by the Culture and International clubs, Mix-It Up Day has become a recent SSFS tradition. In an effort to encourage people to interact with those with whom they normally may not, Upper School students are asked to sit at lunch with students according to similar shoe size. So please mix it up, have some fun, and sit with people you usually don't.

SSFS 10th GRADE TO PARTICIPATE IN PREJUDICE REDUCTION WORKSHOP
November 8, 2004
On Monday, November 8th, the tenth grade will participate in the prejudice reduction workshop designed by the National Coalition Building Institute. This NCBI-sponsored workshop seeks to do the following:

• Identify the information and misinformation learned about other groups
• Identify and express pride in the group(s) to which we belong
• Learn how groups, other than our own, experience mistreatment
• Learn the personal impact of specific incidents of discrimination
• Learn how to interrupt prejudicial jokes, remarks and slurs

SSFS ANNUAL SIMPLE MEAL
November 4, 2004
Simple Meal is a lunch where SSFS donates the extra proceeds saved by purposefully having only red beans, rice, French bread, and whole apples for dessert. This is a Quaker Tradition from which many lessons come.

CANTARE
October 15, 2004
Sandy Spring Friends Lower School presents Cantare, a Latin American Song Group on Friday, October 15th at 8:30am in Clifton Performing Arts Center.

ANDES MANTA PERFORMS
September 28, 2004
The Upper School enjoyed the rhythmic sounds of the South American group Andes Manta on Tuesday, Sept. 28th. The five-member group is from Ecuador and has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and most recently at the opening of the new Native American Museum in D.C., in addition to schools such as ours. The group used more than 35 different traditional instruments including six -foot long panpipes, llama toenail rattles and four-foot long flutes known as moxenos to convey the sounds of the rain forest and the music of the Andean Mountains. Students and faculty were asked to participate by playing various instruments during the performance. Happily, both groups showed they had rhythm. A great time was had by all.

REV. PAULA LAWRENCE WEHMILLER VISITS SSFS
April 22nd, 2004
Rev. Paula Lawrence Wehmiller, who will be working with SSFS next year during our faculty orientation meetings in September and again in February, is a nationally-known educator and author. She is the former lower school head of Wilmington Friends, a faculty member in David Mallery's Seminars for Teachers held annually at Westtown, teacher of graduate and undergraduate courses at the University of Delaware, an Episcopal priest, and consultant to schools since 1990. She specializes in nourishing the spiritual development of schools, integrating school and community, building more inclusive communities, and nurturing peace and justice. She will be visiting all day in order to learn more about SSFS and our current needs. When she works with schools she tailors her work to fit the needs of that particular institution. As a result, she will be meeting with various groups throughout the three divisions to hear from us about our current issues and concerns.

NATIONAL DAY OF SILENCE
April 21st, 2004
Some SSFS students will be participating in this day of silence:
"The Day of Silence, a project of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) in collaboration with the United States Student Association (USSA), is a student-led day of action where those who support making anti-LGBT bias unacceptable in schools take a day-long vow of silence to recognize and protest the discrimination and harassment -- in effect, the silencing -- experienced by LGBT students and their allies."
~ From GLSEN's Day of Silence page (http://www.dayofsilence.org/)

SSFS HOSTS PEACE CONFERENCE
Friday, March 5th & Saturday, March 6th
Sandy Spring will host a Peace Conference for Middle and Upper School students. Students from all over the metro area have been invited to attend. The two-day overnight conference will feature presentations by Dudley Weeks, two time Nobel Peace Prize nominee and Bette Hoover, DC Director of American Friends Service Committee, a viewing of the movie Bringing Down a Dictator and a choice of workshops. Thus far the conference as been planned and supported by a small group of students and educators from SSFS and other schools.

2004 INTERNATIONAL ASSEMBLY
Thursday, February 19th - 9:35am-10:35am in Clifton Performing Arts Center
Sponsored by the SSFS Upper School French & Spanish Department, Clifton Performing Arts Center will be the site of the eighth annual cross-cultural student talent showcase. The International Assembly has become a community favorite as it is both student run and driven. This year's diverse acts will vary from classical ballet to Brazilian samba, from jazz singing to Australian aborigine didgeradoo, from gymnastics to classical piano, from tap to traditional folk dances from Colombia and the eastern Mediterranean, from the American musical to a traditional international fashion show.