Subject: US Weekly Newsletter: 5-28-17
From: "Sidwell Friends School" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 28 May 2017 13:01:23 +0000

May 28, 2017

Principal's Letter

MESSAGE FROM MAMADOU

Dear Friends,

The final exam period is upon us! Here is the testing schedule:

May 30: Review day
May 31: Reading day (students are not required to be at school)
June 1: Math
June 2: Science
June 5: Languages
June 6: English
June 7: History

Exams will begin at 10:00 a.m. and end at noon each day. Students who qualify for extended time will begin testing at 9:30 a.m. Exam locations and other details will be sent by email. Questions about extended time on exams should be directed to Michelle Schneck. General questions about exams should be directed to Min Kim. If a student is unable to take an exam due to illness, please email [email-masked] and Min Kim to schedule a make-up exam.

Our 12th graders are wrapping up their senior projects and will return to campus this week to defend their projects and rehearse for graduation. Additionally, Upper School psychologist Kasaan Holmes has developed a special program for seniors on Friday, June 2, from 10 a.m. to noon. Dr. Holmes, along with alumni and faculty with expert knowledge, will offer workshops for seniors on the topics of consent, bystander training, and responsible decision making. Our hope is to raise awareness of these issues so our seniors can be safe as they venture off to college.

Finally, I want to remind seniors and their parents to attend the Senior Family Meeting for Worship on June 4 at 4:00 p.m. in the RLS Meeting Room.

Warmly,

Mamadou Guèye
Upper School Principal

Announcements

NEWS FROM THE NURSE

Now is the time for all Middle and Upper School parents to update their students' health forms for the 2017/18 school year. If your child will be attending Sidwell Friends in the fall, please sign in to the Parent Portal and click on the "Health Forms" link. When you log in, you will need to click on each of your children's names individually to see what forms are required for their upcoming grade level. Please note that all forms must be submitted online via Magnus Health. No paper health forms will be accepted at the School.

Annual Physical Exams: All students are required to have a physical examination during the 12-month period immediately preceding the first day of the new school year. You will receive an automated email reminder directly from Magnus Health seven weeks prior to the expiration of your child's last physical exam. The SFS Physician's Report must be completed and signed by a healthcare practitioner and submitted to the School via the "Health Forms" link in the Parent Portal.

If you find that you are unable to provide the School with an updated physician's report by the expiration date of your child's last physical exam, you may have his or her healthcare practitioner write a note indicating that your child "is cleared to participate in physical and other school-related activities until his/her next physical exam, scheduled on ... ." This note will suffice until the scheduled physical exam occurs. Once completed, the SFS Physician's Report should be submitted via the Parent Portal.

Immunizations: In accordance with DC law, all students must submit documentation that they have been vaccinated against specific illnesses before the school year begins. The DC Department of Health requires Tdap, meningitis, and HPV immunizations for students who are 11 or older, entering 6th through 12th grade.

No student will be allowed to attend school without a Certificate of Immunization unless that student has been exempted in accordance with the law. In order for a student to be exempted from providing certification of immunization, parents must complete the medical contraindication or religious objection section of the Maryland Immunization Form on an annual basis and submit it to Magnus Health via the Parent Portal.

Have questions? Please contact Director of Health Services Jasmin Whitfield at 202-537-8130.

LEARNSERVE FELLOWS PROGRAM: SEEKING LEADERS, INNOVATORS, AND PROBLEM SOLVERS

LearnServe is looking for rising 10th and 11th graders with the passion to make a difference and the commitment and motivation to take action for the 2017/18 LearnServe Fellows Program. You'll join peers from schools across the DC area to develop your skills as leaders and entrepreneurs.

As a LearnServe Fellow, you will have the opportunity to create your own organization, nonprofit, business, or campaign to serve your school or community. Previous projects include

a college scholarship program for children of incarcerated parents

after-school science, math, and foreign language programs

an app that prevents texting while driving

a schoolwide disaster-relief fundraiser

sports, nutrition, and health workshops for kids

Information about the LearnServe Fellows Program, including the application, is available online. The program meets on Thursday afternoons from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., typically at the School without Walls in Washington, DC, on the George Washington University campus near the Foggy Bottom Metro. LearnServe Fellows are selected from more than 30 high schools across DC, Maryland, and Virginia.

The deadline is June 10. Please contact Shoshanna Sumka with any questions.

Events

US SENIOR CELEBRATION WITH PBS, PLAS, AND PAS: MAY 30

Please join us as we celebrate our Class of 2017 students of color. Parents, students, and faculty members from all three divisions are cordially invited to join the Parents of Black Students (PBS), Parents of Latino Students (PLAS), and Parents of Asian Students (PAS) for an end-of-year graduation celebration dinner on Tuesday, May 30, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Upper School dining room. Come and enjoy this opportunity to honor our graduates and reconnect with families and friends before the summer is upon us.

