The calendar information below is for all-school, cross-divisional events and activities in the coming weeks. Please see the Lower School, Middle School, or Upper School sections for division-specific "must-know" info.

• Tues-Fri, Aug. 22-26: Faculty Opening Meetings and Professional Development
• Mon, Aug. 28: Orientation activities in all three divisions:
  * Lower School Family Orientation, 8:30-9:15 am in the Performing Arts Center;
  * Upper School Parent Orientation, 8:30-10:00 am, Athletic Center Multipurpose Room; Upper School New 10th-12th Grade Student Orientation, 8:30 am - 3:00 pm, starting in the Athletic Center Multipurpose Room;
  * Middle School Orientation for 6th Grade and New 7th & 8th Grade Students and Families, 12:30-3:00 pm, Middle School
  * Lower School Class Visits, 9:15-10:30 am, LS Classrooms
  * PA Welcome Back Brunch, 10:00-12:30 outside the Performing Arts Center (rain location: inside the PAC)
  * Lower School Get-Acquainted Conferences, 10:30-2:00 pm
• Tues, Aug. 29: First Day of Classes for all Students!
• Wed, Aug. 30: A reminder that SSFS has an early dismissal time on Wednesday afternoons: 2:15 pm for LS and 2:35 in the MS and US.
• Mon, Sept. 4: NO SCHOOL - Labor Day
• Sat, Sept. 16: Friends Day, 4:00-7:00 pm. Enjoy an afternoon of fun and community with live music, inflatables, face painting, pizza, popcorn, Kona ice, volleyball, and more!

School supplies? Check! Health forms? Submitted! Now that everyone is gearing up and getting excited for the coming school year, here are few things you can do now, before the busy back-to-school schedule begins, to make sure you stay connected throughout the year. (Hint: by reading this newsletter, you are already doing one of them!) Director of Communications Margaret Rosser will be going over some of this information at each division's orientation meetings on Monday, August 28. See Top 10 Ways to Stay Connected at SSFS...

Registration is still open for Aftercare and Bus Transportation for the 2017-2018 school year.

AFTERCARE:

• Lower School Aftercare registration is available via the Kids After Hours program.
• Middle School Aftercare registration is available via MyBackPack (under My Forms/Documents > Program Registration) here.

BUS INFORMATION (from Cathryn Carnevale):
There is still time to sign up for the bus! Please take a look at our website for bus route and fee information and register via MyBackPack (under My Forms/Documents > Program Registration)

If your US or MS student will be involved in sports and needs a ride after practice, don't forget that we also provide a free after school sports shuttle bus. It departs SSFS at 5:45 pm from the Middle School circle. This bus first travels to Glenmont Metro and then on to the Shady Grove Metro (stops at the bottom Kiss & Ride). This service runs from Tuesday, August 29th through Friday, May 25, 2018.

There are two more bits of transportation information. Bus billing occurs in October and January, which gives you time to determine if your child's bus schedule and/or location is, or is not working for you. Then you have time to communicate any necessary changes. Families should make changes to their busing plan BEFORE December 1, to receive prorated credits.

Finally, please remember, every Wednesday school dismisses one hour early. This means the afternoon buses will arrive one hour earlier than the published times.

Save the date! The Parents Association Friends Day is Saturday, Sept. 16 from 4:00-7:00 pm! We hope to see you there to...

• Enjoy live music
• Experience the thrill of fun inflatables
• Ride the SSFS Express Train around campus
• Bring a picnic blanket and enjoy pizza & popcorn on us
• Step up to the Kona Ice Truck for yummy frozen treats
• Paint your face
• Get your game on in our community volleyball game
• Learn about PA events & sign up to volunteer

Stop by and say hello to friends old and new during the PA Welcome Back Brunch, Orientation Day, Monday, August 28, between 10:00 am – 12:30 pm! Assuming good weather, we'll be set up in the tent just outside the Performing Arts Center (rain location – inside the PAC). We hope to see you there!

The Parent Association is made up of ALL school parents and guardians, so we look forward to seeing you at many upcoming events as the year unfolds. Our first meeting of the year will be Friday, September 8, at 8:15 am in the Athletic Center Multipurpose Room, and everyone is welcome! Click here to see other PA events throughout 2017-18. Also, please visit the PA Website to see the 2017-18 PA reps and sign up to volunteer at one of our many fun events throughout the year.

