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.

• Wed, Feb. 13: Auction Meeting 8:15-9:30 am, Scott House Conference Room or via Conference Call-In
• Wed, Feb. 13: MS and US Parent-Teacher Conferences, 2:45-5:00 pm
• Fri, Feb. 15: Re-Enrollment Contracts Due
• Fri, Feb. 15: Deadline to return any library books overdue from the first half of the year
• Mon, Feb. 18: President's Day - NO SCHOOL
• Tues, Feb. 19: Professional Day - NO CLASSES

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

• Thurs, Feb. 21: Admissions "Discover SSFS" event, 8:15-11:00 am - SSFS families are warmly invited to come check out their students' next division level, see classes in action, and talk with students, faculty and staff. No RSVP required. 
• Thurs-Sat, Feb. 28-Mar. 2: 2019 Community Play - "Seed Corn," at the SSMM Meeting House (17715 Meeting House Rd, Sandy Spring, MD 20860), 7:15 pm
• Thurs, Mar. 7: PA Meeting, 6:00-7:00 pm, Yarnall

On Thursday, Feb. 7, SSFS Middle and Upper School students gathered in the PAC for the 2019 Black History Month assembly, “Highlight, Educate, Celebrate: Black Excellence.” The SSFS Lower School gathered later that afternoon for  "The Underground Railroad: Not a Subway" presented by Schroeder Cherry.

During the Middle and Upper School assembly, our Middle and Upper School Black Affinity Groups—who hosted the assembly—sought to raise awareness about those who did not receive recognition during their lifetimes, as well as highlight the original works of SSFS students and faculty.

The assembly featured a variety of performances including:

• readings of published poetry from Langston Hughes and Nikki Giovanni;
• music and biographies of several black artists and musicians whose work was co-opted by others, including Willie Mae Thornton, Bob Marley, and Gloria Jones; and
• dance, poetry, spoken word, and rap created by SSFS students and faculty.

The assembly ended with a reflection on the lyrics from “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing,” written by James Weldon Johnson and put to music by his musician brother, John Rosamond Johnson. Before the song played, students provided some historical context about the song and how it become known as the “black national anthem.” More photos from the assembly are available online or on Vidigami here (please log in to the website before clicking the link). 

For the Lower School assembly, students in grades K-5 gathered in Clifton to see "Underground Railroad, Not a Subway," performed by Schroeder Cherry. Through the use of puppets, storytelling, and song, the performance shared information about how slaves used the Underground Railroad to escape north to freedom. The program was part of the Young Audiences Arts for Learning network. Students in grades PK3 and PK4 will participate in an activity designed for them later this month. 

ICYMI: Re-Enrollment Contracts were emailed to families on Friday, Feb. 1. We are excited to start planning for the 2019-2020 academic year, and we sincerely hope that your family will continue to be a part of the SSFS community! We ask families to submit re-enrollment contracts by Friday, Feb. 15. Contracts are available via your My BackPack account. Please select the "Enrollment/Re-Enrollment" link. The process only takes a few minutes! Instructions for how to sign your re-enrollment contract are also available online here. If you have questions, please contact your division head or Dawn Griffith at dawn.griffith@ssfs.org or ext. 231. Thank you!

We are informing the students of any books overdue from the first half of the year. They are due Friday, February 15th. We will be billing for the books not returned in the following weeks. Please return overdue books! We don’t want your money, just the books. Keep reading!

A friendly reminder to Lower School and Middle School families from the SSFS Health Office during this cold/flu season to please NOT send your student to school with over-the-counter medications. The SSFS Health Center stocks medications, and with the LS and MS administrative assistants (Pam and Erin). It is safest to give students medications by trained staff; this also ensures that medications don't end up in the wrong hands. We appreciate your help!

ICYMI: Mark your calendars and plan to join us for the PA Auction on Saturday, May 11, 2019, 7pm – 11pm, at our new location: Ten Oaks Ballroom in Clarksville, MD! Visit Glowing Together to learn more, donate an item, submit a sponsorship, sign up to volunteer, and RSVP! See full article here.

ICYMI: It's that time of year again to start thinking about next year's PA Executive Committee. See more info about PA positions here. 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 and/or a Grade Representative. Please make nominations through this nominating form.

ICYMI: The PA-sponsored Post Prom is Sat. evening - Sun morning, April 13-14, from 11:00 pm - 6:00 am.  We are getting geared up for a fun night, but it can’t come together without volunteers. Any parent from any division is welcome to join in. Our next planning meeting will be Friday, February 8th, 8:00 am in the Scott House Conference Room. We thank you, and the 11th -12th grade kids thank you!  Feel free to reach out with any questions to Dawn Lee or Lauren Deichman.

