The calendar information below is for all-school, cross-divisional events and activities in the coming weeks. Please see the Lower School, Middle School, or Upper School sections for division-specific "must-know" info.

• Mon, Jan. 15: NO SCHOOL - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day;
• Mon, Jan. 15: MLK Day of Service at SSFS, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm (see more info here)
• Wed, Jan. 17: PA Post-Prom Planning Committee, 8:00 am, Scott House Conference Room
• Thurs, Jan. 18: PA Auction Committee Meeting, 8:15 am, Scott House (Call in information: Conference line: Dial-in number: 866-894-8254; Participant passcode: 7545542)
• Mon, Jan. 22: NO CLASSES - Professional Day (Exam Make-Up Day for US)
• Tues, Jan. 23: First Day of 2nd Semester
• Thurs, Jan. 25: State of the School Presentation (weather make-up date Feb. 1), 6:00 pm, PAC (see more here)
• Thurs, Jan. 25: PA Fundraiser at Jersey Mike's Subs (get flyer here)
• Fri, Jan. 26: Lyle Denniston Assembly for Middle and Upper School (see more info here)
• Wed, Jan. 31: Evening Panel on Interracial Marriage moderated by NPR's Korva Coleman, 7:15 pm, Yarnall Library (see more info here)
• Fri, Feb. 2: Re-Enrollment Contracts Available for Current Families After 7:00 pm
• Sat, Feb. 3: Middle School Play, 7:15 pm, PAC
• Wed, Feb. 7: Middle and Upper School Parent-Teacher Conferences, 2:45-5:00 pm
• Wed, Feb. 7: PEP (Parent Encouragement Program) Event: Managing Stress and Pressure, 7:15 pm, Scott House Living Room

This Monday, January 15, 2018, the Parent Association of Sandy Spring Friends School will, once again, host the annual MLK Day of Service at SSFS! Breakfast will be served, and there will be specific activities for students of all ages, as well as opportunities to participate in various service projects, such as Empty Bowl, Smart Sacks, and the Linus Blanket Project. There will also be space for open dialogue centered around our theme, "Why Race Still Matters In Our World," led by Dr. Joanna Scott, a nationally recognized expert on race in organizations. Bring a friend and join in the fun!

If you would like to volunteer in any capacity, please contact Kerry-Ann Farmer at kerryann.farmer@yahoo.com. Please RSVP here to let us you'll be there. We are looking forward to a great day of service!

Schedule:

• 10:00-10:45 am - Community Breakfast
• 10:45-11:00 am - Introduction (with remarks from Tom Gibian)
• 11:00-1:00 pm - Break out into service projects
• 1:30-2:00 pm - Why Race Still Matters in Our World — Conversations in social justice with Dr. Joanna Scott
  Students break out into grade specific sessions:
  PK3-3rd grade - Painting for Peace
  4th-5th grade - Conversations in social justice
  Middle and Upper School students - Conversations in social justice
• 2:00 pm - Reconvene and adjourn

Lights! Camera! Action! On Saturday, January 13th, with studio doors opening at 2:30 pm, the SSFS Quiz Bowl Team returns to the NBC4 Studios for a match on It's Academic, "recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running quiz program in TV history." SSFS will face off against Dominion and Suitland high schools where they will be tasked with answering academic-centered questions for points posed by award-winning radio and television reporter, Moderator Hillary Howard.

Filmed before a live audience, in the same studio where one of the Kennedy-Nixon debates took place and adjacent to the Meet the Press set, the show's producers welcome a packed studio, charged with supportive energy. It's Academic encourages competing schools to bring lots of supporters to the free taping and provides the audience with Giant-sponsored poster-board and markers, along with cowbells and other noise-makers, to promote school spirit and increase enthusiasm. You can also bring your own signs, noise makers and don your school colors.

So this is a call to all 'Beest Boosters! Come form part of the Wildebeest herd and cheer on your Quiz Bowl Team! Just show up at 2:30pm, when the studio doors are opened for fans. About 15 miles and 35 minutes away from SSFS, down Connecticut Avenue, off of Nebraska Avenue, the NBC4 Studios are located at 4001 Nebraska Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016. Parking is free and ample, as there is a large gated parking lot on site, along with free overflow parking at the church next door.

With free admittance, this is a family-friendly show and community-wide event for nearly all ages that promotes academic excellence and provides the educational opportunity to be in a real television studio, participating vociferously in support of SSFS while spotlighting our unique sense of community.

Please note that since we are launching our first annual State of the School evening on Thursday, Jan. 25, we will NOT hold the Head of School Forum that was previously scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 27, at 7:15 pm in Yarnall Library.