If you have any questions, please contact Georgine Newman-Alawode or Nicole Lang.

MEET AND GREET WITH KEITH LEVINTHAL: MAY 31

Please join us for coffee in the Rubenstein Gallery and lobby of the RLS Meeting Room from 7:45 to 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 31, to welcome our incoming athletic director, Keith Levinthal, to Sidwell Friends. Although Keith does not officially start work until July, he is in town for the day and excited to join us on campus. Please RSVP if you are interested.

HOST FAMILY RECEPTION, PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE: MAY 31

Many Sidwell Friends families have generously hosted exchange students in their homes over the years. We want to thank you for your contribution to the School's mission of furthering global understanding by celebrating the end of another school year with students from the Ramallah Friends School and sister schools in China.

If you are a current host family, have hosted in the past, or have wondered if you might like to host in the future, please join us on Wednesday, May 31, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the Zartman House Bernstein Drawing Room. We will toast current host families and share their stories and experiences. Students and siblings are welcome. Please RSVP to Shoshanna Sumka.

SENIOR ARTS PERFORMANCES: MAY 31, JUNE 1–3, AND 6

The Arts Committee is happy to announce this year's senior arts performances. Every year, each senior takes a few weeks to prepare a final project. The following projects are performances that are open to the entire SFS community.

These performances are suitable for all audiences:

Wednesday, May 31, 7:00 p.m.: Joelle Walker, marimba recital, Upper School choral room
Thursday, June 1, 7:00 p.m.: Stacy Chen, piano recital, Upper School choral room
Friday, June 2, 7:30 p.m.: Alana Barry, vocal and piano recital, Caplin Theater

These theater performances may not be suitable for younger viewers. Discretion is advised.

Saturday, June 3, 1:00 p.m.: Annie Mogilnicki, theater performance, Middle School drama studio
Monday, June 6, 7:00 p.m., and Tuesday, June 7, 7:00 p.m.: Milan Vivanco, theater performance, Rosenberg Theater

Please join us in celebrating the arts with these seniors. Lemonade and cookies will be served after each event.

TIME CHANGE! ALUMNI-SENIOR DINNER: JUNE 2

Seniors are invited to attend the Alumni-Senior Dinner on Friday, June 2, hosted by the Alumni Office. Students will gather in the RLS Meeting Room to hear a panel of college alumni speak about their experiences transitioning to college from SFS, followed by an early dinner in the Athletic Center lobby and Rusch Team Room. During dinner, seniors will receive their yearbooks and participate in various alumni-focused activities.

Please note that the panel will now begin at 4:00 p.m. and dinner will start at 5:00 p.m. If students or parents have any questions, please email Anna Wyeth or call her at 202-537-8441.

SENIOR CELEBRATION: JUNE 3

The Senior Celebration for the Class of 2017 will take place on Saturday, June 3, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the Kogod Arts Center. Please plan to arrive at 6:00 p.m. sharp, so you will have time to eat dinner and mingle. The show starts just before 7:00 p.m., and the content is a surprise for our seniors. If you have not responded to the Evite already, please do so. You should include your senior in the number of attendees (e.g., for two parents attending with their senior, RSVP for three people). Dress is casual, but we encourage parents and students to follow the class theme, "IGN17E," by wearing yellow, orange, or red.

Remember that parent participation is part of the show. Thanks to so many for coming to last Tuesday's all-parent rehearsal! Our second and last rehearsal is on Wednesday, May 31, at 8:00 p.m. in the Caplin Theater. These rehearsals are for parents only. We know this is a busy time, but it is really important that we have a chance to rehearse for the show portion of the celebration. We look forward to seeing you there!

–Peggy Dotzel and Jackie Roberts, Senior Celebration Chairs

COMMUNITY IFTAR: JUNE 4

Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic lunar calendar, began after sunset on Friday, May 26. During the lunar month, Muslim students who are able to do so will refrain from all food and drink from sunrise until sunset, seeking spiritual reflection throughout the month.

An important part of Ramadan is the opportunity to break the day's fast together as a community. All SFS families are cordially invited to the first community Iftar on Sunday, June 4, at 7:30 p.m., hosted by the families of Muslim students at Sidwell Friends and co-hosted by the Parents of Asian Students. This will be an interfaith event open to all.

The event will start in the Robert L. Smith Meeting Room with a dialogue on the act of fasting as it is expressed in various faiths, how Ramadan is practiced around the world, and the significance of Ramadan to students at Sidwell Friends. This will be followed by a Q&A session and a community meal at sunset, 8:30 p.m., in the Arts Center lobby. If you would like to join, please RSVP here by June 1.