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; current and longtime music faculty member Bryan Seith; and the legacy of community art at SSFS that they helped to create.

Performance Dates and Location:
Thursday, February 28, Friday, March 1, and Saturday, March 2 at 7:15 pm
All performances will be off-campus at the Sandy Spring Monthly Meeting House (17715 Meeting House Rd, Sandy Spring, MD 20860), as this was the original performance location of the 9th Grade play program. 
The show is free; there is a suggested cash donation of $10. No reservations are required. 

The evening will feature three components: a one-act play, a one-act opera, and original chamber music composed by Bryan Seith. The one-act play "Breakfast Beforehand," was written by Barry Morley and originally performed during the early years of the Ninth Grade Program, which was established by Barry and Anne Morley in 1973. The feature performance of the evening is the debut of an original musical work titled Seed Corn. This one-act opera combines a libretto authored by Barry Morley, with music arranged and composed by Bryan Seith. The evening will also include original chamber music by Bryan Seith, who has been inspiring student musicians here at SSFS since 1980. Read more information about Seed Corn, and about Barry Morley and Bryan Seith here.

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.

• Tues, Feb. 12: 4th Grade to A Wider Circle
• Fri, Feb. 15: Re-Enrollment Contracts Due
• Fri, Feb. 15: Packing Smart Sacks (with 1A and 1B)
• Mon, Feb. 18: President's Day - NO SCHOOL
• Tues, Feb. 19: Professional Day - NO CLASSES

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

• Thurs, Feb. 21: Admissions "Discover SSFS" event, 8:15-11:00 am - SSFS families are warmly invited to come check out their students' next division level, see classes in action, and talk with students, faculty and staff. No RSVP required. 
• Fri, Feb. 22: 5th Grade Field Trip
• Thurs-Sat, Feb. 28-Mar. 2: 2019 Community Play - "Seed Corn," at the SSMM Meeting House (17715 Meeting House Rd, Sandy Spring, MD 20860), 7:15 pm
• Fri, Mar. 1: 2nd Grade Play, 8:30 am, Clifton 
• Thurs, Mar. 7: 5th Grade Egyptian Marketplace, 3:30-5:00 pm, Tanglewood
• Tues, Mar. 12: Family Night at the Air & Space Museum, departing SSFS at 5:15 pm - Find out more, and RSVP here

Come on down to the Wee Mail Post Office! Wee Mail runs from February 8th through February 14th. Stamps are on sale from 7:45-8:10 am in the Lower School lobby. The cost of a stamp is 5 cents. Click here to see a brief video about this special annual Lower School tradition.

In order to keep our newly-employed postal workers busy, we need your help! You and your child are encouraged to write letters and/or draw pictures to children in and out of his/her class. The letters can be placed in an envelope or folded over and stapled. We need a neatly written address consisting of first and last name as well as grade and section (Example: Mary Anne Peacock – K or Suzie Smith – PK3). Stamps can be purchased before school from 7:45- 8:10 am in the Lower School lobby from our Kindergarten postal workers. 
 
The cost of a stamp is 5 cents. Please try to use small change (pennies, nickels and dimes). Stamp sales will be limited to 20 per day per student. After a letter is written, addressed, and stamped, it can be deposited in the mailbox in the lobby or in any of the classroom mailboxes.  Mail pickup and delivery times will be in the afternoon.
 
We request that NO CANDY or TREATS be sent through Wee Mail, only cards or letters. 
The Lower School address book is located in each classroom as well as Kindergarten to help with names, classes, and sections. If you have questions, please visit the Wee Mail Post Office located in Kindergarten or ask a Kindergarten teacher or student. Happy writing! We thank you for your support!

All students in grades 4-8 are invited with their families to an awesome evening at the Air and Space Museum in downtown D.C.

On Tuesday evening, March 12th, The National Center for Earth and Space Science Education will be opening the museum to our school and a couple of others for a private presentation. Beginning at 6:45 pm, after it is closed to the general public, the museum will open its galleries to us. At 7:15 pm we will begin a presentation from experts followed by a showing of one of the 3D IMAX movies.

The program is free, and SSFS will provide a bus from school to the museum and back (first RSVP, first served; bus departs SSFS at 5:15 pm). We will order pizza prior to the bus ride. It is important to remember that this is a family night. Your student must be accompanied by an adult. The faculty present are there to enjoy and engage; they are not chaperones. Please click here to RSVP for the event as we must have a minimum attendance in order for the event to happen. There is some uncertainty to the event because of the possibility of another government shutdown, but we need to know if we have enough numbers to run it even though we can’t be totally certain of it happening until closer to the date. Contact Alice Chmil at alice.chmil@ssfs.org with any questions.

