Weekly Newsletter Emailed Each Sunday During the School Year.
Apr. 12, 2020 New Upper School Building Progress The SSFS campus is very quiet these days, but work on the new Upper School building is still underway! Pathways are being laid, connecting the Upper School to other buildings and pathways on campus, and outside grading and landscaping work is also in progress. See the "construction cam" photos (and time-lapse video) 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 Apr. 12, 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.
The SSFS PA reps worked with Associate Dir. of Communications Julie Mendez to redesign the SSFS Parent Portal page, in order to provide easy access to tools and resources needed during Virtual Learning. Highlights include icons/links to Finalsite LMS, Virtual School FAQs, and the SSFS newsletter up top, along with the LS, MS, and US day schedules, and parent Zoom meeting info. Scroll down for a "Virtual School Resources and Support" section for helpful information like a virtual "bulletin board" for parents to share anything from articles and activities to recipes and online learning tips. Log in and check it out! Although our campus is closed, our community looks forward to speaking with prospective families to share what makes SSFS so special in our Virtual Discover Day. Hear from teachers, parents, and students; participate in online Q&A sessions; and gain special access to our Admissions Virtual Discover Day page. RSVP Today! Associate Dir. of Communications Julie Mendez has created a landing page to help the SSFS community stay connected as we navigate our off-campus Virtual Learning experience. See the landing page here, and check out the "Virtual School in Action" web page, which features stories of how our community continues to thrive, find their passions, connect, and live up to our School’s motto, “Let Your Lives Speak.” Be sure to check out the 'Beest message board, showing notes from community members! See a list of links to our virtual learning environment, FAQS, and resources here.
Lower School "Must-Know" Info for Apr. 12, 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.
As we continue in our virtual learning mode, LS parents are invited to sign up for virtual Spring Parent Teacher Touchpoint Conferences during the week of April 13-17. Please also see some questions to consider in advance of your virtual Parent Teacher Conference to help make sure we address your child's needs. If the times offered do not work for your schedule, please contact your child’s teacher directly to find a mutually convenient time to connect. Thank you so much!
Middle School "Must-Know" Info for Apr. 12, 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.
As we would normally have done at this time of year, mid-year survey links have been emailed to parents, faculty, and students. Your feedback will help us in planning for next school year, as well as helping us as we continue to fine tune how we are implementing our virtual learning. If you have not already completed the survey, please take a few minutes to do so. Your participation is greatly appreciated. Middle School faculty and staff are in the process of creating some virtual electives to offer to our students this spring. Sign-up information will be going out to students soon - stay tuned!
Upper School "Must-Know" Info for Apr. 12, 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.
And coming up soon/to put on your radar:
Erin Hall's Upper School Photography class has just finished week two of a six-week photo project exploring "Life through the eyes of a quarantined student." Joel E-W '20 took an arresting close-up photo of a beautiful spring flower with an abandoned parking lot in the background that will be included in his 10-photograph body of work, along with an accompanying poem. In Joel's words, the photo shows "that no matter how desperate a situation seems, hope always sprouts like the first flower in the spring." Click here to see Joel's photo and poem. Congratulations to SSFS Sophomore Talia T. for making the Washington Post's All-Met Honorable Mention, and Montgomery County Women’s Basketball Association All-Private School 2nd Team! These are just a couple of her many great accomplishments this year, which also include:
The College Counseling staff is continuing to meet with seniors as they are settling on their plans for next year, while also continuing to meet with juniors virtually to plan for next year and discuss aspirations for college and life after SSFS. Students and parents can request initial and follow-up meetings with Chris and Candice through their Calendly online schedules (Candice’s calendar: https://calendly.com/cashton; Chris’s calendar: https://calendly.com/chrismillerssfs) or via email. Click here for links to recent communications from the college counseling staff. The Learning Resources Collaborative (LRC) staff invite students and staff to submit a cartoon for inclusion in their weekly cartoonletter--giving full credit to the artist of course. You can draw it on a computer, an iPad, or just on a napkin and then take a picture and email it to us as late as you wish before the publication of the next installment of CogitareBeestia every Tuesday evening at 4:00 pm. We look forward to your submissions! The buzzers in Eduardo’s classroom may be gathering dust during our quarantine, but the minds of our Quizards are as sharp as ever! In the spirit of together, while apart, Quiz Bowl Coordinator Eduardo Polón recently kicked off SSFS Virtual Quiz Bowl Club on Friday afternoon’s during Academic Help. 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! On Friday, April 10, nearly two dozen participants, including Head of School Tom Gibian and Upper School Program Coordinator & Registrar Meredith Shankle, tested their acumen, enjoyed one another’s company, and learned a thing or two along the way. With questions, answers and laughter flying fast, SSFS Virtual Quiz Bowl Club has become a great way to stay connected!
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 Apr. 12 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! Bella Vita Farm in Brookeville is continuing to take orders for pickup at their greenhouse (4901 Brookeville Rd, Brookeville, MD 20833) on Saturdays between 10 am - 2 pm, or by appointment on Sundays. (Please check the Bella Vita Facebook page for Monday-Friday hours; the phone number for the greenhouse is 240-844-1444 option 3.) Click HERE to learn more and to order fresh pastured eggs, fresh lettuce, micro greens, kale, and herbs. Orders must be placed by 9:00 am Saturday for pick-up on Saturday afternoon. 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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