Other

QUAKER QUOTES AND QUESTIONS

What are Quaker meetings like in other countries?

Our columnist has attended Quaker meetings in Ghana (Hill House in Accra), the West Bank (Ramallah Friends Meeting), and Kenya (Nairobi Friends Silent Meeting).

Unprogrammed Quaker meetings are remarkably the same throughout the world. There are typically seats or benches on all four sides of the room, with or without a facing bench. Some meetings start with someone reading a quote from Faith and Practice, while in other meetings, a quote is read 10 minutes into the hour. In certain countries, people may spend time silently reading a text. I've noticed that such meetings tend to be quieter than many American meetings.

The rise of meeting is often very similar to its American counterparts: Whoever is sitting Head of Meeting for that week closes the meeting by shaking hands with his or her neighbor. Sometimes a song is sung, typically from Worship in Song: A Quaker Hymnal, either before or after shaking hands. Next come announcements and the welcoming of visitors. Friends who are visiting from other meetings often announce themselves by saying, "I bring you greetings from ... " and then the name of their home meeting or other group, such as Sidwell Friends School. People also drop offerings in an unadorned wooden box.

In Ramallah, meetings include expatriates teaching at Ramallah Friends School, who mix with Palestinians in worship. In Nairobi, they involve a mixture of African, European, and South Asian Kenyans. In Ghana, I have always been the only person who isn't a Ghanaian native. One interesting thing about Hill House Meeting in Accra is that it is held beneath a roof without walls, so Friends are surrounded by open air in all seasons.

Quaker quotes alternate with questions about Quakerism in this newsletter feature. To ask a question about Quaker history or practices, email our Sidwell Friends Quaker Life Committee's authors at [email-masked].

Calendar

Monday - May 29, 2017

Memorial Day - School Closed

All day

Tuesday - May 30, 2017

US Review Day

USSC Meeting for 2017-18 Team

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Tyler Rusch Team Room

PAS/PBS/PLaS Senior Dinner

6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

US Dining Room & Robert L. Smith Meeting Room

Wednesday - May 31, 2017

US Reading Day

Senior Project Marimba Recital - Joelle Walker

7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Choral Music Room in the Arts Center

Senior Celebration Parent Rehearsal

8:00 PM - 9:30 PM

Caplin Theater

Thursday - June 1, 2017

US Exam #1 - Math

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Senior Project Piano Recital - Stacy Chen

7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Choral Music Room in the Arts Center

Friday - June 2, 2017

US Exam #2 - Science

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Alumni Senior Dinner

3:00 PM - 5:30 PM

Robert L. Smith Meeting Room, Rusch Team Room and Athletic Center Lobby

Senior Project Chinese-English Vocal/Piano Recital - Alana Barry

7:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Mary Ellen Caplin Theater in the Arts Center

Saturday - June 3, 2017

Senior Project Theater Performance - Annie Mogilnicki

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Middle School Drama Studio

Senior Celebration

6:00 PM

Arts Center Courtyard and Caplin Theater

Sunday - June 4, 2017

PA-LS Reunion for Class of 2017

1:30 PM - 3:30 PM

Lower School Campus

Senior Meeting for Worship

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Robert L. SMith Meeting Room

Community Iftar

7:30 PM - 9:30 PM

Robert L. Smith Meeting Room and Lobby

Monday - June 5, 2017

US Exam #3 - Language

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Commencement Rehearsal for All seniors

1:30 PM - 4:30 PM

Zartman House and Athletic Center

Tuesday - June 6, 2017

US Exam #4 - English

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Senior Project - Acting - Milan Vivanco

7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Rosenberg Theater

Wednesday - June 7, 2017

US Exam #5 - History

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

US Arts Guild

12:30 PM - 3:00 PM

RLS Meeting Room

Commencement Rehearsal - All Seniors

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Zartman House & Garden

Class of 2017 Commencement Rehearsal

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Zartman House & Class of 1960 Garden

Senior Project - Acting - Milan Vivanco

7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Rosenberg Theater

Thursday - June 8, 2017

Last Day of Classes (all divisions)

All day

Friday - June 9, 2017

Upper School Commencement

10:30 AM

Upper School Weekly Newsletter Submissions

How to Submit an Article to the Newsletter. Fill out the form at www.sidwell.edu/submit by 12:00 p.m. Thursday.

Note about 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].

The Upper School Weekly Newsletter is a forum for communication among parents and is designed to provide announcements about school events or information.

Sidwell Friends School

3825 Wisconsin Ave. NW • Washington, DC 20016 • 202-537-8100

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