Weekly Newsletter Emailed Each Sunday During The School Year.
Jan. 26, 2020 Middle School Arts Night Middle School students showcased their musical, dance, drama, and digital video/sound editing talents at the MS Arts Assembly and Arts Evening on Thurs, Jan. 23. Congratulations to all our student artists and performers for a job well done! See 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 "Must-Know" Info for Jan. 26, 2020
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...
The SSFS community will celebrate the Lunar New Year Festival with food and fun in Westview dining hall on Tuesday, January 28, from 6:00 to 7:30 pm. We will have traditional Asian food, student performances, and games! Students and families are invited. Please RSVP here with number of attendees so that we can make sure we order enough food. We hope to see you there! Please join us for the next PA meeting on Thursday, Jan. 30, at 6:00 pm in PAC - Studio B. Dinner will be served, and childcare (including dinner) will be provided by KAH. We’ll be discussing upcoming community events and PA nominations. We would love your feedback and participation! Please RSVP if you plan to attend, especially if you plan to use KAH. Following the PA meeting, please join Head of School Tom Gibian at 7:15 pm in the PAC Theater for an open forum with all SSFS parents and guardians. If you have questions or topics that you would like to be addressed at the forum, please send them to Mary Lawson at mary.lawson@ssfs.org with the subject line: Forum Topic. This forum will also be streamed live from our YouTube channel here. Please note that because of our 1:00 pm early dismissal, we will not be running our 5:45 pm shuttle on Wednesday, Jan. 29. Also, a reminder for bus parents for 1:00 pm early dismissal days: 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). Thanks to everyone who came together for the MLK Day of Service on January 20th. Together, we were able to donate 245 books to Brothers with Books, 71 pairs of shoes to Souls 4 Soles, and boxes of linens to the Humane Society and baby products to the DC Diaper Bank. We also made 37 blankets for Project Linus, 200 hot chocolate treats for Upper School exam week, hot chocolate jars to thank the police officers who direct our traffic, and nearly 50 thank you cards and greetings for Operation Gratitude, the police officers who direct our traffic, and Friends House. See photos on Vidigami here, On February 4, SSFS will be hosting the AIMS Gender and Sexual Orientation Diversity Conference, the annual conference for faculty, staff, students and allies from the LBGTQ community and area schools. Making Schools Safe was founded by AIMS over 20 years ago, and this year's focus is Moving Forward. With 2019 being the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, the Making School Safe committee put together a program designed to help community members move their own school communities forward in various ways. SSFS is happy to be sending 27 students, faculty, and staff from our middle school and upper schools. The SSFS Parents Association is hosting a Parent's Night Out at Brookeville Beer Farm on February 7th from 6:00-8:00 pm. Food will be available for purchase from El Gauchito Grill, as well as pizza and snacks from Brookeville Beer Farm. Kids After Hours (KAH) is providing childcare until 9:00 pm through their Kids Night Out program. Registration for Kids Night Out can be found on their website. We hope you can join us! Information about and a link to the 2020-2021 Academic Calendar were recently sent to all SSFS families. The Calendar Card link was correct, but there was reference in the body of the email text that noted that the first week of school was before Labor Day, when in fact the first week of school in 2020 will start before Labor Day. Please click here to see a corrected version of the email. Links to this year's and next year's Academic Calendar Cards may be found online here. Thank you! 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 Jan. 26, 2020
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...
The LS PE classes have begun their Climbing Wall unit, which will run through mid-February. PK4-Grade 3 students will only be traversing, or bouldering on the wall. This means they will not be climbing vertically, but horizontally. Grades 4 and 5 begin the process of climbing on-belay, in a harness, going as high to the top of the wall as they feel comfortable. All of the LS PE teachers are certified to belay through the AMGA (American Mountain Guides of America). This unit is mostly about getting the children comfortable in self‐exploration, setting goals and meeting them as well as exposing them to new activities to develop balance and hand‐eye coordination. It’s one of our “challenge by choice” activities, meaning your child will not be pushed beyond what they are capable or ready for. In what has become an annual tradition, the 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students will head off-campus for an afternoon of cross-divisional bonding at the Bowl America in Gaithersburg. This event offers the opportunity for our upper level Lower School students to get better acquainted with the members of the 6th grade class. What’s more fun than an outing involving food and games?!
Middle School "Must-Know" Info for Jan. 26, 2020
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...
