Weekly Newsletter Emailed Each Sunday During The School Year.
Nov. 3, 2019 Lower School Halloween Parade The intermittent rain that fell on Oct. 31 stopped just in time for the Lower School's annual Halloween Parade, which was held on schedule at 2:30 pm. Students displayed their colorful and creative costumes as parents, students, and faculty from other divisions cheered them on. Lower School parents hosted an autumn social outside on the sport court and playground following the parade. See more photos on the online photo gallery, or in Vidigami here. (Remember to log in to your portal page first, as Vidigami is a password-protected site!)
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 "Must-Know" Info for Nov. 3, 2019
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...
Have you marked your calendar yet for November 9, 2019? FriendsFest is just around the corner! Don’t miss out on traditions old and new at this year’s fall festival! Pre-register for the pie-contest and other sessions; pre-order special holiday items like wreaths and pies; and sign up to volunteer an hour or two of your time. Find out more here... Come for fun and friendship on Wednesday morning, Nov. 6, to help make Bows for Wreaths for FriendsFest! Join Saundra Prather, Kelly Rush, and others from 7:30-11:00 am in the Middle School Conference Room. No experience (or skill) needed! The Book Fair is open for business! The Fair is located in the Yarnall Library and has a wonderful selection of books for grades PK3 – 8. The Book Fair will be open during FriendsFest, but this year books can also be purchased during the week! The Fair will be open from 2:30 – 4:30 pm daily (1:30-4:30 Wednesday) for parents and students to browse and buy. Information for the Book Fair, including a link to online ordering and details about eWallet (a secure, cash-free way for kids to shop the fair) is available through SSFS’s Book Fair Website. Please note the change in Audition Dates from last week's announcement! We are thrilled to announce that the 2020 SSFS Community Play (March 5-7 at 7:00 pm and March 8 at 2:30 pm) will be Matilda. Auditions are open to anyone who is connected to our SSFS community: students, faculty, staff, parents, grandparents, siblings, etc. Actors must be in the third grade and above. Audition dates are Tuesday, Nov. 19 & Thursday, Nov. 21 in from 3:30-6:00 pm in PAC Studio B. Read more about the Community Play and the opportunity to get involved as an actor, tech crew, or orchestra member here, and see the Audition Form here. ICYMI: Sandy Spring Friends School Upper School Presents: "Radium Girls" by D. W. Gregory, on November 15 and 16 @ 7:15 pm (Upper School Assembly Performance on November 14) in the Performing Arts Center. In 1926, radium was a miracle cure, and luminous watches the latest rage—until the girls who painted them began to fall ill with a mysterious disease. Inspired by a true story, Radium Girls traces the efforts of Grace Fryer, a dial painter, as she fights for her day in court. Rating: Parental Guidance is suggested as the play deals with adult topics. Find out more... On Oct. 28-30, 19 faculty and staff members from the SSFS community participated in a 3-day anti-bias workshop. The focus of the workshop was to train individuals to recognize their own implicit biases, as well as examine how to assist the school in creating an anti-bias hiring process. Participants of the workshop also discussed the recently released Diversity Audit and provided recommendations for the top priorities of the action plan. Anti-Bias workshop attendees will utilize the training provided by participating on hiring committees, working to ensure that anti-bias practices are carried out through the hiring process. Read more here... Thank you to everyone who came out to the Parents Association meeting on October 22nd. If you’re looking for more information or couldn't make the meeting, please log in to the SSFS Parent Portal page (using your SSFS username/password) and check out the PA website here. You can also reach out anytime with questions, ideas or thoughts to PA.Clerk@SSFS.org. ICYMI: Do you have a child about to enter preschool, or know someone who does? Our Preschool-Kindergarten Snapshot Days on Nov. 12 and 19 allow a first-hand peek into our classrooms. Preschoolers will spend an hour exploring our Preschool/Kindergarten classrooms while parents have an opportunity to speak with teachers, administrators, and other parents; ask questions; and see our program in action. Optional campus tours are also available. RSVP here. ICYMI: Join us on Friday, November 29 for the annual Men's and Women's Alumni Soccer Games & the SSFS Turkey Trot 5K!The Alumni Soccer Games are a true Sandy Spring tradition in which former SSFS soccer players have the opportunity to return to campus for some friendly competition. If soccer isn’t your thing, we hope that you will join us in the morning for the SSFS Turkey Trot 5K! Find out more about both events, and RSVP here by Nov. 25! 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. Please submit your application via Ravenna, making sure to select the "Washington, DC" area from the dashboard and click on "Sandy Spring Friends School" to access more information and our application. Once the application is received, you'll be able to select both the shadow visit and parent interview date from the Ravenna site. 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. ICYMI: The online TADS application is now available. Any families with questions related to the financial aid process are encouraged to contact Dawn Griffith, Director of Financial Aid, at dawn.griffith@ssfs.org or x231. Current families receiving financial assistance as well as families applying for consideration for the next school year should be complete the TADS financial aid application and submit all required tax documentation before December 1st. More information about TADS and the financial aid process is available on the SSFS website. ICYMI: Every fall the PA encourages each class to hold a potluck or other child-free event for parents to get to know each other. Have a great time getting to know your class! The last couple of potluck dates for the year are listed below.
