HEADLINES……………………….March
1, 2013
March 1st is one of my favorite
days of the year. This particular March 1st is cold, cloudy, and
gray, but January and February are officially behind us now and the approach of
spring is undeniable. The angle of the sun has changed, the light arrives
earlier each morning and lingers a little longer each evening, and the birds
are singing new songs and eyeing each other with meaningful glances. Spring is coming
and I’m struck once again by the miracle of it.
I don’t
recall that I was always as aware of the changing seasons as I am now. I don’t
know if my increased awareness is a function of age, or if I’ve just begun to
pay more attention to important things, but I suspect it’s the former. I
watch children playing outdoors each day, and I wonder sometimes if they’re
immune to temperature extremes. Many of them would dash onto the playground
without coats if we didn’t remind them, and the number of winter jackets in our
Lost & Found box proves that kids see them more as decorative accessories
than actual necessities. Children are aware of the high points of the seasons.
They look forward to snow and Halloween and the Fun Fair and summer swimming,
but I think many of the small nuances escape them---small nuances that keep me
riveted for hours. Is this because my remaining seasons are limited and
countable, while children’s seasons seem to stretch out before them with no end
in sight?
In any case,
spring is creeping toward us, and although winter may try to re-assert itself
during the next few weeks, it’s a losing battle. Soon Friends School will
soon be full of springtime energy and the wonderful fresh air scent
of children who’ve been outside playing on a sunny day. Another school
year will be racing toward a conclusion. For now, though, I will just
appreciate March 1st.
Happy Spring
Break to all of you! We’ll see you on March 11.
Mary Ziegler
ANNOUNCEMENTS
& REMINDERS:
--Thanks to all
of you who attended parent-teacher conferences this week. Our teachers
appreciated the opportunity to touch base with you, as well as your kind words
for them and their work. Your children can only benefit from the gentleness,
kindness, and civility they see modeled by their parents and teachers every
day.
--If you have not
yet returned your re-enrollment form for next year, please do so by March 11.
Knowing your plans enables us to make our plans for classrooms, new admissions,
and staffing.
--Financial aid
applications were due on February 16 and our Financial Aid Committee has begun
its work. If you’d intended to submit an application, but have not yet done
so---please put it on your ‘to do’ list for Spring Break week. You can apply
online at www.sss.nais.org/parents. You should complete the PFS
(Parents Financial Statement.)
--We’ve scheduled
a K-8 Admissions Open House for Friday, March 15 from 9:30 a.m. – 1:00
p.m. If you can lend a hand as a tour guide/parent greeter, Mary would
love to hear from you.
--Earth Day
probably seems far away, but because we’re planning a big day, we’re asking for
help early. The day will be focused on becoming more aware of our watershed and
the impact we all have on it. We are planning water-testing field trips,
service projects around the school grounds, and a culminating musical
celebration. We’ll need help in the form of field trip chaperones, service
project helpers, and tool lenders. Mark your calendars for April 22. A
volunteer form will be sent home in early April, so start thinking of how you
might like to help.
--And a note from
Tr. Lisa … Thanks to all who ordered
seeds and supported our seed sale. We had a very successful fund raising effort
and were able to raise just over $750 for the Red Cross disaster relief
efforts. We sent the seeds home with students in backpacks, so if you have not
found them yet, please take a look. Have a wonderful Spring Break and
happy planting!