SSFS State of the School
Buffet dinner in Yarnall Lobby at 6:00 pm
Presentation by Tom Gibian in the Performing Arts Center at 7:00 pm

We hope that parents will take the opportunity at the Jan. 25 event to review questions often asked about SSFS, including its long-range plan, budgeting and the endowment, and—most often asked of all!—the status of the campaign for the new Upper School building and the project itself. Questions? Contact Lauren Mossman, Director of Advancement, at lauren.mossman@ssfs.org. We look forward to seeing you there!

The PA Meeting that was previously scheduled to be held just before the Open Forum with the Head of School will still be held on Tuesday, Feb. 27 in Yarnall Library, but the time has changed from 6:15 pm to 7:15 pm.

The Empty Bowl Dinner is fast approaching! Please put this special date on your calendar--Sunday, Feb. 11 from 4:00-7:00 pm in Westview--and plan to come marvel at the hundreds of gorgeous bowls as you carefully pick out your favorite (a challenging task to be sure). All proceeds go towards fighting hunger in our immediate area.

NPR newscaster Korva Coleman will be moderating our Evening Panel Discussion on Interracial Marriage since Loving vs Virginia on Wednesday, January 31 at 7:15 pm in Yarnall Library. Students, faculty, parents, alumni, and friends are all welcome to join us for community, snacks, and conversation! Click here for flyer.

The Parent Association is made up of ALL school parents and guardians, so we look forward to seeing you at many upcoming events as the year unfolds. Please visit the PA Website to see the 2017-18 PA reps and sign up to volunteer at one of our many fun events throughout the year.

Upcoming Events (Click here to see other PA Events scheduled for 2017-18)

• Mon, Jan. 15: MLK, Jr., Day of Service, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm - Find out more and RSVP here
• Wed, Jan. 17: PA Post-Prom Planning Committee Meeting, 8:00 am, Scott House Conference Room
• Thurs, Jan. 18: PA Auction Committee Meeting, 8:15 am, Scott House - Call in information: Conference line: Dial-in number: 866-894-8254; Participant passcode: 7545542.
• Fri, Jan. 25: SSFS PA Fundraiser at Jersey Mike's Subs - show this flyer when you place your order and 15% of the proceeds will be donated back to SSFS!
• Wed, Feb. 7: PEP (Parent Encouragement Program) Event: Managing Stress and Pressure, 7:15 pm, Scott House Living Room

Nominating for the PA Executive Committee has started

It is that time of year again to start thinking about next year's PA Executive Committee. This process takes a lot of consideration and an entire team of people to make it happen. Nominations are anonymous and will be shared only with the Nominating Committee. All SSFS Community members should feel free to nominate anyone (even yourself) you feel would be a good fit for SSFS's PA executive committee. Please make nominations through this nominating form.

Friday, January 26th US/MS Assembly - Lyle Denniston, grandfather of Irene '21 and Vivian '28 will be speaking about his 58 years covering the Supreme Court without missing a case. His talk, highlighting the impact of precedence in the law will include discussion of Loving v. Virginia (1967), Obergefell v. Hodges (2015), and the so-called Wedding Cake Case before the court now. NYT article, National Constitution Center blog articles

Wednesday, January 31st 7:15 in the library- Evening Panel on Interracial Marriage since Loving v Virginia. The panel, moderated by Korva Coleman of NPR, will include SSFS alumni Derek Turner and Bonnie Imlay; longtime Sandy Spring residents Chandlee Offerman and Andy Murphy, who were not allowed to marry in Sandy Spring due to anti-miscegenation laws; their daughter Heather Murphy Capps and husband and Dudley Capps; and our own Kwame Darko. Together their experience of "mixed" marriage spans the 50 years since the United States Supreme Court struck down anti-miscegenation laws across the country. Students, parents, and faculty in the SSFS Community, as well as those from the larger community, are invited to come and participate. Korva Coleman NPR bio
See flyer here.

Did you get a new lacrosse stick for Christmas or a baseball bat for Hanukkah? Have you simply outgrown your cleats? Is it time to get rid of some things so you can actually fit your car in the garage or your boots in the closet? While you're replacing, rearranging, and reorganizing, please consider regifting! The donation of your used athletic gear can make a difference in children's lives by giving them the opportunity to participate in sports.

Sporting goods will be collected at SSFS through the MLK, Jr., Day of Service. Donation bins will be located in the Athletic Center, the Performing Arts Center, The Beestro, and the Ken & Jan Smith Collection Space (Middle School).

