Headlines - August 31, 2012
For new and old parents – Headlines is a weekly email from
me (and sometimes Mary) that includes a few observations from the week and
information regarding school events. It
is sent to every current parent’s email address and posted as a blog on the
school’s website. - Dan
The First Week -As I write, our first week of school
is approaching its end. While it has
been exciting and filled with joys both big and small, I must say that it feels
very comfortable. Many teachers have
gotten right to work and the children have responded in kind. The rhythms are quickly being established and
I have observed many of our returning students assisting the new students
during the day. Sometimes though, things
don’t go as planned.
Today’s
Meeting for Worship* was especially notable.
This first meeting was intentionally short to give our new Kindergarten
students a gentle introduction to sustained silence. Afterwards, we held a short assembly where
teachers and new students were introduced.
At the end of meeting, students file out by grades and return to their
classrooms. Today, it turned into an
impromptu parade. Many of our K/1
students paused to wave at the rest of the school as they filed out of the
community room. I saw that some were
using the distinguished royal wave while others flapped their hand like a puppy’s
tail. I had to reach out and save one
young man from crashing into a bench as he was so intent on waving and looking
back at the other kids in the room. It
was absolutely charming and I could see a smile on every teacher. I know that as the year progresses, our
newest students will embrace meeting and its routines, but what a delightful
way to end our first one!
*Meeting
for Worship is a Quaker practice where we all gather together to seek God (also
known as the light, spirit, inner voice, etc) together. There are no sermons and children are asked
to sit in silence and try to find the light.
There can be a certain power in this collective silence but our first
meetings usually focus on getting everyone seated and used to being silent and
still.
Announcements
New Staff -Keena Corbett joins us as a school counselor and
K-4 music teacher. Keena has a Master’s in Education in School Counseling from
Wilmington University and a BA in Psychology from Penn State. She has worked with the SCASD as the Hearts
and Strides Program Director and as a counselor for Northwestern Human Services
in State College. Keena will also teach
music at Friends. She has experience as
a private music tutor and voice coach and is the the lead singer and songwriter
for the Keena band. We are very excited to have Keena
share her talents with us!
Potluck Suppers – Two potlucks are scheduled this
fall. A Potluck for the K/1 classes will
be held on Friday, September 7th from 5:30 to 7 pm. This supper is a way for our new parents to
meet and begin forming a parent classroom community. An all-school potluck is scheduled for
Friday, September 28th from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Potlucks are a wonderful way for our
community to come together in a relaxed and informal manner. Both events will be held in the Community
Room. We hope you will join us to make
new friends.
Back to School Night – Our annual Back to School Night
is scheduled for Thursday, September 13th. Please save the date, as it will be an
excellent time for you to find out about Friends School and become familiar
with your child’s classroom and teachers.
Look for more information about this event in the coming weeks.
Drop Off and Pick Up –Parents are asked to read the pick
up and drop off guidelines in your child’s Friday folder. Following these guidelines will help to keep
all of our students safe.
Please
enjoy the Labor Day Weekend
Dan
