Thanks for reading the May 31, 2018, newsletter, emailed to all SSFS families each Thursday afternoon during the school year with news, photos, upcoming events, and "must-know" info. 

View This Week's Newsletter on our Website

After being postponed twice this month due to rain, the Lower School was finally able to have their Field Day on Wednesday, May 30, in a fun-filled day that was well worth the wait! Thanks to LS PE teacher Amanda Hill for organizing and setting up all the activities, and to the 8th grade students and the parent volunteers who helped out at each station and made the day run smoothly. More photos are available on our online photo gallery, and in Vidigami (please log in to the website before clicking on Vidigami link).

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

• Thurs, May 31: 2018 Friends Day Planning Committee Meeting, 7:00 pm, Scott House Collection Space
• Thurs-Fri, May 31-June 1: US Dance and Music Informal Concert - All are welcome to come! Weather permitting, the dance informal portion of the evening with be in the Yarnall Amphitheater @7:15pm. The music portion of the evening will take place after intermission in the PAC theater.
• Fri-Sun, Jun. 1-3: Alumni Weekend
• Thurs, Jun. 7: Last Day of Classes - Early Dismissal at 1:00 pm (All parents are invited to stop by Scott House anytime between 10:30 am - 1:00 pm for light refreshments!)
• Sat, Jun. 9: Class of 2018 Graduation, SSFS campus, 10:00 am (Note: SSFS community members are welcome to attend this outdoor event, but in the event of rain, graduation will be held in the PAC, where seating is limited, and seniors are limited to 6 tickets each.)

All parents should have received an email today with a link to (and password information for) the 2017-2018 Parent Satisfaction Survey. Please contact David Hickson if you did not receive the email or have trouble accessing the survey.  

Changes have been made to the survey this year both to streamline the overall survey while also expanding (based on parent suggestions) areas of inquiry. We use your anonymous feedback to track opinions and trends over time, so we ask that you participate each year, based on your experiences for the most recent school year. Your feedback truly does help shape both short-term and long-term planning by the School, and this survey is a great opportunity to have your voice heard. Results of the feedback are shared and trends and responses are addressed at the Head of School Forum with Tom Gibian in the fall.

Thank you for your help!

Friends Day is a perfect opportunity for the whole SSFS community come together after the summer break to reconnect with old friends and get to know newcomers to SSFS! Next fall, Friends Day 2018 will be on Saturday, September 15, from 4:00-7:00 pm. We will be meeting TONIGHT -Thurs, May 31, at 7:00 pm in the Scott House Collection Space to start the planning, so that we can make Friends Day 2018 the best one ever! Interested in getting involved? Please contact Tiffany Jones. Find out more here.

• Need babysitting?
• Looking for a good plumber?
• Have used sports equipment to sell or donate or buy?
• Have an announcement you'd like to share?

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??This is an opt-in service 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. Please sign up here to get connected.

The entire school gathered together for our final end-of-year assembly on Tuesday, May 29. The Upper School Torch clerk, Alex Polon, introduced next year's clerk, Samaa Eldadah; we enjoyed performances by the 5th grade and the Upper School Dance class; Tom Gibian spoke; we saw an end-of-year slideshow/review of the year in photos; Leah Niepold and Ilene Lees honored the Class of 2018 with a Senior Slideshow; and we celebrated the 5th grade, 8th grade, and seniors as they "move on" to a new division or new journey ahead. Finally, we ended the all-school assembly with the George Fox song - this time, accompanied by the Handbells class (though it was difficult to keep up with the crazy-fast tempo that students have adapted for the chorus!). Photos can be seen online here.

Thursday, June 7, will be our final day of classes (an early dismissal day at 1:00 pm), and the last newsletter of 2017-18 will be sent out that afternoon. We wish all our families a wonderful summer break! 

During Our People, Our Planet day, students assessed the quality of four different locations of the on-campus stream, the Northwest Branch Anacostia River, by collecting data on benthic macroinvertebrates (bugs!) and stream geomorphology (what the stream looks like!). It was exciting to collect pollution-sensitive species at each location, indicating that our stream has very little pollution in it! Overall, the students collected 12 different species of macroinvertebrates, and mapped 400ft of the Northwest Branch, including a sediment severe and detailed diagrams of the different habitats: riffles, runs, and pools, within the stream.   

