Headlines -
February 15, 2013
Valentine’s Day - Yesterday was Valentine’s
Day and, as usual, it was a big day at school. The school was filled with
happy students sharing hearts filled with affirmations with each other and
taping them to doors of classrooms and offices. It is one of the great
charms of our school that we give and get these affirmations from each other.
As adults we all know that it does not happen enough. Wouldn’t it be
wonderful to share an affirmation each day with someone?
Special Announcement - I write this with a mix
of emotions for someone very special to Friends School. Last week,
Teacher Dorothy Habecker informed me that she would be retiring at the end of
this year. Teacher Dorothy has worked for over seventeen years at Friends
School at two different times. For the past ten years she has served as
our K/1 classroom teacher. Dorothy is a master teacher and an influential
Quaker presence at Friends. We are blessed to have her at the school.
Teacher Dorothy, who taught my daughter, and hundreds of
other daughters and sons, is retiring. As a parent, a flood of memories
comes to me. The way she spoke to Anna and made her feel special; how she
encouraged her to write and spell freely; how she went out of her way to keep
her excited about school. Dorothy supported and engaged all of her
students by being fair and kind, strong yet tender, and always having lots of
hugs and love to pass around. Besides helping the children grow, Dorothy also
served as a mentor for many of our staff. With her extensive classroom
experience, Quaker background, and knowledge of education, we all learned what
it means to be a teacher in a Quaker school.
Dorothy will be hard to replace. However, as much as I
(and everyone else) will miss her, I cannot help but be excited for her.
Dorothy may be leaving Friends but she has no intention of truly
retiring. She is already contemplating her next steps and is looking
forward to new callings, new adventures, and new challenges. I am excited
for her and can’t wait to see what she pursues in this new stage of her
life.
So this year, I will visit Dorothy’s classroom more often
and linger a little longer when I do. I want to observe her style and
manner with children. I want to remember and capture the way she manages
a class, teaches math, and guides morning meeting with five and six year
olds. I want to be able to pass this knowledge onto the next teacher so
that s/he can benefit from Dorothy’s experience. Because we are a Friends
School, I know the next K/1 teacher will continue in Dorothy’s footprints and
create a classroom environment that supports our school’s educational mission.
However, they will have big shoes to fill.
Announcements
Open House and Winter Play Day. – Tomorrow,
Saturday, February 16th, the Friends School will be hosting a
Winter Play Day and Open House. Parents are invited to join their
children, ages 3 to 7, for an open play time at the School. During this
time, parents of children of any age will have the opportunity to tour the
facility, ask questions and learn about our program. Time is from 9:30 to
12:00 noon. Refreshments will be served. Please help spread the work to
friends and neighbors. There will also be an open house at the
Friends Schoolhouse on this day from 9:30 to noon.
Middle School Open House. - The Friends middle
school program will be hosting an open house for all interested parents on
Thursday evening February 21st from 7 to 8pm. Parents will
have the opportunity to talk with teachers and administrators, tour the
classrooms, leran about the curriculum and hear a short presentation about the
program from teachers Bailey and Christy. This open to the public and we
encourage any parent who is interested to attend.
Science Fair – If your child wants to
participate in the Science Fair on March 18th, and has not yet
turned in a Science Fair form, please contact Tr. Bailey at invisiblesyme@gmail.com.
African Library Project - The 2/3 classrooms
and the Middle School are teaming up for a community service project, the
African Library Project. Our goal is to collect 1,000 used books
(K-8th grade level) as well as $500.00 to build a library in
Ghana. If you have any used books at home or spare change that you are
willing to give, our collection starts February 20th. The
Middle School plans to host a Bake Sale February 27th and all funds
benefit the African Library Project. Find out more about this incredible
community service project at http://www.africanlibraryproject.org/.
Conference Days – School will be closed on
Thursday and Friday February 28th and March 1st for parent - teacher
conferences. Please call the school or stop in at the front desk to make
an appointment. We will have child care on both days for families who
need it. Please call or email the school to claim your space.
Snow Days, Delayed
Openings, and Early Dismissals –On days when snow, ice or other
conditions might make for hazardous travel, parents should check local TV and
radio stations for news of school closings or delays. We try to make a
determination by 6:30 AM and post information on WPSU, WJAC-TV, most local
radio stations, and on our answering machine (237-8386). Since we ride
the same busses, we will usually follow the lead of the State College Area
School District. In the case of early dismissal, the school will contact
parents with a phone call or email. Parents who drop off their students
are responsible for arranging transportation home.
