Subject: SFS Wednesday Letter
From: <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 29 Feb 2012 01:30:00 -0500

Wednesday - February 29, 2012

		

		

		 

					

								From the School
                                
                                Message from Lee

	Course selection opens online today and will continue through Wednesday, March 14. We will be meeting both individually and in advisory to discuss planning with our advisees. If you have any questions, please contact your child&rsquo;s advisor and/or Mr. Gu&egrave;ye, Upper School Academic Dean. There will also be an Upper School Parent Conversation with Mr. Gu&egrave;ye and me to discuss course selection and curriculum on Thursday, March 8 from 7:30am to 8:30am in the Dining Room.
	
	Peace,
	
	Lee
Concussions
GuidelinesConcussion
	Concussion, aka mild Traumatic Brain Injury, is one of the most common injuries to children and adolescents. It is estimated that approximately 3 million children suffer a brain injury each year, about 90% of those are &ldquo;mild&rdquo;. Concussions can have a global effect on a child&rsquo;s functioning, affecting their learning, sleep, and mood in addition to common physical symptoms.
	
	Learn more about the signs and symptoms of a concussion, what to do if you suspect your child/student has a concussion, and common recommendations for activity restrictions/injury management following a concussion in this informational session with Dr. Julie Newman, PhD from Children&rsquo;s National Medical Center&rsquo;s Safe Concussion Outcome Recovery and Education (SCORE) program. Also learn about the new SFS Concussion Policy (attached to this newsletter) and the roles that school, parents, and students play in a successful recovery from concussion.
	
	The date for this meeting has just been set: Monday evening, March 5th, from 7-9 in the Robert L. Smith Meeting Room.
 Read MoreCommunity Service Family Project

	This Sunday March 4, 10 am - 2 pm. The SFS community is invited to work with Behrend Builders of the DCJCC, at Olaiya&#39;s Cradle located on Capitol Hill at 739 Eighth Street SE, Washington DC 20003. Olaiya&#39;s Cradle, a program of Sasha Bruce Youthwork, is a supportive, independent living program for homeless young mothers ages 18-21 and their children, for up to 18 months. Women are self-referred, and receive individual counseling, comprehensive maternal and infant health care, life skills training, education and career guidance, and child care support and parenting training to enable them to achieve self-sufficiency. Residents graduating from the program receive follow-up support and housing assistance to help them maintain stability.

	We will work under the supervision of the staff of Behrend Builders to refurbish this shelter by painting, doing hands-on service and maintenance work. Behrend Builders will provide all necessary tools and materials. No previous experience required, just your time and willingness to help others in need in the DC community. This service project is organized specially for SFS families and is suitable for 7th grade and up. For more information and/or to volunteer, please contact June Das Gupta by as soon as possible.
Seeking your  feedback

	Please join us for a Focus Group for Parents about SFS online tools, resources, and communication.
	 
	The Information Services Department is conducting a series of focus groups with faculty, students, and parents about our online resources.  The goal is to come to an understanding of what the community&rsquo;s needs are for online resources and communication.  We hope by having a thorough understanding of our needs, we can assess our current offerings and ultimately move towards a system that best meets our needs. We will present you with questions and encourage you to freely share your thoughts and ideas with us in order to help us gather this information.
	 
	Date: Tuesday, March 6
	Time: 7:45 AM &ndash; 8:30 AM
	Place: Zartman Drawing Room
	 
	Please stop in for this important conversation. We would like to hear from parents with a wide range of experience at the school to help us think about the way we can best serve the community. We will keep the conversation to 45 minutes.
	 
	Please RSVP to Jenni Swanson Voorhees  [email-masked]
	 
	We look forward to your insights!
Live Auction "Night-of" Volunteers Needed

	We&#39;re looking for volunteers to work the 2012 Auction on Saturday, April 21 on campus in the new Athletic Center. This assignment is unique: people on this committee can enjoy the evening at the Auction and help a great cause. Duties include: monitoring silent auction tables, closing sections, collecting and organizing items, handing out invoices, and disbursing items. No experience required and no meetings beforehand (we&#39;ll send instructions by email and provide training at the start of the evening). You just need to be ready, willing and available for the duration of the event -- and you&#39;ll have a fun auction experience! Contact Bart Hipple at 301-699-8373.