Upcoming Events 

• Thurs, May 31: 2018 Friends Day Planning Committee Meeting, 7:00 pm, Scott House Collection Space - see more here.
• Thurs, Jun. 7: All SSFS parents are invited to stop by Scott House from 10:30 am - 1:00 pm for light refreshments as we kick off summer on the last day of school!
• Tues, Jun. 12: PA Faculty/Staff Appreciation Lunch -Sign up to volunteer  or Sign up for food donations online here.

The SSFS PA would like to thank the SSFS parents for all they do to make our community so special! We hope you’ll come by and enjoy conversation, light lunch refreshments (sandwiches, strawberry shortcake, and other goodies) to celebrate of the start of summer in Scott House between 10:30 am and 1:00 pm (especially convenient for Lower School parents who want to fill that awkward time between the end of the Moving On Day assembly and the 1:00 pm dismissal!). Even if you can't stay, please stop by and grab some food to take with you. We hope to see you there!

This year SSFS hosted 4 parent educational programs presented by the local organization "PEP," or The Parent Encouragement Program. The links to these programs are on the SSFS parent portal, and can be also accessed below, using the password "SSFS". So put the kids to bed, or leave your teen to their homework, put up your feet and learn parenting tips from the pros!

• Problem Solving With Teens
• Taming Morning Mayhem
• Tackling Technology
• Managing Stress and Pressure

See full article here...

On Tuesday, June 12, the PA will be hosting an appreciation lunch for our wonderful faculty and staff. Please take a moment to sign up to volunteer and show your gratitude! May 10 update: Sign up for food donations online here. We appreciate your help!

Jordan Taylor was awarded a commission for an outdoor sculpture as part of a memorial garden at Hospice of the Chesapeake, a family oriented hospice center. The sculpture will be installed fall of 2018. See more information about the sculpture in Jordan's proposal here. 

Celebrate the Class of 2018 – and this amazing year – during the month of June by making a $20.18 gift to help support the SSFS Annual Fund! Make your donation today! Contact Adrienne Chisolm at Adrienne.Chisolm@ssfs.org in the Advancement Office for more information on how you can participate.

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, or visit the Calendar web page to see full calendar.

• Fri, Jun. 1: 2nd Grade "All-About" Museum
• Sun, Jun. 3: Lower School Fun Day, 1:00-3:00 pm, LS Sport Court - RAIN OR SHINE! Rain location: Athletic Center
• Mon, Jun. 4: Moving on Day Rehearsal, 8:30-10:00 am, PAC
• Tues, Jun. 5: 5th Grade Recognition Night, 6:30 pm, Sandy Spring Monthly Meeting House (17715 Meeting House Rd, Sandy Spring, MD 20860)
• Wed, Jun. 6: Moving on Day Rehearsal, 8:30-10:00 am, PAC
• Thurs, Jun. 7: Lower School Moving On Day Assembly, 8:30-10:00 am, PAC
• Thurs, Jun. 7: Strawberry Shortcake and Snacks at Scott House, 10:30 am -1:00 pm
• Thurs, Jun. 7: Last Day of Classes, Early Dismissal at 1:00 pm

This Sunday, June 2, RAIN OR SHINE! All Lower School families are invited to close out the school year with food, friends, and FUN! Join us on Sunday, June 3rd from 1-3 PM by the Lower School sport court (in the event of rain, the event will be moved to the Athletic Center). There will be inflatables, Italian ice, and activities for all ages and stages. We’ll also be welcoming our newly-admitted Lower School families to the community, so be sure to come out and meet some new friends!

Each class is being asked to bring a small snack. Please visit the SignUp Genius link here to RSVP and sign up. Questions can be directed to Desiree Polyak at depolyak@yahoo.com.

There are certain times of the year when there are so many events on the calendar, and we want to be sure that you are aware of them:

• LS Fun Day – Sunday, June 3rd, 1:00-3:00 pm, LS Sport Court or Athletic Center – This is an afternoon of family fun and friendship (1:00 – 3:00 pm)! Please note that this is a RAIN OR SHINE event; if the weather cooperates, we'll meet out by the LS Sport Court. If it's rainy, we'll meet in the Athletic Center. Find out more here.
   
