Weekly Newsletter Emailed Each Sunday During The School Year.
Nov. 4, 2018 Lower School Halloween Parade We had perfect fall weather for this year's Lower School Halloween Parade and Autumn Social, featuring some wonderfully creative costumes, a VERY cute and colorful bunch of preschool frogs, and a flash mob dance to Michael Jackson's "Thriller"! A selection of photos are available from our website here; see and download more photos on Vidigami here.
Dive Into This Week's News Read The Latest News Across Our Divisions On The SSFS Website.
News At Your Fingertips Your Mobile-Friendly Email Digest Of Our Weekly Must-Know Information And More. ALL SCHOOL NEWS All-School "Must-Know" Info for Nov. 4 Newsletter The calendar information below is for all-school, multi-divisional, and/or Parent Association 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 the full calendar.
And coming up soon/to keep on your radar...
Student and Faculty Password Change Students in grades 6-12 were sent an email on Nov. 11 from the Tech office with instructions for how to change their School passwords (4th and 5th grade students already changed theirs in the classroom). All students should change their passwords by Wednesday morning, Nov. 7. Information is also on the Student Portal page. Thanks for helping us make sure students comply with this request! Nov. 8: Build a Bow… or Wreath or Centerpiece Join us in creating harvest wreaths and bows, centerpieces and decor to be sold at FriendsFest. The workshop will be held on Thursday November 8th, all day in Yarnall Lobby. No experience (or skills) needed. Nov. 10: FriendsFest - A Great Community Event! FriendsFest 2018: November 10, 2018 ~ 10:00am - 4:00 pm. Click here for more information about the event, visit the SignupGenius link for opportunities to volunteer and get involved, and see full article for more details about the activities below! FriendsFest is one of the largest all school events during the school year. Even though we ask that you bring your cash (many artisans do not take credit cards) and credit cards, this All-School event is NOT a fundraiser. FriendsFest is an opportunity for the school to come together in a casual environment and get to know each other across all divisions. Feel free to come by for any amount of time that works for you. Volunteer for an hour, stay to grab a snack; come by for lunch and help close up. Come listen to a friend sing or play the guitar in the library, do some holiday shopping, pick up some snacks or a turkey and pie.
"Share Your Talents" Table at FriendsFest For the second year in a row, the Community Connections Committee will host a "Share Your Talents" display table at FriendsFest where community members can advertise their small businesses, services they offer, or community events they would like to promote (violin lessons, accounting services, legal services, etc.). The table will be located in the Westview cafeteria, so if you have something you'd like to share, either stop by the table and set it out, or if you will not be able to attend Friendsfest, please leave your items (put a rubber band around and label "Friendsfest Talents Table") at the front desk of Scott House and a committee member will pick them up by the end of school on Friday. (Note: please leave the amount of items you would like to share; leftover items will not be returned) Examples of things to set out:
Organic Butternut Squash from the SSFS Farm The SSFS Farm had a bumper crop this year, and we have a particularly abundant harvest of butternut squash—several thousand pounds worth! If you have a weakness for butternut squash soup... or roasted butternut squash with thyme...or butternut squash ravioli...complete this form: https://www.ssfs.org/about/campus/community-farm/butternut-squash to purchase organic butternut squash from the SSFS Farm at $2/lb! Squash will be available for pick-up at the SSFS Farm table at FriendsFest on November 10 and on campus during the afternoon of November 20. Questions? Please email Joe Heathcock at joe.heathcock@ssfs.org. Nov. 17: Empty Bowl Session Cool weather and apple cider season is a great time to come down through the woods to the Art Barn to have fun making bowls to help others. There is one more date for this service activity for 2018: Saturday, November 17th, 1-4 pm. More dates to come in the new year! If interested, please sign up here. No unaccompanied children, please. Find out more about the Empty Bowl Project here. 2019 Community Play: Seed Corn The SSFS Arts Department proudly announces the 2019 Community