Weekly Newsletter Emailed Each Sunday During The School Year.

Dec. 16, 2018

Upper School Dance Concert

The Upper School Dance program showcased the talents of our SSFS dancers and choreographers in the 2018 Winter Dance Concert, Dec. 13-15. In addition to contemporary modern dance, which is the foundation of SSFS's program, styles such as Dancehall, Bachata, Raas, and Garba were featured (including pieces choreographed together with 5th grade teacher Pinki Shah). See a selection of photos on our online photo gallery, and see and download many more by logging in to the School website and visiting Vidigami. 

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.

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.

• Fri, Dec. 21: Lower School - NO CLASSES
• Fri, Dec. 21: Professional Day; Middle and Upper School - 1:00 pm Early Dismissal for Winter Break; No Middle School Aftercare.
• Mon, Dec. 24-Fri, Jan. 4: Winter Break - No School
• Mon, Jan. 7: Classes Resume

And coming up soon/to keep on your radar...

• Wed, Jan. 9: Admissions "Discover SSFS" event, 8:15-11:00 am. Lower and Middle School families: come find out about your child's next division! Current families welcome - no need to RSVP.
• Fri, Jan. 18: LS & MS Girls' Basketball Clinic, 3:30-7:30 pm
• Mon, Jan. 21: MLK, Jr. Day - NO CLASSES.
• Mon, Jan. 21: PA MLK, Jr. Day of Service - Find out more here

Please note that because of our early dismissal on Friday Dec. 21st, we will not be running our 5:45 pm shuttle. Also, a reminder for bus parents for 1:00 pm early dismissal days (as we will have on Friday Dec. 21st): On regular dismissal days, we usually leave campus from 3:45 to 3:50 pm, but on 1:00 pm dismissal days we leave campus from 1:25 to 1:30 pm. If your student usually arrives at their bus stop around 4:15 pm (30 minutes after leaving campus), when we have 1:00 pm dismissals (depending on traffic) they should arrive at their stop around 1:55 pm. If you have any questions about your stop time, please give me a call (301-774-7455 x177). 

It is a delight to report the results of this year's Class of 2020 charitable project: S.O.M.E. Holiday Shoebox Gifts! With the overwhelming support of family and friends, this year's junior class collected sufficient brand new personal items useful to a homeless man, woman or child to complete 138 individually and beautifully wrapped holiday shoebox gifts, plus an additional 12 bags of assorted clothing items and toiletries! Equally impressive as the scope of participation was the care with which each package was so thoughtfully prepared and presented. The quality, quantity, and thought placed into each shoebox gift, down to the festive packaging and dignified presentation, is certain to be dearly appreciated and admired by each blessed and needy recipient!

Special thanks to the Class of 2020 Volunteer Student Project Leaders Fatima (Jaleh) Jallow, Kyla Jallow, Preston Lee, Chau (Chloe) Nguyen, and Joel Euceda Warner, along with the helping hands of an avalanche of volunteers on Assembly Day. Additional thanks to Junior Class Parent Representative Terri Hurley (Jake ’20), as well as the residents at Friends House, for their equally selfless support and dearly appreciated contributions.

Read the full article to find out more about this special annual service project... 

ICYMI: 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. Find out more here. 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.

On January 21, 2019, 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 service that benefit organizations such as Comfort Cases, Linus Blanket Project, Empty Bowl, Smart Sacks, Shepherd’s Table and Operation Gratitude.  This week, the spotlight is on Operation Gratitude. An organization that seeks to uplift the spirits and meet the evolving needs of the U.S. Military and First Responder communities, and provide volunteer opportunities for Americans to express their appreciation to all who serve our nation. To learn more about Operation Gratitude, go to www.operationgratitude.com.

Donated items also needed for www.comfortcases.org. Read recent spotlight on Comfort Cases and see donated items needed here...

If you would like to volunteer in any capacity, or have any ideas for new service projects, please contact Kerry-Ann Farmer at kerryann.farmer@yahoo.com. We are looking forward to a great day of service!

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.

• Mon, Dec. 17: LS Winter Program Rehearsal, 8:30 – 10:00 am
• Wed, Dec. 19: LS Winter Program Rehearsal, 8:30 – 10:00 am
• Thurs, Dec. 20: LS Winter Program Performance, 8:30 am, PAC
• Fri, Dec. 21: Lower School Professional Day, NO CLASSES - Winter Break Begins for LS (through Fri, Jan. 4)

And coming up soon/to keep on your radar...

• Mon, Jan. 7: Classes Resume
• Tues, Jan. 15: LS Coffee & Conversation, 8:30 am, Scott House
• Fri, Jan. 18: LS & MS Girls' Basketball Clinic, 3:30-7:30 pm

Rehearsals for the Winter Program will take place on Monday morning, December 17th and on Wednesday, December 19th at 8:30 am. Students should arrive at school on time in order to go together with their class for rehearsals. 