Please note: We must enter the museum as one group, rather than dribble in. Therefore, if your family is electing not to ride the bus, please be prepared to watch for the bus, meet up with the larger group, and enter as one. Do not go to the museum on your own. Thank you!

Our fourth, fifth, and sixth graders, along with their teachers and some administrators, headed off campus this past Tuesday for an afternoon of pizza and bowling at Bowl America. After needing to reschedule the outing due to snow on the original date, the group was treated to an unseasonably warm and sunny day. Now in its second year, this special event has become a nice community-building tradition which also helps in bridging the transition from Lower to Middle School. As you can see from the photos (click here, or log in to the website and click here to view the album in Vidigami), everyone had a wonderful time! 

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.

• Wed, Feb. 13: Parent-Teacher Conferences, 2:45-5:00 pm, MS Classrooms (sign up here)
• Fri, Feb. 15: Winter Sports End
• Fri, Feb. 15: Re-Enrollment Contracts Due
• Mon, Feb. 18: President's Day - NO SCHOOL
• Tues, Feb. 19: Professional Day - NO CLASSES

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

• Thurs-Sat, Feb. 28-Mar. 2: 2019 Community Play - "Seed Corn," at the SSMM Meeting House (17715 Meeting House Rd, Sandy Spring, MD 20860), 7:15 pm
• Mon, Mar. 4: Spring Sports/Electives Begin
• Tues, Mar. 12: Family Night at the Air & Space Museum, departing SSFS at 5:15 pm RSVP here

Parent-Teacher Conferences will again be offered on Wednesday, February 13th. Please click here to register for conferences with those teachers with whom you would like to meet.  Students are invited and encouraged to attend conferences along with their parents, or they may check-in to aftercare at no charge if parents prefer to speak privately with a teacher. Read more here...

Middle School drama students performed in a dress rehearsal of "Saving Persephone" for their classmates in advance of their evening play performance on Saturday, Feb. 9, at 7:15 pm. The MS students enjoyed this lighthearted, updated take on Greek mythology featuring nymphs, dryads, the Pleiades, Argonauts, a Greek Chorus, and, of course, Hades, Persephone, and Demeter. To see photos from the dress rehearsal on Vidigami, log in to the School website and click here.

Our fourth, fifth, and sixth graders, along with their teachers and some administrators, headed off campus this past Tuesday for an afternoon of pizza and bowling at Bowl America. After needing to reschedule the outing due to snow on the original date, the group was treated to an unseasonably warm and sunny day. Now in its second year, this special event has become a nice community-building tradition which also helps in bridging the transition from Lower to Middle School. As you can see from the photos (click here, or log in to the website and click here to view the album in Vidigami), everyone had a wonderful time! 

Congratulations to our Girls and Boys Middle School Basketball teams, who both made it to the 2019 PVAC Championship Finals! Come cheer on our 'Beests on Monday, Feb. 11, for the two home games in the Athletic Center Gym at SSFS:

• 3:30 pm - #1 seed SSFS MS Girls team plays #3 Waldorf 
   
• 4:45 pm - #1 seed SSFS MS Boys team plays #3 St. Anselm’s

All students in grades 4-8 are invited with their families to an awesome evening at the Air and Space Museum in downtown D.C.

On Tuesday evening, March 12th, The National Center for Earth and Space Science Education will be opening the museum to our school and a couple of others for a private presentation. Beginning at 6:45 pm, after it is closed to the general public, the museum will open its galleries to us. At 7:15 pm we will begin a presentation from experts followed by a showing of one of the 3D IMAX movies.

The program is free, and SSFS will provide a bus from school to the museum and back (first RSVP, first served; bus departs SSFS at 5:15 pm). We will order pizza prior to the bus ride. It is important to remember that this is a family night. Your student must be accompanied by an adult. The faculty present are there to enjoy and engage; they are not chaperones. Please click here to RSVP for the event as we must have a minimum attendance in order for the event to happen. There is some uncertainty to the event because of the possibility of another government shutdown, but we need to know if we have enough numbers to run it even though we can’t be totally certain of it happening until closer to the date. Contact Alice Chmil at alice.chmil@ssfs.org with any questions.

Please note: We must enter the museum as one group, rather than dribble in. Therefore, if your family is electing not to ride the bus, please be prepared to watch for the bus, meet up with the larger group, and enter as one. Do not go to the museum on your own. Thank you!