Play, Seed Corn: a comedic evening celebrating the works of Barry Morley, one of the founding teachers at SSFS, and current and longtime music faculty member Bryan Seith. Miss last week's article? Find out more about this special event here! A reminder that audition dates are: · Monday, November 12, 3:30-6:00 pm Sign up here if you are interested in participating. Note that this year, students must be in 6th grade or older in order to be in the play. Also, the casting will be limited. Financial Aid 2019-2020 - Help is Available to Complete Your Application! Did you know? The financial aid application takes about 1.5 hours to complete. TADS Financial Aid has a helpline to assist families, including evening hours. Parent support hours: Mon-Fri, 8-9 EST. Phone: 800-477-8237. The online TADS application is available from October 1st until December 1st. More information about TADS and the financial aid process is available on the SSFS website. Current families with questions regarding financial aid for the upcoming school year are encouraged to contact Dawn Griffith, Director of Financial Aid, at dawn.griffith@ssfs.org or x231. Admission Applications for Siblings & Online Application Thinking about applying to SSFS for another child? We encourage admission applications for siblings to be submitted as soon as possible, and certainly by December 15th. Once the application is received, we’ll reach out to schedule a shadow visit. If you have any questions or if we can be of assistance as you begin this process, please email admission@ssfs.org or call us at (301) 774-7455. P.S. This year, we’ve unveiled a new web-based application called Ravenna for the submission of online applications. Ravenna allows you to efficiently apply to schools and track the status of your application online. Families are encouraged to create a Ravenna account, then select the "Washington, DC" area from the dashboard, and click on Sandy Spring Friends School to access more information and our application. SSFS Annual Fund - Help Us Grow! Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to speak with our families during Back to School Nights about the importance of the Annual Fund. Joining together as a community to support our students—our future leaders—shows them we are committed to helping them grow. A fun way to visually share that progress with the community is by displaying our beautiful green and gold Annual Fund tree to measure our parent participation in the Annual Fund, leaf by leaf. Each leaf represents a participation point, so we can track the growth in parent Annual Fund participation. No matter the size of your family’s gift, your participation will help add leaves to our tree. Let’s create something wonderful—together! Head of School Blog Post - "The One About Playing the Long Game" See the latest blog post from Head of School Tom Gibian, "The One About Playing the Long Game." Tom writes, "Sometimes, when I close my eyes and visualize [SSFS], I see a tree with wide branches that welcomes all... under the same canopy, there is space to be reflective, confused and disappointed. We can be in shock. But we will always be welcoming, and we will always be courageous." Read more here... Nov. 23: Alumni Soccer Games and Turkey Trot Please join us on Friday, November 23 for the annual Men's and Women's Alumni Soccer Games & For those who prefer to spectate, come enjoy some snacks and hot drinks on the sidelines in the company of your old classmates and teachers. Bim Schauffler '74 will be on the grill cooking up some of his famous steaks. You won't want to miss out! Learn more and register here. S.O.M.E. Shoebox Holiday Gifts Charitable Project As the holidays draw near, the Class of 2020 has agreed to try to make a small difference in a unique way. The Junior Class invites the whole community to participate in the S.O.M.E Holiday Shoebox Gift Project. A shoebox holiday gift is a shoebox filled with new personal items useful to a homeless man, woman, or child, such as winter clothing items (gloves, socks, scarfs, hats, and underwear) and toiletries (toothpaste/toothbrush, soap, shampoo, lotion, deodorant, razors). Participants can donate complete shoeboxes, loose items, wrapping paper, boxes, and/or their time to help assemble and wrap the boxes. Please click here to find out more and see how you can help make a difference by contributing to this project.
LOWER SCHOOL NEWS Lower School "Must-Know" Info for Nov. 4 Newsletter 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.
And coming up soon/to keep on your radar...