							
								PA Announcements
                                
                                Casserole Bake Thank You!

	A big thank you to all of the 10th grade families who contributed to make the Casserole Bake a huge success; with special thanks to the Michaels family for their generous contributions. We assembled 130 casseroles that were delivered to area shelters.  Thanks to everyone who contributed ingredients and helped with set up, assembly, clean up and delivery of the casseroles.  And thanks to the SFS dining room, building and grounds and security staff for their enthusiastic support of this project.
Bring us your shopping bags!

	This is the final week to donate your extra shopping bags to the Next to New Sale.  Please drop them in (1) the collection box outside Susannah Parker&#39;s office in the Upper School; (2) the collection box in the lobby of the Middle School; or (3) the collection box in the front hallway of Lower School.  The last day to drop off bags is Friday, March 2.  Paper bags, reusable cloth bags, Ikea bags, etc. are preferred.  If you miss the last pick-up this week, please save your shopping bags for the fall when we will be collecting them again before the sale.
Parents Council of Washington (PCW)

	All parents are invited to attend the PCW program on Thursday, March 1, 2012
	Topic: Encouraging Kindness in Our Schools: A Forum to Share How Schools Cultivate Kindness and Respond to Bullying
	8:30 am &ndash; 12 Noon National Presbyterian School, Washington, DC
	You can easily register using this link.
	We would also like to encourage you to listen to any of the past Webinars presented by the PCW, including:

		Teens and Alcohol Use: Implications on Mind and Body
	
		Sugar and Spice versus Puppy Dog Tails: How Boys and Girls Learn Differently
	
		Students in the Digital Age: How Technology Influences the Developing Brain
	
		From &ldquo;Ginger&rdquo; to &ldquo;Gay&rdquo;: Ad Hominem Attacks Do Break Bones
	
		Mollifying Video Game Ingestion to Combat Obesity and Diet Crises

	To listen to any of these at your own convenience, follow the registration instructions below. Questions? Contact Allison Tierney, Sidwell Representative.
 Read More

								Other News 
                                
                                Quaker Quotes

	With respect
	And reverence
	That the unknown
	Between us
	Might flower
	Into discovery
	And lead us
	Beyond
	The familiar field
	Blind with the weed
	Of weariness
	And the old walls
	Of habit.

	&quot;On Meeting a Stranger&quot;
	from &quot;To Bless the Space Between Us:  A Book of Blessings&quot;
	~ John O&#39;Donohue
US Wednesday Newsletter Information

	How to Submit an Article to the Wednesday Letter. Send submissions to [email-masked] by 2 pm Tuesday. Please reference &quot;Newsletter Submission&quot; and the publish date(s) in the subject line. Items should be submitted as text in the body of the e-mail. Please do not include any formatting such as indents, bullets, boldface or all-caps and keep submissions succinct. If you have a form or flyer to include with your submission, please send it as a PDF attachment to your email. Receipt of your submissions will be confirmed as soon as possible. Please be aware that submissions may not run for more than 3 weeks.

	Modifying an existing Submission: if it becomes necessary to modify a submission, please send a redline or otherwise clearly indicate the change to be made.

	Note Concerning the School Calendar: The calendar entries that appear in the right column of each Newsletter are automatically generated by the official school calendar and are not subject to editing by the Newsletter Editors. All changes or additions to the school calendar must be made through the school scheduling office, reachable at: [email-masked].
Subscribe/Unsubscribe

	How to Subscribe: to receive the Wednesday Letter via email, send an email to [email-masked] with only the word &quot;SUBSCRIBE&quot; in the subject line.