• 5th Grade Recognition Night –Tuesday, June 5th, 6:30 pm, Sandy Spring Monthly Meeting House -This is an evening set aside for 5th graders, their families and guests to celebrate as they prepare to move up to Middle School. The evening will include some entertainment, recognition presentations, a Meeting for Worship, and a reception. Please note that this will take place off-campus at the Sandy Spring Monthly Meeting House (17715 Meeting House Rd, Sandy Spring, MD 20860).
   
• Moving On Day Assembly – Thursday June 7 – 8:30 am – PAC - This morning assembly includes performances from each grade in their rainbow of colors. This is always a packed performance and parents won’t want to miss this!  You are encouraged to arrive early, get a parking space, and head on to the PAC for some memorable entertainment. The students are excited to perform their dances, songs, and orchestrations. Rehearsals for the assembly will take place on Monday, June 4, and Wednesday, June 6, beginning at 8:30 am. Please make every effort not to be late and to bring your child to school by 8:10 am throughout the week. 
   
• For the Moving On Day Assembly students should wear dark, solid color shorts, skirts, or pants as weather dictates. The LS will be providing each student with a colored T-shirt to wear. The colors are unique to each grade, with the 5th grade wearing a tie dye of all the colors of the rainbow! 
   
• After the assembly, families are invited to Scott House beginning at 10:30 am to enjoy strawberry shortcake and snacks while the students return to Lower school for the following activities: 
  • Traditional T-shirt signing outdoors (parents welcome)
  • Classroom activities (students and teachers only)
  • Strawberry Cowbake (lunch outside- weather permitting – students and teachers only)
  • Return to classrooms for farewells (students and teachers only)
  • Dismissal at 1:00 pm (Carpool and buses per usual at this earlier time!)
  • Please make every effort to ensure that your child can stay until our 1:00 pm dismissal on June 7. Like structure and routine, closure is important to our young SSFS wildebeests!

The cloudy skies did not dampen the spirits of our LS students and their 8th grade helpers or discourage them from having a wonderful Field Day! Many thanks to Amanda Hill for orchestrating such a fun-filled day and to our faculty and volunteers for their supportive participation. The brilliant colors of the different stations brightened the day all around! Kudos to all on a job well done. More photos are available on our online photo gallery, and in Vidigami (parents/students/faculty: please log in to the website before clicking on the Vidigami link).

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, or visit the Calendar web page to see full calendar.

• Sat, Jun. 2: 8th Grade Dance, 7:00-10:00 pm, Yarnall Lobby
• Tues, Jun. 5: 8th Grade Evening Activity, 3:30-10:30 pm (see more here)
• Wed, Jun. 6: Middle School Beach Day - See more here
• Thurs, Jun. 7: Last Day of Classes - Early Dismissal at 1:00 pm. Parents: stop by Scott House before dismissal (from 10:30 am - 1:00 pm) for light refreshments! 
• Thurs, Jun. 7: 8th Grade Recognition Night, Sandy Spring Monthly Meeting House (17715 Meeting House Rd, Sandy Spring, MD 20860). Class photo at 4:45 pm. See more here.

Seventh graders competed in the Junior Sprint Solar Car Races in Washington, DC, last Friday, May 25, and took home two awards! The Lightning McQueens won first place for Technical Merit and The Circuit Breakers won for Best Use of Recycled Materials. While only two teams earned awards, every seventh grader spent the past several weeks building a working solar car. Students used their knowledge of gears, circuits, and energy transformations to design and engineer these cars. It was a great feat, and they should all be proud of their perseverance and teamwork! See more photos of the Solar Car races on Vidigami (remember to log in to the website before clicking the Vidigami link).

8th Grade student Maeve P. is having a bake sale; proceeds will go to the Children’s National hospital in DC. The bake sale will take place on Friday, June 1, after school from 3:30-4:00 pm, as well as Friday, June 1, during Middle School lunch.  The bake sale will be held by the Lower School recess field and the brick pillars. Please donate treats. Treats can be dropped off at Erin Ryan’s desk in the Middle School Friday morning. Please have all treats individually wrapped. For more information contact Maeve at pericma89@ssfs.org.