Did you know that only about 15% of underprivileged children are involved in athletics? The rising cost of sports equipment and participation continues to widen the gap between those who can afford to play and those who cannot. Leveling the Playing Field (LPF) is a Silver Spring-based non-profit working to give all children the opportunity to play. LPF works within our community to collect gently used/excess sporting equipment to help ensure that every kid living in and around the DMV can enjoy the benefits of athletic involvement. You can help by cleaning out your garage and donating your old or outgrown gear!

• LPF accepts: Baseball, Basketball, Field Hockey, Football (except helmets), Golf, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Softball, Soccer, and Tennis equipment. They also accept PE/Recess items that schools can use, such as playground balls, hula hoops, and jump ropes. Please make sure donated gear is clean and in usable condition.
• LPF CANNOT accept: any athletic clothing (including hats, jerseys, socks, and swimwear), football helmets, roller blades, bicycles, shoes (except cleats), fishing gear, basketball hoops, or badminton and racquetball equipment. Please do not donate excessively dirty or unusable equipment.

To find out more about the organization, please visit their website at www.levelingtheplayingfield.org. If you have questions about the SSFS donation drive, please contact Quinn Bittinger-Esser ('19) (see Directory) or US Community Service Director Bim Schauffler. Thank you!

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! Now, after returning to School, we will begin rehearsals for the Community Play Production of The Sound of Music. We will need your help assembling the Pit Orchestra! While most brass and winds are covered, all strings (violins, violas, cellos, bass) are needed!

Rehearsals will take place on Sunday nights from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the Sandy Spring PAC (Studio B) beginning January 14, with Performances February 22-25 Interested players are asked to email Bryan Seith at bjseith@ssfs.org.

Below is information about upcoming LS events. For questions or more information about an event, please contact Pam Gilmer, LS Administrative Assistant, at ext. 112 or pam.gilmer@ssfs.org.

• Fri, Jan. 12: LS Coffee & Conversation, 8:30 am, Scott House
• Mon, Jan. 15: NO SCHOOL - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day; MLK Day of Service at SSFS (see more info here)
• Fri, Jan. 19: 4th Grade Class Play, 8:30 am, Clifton
• Mon, Jan. 22: NO CLASSES - Professional Day
• Thurs, Jan. 25: State of the School Presentation (weather make-up date Feb. 1), 6:00 pm, PAC - See more info here
• Thurs, Jan. 25: PA Fundraiser at Jersey Mike's Subs (get flyer here)
• Mon, Jan. 29: 1st Grade to National Building Museum, 8:30 am - 1:30 pm
• Fri, Feb. 2: Re-Enrollment Contracts Available for Current Families After 7:00 pm
• Sat, Feb. 3: Middle School Play, 7:15 pm, PAC (4th and 5th grade families: please RSVP online for the pre-play dinner at SSFS)
• Wed, Feb. 7: Middle and Upper School Parent-Teacher Conferences, 2:45-5:00 pm
• Wed, Feb. 7: PEP (Parent Encouragement Program) Event: Managing Stress and Pressure, 7:15 pm, Scott House Living Room

Dear Lower School Friends,

Happy New Year! I hope the winter break was a restful and rejuvenating one. The transition back into our school routine has been an eventful one—with one school closing, one early dismissal, and two delayed openings for inclement weather. Amid the disruptions, the PK3 - 5 students have brought enough excitement into Walbrooke and Tanglewood to keep us all energized.

January 2018 starts the New Year and our new monthly Quaker theme of Peace. Current world events are truly motivation for each of us to explore this Testimony on a deeper personal level. Here are a few queries to ponder:

• Can we find Peace with others when we have "nothing in common" with them?
• Are shared culture, religion, backgrounds and perspectives all prerequisites for peaceful interactions and relationships?
• Is Peace attainable when some feel disenfranchised, silenced and devalued?
• How can we teach Peace and peacemaking to our children?
• How can we model civility and respect as fundamentals of Peace

Listening to the voices of our lower schoolers is perhaps one of the best ways to learn about the importance of Peace. In Morning Meetings and Meeting for Worship, students recognize that Peace might be quiet or stillness. It may also be a feeling "deep inside your heart." Peace means being courageous and strong; it involves a decision to use your words to solve conflict with respect. It seems that most of our youngest wildebeests even understand that Peace involves choice and conscious effort. It's not always easy to choose Peace or to be a "peacemaker." We can also seek Peace through service and acts of kindness for others. As we continue through the month of January, we will have many opportunities to think about what Peace "looks" like, and to make the decision to choose peace.