On Monday, January 27, Sandy Spring Friends School will again open its campus to theEastEd Middle School Student Diversity Leadership Conference for the 9th year. Over 200 students and adults from all over the DC/MD/VA area will attend the all-day conference. Participants will be attending sessions led by adults and by middle and upper school students. This is an excellent opportunity for students to begin and/or continue exploring diversity topics. The conference is open to ALL middle school students (6th, 7th , & 8th graders). If students are interested and/or have questions, please have them contact Aimee Farley (MS Diversity Coordinator). See flyer here... On Wednesday, January 29, students release early at 1:00 pm in order for faculty and staff to participate in professional development activities. MS Aftercare will be open starting at 1:00 pm. In order to help us prepare for this day, we ask that parents who would like to use this service send an email to lindsay.kellogg@ssfs.org letting us know to expect your child. Click here for drop-in pricing information... Middle and Upper School parents are invited to SSFS on February 4th, 7:00-8:00 pm in the Yarnall Library, as Meg Bolger, the Keynote speaker from the morning's AIMS Gender and Sexual Orientation Diversity Conference will facilitate a session to create an opportunity for parents, guardians, and other family members to connect with each other about the challenges that are present for them, their students, and their families in navigating being LGBTQ+ at school. Find out more, and RSVP to Kerry Foley by Jan. 31st if you would like to attend. We are thrilled to announce this year's Middle School production of "The Phantom Tollbooth" on Saturday, February 8 at 6:00 pm in the Performing Arts Center. "The Phantom Tollbooth" is a children's fantasy adventure novel written by Norton Juster. It tells the story of a bored young boy named Milo who unexpectedly receives a magic tollbooth one afternoon and, having nothing better to do, drives through it in his toy car, transporting him to the Kingdom of Wisdom, once prosperous but now troubled. Read more here... Middle School Baking Club got off to a scrumptious start on Tuesday, Jan. 21. The students first sampled a demonstration, and then each participant prepared their own Funfetti Dump Cake to bring home to enjoy with their families. The club (which filled to capacity on the first day sign-up was open!) is meeting two times per month in January, February and March. Future projects include caramel popcorn, ice cream cake, banana bread, and more! See photos on Vidigami here. Once per month, the Middle School goes “old school” with Screen-Free Friday, when teachers and students put away all devices for the day. During our most recent Screen-Free Friday on January 17, the 6th grade Humanities students who are part of the Giver Connection look at media literacy, “fake news,” and journalism headed to the library, where they were presented with a selection of past (printed) Washington Post editions (all in a stack). The students were asked to find three different types of articles: an objective report, an opinion piece, and a feature story. They then identified the types of articles, cut out the articles, and summarized the information. Read more here...
Upper School "Must-Know" Info for Jan. 26, 2020
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.
The SSFS community will celebrate the Lunar New Year Festival with food and fun in Westview dining hall on Tuesday, January 28, from 6:00 to 7:30 pm. We will have traditional Asian food, student performances, and games! Students and families are invited. Please RSVP here with number of attendees so that we can make sure we order enough food. We hope to see you there! Middle and Upper School parents are invited to SSFS on February 4th, 7:00-8:00 pm in the Yarnall Library, as Meg Bolger, the Keynote speaker from the morning's AIMS Gender and Sexual Orientation Diversity Conference will facilitate a session to create an opportunity for parents, guardians, and other family members to connect with each other about the challenges that are present for them, their students, and their families in navigating being LGBTQ+ at school. Find out more, and RSVP to Kerry Foley by Jan. 31st if you would like to attend. On February 4, SSFS will be hosting the AIMS Gender and Sexual Orientation Diversity Conference, the annual conference for faculty, staff, students and allies from the LBGTQ community and area schools. Making Schools Safe was founded by AIMS over 20 years ago, and this year's focus is Moving Forward. With 2019 being the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, the Making School Safe committee put together a program designed to help community members move their own school communities forward in various ways. SSFS is happy to be sending 27 students, faculty, and staff from our middle school and upper schools. Congratulations to the SSFS Quiz Bowl Team, which has advanced to the MABL Playoffs for the eighth straight season. Led by Captain Moira M. (’21), this year’s SSFS Quiz Bowl Travel Team is rounded out by fellow juniors Olivia G. (Assistant Captain), Leila B., and Esther F., along with sophomores Sophia S. and Emily T. A promising group of developing in-house talent supports this year’s travel team. With one eye focused on the current academic season and the other on player development, the future of SSFS Quiz Bowl looks as bright as the present. Read full article here... Upper School Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on Wednesday, February 5, and Wednesday, February 12, from 2:45-5:00 pm in Westview Dining Hall. Please click here to access PTCFAST, our online scheduling system, and select your time slot preferences. Please note that we will not be able to accommodate any walk-ins. 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. Click here for more information... Maddie D. and Grace R. will both have photographs in an upcoming exhibition at Sandy Spring Museum. The exhibition will be from June 11 to August 31, 2020. Please be on the lookout for promotional materials that will have the date and time of the opening reception. "Makers Among Us" is a group exhibit featuring young, emerging visual artists living within our community. The show highlights the freedom, imperfections, creativity, and the unique perspectives of artists who may not necessarily have years of experience and formal training under their belts. "Makers Among Us" provides a platform for contemporary artists who have had limited opportunity to share their work with the public, and a space for the community to discover new talent.
Be sure to check the Athletics Today page for up-to-date info about games! Monday - January 27, 2020 5:00 PM Sandy Spring Friends School Tuesday - January 28, 2020 4:00 PM Sandy Spring Friends School Wednesday - January 29, 2020 5:00 PM McLean School of Maryland Thursday - January 30, 2020 3:30 PM Sandy Spring Friends School 4:45 PM Sandy Spring Friends School 5:00 PM Washington Christian Academy Friday - January 31, 2020 3:30 PM Sandy Spring Friends School Monday - February 3, 2020 4:30 PM Sandy Spring Friends School Tuesday - February 4, 2020 Sandy Spring Friends School 6:00 PM Sandy Spring Friends School
Sandy Spring Monthly Meeting invites all SSFS families for Meetings for Worship at SSMM, and other community events and activities throughout the year. Please see the Jan. 26 Silent Announcements for information and details about SSMM goings-on in the coming weeks. Questions? Please contact the SSMM office at ssmm.rsf@gmail.com. Thank you! 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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