	How to Unsubscribe: if you wish to have your name removed from the subscription list, send an email to [email-masked] with only the word &quot;UNSUBSCRIBE&quot; in the subject line.

						 The Parents Association newsletters are a forum for communication among parents and provide announcements concerning School or PA events or information related to a School or PA event. 
						US newsletter submissions should be sent to [email-masked].

					

							
								
									 Calendar

									

												
												
	Wed, Feb 29th 
		
				US Musical Rehearsal 
				
				AC Theater
				6:00pm - 9:00pm

				

	Thu, Mar 1st 
		
				Lower School Conference Half-Day 

				12:15pm

				

	Fri, Mar 2nd 
		
				No School - LS Conference Day, MS/US Report Writing Day 

				

				

		
				Us Musical Rehearsal 
				
				AC Theater, Theatre Arts Studio
				1:00pm - 5:00pm

				

	Sat, Mar 3rd 
		
				GDS Jazz Festival 
				
				Off-Campus

				

				

	Sun, Mar 4th 
		
				US Community Service Family Service Project #2 
				
				Off Campus

				

				
		
				US Musical Rehearsal 
				
				AC Theater
				1:00pm - 5:00pm

				

	Mon, Mar 5th 
		
				US Musical Rehearsal 
				
				AC Theater
				6:00pm - 9:00pm

				

		
				Concussion Informational Session 
				
				Robert L. Smith Meeting Room
				7:00pm - 9:00pm

				

		
				Haiti trip meeting 
				
				US Room 210
				7:00pm - 9:00pm

				

	Tue, Mar 6th 
		
				Parent Focus Group for SFS Online Tools and Communication 
				
				Zartman Drawing Room
				7:45am - 8:45am

				

		
				US Musical Rehearsal 
				
				AC Theater
				6:00pm - 9:00pm

				

		
				Parents of Latino Students Meeting 
				
				Small Quaker Meeting Room
				7:00pm - 9:00pm

				

	Wed, Mar 7th 
		
				All-School PA Meeting with Anne Renninger 
				
				Athletic Center Meeting Room
				7:45am - 9:00am

				

		
				US Musical Rehearsal 
				
				AC Theater
				6:00pm - 9:00pm

				

	Thu, Mar 8th 
		
				9th - 11th Grade Parents Conversations with Lee Palmer and Mamadou Gueye 
				
				US Dining Room
				7:30am - 8:30am

				

		
				US Musical Rehearsal 
				
				AC Theater
				6:00pm - 9:00pm

				

	Fri, Mar 9th 
		
				All-School PA Executive Committee Meeting 
				
				Athletic Center Meeting Room
				8:00am - 9:00am

				

	Sat, Mar 10th 
		
				SAT Test at Sidwell 
				
				US Classrooms: 106, 108, 110, 112, 120, 126, 128, 130

				

				
		
				US Play / Musical Production Week 
				
				AC Theater
				1:00pm - 5:30pm

				

	Sun, Mar 11th 
		
				US Play / Musical Production Week 
				
				AC Theater
				12:00pm - 5:30pm

				

	Mon, Mar 12th 
		
				US PA Steering Committee 
				
				US Room 102
				4:30pm - 6:00pm

				

		
				US Musical Production Week 
				
				AC Theater, Arts Center Foyer
				5:00pm - 9:30pm

				

	Tue, Mar 13th 
		
				PA Athletic Committee Meeting 
				
				Athletic Center Meeting Room
				7:45am - 9:00am

				

		
				US Musical Production Week 
				
				AC Theater, Arts Center Foyer
				5:00pm - 9:30pm

				

		
				Senior Event Planning Committee Meeting 
				
				US Dining Room
				6:30pm - 10:00pm

				

	Wed, Mar 14th 
		
				PA 11th Grade Parent Peer Group Meeting 
				
				Zartman Drawing Room
				8:00am - 9:30am

				