On Monday, January 15, SSFS will have a Day of Service. Though school will be officially closed for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we will be "open for service." There will be plenty of activities and service projects appropriate for our PK3 – 5 students' participation! Dr. Joanna Scott, SSFS Kindergarten mom and a nationally-recognized expert on race in organizations, will lead an open dialogue centered on the theme, "Why Race Still Matters In Our World" at 1:30 pm. You can RSVP for this event here.

The winter weather is a trickster, and we can easily experience all four seasons inside of a week! Be sure to dress your child in layers to ensure both indoor and outdoor comfort. Remember that we strive to get the students outdoors for breaks and recess. Unless the thermometer reads below 20 degrees, we go outside to play. If the thermometer reads above 20, but the wind chill is below 20 degrees, we will remain indoors. When temperatures rise, our Lower School friends peel off their layers and fling them aside. Reuniting students with their "disowned" garments can be quite a challenge. So, please label your child(ren)'s clothing with their first and last names.

Choose Peace,
Brenda

Please join us for the LS Coffee & Conversation on Friday, January 12h at 8:30 am in Scott House. The agenda will focus on having developmentally appropriate conversations with Lower School students about identity and self-identifying. Please bring additional topics for discussion to the gathering. We hope to see you there!

Winter Club information was emailed out to all LS families earlier this week. Online registration is underway!
Click here to review the 2018 Winter Club brochure and to register online.

• Art Café - CLOSED
• Storybook Cooking – Room for 1
• Minecraft (3-5) – Room for 1
• Debate (4&5) – plenty of spaces open
• Math (3-5) – plenty of spaces open
• Soccer (PK4 – 2nd) – plenty of spaces open
• Soccer (3-5) – plenty of space open
• Beest Basketball (3-5) – plenty of spaces open
• Chess (1-5) – plenty of spaces open

Registrations are coming in every day – the time is now to make your choice so you don't miss out! Enrollment confirmations and cancellation notices will be sent home the end of next week. Clubs will begin the week of January 22nd.

This Monday, January 15, 2018, the Parent Association of Sandy Spring Friends School will, once again, host the annual MLK Day of Service at SSFS! Breakfast will be served, and there will be specific activities for students of all ages, as well as opportunities to participate in various service projects, such as Empty Bowl, Smart Sacks, and the Linus Blanket Project. There will also be space for open dialogue centered around our theme, "Why Race Still Matters In Our World," led by Dr. Joanna Scott, a nationally recognized expert on race in organizations. Bring a friend and join in the fun!

If you would like to volunteer in any capacity, please contact Kerry-Ann Farmer at kerryann.farmer@yahoo.com. Please RSVP here to let us you'll be there. We are looking forward to a great day of service!

Schedule:

• 10:00-10:45 am - Community Breakfast
• 10:45-11:00 am - Introduction (with remarks from Tom Gibian)
• 11:00-1:00 pm - Break out into service projects
• 1:30-2:00 pm - Why Race Still Matters in Our World — Conversations in social justice with Dr. Joanna Scott
  Students break out into grade specific sessions:
  PK3-3rd grade - Painting for Peace
  4th-5th grade - Conversations in social justice
  Middle and Upper School students - Conversations in social justice
• 2:00 pm - Reconvene and adjourn

Save the date and pre-register now for the Girl's Basketball Clinic on Monday, Feb. 19 (President's Day - no school), from 9 am - 12 pm. More details below or in downloadable flyer/registration form. Please feel free to contact Amanda Hill with any additional questions. Thanks, and I hope your daughter can join in on the fun on the basketball court!

• What: President's Day Girl's Basketball Clinic, hosted by the US Women's Varsity Basketball Team
• Where: SSFS Athletic Center Gym
• When: Monday, Feb. 19 (President's Day), from 9 am - 12 pm
• Who: LS and MS Girls (grades PK4-Grade 8)
• Cost: $35/per person (t-shirt included!)
• What to Bring: Sneakers, a water bottle, and an attitude ready for basketball FUNdamentals!
• Registration: Click here for the registration form. Walk-ins accepted, but an email RSVP is appreciated.
• Questions: Contact Amanda Hill, amanda.hill@ssfs.org

Below is information about upcoming MS and all-school activities and events in the coming weeks. For questions or more information about an event, please contact Erin Ryan, MS Administrative Assistant, at ext. 160 or erin.ryan@ssfs.org.