Check out the information provided in the SSFS Back-to-School mailing, available online here. (Please note that the Friends Day times listed in the PA Welcome Letter were incorrect; the correct times, 4:00-7:00 pm on Saturday, Sept. 16, are posted in the updated letter online.) This page, as well as other useful links and resources such as the 2017-18 Community Handbook, MyBackPack, and Finalsite Learn, can be accessed on the Parent Portal page of our website.

Although it's still hot out, we are already thinking about WINTERFEST! We have a new date for the coming year: Winterfest 2017 will be held before Thanksgiving, Saturday, Nov. 18--before the holiday rush. If you would like to help with planning of this fun community event (find out more about Winterfest here), please email pa.clerk@ssfs.org.

Do you ever wish you had a way to "connect" to the SSFS community of families about topics not part of the traditional school day or school related events? Maybe you've wondered if any of those nice high school students babysit, or if any parents know of a good violin teacher. Maybe you are looking for a plumber, a travel agent, or someone to work out with? Want to start a hiking group, a meditation group, or need help moving furniture??

Online communities abound these days, so the SSFS PA has created one (via Shutterfly) for our wonderful community of families. This is an opt-in choice open to current and alumni families for all divisions, home stay and boarding parents. The site is moderated by parent volunteers to ensure we don't misuse the tool for problems an online community can't address, and don't duplicate or replace what is official school business that belongs on other communication sites.

We hope this tool will be an additional way to support connections across this diverse community of families who share the choice of SSFS for their children. Please fill out this quick online form to opt-in. Questions? Please contact Nikol Jackson or Kathleen Landers.

Each Thursday from 2:30-5:00 pm throughout the fall (weather permitting), Farmer Joe's SSFS Farm Stand will be open so that all families can enjoy our organic produce, grown here on campus. Seasonal local fruit from nearby farms are also available. Produce for sale next week will include sweet and hot peppers, heirloom tomatoes, rainbow chard, red yard long beans, basil, purple potatoes, cut flowers, and honey from our campus farm. See you there!

When you drive on to campus this fall, please take a look at the spectacular stone and ceramic mural at the three-way stop. Curious about how this beautiful piece of work came about? Click here to read the story of the mural and its 44,000 stones, as told by Kate Santorineos and Michelle Higgins!

Below is information about upcoming LS events. For questions or more information about an event, please contact Pam Gilmer, LS Administrative Assistant, at ext. 112 or pam.gilmer@ssfs.org.

• Mon, Aug. 28: Orientation activities:
• * Lower School Family Orientation, 8:30-9:15 am in the Performing Arts Center;
  * Lower School Class Visits, 9:15-10:30 am, LS Classrooms
  * PA Welcome Back Brunch, 10:00-12:30 outside the Performing Arts Center (rain location: inside the PAC)
  * Lower School Get-Acquainted Conferences, 10:30-2:00 pm
• Tues, Aug. 29: First Day of Classes for all Students!
• Wed, Aug. 30: Lower School Get-Acquainted Conferences, 2:30-5:00 pm
• Wed, Aug. 30: A reminder that SSFS has an early dismissal time on Wednesday afternoons: 2:15 pm for LS and 2:35 in the MS and US.
• Mon, Sept. 4: NO SCHOOL - Labor Day
• Fri, Sept. 8: 4th Grade Retreat
• Mon, Sept. 11: Lower School Yearbook Photos (more info to come soon)
• Thurs, Sept. 14: Lower School Back-to-School Night, 6:30-8:30 pm. LS parents/guardians are invited to come to the campus Meeting House at 6:30 pm for opening remarks by Brenda Crawley, LS Head. Parents will then move on to their child's classroom for an overview by the classroom teacher(s). Remember to bring your calendar as there will be opportunities to sign up to volunteer to chaperone field trips and other activities throughout the year.
• Sat, Sept. 16: Friends Day, 4:00-7:00 pm. Enjoy an afternoon of fun and community with live music, inflatables, face painting, popcorn, ice cream, fun sports, and more!

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 Meredith Shankle, MS Administrative Assistant, at ext. 160 or meredith.shankle@ssfs.org.