Our annual LS Winter Program will be on Thursday morning, December 20th, at 8:30 am in the PAC. Please remember that students are requested to wear dark pants or skirts and white tops for this assembly. This is a special event with most of our LS families in attendance, so please make sure that you give yourself time to find a parking space and arrive in the PAC on time. There is parking in the lot behind the Performing Arts Center.

Our first Child/Parent Work Share took place on Thursday, Dec. 13 after school, and we had a wonderful turnout!  LS students enjoyed touring their parents and guests around their classrooms and the co-curricular spaces. Completed works, as well as works in progress, were on display. It was a pleasure to have so many families come and take the tour with their children. See more photos on Vidigami here. Our next Child/Parent Work Share is scheduled in April.  

ICYMI: Amanda Hill and the Upper School Women’s Varsity Basketball team are offering a Basketball Clinic for lower school and middle school girls in PK4 through 8th grade on Friday, Jan. 18, from 3:30-7:30 pm. Read more here, or download PDF of flyer for more information and to register for this event.

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.

• Thurs, Dec. 20: Deadline to Sign up for Winter Clubs 
• Fri, Dec. 21: 1:00 pm Dismissal (NO Middle School Aftercare)
• Mon, Jan. 7: Classes Resume

And coming up soon/to keep on your radar...

• Mon, Jan. 14: MS Winter Clubs begin
• Fri, Jan. 18: MS Coffee & Conversation, 8:15 am, Scott House
• Fri, Jan. 18: International Potluck Lunch, Middle School
• Fri, Jan. 18: LS & MS Girls Basketball Clinic, 3:30-7:30 pm
• Mon, Jan. 21: PA MLK, Jr. Day of Service - Find out more here
• Thurs, Jan. 24: Winter Arts Evening, 7:15 pm, PAC

Middle School will be offering four clubs this winter for students who want to explore an extracurricular activity. We are offering the Sweet Treats Baking Club and Open Studio Club on Tuesdays and the Conversación, Cultura, y Comida Club and Clay Club on Thursdays. Clubs will run for 6 weeks, from 4:30-5:30 pm starting the week of January 14th. Click here for more information and to sign-up by December 20th. If you have any questions regarding clubs, please e-mail lindsay.kellogg@ssfs.org.

The year truly is flying by. Do I say that every week? I think so. Here we are at, wait for it, the MIDPOINT OF THE SECOND QUARTER! With that in mind, and with this being the first quarter that sixth graders are earning grades that count, we wanted to take a minute to remind you all how to look at your children’s grades on Finalsite at any time during the quarter. For instructions, please click on this link and follow the steps. We also are asking the kids to show you in person how to look at their grades. We hope that having your children teach or remind you how to view their grades will also be an opportunity to have a conversation with them about their goals and progress. On our end, teachers will also be checking in with students during advisory and/or tutorial time to make sure all work is submitted.

As part of their study of biomechanics, 8th grade scientists dissected chicken wings this week. The students had learned about the human musculoskeletal system in general, and about the forces necessary to move the levers made by our bones. Taking apart the chicken wing gave them the opportunity to see the specific structures and to directly explore the similarities and differences between types of tissue. Students were able to operate opposing muscle groups and observe tendons sliding across joints as they made the wings move. See photos of Jamie Bonetti's class dissecting wings in Vidigami here. 

Even when temperatures are cold outside, the interaction among the Lower and Middle School students when they meet up weekly for some recess time is heart-warming! Last week, students from the Middle School Young and Old Friends Committee enjoyed their time with Lower School students. As you can see from the picture, the Young Friends were showing off their flexibility skills as the Old Friends attempted to match them!

Please mark your calendars for the annual Middle School International Lunch, which will be held on Friday, January 18. 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 will be asked to bring in a dish (details coming soon), and we will also need lots of volunteers to make this year's event a success. Please be on the lookout for a Sign-Up Genius coming your way soon, and thanks in advance for your help. Gracias and merci!

ICYMI: Amanda Hill and the Upper School Women’s Varsity Basketball team are offering a Basketball Clinic for lower school and middle school girls in PK4 through 8th grade on Friday, Jan. 18, from 3:30-7:30 pm. Read more here, or download PDF of flyer for more information and to register for this event.

Be sure your calendar is marked for the Middle School Winter Arts Evening on Thursday, January 24, at 7:15 pm. 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 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. 

• Fri, Dec. 21: 1:00 pm Early Dismissal for Winter Break
• Sat, Dec. 23: Dorm closes for Winter Break, 10:00 am
• Sat, Jan. 5: Dorm re-opens at 12:00 noon
• Mon, Jan. 7: Classes resume

And coming up soon/to keep on your radar...

