Gracious Students and Some Goodbyes
I was a little under the weather this week and found myself at home for a few days. However, in my brief time at school I was able to witness some wonderful happenings. This morning, as I was making coffee in the kitchen, I saw Christopher Fletcher and Jane Biddle open the door and greet everyone as they entered the building. At the end of the day, I saw Kaliey, Maya, Beebs, and other older students intently sharing books with their reading buddies. Open doors and the sound of a whole school reading is good for what ails you.
When I first became head of school, one of the most pressing issues was the development office. We were six months without a development director and the cracks were beginning to show. Beth Giles, who was a member of the board and development committee, took on the additional role of helping with the search. Through our numerous conversations on the position and its responsibilities, it became obvious to me that we did not have to look too far for our new director. We both saw areas where she could make a difference. And she has made a wonderful difference. We are very grateful for her efforts to bring our development focus back to life. However, she never intended to make a long-term commitment and after having focused her work on specific areas in the last year and a half, she now feels it is a good time for the development office to be turned over to someone new while she returns to her former area of expertise in information systems. Fortunately, Beth will be here through the school year and will remain a local advisor and supporter of Friends education. When you see her, please take a moment to say thank you for all of her hard work.
We also say goodbye today to Nicole and Skye, two PSU students who did their classroom placement in Teachers Dorothy’s and Teacher Tim’s classrooms. It was a great experience for them and for our students. We wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors.
Reminders
Fun Fair – Our annual Fun Fair is almost here. Now is the time to be visualizing warm sunny weather. Please contact Diane at the front desk to sign up. Fun Fair is scheduled for Saturday, May 1, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Field Trips – Several field trips are scheduled during the remaining weeks of school. Almost every class has a destination this month. The younger grades will be more local while the 5/6 class is scheduled for a trip to Ithaca for science and nature next week. During the week of May 9th, our 7th and 8th graders will be on a service trip to New Orleans. Look for email updates from them during their adventure.
Camping Trip – The annual all-school camping trip is scheduled for May 27 and 28. Please look for the letter from Mary with all the details soon.
May School Lunches – Due to the large number of field trips that are occurring on Fridays in April and May, we will have to do some juggling of the school lunch schedule. Please consult your teacher’s classroom newsletter for details.
Please enjoy your weekend
Dan