ICYMI: SSFS is hosting an art and craft show for the adults in our community: parents, grandparents, faculty, staff, and alumni. This is a non-juried show intended to reveal the many talents in our community. Find out more here, and complete the online submission form if you are interested in submitting a work.
Lower School "Must-Know" Info for Nov. 3, 2019
Below is information about upcoming LS and all-school activities and events in the coming weeks. 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...
SSFS 5th grade parents were recently sent an email invitation for the Middle School Information Night, which will be held on Tuesday, November 5, from 6:30-8:00 pm in the Middle School. 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. Please RSVP by October 29th using the link provided in the email invitation. Contact Erin Ryan, Middle School Administrative Assistant, at x160 or erin.ryan@ssfs.org with any questions. Mark your calendar for our upcoming Parent Math Night on Thursday evening, November 7 from 7:00-8:30 pm in Yarnall Library. This is an opportunity for parents of our Kindergarten–5th grade students to come and learn more about the Math In Focus Program. This a parent-only event. We hope to see you there! The Book Fair is open for business! The Fair is located in the Yarnall Library and has a wonderful selection of books for grades PK3 – 8. The Book Fair will be open during FriendsFest, but this year books can also be purchased during the week! The Fair will be open from 2:30 – 4:30 pm daily (1:30-4:30 Wednesday) for parents and students to browse and buy. Information for the Book Fair, including a link to online ordering and details about eWallet (a secure, cash-free way for kids to shop the fair) is available through SSFS’s Book Fair Website. The preschool and kindergarten students hosted a Science Exploration Hour on Oct. 25 for their parents to come in and catch a glimpse of the wonders of science happening in their classrooms. Many thanks to the parents who participated in this experience. The children thoroughly enjoyed sharing their experiences! See photos from the morning in Vidigami here. Please note that the LS Parent Forum, "Reading, Reading, Reading," originally scheduled for November 21 has been moved to January 23 at 8:15 am in Scott House. Please mark your calendars with this change of date. The Forum originally planned for January 23 ("Making the Transition: Kindergarten to First Grade") will be moved to a date in the spring. Thank you. Kate Santorineos (LS Art teacher) is in need of any and ALL clear, round bottomed plastic bottles: water, Gatorade, soda, tea, etc.--any and all plastic bottles! She will recycle anything she can’t use. Please collect and send in at carpool or drop off in the Lower School or Yarnall Library. She is looking for a couple hundred; you will see their fun recycled reincarnation at the LS Winter Program. Collecting all November!
Middle School "Must-Know" Info for Nov. 3, 2019
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.
And coming up soon/to keep on your radar...