• Tues, Jan. 8: Deadline to Sign up for Puerto Rico Summer Service Trip (See more info here)
• Wed, Jan 16: US College Information session - 11th Grade College Night, 6:30 pm, Yarnall Library
• Mon, Jan. 21: MLK, Jr. Day - NO SCHOOL
• Mon, Jan. 21: PA MLK, Jr. Day of Service - Find out more here
• Tues, Jan. 22-Fri, Jan. 25: US Exams
• Wed, Jan. 30: US Coffee and Conversation, 8:15, Scott House

Upper School Spanish teacher Leah Niepold is organizing a relief trip to Puerto Rico to assist families still recovering from Hurricane Maria. Open to current SSFS 9th – 12th grade students, this trip will tour San Juan and work with families in Villa Del Rio, located on the North Coast of Puerto Rico. In addition to visiting El Yunque National Rainforest, the last day will include a catamaran trip to Icacos Island for snorkeling and exploration.

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 trip flyer for more detailed information and pricing. If interested, fill out this online application by Tuesday, January 8, 2019. A non-refundable $500 deposit to Global Works is due January 18, 2019. 

For more information, contact Leah Niepold.

It is a delight to report the results of this year's Class of 2020 charitable project: S.O.M.E. Holiday Shoebox Gifts! With the overwhelming support of family and friends, this year's junior class collected sufficient brand new personal items useful to a homeless man, woman or child to complete 138 individually and beautifully wrapped holiday shoebox gifts, plus an additional 12 bags of assorted clothing items and toiletries! Equally impressive as the scope of participation was the care with which each package was so thoughtfully prepared and presented. The quality, quantity, and thought placed into each shoebox gift, down to the festive packaging and dignified presentation, is certain to be dearly appreciated and admired by each blessed and needy recipient!

Special thanks to the Class of 2020 Volunteer Student Project Leaders Fatima (Jaleh) Jallow, Kyla Jallow, Preston Lee, Chau (Chloe) Nguyen, and Joel Euceda Warner, along with the helping hands of an avalanche of volunteers on Assembly Day. Additional thanks to Junior Class Parent Representative Terri Hurley (Jake ’20), as well as the residents at Friends House, for their equally selfless support and dearly appreciated contributions.

Read the full article to find out more about this special annual service project... 

The SSFS Upper School Climbing Team competed in their second competition on Dec. 11 at Sportrock in Sterling, VA, and emerged as the overall champs! Overall Varsity won 279 to 265 and JV won 133 to 81. Girls Varsity lost 101 to 137; Girls JV lost 11 to 23; Boys Varsity won 178 to 128; and Boys JV won 122 to 58. At the end of the day, we held 9 of the top 20 spots with Sam S. (1), Minwoo R. (3), Magnus C. and Sam S. (tied for 4), Seth G. (6), Reuven S (tied for 7), Ian S. (14), Kathleen M and Ariana D (tied for 15). Congratulations to the team on their continued success!

On Thursday, November 29, the SSFS Writing Center hosted its eighth annual “Careers in Writing” speaker event. This year’s theme was “Writing in the Arts” and featured a panel discussion among three experts in their field. SSFS art teacher Lyn Ostrov moderated the discussion among professional photographer (and alumni grandparent) Frank Van Riper, photo collections curator (and current parent) Shannon Perich, and performing arts writer and editor (and SSFS alumna) Sharon Gelman. The four talked about technique and creativity, publishing and taking career risks. They gave plenty of time to students’ questions, too! Even in the midst of a temporary power outage, the conversation was illuminating and enlightening (get it??).  Thanks to our speakers, our moderator, and our audience members for participating in such a rich discussion!

Be sure to check the Athletics Today page for up-to-date info about games!

HCGH Holiday Gift Wrap:  December 12th – December 23rd from 11:30 am, from 11:30 am - 8:30 pm. Bring your unwrapped gifts to wrapping volunteers, donate, and support a great cause.

Location:  The Columbia Mall, 10300 Little Patuxent Pkwy, Columbia, MD 21044 Level 2, outside of White House Black Market, near Lord and Taylor

Please join Jamie Price, Assistant Director of Auxiliary Programs, in supporting our greater community, Howard County General Hospital (HCGH), Johns Hopkins Medicine. This year all Holiday Gift Wrap proceeds benefit the Cardiac Pulmonary Rehabilitation Department. Let’s help our fellow neighbors who have suffered a cardiac event get back on their feet with all the care and love they deserve. The event is 12 amazing days of wrapping delight!

Sandy Spring Monthly Meeting is hosting a cookie exchange on Sunday, Dec. 23rd, which will run at the usual 12 to 1:30 coffee hour time. All are welcome!

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.
To purchase your Night Club Card:

• Go to https://www.skiwhitetail.com/ncc 
• Use the username: Sandy Spr 
• With the password: ssfsmember

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.