		
				US Musical Production Week 
				
				AC Theater, Arts Center Foyer
				5:00pm - 9:30pm

				

	Thu, Mar 15th 
		
				US Musical Production Week 
				
				AC Theater, Arts Center Foyer
				5:00pm - 9:30pm

				

	Fri, Mar 16th 
		
				US Musical - Parade 
				
				AC Theater
				8:00pm

				

	Sat, Mar 17th 
		
				US Musical - Parade 
				
				AC Theater
				8:00pm

				

	Sun, Mar 18th 
		
				US Musical - Parade 
				
				AC Theater
				2:30pm

				

	Mon, Mar 19th 
		
				US Play Auditions 

				

				

	Tue, Mar 20th 
		
				US Play Auditions 

				

				

		
				12th Grade Parent Peer Group Meeting 
				
				Zartman Drawing Room
				7:00pm - 9:30pm

				

											More

									

									Athletics

									

                                                
												
	Sat, Mar 3rd 
		
				Lacrosse - Girls Varsity vs. Play Day 

				10:00am

				

	Mon, Mar 5th 
		
				Lacrosse - Boys Varsity vs. Walter Johnson HS 

				4:00pm

				

	Thu, Mar 8th 
		
				Lacrosse - Girls Varsity vs. Holy Child 

				4:15pm

				

		
				Lacrosse - Boys Varsity - Hun School (NJ) 

				4:30pm

				

		
				Baseball - Varsity at Riverdale HS 

				4:45pm

				

	Fri, Mar 9th 
		
				Softball - Varsity vs. Georgetown Day 

				4:00pm

				

		
				Tennis - Boys Varsity vs. St. Anselm's School 

				4:00pm

				

		
				Tennis - Boys Junior Varsity at St. Anselm's School 

				4:00pm

				

	Sat, Mar 10th 
		
				Baseball - Junior Varsity at St. John's College High School 

				11:00am

				

		
				Lacrosse - Boys Varsity - Baltimore Friends  

				11:00am

				

		
				Baseball - Varsity at St. John's College High School 

				3:00pm

				

	Tue, Mar 13th 
		
				Tennis - Boys Varsity at Landon 

				4:00pm

				

		
				Softball - Varsity at Potomac School 

				4:15pm

				

		
				Baseball - Varsity vs. Pallotti HS 

				4:30pm

				

	Wed, Mar 14th 
		
				Tennis - Boys Varsity vs. Field School 

				4:00pm

				

		
				Tennis - Boys Junior Varsity vs. Field School 

				4:00pm

				

		
				Softball - Junior Varsity vs. Field School 

				4:00pm

				

		
				Track & Field - Boys Varsity vs. Meet 

				4:00pm

				

		
				Lacrosse - Boys Varsity vs. St. Albans 

				4:30pm

				

	Thu, Mar 15th 
		
				Lacrosse - Girls Junior Varsity at Flint Hill 

				4:30pm

				

		
				Lacrosse - Girls Varsity at Flint Hill 

				5:45pm

				

	Fri, Mar 16th 
		
				Baseball - Junior Varsity at Riverdale HS 

				4:15pm

				

	Sat, Mar 17th 
		
				Lacrosse - Boys Varsity - D.C. Classic Gonzaga 

				

				

	Mon, Mar 19th 
		
				Baseball - Junior Varsity at Landon 

				4:15pm

				

	Tue, Mar 20th 
		
				Lacrosse - Girls Varsity vs. Field School 

				4:00pm

				

		
				Tennis - Boys Varsity vs. St. Andrew's School 

				4:15pm

				

		
				Tennis - Boys Junior Varsity at St. Andrew's School 

				4:15pm

				

		
				Baseball - Varsity vs. St. Andrew's School 

				4:15pm

				

		
				Softball - Varsity at National Cathedral School 

				4:15pm

				

		
				Lacrosse - Boys Varsity vs. Roosevelt HS 

				4:30pm

				

                                            More

									

							

				

		

		

		
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