As the fall temperatures have finally arrived, it seems fitting to communicate a few items about the end of the 1st Quarter of school. Please watch this brief video to learn more. As always, please contact David Blake with any questions, comments, suggestions, or just to say hello. Full details about the eighth grade’s trip to New York City were emailed to parents. 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. Students need to arrive to school by 6:45 am on Wednesday, November 6th to prepare for our departure at 7:00 am. We’re looking forward to a great trip! ICYMI: In order to provide longer blocks of time for more meaningful conversations, we are asking parents who would like to participate in our Nov. 13 and Nov. 20 conferences to work with their children to identify only two teachers to sit down with. Read more here about this change, and sign up for your two conference times here. The Book Fair is open for business! The Fair is located in the Yarnall Library and has a wonderful selection of books for grades PK3 – 8. The Book Fair will be open during FriendsFest, but this year books can also be purchased during the week! The Fair will be open from 2:30 – 4:30 pm daily (1:30-4:30 Wednesday) for parents and students to browse and buy. Information for the Book Fair, including a link to online ordering and details about eWallet (a secure, cash-free way for kids to shop the fair) is available through SSFS’s Book Fair Website. This final week of the quarter finds our sixth graders
Seventh and Eighth Grade families were recently sent an Evite from Tony McCudden, inviting students and families to come to SSFS for a pre-show dinner at 6:30 pm in the Middle School Smith Collection Space, followed by the 7:15 pm Upper School performance of “Radium Girls” in the PAC Theater on Friday, Nov. 15. Please RSVP to the Evite by Thursday, Nov. 14, so that we can be sure to provide an accurate count of people to Culinart staff, or contact Marcia Johnson if you did not receive the Evite (it may have gotten caught in a junk/clutter folder!) or have any additional questions. You can find out more about the play here. Please note that as this year’s play deals with adult topics and death, the age recommendation is for students in 7th grade and up. ICYMI: The 7th grade will be taking a field trip to the Hampton National Historic Site on Friday, November 15, including a guided tour of the first floor of the mansion and the farm. The buses will be leaving the school at approximately 8:15 am and will be returning in time for regular participation in sports/electives before dismissal. Read more about the trip here... ICYMI: The Middle School Art Room needs supplies such as cardboard, paper towel tubes, plastic containers and bottles, magazines, egg cartons, costume jewelry, and more. Click here for the full list... ICYMI: Following these carpool procedure steps will help ensure a safe (and swift!) arrival and departure for everyone. Read procedures here...
Upper School "Must-Know" Info for Nov. 3, 2019
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...
On Wednesday, November 6, 2019, SSFS will host the 12th annual 10th Grade Symposium. This event will provide an engaging and creative way to promote conversations within our community regarding healthy decisions and substance use. This is an essential event for all 10th grade day and 5-day boarding students and their local parents/guardians. This event is optional for our 7-day boarders and host familiy students, as they will have separate events that are geared towards international students. Seating will begin at 6:15 pm and the program will start promptly at 6:30 pm in the Westview Dining Hall; the program will end at 8:30 pm. We look forward to seeing you there! Upper School Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on Wednesday, November 6th and Wednesday, November 13th from 2:45- 5:00 pm in the Westview Dining Hall. 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. Find out more about conferences here... ICYMI: Sandy Spring Friends School Upper School Presents: "Radium Girls" by D. W. Gregory, on November 15 and 16 @ 7:15 pm (Upper School Assembly Performance on November 14) in the Performing Arts Center. In 1926, radium was a miracle cure, and luminous watches the latest rage—until the girls who painted them began to fall ill with a mysterious disease. Inspired by a true story, Radium Girls traces the efforts of Grace Fryer, a dial painter, as she fights for her day in court. Rating: Parental Guidance is suggested as the play deals with adult topics. Find out more... On October 21, 2019, a grassroots initiative by this year’s Senior Gift & Fundraising Committee kicked off the first phase of an ambitious fundraising campaign in honor of their classmate and friend, Ben Uzzell '20. On behalf of Chris and Shawn Uzzell, and in cooperation with the Ben Uzzell ’20 Scholarship Fund Committee, by the end of the week, 100% of the Class of 2020 had contributed to the Ben Uzzell ’20 Scholarship Fund, a milestone achievement never before accomplished by any class in the history of the school. The fact that this achievement took a mere five days only underscores the conviction of the Class of 2020, serving as a philanthropic exemplar. Read full article... On the evening of Tuesday, October 29, 2019, the US Arts Department teamed up with the Office of College Counseling to host the annual College Night for the Visual and Performing Arts. Representatives from Drexel University, Loyola College (New Orleans), Stevens Institute of Technology, and University of Maryland Baltimore County described their arts programs, and attendees learned valuable information regarding the application process and portfolio and audition expectations. Read full article here... The US SSFS Dance program has hosted the Washington Area Independent Schools Dance Education Association (WAISDEA)'s annual dance festival at Sandy Spring Friends School for the past 10 years. The mission of this festival is to offer students an experience in modern dance that pushes them technically, exposes them to a style of modern dance that they may not have taken before, and work with a "master teacher." Read more about this year's event, which took place on Fri, Oct. 25.
Be sure to check the Athletics Today page for up-to-date info about games! Monday - November 4, 2019 3:00 PM Maryland SoccerPlex Field 14 3:00 PM Maryland SoccerPlex Field 15
The Adventure Park at Sandy Spring Friends School is looking for several people to join our team of Park Hosts and Supervisors. Come to work after drop-off, leave in time for pick-up! Learn 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.
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