• Tues-Fri, Aug. 22-26: Faculty Opening Meetings and Professional Development
• Mon, Aug. 28: Orientation activities:
  * PA Welcome Back Brunch, 10:00-12:30 outside the Performing Arts Center (rain location: inside the PAC)
  * Middle School Orientation for 6th Grade and New 7th & 8th Grade Students and Families, 12:30-3:00 pm, Middle School
• Tues, Aug. 29: First Day of Classes for all Students! Middle School sports and aftercare begin.
• Wed, Aug. 30: A reminder that SSFS has an early dismissal time on Wednesday afternoons: 2:15 pm for LS and 2:35 in the MS and US.
• Mon, Sept. 4: NO SCHOOL - Labor Day
• Thurs, Sept. 7: Middle School Back-to-School Night, 6:30-8:00 pm. All MS parents/guardians are invited to gather in the Middle School Collection Space for some introductory words at 6:30 pm, and then you will get a chance to visit each of your student's classes and meet their teachers. Please note that this is a parent/guardian-only event (no students).
• Wed, Sept. 13: MS Parent-Advisor Conferences, 2:45-5:30 pm, Middle School Collection Space
• Thurs, Sept. 14: School Photos for grades 6, 7, and 8 - Remember to bring your photo form and checks made payable to Stone Photography
• Fri, Sept. 15: MS 6th Grade Coffee & Conversation, 8:15-9:30 am, Scott House
• Sat., Sept. 16: Friends Day, 4:00-7:00 pm. Enjoy an afternoon of fun and community with live music, inflatables, face painting, popcorn, fun sports, and more!

Below is information about upcoming Upper School and all-school activities and events. For questions or more information about an event, please contact Shinae Byhouwer, US Administrative Assistant, at ext. 109 or shinae.byhouwer@ssfs.org.

• Tues-Fri, Aug. 22-26: Faculty Opening Meetings and Professional Development
• Fri, Aug. 25: Dorm opens for NEW dorm students at 12:00 noon. There is a welcome dinner for new boarding students and their families (and host families) from 6:00-8:00 pm in Westview.
• Sat, Aug. 26: Dorm open for all returning boarding students at 7:00 pm. All dorm students should arrive by 1:00 pm on Sunday for dorm student orientation activities.
• Sat, Aug. 26: SAT Test date
• Mon, Aug. 28: Orientation activities:
  * Upper School Parent Orientation, 8:30-10:00 am, Athletic Center Multipurpose Room; Upper School New 10th-12th Grade Student Orientation, 8:30 am-3:00 pm, starting in the Athletic Center Multipurpose Room;
  * PA Welcome Back Brunch, 10:00-12:30 outside the Performing Arts Center (rain location: inside the PAC)
• Tues, Aug. 29: First Day of Classes for all Students!
• Wed, Aug. 30: A reminder that SSFS has an early dismissal time on Wednesday afternoons: 2:15 pm for LS and 2:35 in the MS and US.
• Thurs, Aug. 31: Senior Photo Day - Group 1 (Sign up for photo session time online here) Note: Rain date for Aug. 31 sessions is Sept. 6
• Fri, Sept 1: Senior Photo Day - Group 1 (Sign up for photo session time online here) Note: Rain date for Sept. 1 sessions is Sept. 8

• Mon, Sept. 4: NO SCHOOL - Labor Day
• Wed, Sept. 6: US Parent-Advisor Conferences, 2:45-5:00 pm, Westview Dining Room
• Thurs, Sept. 7: School Photos for grades 9-11 - Remember to bring your photo form and checks made payable to Stone Photography
• Sat, Sept. 9: ACT Test date
• Tues, Sept. 12: Upper School Back-to-School Night, 6:0-9:00 pm. All US parents/guardians are invited to gather in the PAC theater for some introductory words at 6:30 pm, and then you will get a chance to visit each of your student's classes and meet their teachers. Please note that this is a parent/guardian-only event (no students).

• Sat, Sept. 16: Friends Day, 4:00-7:00 pm. Enjoy an afternoon of fun and community with live music, inflatables, face painting, popcorn, fun sports, and more!

Do you ever wish you had a way to "connect" to the SSFS community of families about topics not part of the traditional school day or school related events? Maybe you've wondered if any of those nice high school students babysit, or if any parents know of a good violin teacher. Maybe you are looking for a plumber, a travel agent, or someone to work out with? Want to start a hiking group, a meditation group, or need help moving furniture??

Online communities abound these days, so the SSFS PA has created one (via Shutterfly) for our wonderful community of families. This is an opt-in choice open to current and alumni families for all divisions, home stay and boarding parents. The site is moderated by parent volunteers to ensure we don't misuse the tool for problems an online community can't address, and don't duplicate or replace what is official school business that belongs on other communication sites.

We hope this tool will be an additional way to support connections across this diverse community of families who share the choice of SSFS for their children. Please fill out this quick online form to opt-in. Questions? Please contact Nikol Jackson or Kathleen Landers.