Discounted Pricing for Early Sign Up for Wildefest! Have you signed your Lower Schooler up to join the fun at Wildefest? Discounted pricing for early sign up! Lower School Trip to Port Discovery Our LS faculty and staff accompanied our PK4 – 5th grade students to Port Discovery on October 26 and had a wonderful day of discovery, climbing, and adventure. From the youngest of the group to our older students, there was something for everyone! See more photos on Vidigami here. Halloween Parade – What a Gorgeous Day! The weather could not have been better for the LS Halloween Parade on Wednesday, Oct. 31! With the sun shining brightly, our LS students and faculty paraded around campus with a bevy of spectators. The annual Autumn Social followed the parade with doughnut holes, juice, and lots of dancing and play. Many thanks to our PA Division and Grade Reps for their assistance and support for this traditional fall event! A selection of photos are available from our website here; see and download more photos (and upload your own photos!) by logging into the website and accessing Vidigami here. Dec. 13: Lower School Child-Parent Workshare Mark your calendars! Parents are invited to attend the LS Child/Parent Workshare coming up next month. This is a wonderful opportunity to visit your child’s classroom and have them give you a tour of what they have been doing in school. Classrooms will be open from 3:30 until 5:00 pm for you to drop in and sneak a peek at their accomplishments this semester. Hope to see you there! 4th Grade Parents Invited to an Informational Coffee & Conversation about Middle School Fourth Grade parents are invited for Coffee and Conversation on Thursday, November 8th at 8:15 am in the Scott House Collection Space. We hope you'll join David Blake, Head of Middle School, and some Middle School faculty to learn about the SSFS Middle School program. An optional tour of the Middle School building to see classes in session will follow the information session. 5th Grade Parents Invited to Middle School Information Night Middle School Information Night will be held on Monday, November 5th, from 6:30-8:00 pm. Parents will be provided a light supper while they meet David Blake and members of our Middle School faculty and staff to learn about our programs and tour some classrooms. Smart Sack Packing Dates for 2018-2019
MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWS All-School "Must-Know" Info for Nov. 4 Newsletter The calendar information below is for all-school, multi-divisional, and/or Parent Association 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 the full calendar.
And coming up soon/to keep on your radar...
Sign Up for Parent-Teacher Conferences Parent-Teacher Conferences will be offered on Wednesday, November 14th and Wednesday, November 28th. Please click here to register for conferences with those teachers with whom you would like to meet. These conferences are designed to be quick check-ins with your child’s teachers. If you would like a more in-depth conversation with a teacher or advisor, please contact the teacher to schedule additional time on another date. Please note, some of our teachers are only able to host appointments on one of our conference date options. If all available appointments are taken, please contact the teacher to make alternate arrangements. In order to keep everyone on schedule, please arrive promptly for your scheduled appointment time. Aftercare will be open and parents may sign their children in free of charge during the time that they are participating in conferences. Should you have any questions, please contact Erin Ryan by phone at 301.774.7455 ext.160 or by e-mail at erin.ryan@ssfs.org. Hungry Middle Schooler? Check Out the Pie-Eating Contest! Has your Middle Schooler signed up for the Pie Eating Contest at FriendsFest? These growing kids are always hungry. Let them indulge at this fun event at FriendsFest. Nov. 6: Yearbook Photo Make-Up-& Retakes Make-up/re-takes for yearbook photos for students in grades 6-11 will be taken on Tuesday, November 6. If your student missed the original photo date and is getting the photo taken for the first time, please make sure to
If this is a re-take, you must bring your original, unopened photo packet with you to receive credit for your re-take. (Note that opened CD packets are non-returnable.) Nov. 7: 8th Grade Heading to NYC Full details about the eighth grade’s trip to New York City were sent to parents via email. Students will be spending the three days bonding with classmates, and enhancing their classroom learning with visits to Ellis Island, the Tenement Museum, and the Museum of Mathematics. If your child needs medicine or has health issues that will need to be addressed while on the trip, please contact Andrea Strom in the Health Center. Any medication to go on the trip must be brought to the Health Center by a parent or guardian no later than Wednesday, October 31st. We’re looking forward to a great trip! The Scoop from the 6th Grade - Nov. 4 Update Whew! What an exciting week in 6th grade this week as we
The second quarter begins on Tuesday, November 6, and grades will be counted beginning that day (except in Global Languages, where grades will count after November 16). One final note: sixth graders will be completing a reflection on an academic success and an academic challenge they faced in the first quarter. Students will email their parents and copy their advisor prior to conferences. We are looking forward to seeing what our students have to say. Ski Club is Back! There will be 3 trips this year: January 11th and January 18th to Whitetail, and January 25th to Liberty.