• Fri, Jan. 12: MS International Potluck Lunch (see more info below)
• Mon, Jan. 15: NO SCHOOL - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day; MLK Day of Service at SSFS (see more info here)
• Thurs, Jan. 18: MS Performing Arts Evening, 7:15-9:00 pm, PAC (see more info below)
• Mon, Jan. 22: NO CLASSES - Professional Day
• Tues, Jan. 23: First Day of 2nd Semester
• Thurs, Jan. 25: State of the School Presentation (weather make-up date Feb. 1), 6:00 pm, PAC - See more info here
• Thurs, Jan. 25: PA Fundraiser at Jersey Mike's Subs (get flyer here)
• Fri, Feb. 2: MS Sportsplex Day
• Fri, Feb. 2: Re-Enrollment Contracts Available for Current Families After 7:00 pm
• Sat, Feb. 3: Middle School Play, 7:15 pm, PAC
• Wed, Feb. 7: Middle School Parent-Teacher Conferences, 2:45-5:00 pm
• Wed, Feb. 7: PEP (Parent Encouragement Program) Event: Managing Stress and Pressure, 7:15 pm, Scott House Living Room

This is the final reminder about the Middle School International Lunch, which will be held on Friday, January 12. This annual potluck lunch is a chance for our students to taste some delicious cuisines from around the world and to celebrate the diversity of our school community. Each middle school student was asked to bring in a dish (please see the form distributed in Global Language classes), and we are so excited to see and taste the dishes that are special to our Middle School families! A very big thanks goes out to all those parents who will be volunteering to make this year's event a success. Gracias and merci!

This Monday, January 15, 2018, the Parent Association of Sandy Spring Friends School will, once again, host the annual MLK Day of Service at SSFS! Breakfast will be served, and there will be specific activities for students of all ages, as well as opportunities to participate in various service projects, such as Empty Bowl, Smart Sacks, and the Linus Blanket Project. There will also be space for open dialogue centered around our theme, "Why Race Still Matters In Our World," led by Dr. Joanna Scott, a nationally recognized expert on race in organizations. Bring a friend and join in the fun!

If you would like to volunteer in any capacity, please contact Kerry-Ann Farmer at kerryann.farmer@yahoo.com. Please RSVP here to let us you'll be there. We are looking forward to a great day of service!

Schedule:

• 10:00-10:45 am - Community Breakfast
• 10:45-11:00 am - Introduction (with remarks from Tom Gibian)
• 11:00-1:00 pm - Break out into service projects
• 1:30-2:00 pm - Why Race Still Matters in Our World — Conversations in social justice with Dr. Joanna Scott
  Students break out into grade specific sessions:
  PK3-3rd grade - Painting for Peace
  4th-5th grade - Conversations in social justice
  Middle and Upper School students - Conversations in social justice
• 2:00 pm - Reconvene and adjourn

Save the date and pre-register now for the Girl's Basketball Clinic on Monday, Feb. 19 (President's Day - no school), from 9 am - 12 pm. More details below or in downloadable flyer/registration form. Please feel free to contact Amanda Hill with any additional questions. Thanks, and I hope your daughter can join in on the fun on the basketball court!

• What: President's Day Girl's Basketball Clinic, hosted by the US Women's Varsity Basketball Team
• Where: SSFS Athletic Center Gym
• When: Monday, Feb. 19 (President's Day), from 9 am - 12 pm
• Who: LS and MS Girls (grades PK4-Grade 8)
• Cost: $35/per person (t-shirt included!)
• What to Bring: Sneakers, a water bottle, and an attitude ready for basketball FUNdamentals!
• Registration: Click here for the registration form. Walk-ins accepted, but an email RSVP is appreciated.
• Questions: Contact Amanda Hill, amanda.hill@ssfs.org

Sandy Spring Friends Middle School is presenting 67 Cinderellas in the PAC Theater on Saturday, February 3, 2018, at 7:15 pm. The play is a very funny twist on the famous Cinderella story. Admission is free and appropriate for all ages. Donations are welcome at the door. Fourth and fifth grade families: don't forget to RSVP here if you'd like to attend the pre-play dinner at 6:00 pm in Westview before the show!

Be sure your calendar is marked for the Middle School Winter Arts Evening on Thursday, January 18, at 7:15 pm in the SSFS Performing Arts Center. This event is the culmination of a semester's worth of work and study, and the majority of Middle School students will be performing. The Visual Art, Digital Media Arts, and Weaving classes will have their work on display in the Performing Arts Center Lobby. For Music, Movement, and Drama students, attendance and participation is essential and required. Students in those classes must arrive by 6:30 pm. Full details were sent in an e-mail communication to all Middle School parents, and parents may e-mail Michelle Puhl-Price with any questions.