As was outlined in a recent letter home, there are several significant events for our eighth graders as we approach the conclusion of their Middle School experience. Be sure your calendar is marked with these important dates:

• Saturday, June 2: 8th GRADE DANCE in Yarnall Lobby from 7:00-10:00 pm. Please refer to communications from Bela Meghani and Meredith Shankle for more specifics about the event.
• Tuesday, June 5: 8th GRADE EVENING ACTIVITY – Students will be in school for the whole day. After school is dismissed for the day, students will have some time to gather and relax before we head out for the evening. We are going to Sky Zone, followed by dinner at the Columbia Mall food court. The evening will wrap up back at SSFS for some class selected games and snacks. Parents are asked to pick their students up at 10:00 pm from the Middle School. Admission to Sky Zone will be covered by SSFS, however, students are asked to bring in $10-12 to cover the cost of their dinner at the food court. Please note students will not be allowed to shop while at the mall.
• Thursday, June 7: 8th GRADE RECOGNITION EVENING – Begins with a class picture at 4:45 pm. Eighth grade students, their parents, guardians, and families are invited to the Sandy Spring Friends Monthly Meeting House in Sandy Spring for a Meeting for Worship in celebration of our students’ Middle School years. A reception with light refreshments in the Community House follows. We ask students to wear appropriate dress for the celebration of the evening, which generally means long pants, collared shirts, closed toe shoes, dresses, skirts, or slacks.  

Read highlights about the 2018 spring season from the Middle School spring team coaches here! 

Middle School Students and Faculty are looking forward to our annual trip to Sandy Point State Park for a full day of fun in the sun on Wednesday, June 6^th. Students should wear bathing suits under their clothes to school, and bring a towel, sunscreen, water bottle, and a change of clothes. Bag lunches from the dining hall will be provided. 

In the Middle School, the Heart in Hand and Health and Wellness Committees participated in several activities to engage classmates around May Is Mental Health Awareness Month. Students made a variety posters to raise awareness about mental illnesses and developmental disorders. Posters also included information on strategies to manage stress. Lastly, students created an eye-catching display with a campfire theme in the MS collection space with strategies on how to “send your stress up in smoke.” Thank you committee members for your contributions to Mental Health Awareness Month.

Below is information about upcoming US and all-school activities and events in the coming weeks. For questions or more information about an event, please contact Meredith Shankle, US Administrative Assistant, at ext. 109 or meredith.shankle@ssfs.org, or visit the Calendar web page to see full calendar. 

• Thurs-Fri, May 31-June 1: US Dance and Music Informal Concert - All are welcome to come! Weather permitting, the dance informal portion of the evening with be in the Yarnall Amphitheater @7:15pm. The music portion of the evening will take place after intermission in the PAC theater.
• Fri-Sun, Jun. 1-3: Alumni Weekend
• Sat, Jun. 2: SAT Test Date
• Mon-Thurs, Jun. 4-7: Upper School Exams
• Wed, Jun. 6: US Senior-Parent Meeting for Worship, 7:15-9:15 pm, Meeting House (on campus; reception to follow MFW)
• Thurs, Jun. 7: Last Day of Classes - Early Dismissal at 1:00 pm. Parents: stop by Scott House before dismissal (from 10:30 am - 1:00 pm) for light refreshments! 
• Thurs, Jun. 7: Dorm Closes for Grades 9-11 at 6:00 pm
• Fri, Jun. 8: Graduation Rehearsal, Senior-Faculty Luncheon, 12:00-2:30 pm
• Fri, Jun. 8: International Student Senior-Parent Reception, 3:00-4:00 pm, Scott House
• Sat, Jun. 9: Class of 2018 Graduation, SSFS campus, 10:00 am (Note: SSFS community members are welcome to attend this outdoor event, but in the event of rain, graduation will be held in the PAC, where seating is limited, and seniors are limited to 6 tickets each.)

The June Upper School exam schedule can be found online here. Final exams will bring a change to the students’ academic schedule, and also a change to the attendance expectations. During exam week (June 4-7) students are not required to be at school if they do not have an academic obligation.  Furthermore, students may leave school after they have completed their last exam for the day. If a student has only one exam, they can go home following the exam, or come in late to take an afternoon exam. They may also leave campus and return for athletics if they do not have an afternoon exam. Students are allowed to remain on campus to study or meet with teachers. We encourage students to study in the library or in an available classroom. The bus schedule will remain the same during exam week, so students will have to arrange their own transportation if they want to modify their school day. 

See Upper School Highlights from May 2018 here - with thanks again to senior Haoran "Breezy" Zhu, who has been a fantastic Upper School Blogger for 2017-18. Breezy will be passing the torch to next year’s Scott House Rep, Alan Burd, for 2018-19. Thank you, Breezy! 