Please note: anyone can get their own NCC through this group with the username and password so tell everyone you know! We have updated the program so please read through this Guardian/Parent Letter, even if your student has participated before. A description of a standard Ski Club Trip is linked here, and the Chaperone expectations are linked here. If you are interested or have any clarifying questions please email Sunshine.Klein@ssfs.org. Information Meetings for Summer 2019 International Trips for 7th and 8th Grade Students Two MS international trips will be offered for June 2019 for 7th and 8th grade students: Spanish students will have the opportunity to travel to Costa Rica June 17-23, and French students will have the opportunity to travel to France June 18-25. Find out more about these trips on Tuesday, November 13 at 6:30 pm. The Costa Rica trip will meet in the MS Collection Space, and the France trip will meet in Yarnall Library. Unable to attend our meeting? Please email Kristin M. at Kristin.mccarthy@ssfs.org for Costa Rica trip information, or Liz at liz.donelson@ssfs.org for France trip information.
UPPER SCHOOL NEWS Upper School "Must-Know" Info for Nov. 4 Newsletter 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 Kerry Foley, US Administrative Assistant, at ext. 109 or kerry.foley@ssfs.org, or visit the Calendar web page to see full calendar.
And coming up soon/to keep on your radar...
FLEX Program Drop in Sessions! It’s that time of year again! The Learning Resource Collaborative (LRC) at Sandy Spring Friends School invites you to try out the Day or Afterschool Flex Program! Mission: The Flex Program is a student support program that aims to elevate the efficacy of learners via small group homework help, executive function support, organization and time management strategies, and more! Flex is offering ONE FREE drop in session:
Register for a drop-in session here. Please contact the LRC for more information about registration and fees. US Students - Volunteer at FriendsFest for Service Hours Did you know? Upper School students get service hours for volunteering at FriendsFest! Sign up here... Nov. 6: Yearbook Photo Make-Up and Retakes for Grades 6-11 Make-up/re-takes for yearbook photos for students in grades 6-11 will be taken on Tuesday, November 6. If your student missed the original photo date and is getting the photo taken for the first time, please make sure to
If this is a re-take, you must bring your original, unopened photo packet with you to receive credit for your re-take. (Note that opened CD packets are non-returnable.) A Halloween Engineering Design Challenge Upper School Science scholars were engaged in a seasonally-themed engineering design challenge on Halloween. Each team was given the same set of random household materials and the objective of launching the Peeps ghost the farthest distance by building a catapult out of a mousetrap. Biology classes try to do 1 or 2 of these hands-on engineering design challenges per quarter. Activities like this further students’ scientific skills in collaboration, creative and analytical problem solving, reflection on their own learning, and the iterative process of improving their work: all integral pieces of scientific thinking. SSFS Quiz Bowl Program Earns 200th Victory On Wednesday, October 31st, this year’s SSFS Quiz Bowl Team took two teams to compete in the annual Blake High School It’s Academic Tournament. SSFS “A” [led by Captain, Michelle Tobin (’19), along with teammates Alan Burd (’19), Bella Vignola (’19) and Moira McCudden (’21)] and SSFS “B” [led by Captain Justis Dixon (’19), & Olivia Gilbert (’21), Esther Feron (’21) & Leila Bobrow (’21)] finished in first and second place respectively, with a combined record of 8-2-0. On a grander scale, this formidable group, with a current interscholastic record this season of 25-7-0, helped achieve a truly impressive program milestone. These latest eight victories saw SSFS Quiz Bowl cross the 200-win threshold, bringing the program’s jaw-dropping overall record to 203-90-4 and counting since AY2013-14! The win-rate of SSFS Quiz Bowl is simply unparalleled and serves as a tribute to some of our finest scholars and their wonderful teachers at Sandy Spring Friends School. Bravo! Read more here... Ski Club 2019 There will be 3 trips this year offered to Middle and Upper School students: January 11th and January 18th to Whitetail, and January 25th to Liberty.