Below is information about upcoming Upper School and all-school activities and events. For questions or more information about an event, please contact Meredith Shankle, US Administrative Assistant, at ext. 109 or meredith.shankle@ssfs.org.

• Thurs, Jan. 11: US Music Evening, 7:15-9:00 pm, PAC
• Sat, Jan. 13: Upper School Quiz Bowl team to compete on It's Academic at the NBC4 Studios (see more info below)
• Sat, Jan. 13: US Students to compete in the Department of Energy Regional NSB (National Science Bowl), Montgomery College, Rockville campus
• Sun, Jan. 14: US Students to compete in the robotics First Tech Challenge (Montgomery County Qualifier), Bullis School
• Mon, Jan. 15: NO SCHOOL - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day; MLK Day of Service at SSFS (see more info here)
• Tues-Fri, Jan. 16-19: US Exams (see exam schedule here)
• Mon, Jan. 22: NO CLASSES - Professional Day (US Exam Make-Up Date)
• Tues, Jan. 23: First Day of 2nd Semester
• Thurs, Jan. 25: State of the School Presentation (weather make-up date Feb. 1), 6:00 pm, PAC- See more info here
• Thurs, Jan. 25: PA Fundraiser at Jersey Mike's Subs (get flyer here)
• Fri, Feb. 2: Re-Enrollment Contracts Available for Current Families After 7:00 pm
• Sat, Feb. 3: Middle School Play, 7:15 pm, PAC
• Tues, Feb. 6: Dorm Black History Month Celebration, 6:00-8:00 pm, Westview
• Wed, Feb. 7: Upper School Parent-Teacher Conferences, 2:45-5:00 pm
• Wed, Feb. 7: PEP (Parent Encouragement Program) Event: Managing Stress and Pressure, 7:15 pm, Scott House Living Room

The Upper School Music Evening is TONIGHT, Thursday, Jan. 11, at 7:15 pm in the PAC! Featuring Handel's Messiah, Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb," and so much in between, there is something for all music lovers.

Upper School Photography classes visited an exhibition at the Hirshhorn Museum of work by MacArthur Fellow, Painter, Mark Bradford. Pickett's Charge is a 400' long collage that is a reflection on the historic cyclorama (360 degree painting- the IMAX of its day) of the Battle of Gettysburg. The artist collages parts of a billboard sized photograph he printed of the original painting with other flyers, billboard paper, ropes, and glue to grapple with the very nature of history and how we tell the collective story of our nation. Most importantly, the work grapples with how impossible it is for any one person to have a complete and true history. Students enjoyed time to experience the work on their own, then a museum docent joined us for a brief presentation on the work before students completed a pop quiz! Some images are from an adjoining interactive exhibition in which a gallery is slowly filled with paper falling from above. Candice Ashton graciously joined us as a second chaperone.Pickett's Charge is on view through November 2018.

Upper School Ceramics classes visited the storage archives of the Freer Gallery, where students were allowed by special arrangement to handle pottery ranging in age from several hundred years old to one example that is 5000 years old. We enjoyed presentations and conversation with two curators of the collection. Discussion topics included Japanese Tea Ceremony practice, the development of Ceramics technology, techniques and materials unique to a geography, how import and export affects cultural exchange and how that is visible in the Ceramic record. Ceramics surveyed were from Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Syria, Iraq and China. Gwen Handler accompanied us as a second chaperone.

This Monday, January 15, 2018, the Parent Association of Sandy Spring Friends School will, once again, host the annual MLK Day of Service at SSFS! Breakfast will be served, and there will be specific activities for students of all ages, as well as opportunities to participate in various service projects, such as Empty Bowl, Smart Sacks, and the Linus Blanket Project. There will also be space for open dialogue centered around our theme, "Why Race Still Matters In Our World," led by Dr. Joanna Scott, a nationally recognized expert on race in organizations. Bring a friend and join in the fun!

If you would like to volunteer in any capacity, please contact Kerry-Ann Farmer at kerryann.farmer@yahoo.com. Please RSVP here to let us you'll be there. We are looking forward to a great day of service!

Schedule:

• 10:00-10:45 am - Community Breakfast
• 10:45-11:00 am - Introduction (with remarks from Tom Gibian)
• 11:00-1:00 pm - Break out into service projects
• 1:30-2:00 pm - Why Race Still Matters in Our World — Conversations in social justice with Dr. Joanna Scott
  Students break out into grade specific sessions:
  PK3-3rd grade - Painting for Peace
  4th-5th grade - Conversations in social justice
  Middle and Upper School students - Conversations in social justice
• 2:00 pm - Reconvene and adjourn

Lights! Camera! Action! On Saturday, January 13th, with studio doors opening at 2:30 pm, the SSFS Quiz Bowl Team returns to the NBC4 Studios for a match on It's Academic, "recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running quiz program in TV history." SSFS will face off against Dominion and Suitland high schools where they will be tasked with answering academic-centered questions for points posed by award-winning radio and television reporter, Moderator Hillary Howard.