Students in grades 8-12 are invited to Youth Peace Conference (YPC) 2019 on April 6 from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm at Blake High School. YPC is an annual student-run social justice and 
community building summit held in Maryland for students in grades 8-12. This year's topic is "Student Activism - Past and Present." Please visit the Youth Peace Conference website for more details and to register. 

ICYMI: Seventh grade Humanities teachers are excited to announce that 7th grade students will be attending Adventure Theater’s production of "Huckleberry Finn's Big River" on Tuesday, February 26. Students will depart at 11:00 am for a 12:30 pm show and a moderated discussion afterwards. The plan is to eat bagged lunches in the nearby play area if weather permits, or on the bus back to school. Students will return in time for regular dismissal at 3:40 pm. Click here for more information about the performance, which corresponds to our class studies on the Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

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. 

• Wed, Feb. 13: Upper School Parent-Teacher Conferences - Sign up for your conference time here.
• Wed, Feb. 13: International Students College Night, 7:00 pm, Yarnall
• Thurs, Feb. 14: Upper School Coffee & Conversation, 8:15 am, Scott House
• Fri, Feb. 15: Re-Enrollment Contracts Due
• Sat, Feb. 16: Upper School Winter Dance (sponsored by the Junior Class), 8:00-11:00 pm, PAC-Studio B
• Mon, Feb. 18: President's Day - NO SCHOOL
• Tues, Feb. 19: Professional Day - NO CLASSES

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

• Fri, Feb. 22: Winter Sports End 
• Fri, Feb. 22: Friendly Dance Exchange
• Mon, Feb. 25: Upper School Spring Sports Begin
• Thurs-Sat, Feb. 28-Mar. 2: 2019 Community Play - "Seed Corn," at the SSMM Meeting House (17715 Meeting House Rd, Sandy Spring, MD 20860), 7:15 pm
• Tues, Mar. 5: International Assembly, 9:00-10:00 am, PAC
• Thurs, Mar. 14: College Info Night, 6:30-8:30 pm, Yarnall Library 

ICYMI: Parent-Teacher Conferences will continue for the second week on Wednesday, February 13th from 2:45- 5:00 PM in the Westview Dining Hall. Please use the online scheduling system, PTCFAST, to schedule your conference times. Please note that we will not be able to accommodate any “walk-ins.” Should you have any questions regarding the online scheduling system, please contact Meredith Shankle at 301.774.7455 ext. 110 or via e-mail at meredith.shankle@ssfs.org. See more here.

On Wednesday, February 13, the SSFS College Counseling Office will host a program specifically to help international students and parents understand the college admission and application process. The presentation will begin promptly at 7:00 pm and will be held in Yarnall Library.  

What: The Junior Class is sponsoring an Upper School Winter Dance, "Junior Class Lit Luau," A night of glow-in-the-dark, Hawaiian themed fun! There will be good music, tasty snacks, a photo booth, and even a tiki bar!
When: Saturday, Feb. 16, from 8:00-11:00 pm
Where: PAC-Studio B
Who: Open to all Upper School students, on in PAC-Studio B. Bringing a guest from another school? Make sure you fill out and return this Emergency Contact & Permission Form to Ben McClellan by Fri, Feb. 15. 
How: Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Students must fill out the 
Questions? Contact Ben McClellan, Ben.mcclellan@ssfs.org

Students in grades 8-12 are invited to Youth Peace Conference (YPC) 2019 on April 6 from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm at Blake High School. YPC is an annual student-run social justice and 
community building summit held in Maryland for students in grades 8-12. This year's topic is "Student Activism - Past and Present." Please visit the Youth Peace Conference website for more details and to register. 

This is a call to all "Quizards" to see what all of the buzz is about! Upper School Teacher Eduardo Polón (Spanish) is sponsoring season eight of our interscholastic SSFS Quiz Bowl Club--often referred to as the varsity sport of the mind--that will meet generally on Tuesday afternoons during Academic Help in Moore Hall, Room 105 (Eduardo’s classroom).

A dynamic competition in the spirit of It’s Academic, the longest running television quiz show in the world, Quiz Bowl features teams who face off to answer academic-centered questions posed by a moderator for points. 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!  

Space is limited to 15 teams of five (75 participants); students are invited to sign-up outside Eduardo’s classroom (Moore Hall 105) on a first-come, first-served basis. Quiz Bowl Club kicks off with Round 1 of Regular Season Conference Play on Tuesday, February 26th, from 3:10 to 3:40 pm.  For more information contact Eduardo (eduardo.polon@ssfs.org).

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, or see our viewbook here. 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. From tots to teens - there is truly something for everyone!

We encourage you to go through the exciting programming you'll find on our completely revamped website. 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.

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.