Just three months after the club was created, the Upper School Chess team won the DC Scholastic Chess Tournament! Congratulations!  

Following two months of regular season academic competition and two rounds of head-to-head playoffs that pit the top Quizards against one another in single elimination format, two formidable teams squared off in this varsity sport of the mind on Tuesday, May 22nd, in the Caroline Hallowell Worth Memorial Library to vie for the ultimate prize - SSFS Quiz Bowl Cup.

Students, friends, family, faculty, and staff turned out to witness this year’s #1 seed, Quizknows Subs, featuring Justis Dixon (’19), Michelle Tobin (’19), Alan Burd (’19), Bella Vignola (’19) and Thomas Perich (’19), take on the #5 seed, Quizzlers, featuring Moira McCudden (‘21), Esther Feron (‘21), Olivia Gilbert (‘21), Ethan Moran (‘21) and Allison Dixon (‘21). Congratulations to the 2018 Quiz Bowl Cup Champions: Quizknows Subs!

A dynamic competition in the spirit of It’s Academic, the longest running television quiz show in the world, teams – generally consisting of three or four members – face off to answer academic centered questions posed by a moderator. Providing camaraderie for kindred spirits while celebrating academic achievement, Quiz Bowl Club provides a healthy venue to foster friendships inspired by a mutual love of learning.  Best of all it’s fun! To learn more see the SSFS Quiz Bowl video online here.

In celebration of passion and promise in language study and its application beyond the classroom, the Global Languages Department Award recognizes three outstanding Sandy Spring Friends School language learners, whose respective studies in French, Mandarin, and Spanish have been distinguishing and exemplary this year. Selected by the Global Languages Department, this year’s deserving recipients are:

• French: Yanees Dobberstein (’19)
• Mandarin: Charles Lewis (’20)
• Spanish: Alex Polón (’18)

In addition to this year’s recipients, the Global Languages Department extends its congratulations to all our language aficionados whose linguistic aspirations echo Charlemagne’s belief that “to have another language is to possess a second soul.” To learn more about the Upper School Global Languages Department, click here. 

Xander Eagle and Anna Weber Loomis volunteered as "sample students" in an American Canoe Association Whitewater Kayak Instructor's Course taught by Upper School Faculty Jordan Taylor. Xander and Anna both had excellent outcomes, as did their Instructor Trainee Candidates!

Read highlights about the 2018 spring season from the Upper School spring team coaches here! 
 

Seniors and parents were sent an email outlining information about end-of-year special events and activities, leading up to and including graduation on June 9, 2018. Click here to see the email.  

This section ("In Case You Missed It") provides brief summaries and links to articles that have appeared in previous newsletters, but reference activities or events that are still upcoming and/or may be of interest to families. Original articles are also posted below.
 

• Staffing Positions Available for Young World Leaders (YWL) Program: Click here to apply to be part of our inspiring leadership team. Questions? Please email Dianna Whittle.
   
• SSFS Announces Launch of Summer Social Entrepreneurship Program on Georgetown's Campus: This four-week program offers both day and boarding options. To learn more or to apply, please visit www.youngworldleaders.org or contact nick.boedicker@ssfs.org.

The Spring Sports season has ended! You can read highlights from Upper School spring teams here, or Middle School spring teams here. 

Women's or size 16 Youth Golf Clubs needed for an SSFS student who is 5'3". Please contact Sheri at slsmoreau@gmail.com or call (818) 681-1911.

Coach Parker Basketball Academy is a forward-thinking developmental program, aimed to help young athletes achieve their maximum potential. Designed to deepen commitment to personal success, our program nurtures dedication and fosters discipline to build a foundation of knowledge for a lifetime.
Register here for camp, June 25-29, 2018

Summer at Sandy Spring is in demand! With the start of camp just around the corner on Monday, June 18, limited spots remain. With space limited and camp on the horizon, we encourage you to register today! SSFS families may receive a 10% discount by entering BESTATCAMP when registering. In the meantime, if we can be of any assistance, please email us at camp@ssfs.org or call 301-774.7455 x167. See full article to find out more!

This is an optional, opt-in virtual bulletin board for all members of the SSFS community to share resources and announcements about topics not part of the traditional school day or school related events (think: finding babysitters, repair service recommendations, hiking groups, etc.)   Please fill in this quick online form to opt in.