Filmed before a live audience, in the same studio where one of the Kennedy-Nixon debates took place and adjacent to the Meet the Press set, the show's producers welcome a packed studio, charged with supportive energy. It's Academic encourages competing schools to bring lots of supporters to the free taping and provides the audience with Giant-sponsored poster-board and markers, along with cowbells and other noise-makers, to promote school spirit and increase enthusiasm. You can also bring your own signs, noise makers and don your school colors.

So this is a call to all 'Beest Boosters! Come form part of the Wildebeest herd and cheer on your Quiz Bowl Team! Just show up at 2:30pm, when the studio doors are opened for fans. About 15 miles and 35 minutes away from SSFS, down Connecticut Avenue, off of Nebraska Avenue, the NBC4 Studios are located at 4001 Nebraska Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016. Parking is free and ample, as there is a large gated parking lot on site, along with free overflow parking at the church next door.

With free admittance, this is a family-friendly show and community-wide event for nearly all ages that promotes academic excellence and provides the educational opportunity to be in a real television studio, participating vociferously in support of SSFS while spotlighting our unique sense of community.

The Upper School is very excited to announce a summer 2018 service opportunity in rural China. The trip will take place from mid-July through early August (exact dates will be confirmed by January). The trip will focus on running a summer camp for kids in an isolated and mountainous area of FengShan County, Guangxi province. In addition to the work in Guangxi, the trip will include travel to major sites in Southeast China, and will involve a homestay period in ShenZhen (next to Hong Kong) with SSFS alumni and current international students. Please contact faculty sponsors Brian Brubaker, Takisha Reece, or Bim Schauffler for further details.

Spanish teacher Leah Niepold is organizing a relief trip to Puerto Rico to help families affected by Hurricane Maria. Open to current SSFS 9th – 12th grade students, we will tour San Juan and work with families in Villa Del Rio, located on the North Coast of Puerto Rico. We will end our trip with a kayaking tour of Puerto Rico's famous bioluminescent bay. Students will complete a minimum of 30 community service hours through various work projects and put their Spanish to use in community- building activities, cultural tours and service work. Please see the flyer for more detailed information and pricing. If interested, fill out this application by Friday, January 12, 2018. The first deposit to Global Works is due January 22, 2018. For more information, contact Leah Niepold.

• Trip flyer
• Apply here online
• Questions? Contact Leah: leah.niepold@ssfs.org

As a student athlete, do you find it harder to manage homework once your sport season begins? Would you like to gain insight on ways to better develop your time management and organizational skills? Consider the Flex Program! Your Flex session can be used to

• get homework done;
• create a schedule for the upcoming week/month;
• learn how to prioritize assignments;
• find resources/tools to remind you of work that needs to be completed, and more!

It's all up to you! "Reclaim your time" by registering for a drop in Flex session today!

Did you get a new lacrosse stick for Christmas or a baseball bat for Hanukkah? Have you simply outgrown your cleats? Is it time to get rid of some things so you can actually fit your car in the garage or your boots in the closet? While you're replacing, rearranging, and reorganizing, please consider regifting! The donation of your used athletic gear can make a difference in children's lives by giving them the opportunity to participate in sports.

Sporting goods will be collected at SSFS through the MLK, Jr., Day of Service. Donation bins will be located in the Athletic Center, the Performing Arts Center, The Beestro, and the Ken & Jan Smith Collection Space (Middle School).

Did you know that only about 15% of underprivileged children are involved in athletics? The rising cost of sports equipment and participation continues to widen the gap between those who can afford to play and those who cannot. Leveling the Playing Field (LPF) is a Silver Spring-based non-profit working to give all children the opportunity to play. LPF works within our community to collect gently used/excess sporting equipment to help ensure that every kid living in and around the DMV can enjoy the benefits of athletic involvement. You can help by cleaning out your garage and donating your old or outgrown gear!

• LPF accepts: Baseball, Basketball, Field Hockey, Football (except helmets), Golf, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Softball, Soccer, and Tennis equipment. They also accept PE/Recess items that schools can use, such as playground balls, hula hoops, and jump ropes. Please make sure donated gear is clean and in usable condition.
• LPF CANNOT accept: any athletic clothing (including hats, jerseys, socks, and swimwear), football helmets, roller blades, bicycles, shoes (except cleats), fishing gear, basketball hoops, or badminton and racquetball equipment. Please do not donate excessively dirty or unusable equipment.