Interested? Please sign up via the Google doc here. More information about Night Club Cards and links to the parent-guardian letter and expections here... Nov. 7 and Nov. 14: Parent-Teacher Conferences Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on Wednesday, November 7th and Wednesday, November 14th from 2:45- 5:00 PM in the Westview Dining Hall. These conferences are designed as an opportunity to have a quick check-in with your child’s teachers and are limited to a seven-minute time slot, with a three-minute transition. Should you feel that a longer conversation is needed, please contact that teacher directly to schedule an additional time on a mutually convenient date. Likewise, if your child’s teacher believes they need more time with you, they will reach out to schedule an alternate time. We will utilize the online scheduling system, PTCFAST. Please note that we will not be able to accommodate any “walk-ins.” In order to access the PTCFAST system, please click here. Should you have any questions regarding the online scheduling system, please contact Meredith at 301.774.7455 ext. 110 or via e-mail at meredith.shankle@ssfs.org. Please note that further communication regarding conferences for non-local families will be forthcoming. Nov. 14: 10th Grade Symposium What: 10th Grade Symposium on Effective Communication about Substance Use and other Risky Behaviors. Build networks and collaborate in roundtable discussions with other students and their parents/guardians with a focus on how to communicate about risky behaviors. Our Guest Speaker is Beth Kane Davidson, Director of Suburban Addiction Treatment Center. Upper School Play - "She Kills Monsters" Save the date! The SSFS community is invited to attend the 2018 Upper School play, “She Kills Monsters: Young Adventures Edition,” Nov. 9-10 at 7:15 pm in the PAC Theater. The play tells the story of high school senior Agnes Evans as she deals with the death of her younger sister, Tilly. When Agnes stumbles upon Tilly’s Dungeons & Dragons notebook, she finds herself catapulted into a journey of discovery and action-packed adventure in the imaginary world that was her sister’s refuge. In this high-octane dramatic comedy laden with homicidal fairies, nasty ogres, and ’90s pop culture, acclaimed playwright Qui Nguyen offers a heart-pounding homage to the geek and warrior within us all. [Review by Samuel French]. See flyer here. NOTE: PG rating. Parental Guidance is suggested. Although the play is a comedy, it does touch on some serious adult topics, such as the death of a loved one and on issues that affect the LGBTQ+ community. The play includes some derogatory language targeted towards the LGBTQ+ community; however the message of the play is of inclusion and acceptance. Contact director Julie Borsetti with any questions or concerns. Admission is free for students and there is a $10 suggested donation for adults Nov. 29: Artists and Critics Discuss Writing in the Arts How can artists and museums effectively communicate their work to a larger audience? What story can art tell, and how does it intersect a larger social and cultural narrative? How can art move and change people and society, and what is writing’s role in that process? What’s it like to spend a career writing in the arts? This year’s “Careers in Writing” event is a panel discussion entitled “Writing in the Arts.” On Thurs, Nov. 29 at 7:15 pm in Yarnall Library, we’ll host a panel of experts in arts writing to discuss their careers and emphasize the importance of clear communication among all of the arts. Find out more and see the panel experts in arts writing here... Junior Class Project: S.O.M.E. Holiday Shoebox Gifts As the holidays draw near, the Class of 2020 has agreed to try to make a small difference in a unique way. Open to the whole community, the S.O.M.E Holiday Shoebox Gift Project is open for participation by our entire community. A shoebox holiday gift is a shoebox filled with new personal items useful to a homeless man, woman, or child, such as winter clothing items (gloves, socks, scarfs, hats, and underwear) and toiletries (toothpaste/toothbrush, soap, shampoo, lotion, deodorant, razors). Participants can donate complete shoeboxes, loose items, wrapping paper, boxes, and/or their time to help assemble and wrap the boxes. Please click here to find out more and see how you can help make a difference by contributing to this project.
Be sure to check the Athletics Today page for up-to-date info about games!
Skiing Night Club Cards Are Back! Ski Whitetail, Liberty, and Roundtop any evening from 4:00-10:00 pm (3-10 pm on Sundays) starting on January 2nd with your very own Night Club Card! Click here to see your options. Early Bird rates continue through November 6th.
More detailed directions for online purchasing are available here. For more information contact Sunshine Klein by email at Sunshine.Klein@ssfs.org. 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.
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