To find out more about the organization, please visit their website at www.levelingtheplayingfield.org. If you have questions about the SSFS donation drive, please contact Quinn Bittinger-Esser ('19) (see Directory) or US Community Service Director Bim Schauffler. Thank you!

On behalf of the Howard County General Hospital (HCGH) Volunteer Auxiliary in Columbia, MD, I would like to thank our fantastic Sandy Spring Friends School team who assisted me in this year's Holiday Gift Wrap Fundraiser at The Mall in Columbia to benefit The Howard County General Hospital Lundy Family Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. I am pleased to serve as VP of HCGH Volunteer Auxiliary. Each year we select a different area of the hospital to support and help them achieve further success with the gracious funds that are donated during the holidays. The NICU cares for our tiniest friends who need extra attention and love to overcome many obstacles at the beginning of their young lives.

I'm proud to acknowledge our superb Gift Wrappers, Runners, and Cashier who made December 21, 2017 a festive day while supporting a great cause. I would also like to thank the parents and friends of SSFS who stopped by and had their gifts wrapped and/or made a donation. Our final numbers are still being calculated but the 2-week Gift Wrap gross total is $15,000 for the NICU! Thanks again for making this a successful community event.

• Tom & Tina Gibian
• Tony & Moira McCudden
• Brenda Crawley
• Carolyn Miller
• Joyce Smith
• Megan Roush
• Irene Denniston

ENERGY CHOICES WE FACE EVERY FEW YEARS CAN CHANGE THE WORLD - on Sunday, January 14 at 12:30 pm please join Sandy Spring Friends in Unity with Nature for a presentation by Bob Bruninga, a member of Annapolis Meeting and the Friend responsible for their solar system and other energy efficient measures that Annapolis Meeting has installed. Bob will present his informative and entertaining workshop from last summer's BYM Annual Session. He will address solar, Electric Vehicles (EVs), air conditioning, heat pumps, water heaters and other major energy investments that the Meeting and individual Friends are now facing. The presentation will be on the second floor of the Community House in room 204. Room 204 is located at the end of the hall on the left. Stairs to the second floor are across from the restrooms. A lift is available for those using wheelchairs and walkers.

Summer at Sandy Spring is excited to announce that registration for the summer 2018 camp season is now open! Getting a jump on summer fun has never been easier; navigate to our website to check out all the new and amazing options for this season. We pride ourselves on the customization of camp for every family. So whether it's hand picking workshops, extended day, transportation options, or flexible lunch options, we are sure we can create just the right fit for your busy family this summer.

We heard the feedback and added more workshop options for each age group. Check out the website for the brand new workshop section where each workshop has its own page to tell you things like sample lessons, a week at a glance, mini descriptions, videos, and so much more. We are proud to introduce the partnering with Einstein by Design to create an amazing technology experience. We added rock climbing, Theatre, Outdoor Living Skills, Robotics to just name a few. Oh and we brought back our popular high flying, zip lining fun at the Adventure Park at Sandy Spring Friends School with our Adventure Challenge workshops and Aftercare in the Trees options. From tots to teens - there is truly something for everyone!

We encourage you to take some time this winter and go through the exciting programming you'll find on our completely revamped website. When you're ready to register, you'll find a link at the top right corner. SSFS families can enter the code BEESTSATCAMP during registration for a 10% discount.

If you have any questions or if we can be of assistance, please e-mail us at camp@ssfs.org or call 301-774-7455 x167.

Do you ever wish you had a way to "connect" to the SSFS community of families about topics not part of the traditional school day or school related events? Maybe you've wondered if any of those nice high school students babysit, or if any parents know of a good violin teacher. Maybe you are looking for a plumber, a travel agent, or someone to work out with? Want to start a hiking group, a meditation group, or need help moving furniture??

Online communities abound these days, so the SSFS PA has created one (via Shutterfly) for our wonderful community of families. This is an opt-in choice open to current and alumni families for all divisions, home stay and boarding parents. The site is moderated by parent volunteers to ensure we don't misuse the tool for problems an online community can't address, and don't duplicate or replace what is official school business that belongs on other communication sites.

We hope this tool will be an additional way to support connections across this diverse community of families who share the choice of SSFS for their children. Please fill out this quick online form to opt-in. Questions? Please contact Nikol Jackson or Kathleen Landers.