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Dear Parents,
Last week, the nation’s education secretary, Betsy DeVos, rescinded guidelines issued last year by the Obama administration requiring that schools allow transgender students to use restrooms matching their chosen gender rather than their birth gender. The Secretary of Education and present administration feel that this policy is better left to state and local control and that it was an “overreach” on the part of the federal government. I could not disagree more. As an educator, I have had many opportunities to study and learn with my students. Often we notice similarities that occur between events and people and one cannot help drawing parallels between events. For example, anyone with a cursory knowledge of the events that led to America’s Civil War, knows that the concept of states’ rights was sung by Southern politicians to drown out a growing chorus of voices demanding an end to slavery. This same song had choruses added during the Civil Rights era of the 1960’s and, apparently, is still being sung today in regards to the LBGTQ community. In addition, an associated tune of fear of others is often heard. One of the justifications that I have read from those who oppose self-identification of gender is that they fear some will take advantage of the situation so they can enter a bathroom or locker room and harass the occupants. Repealing a guideline will not make this scenario go away and has no basis in truth. Rescinding the guidelines only makes it easier to discriminate against a minority by subjecting them to additional barriers and ridicule. Finally, I believe that repeal of these guidelines will be seen as license by others to continue their violence and discrimination against the LBGTQ community. This is a community that already suffers too frequently from the ignorance and fear of others. There is a need for all of us to work together to overcome petty fears, drive out hate, and seek understanding. We need to change the tune. As always, State College Friends School, and all Friends schools, are committed to the Quaker testimonies of equality, peace, and integrity. Quaker schools strive to create inclusive, supportive, and respectful communities for all students, including each schools’ transgender and gender expansive/non-binary students. We welcome people of all faiths, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identification. You have “Friends” in the community. Tr. Dan Quakers in the Classroom - This past Friday our school was fortunate to welcome a member of Friends Meeting into every classroom. Our Friends helped to lead discussions and answer questions from our students regarding Quaker faith and practice. It was an informative day for everyone and we are grateful to all our Friends for their commitment to Quaker education. ANNOUNCEMENTS Parent-Teacher Conference Signups - Parent-teacher conferences are scheduled for Thursday and Friday, March 2nd and 3rd. Please contact Jackie at the front desk to arrange for your conference and sign up for child care (if needed) during those days. The Friends School Seed Sale! - The seed sale is ongoing. You can print forms using this link to the pdf: http:// www.fedcoseeds.com/forms/friendsOG.pdf. Please attach payment to the form. This year, a portion of the proceeds will be used to support the Slab Cabin Run Initiative to preserve the farmland across the road from our school. Open Houses - The following Open Houses are scheduled for the spring: First Wednesday of every month, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm: Walk Thru Wednesdays Saturday, March 18th, 9:30 am – 12:00 pm: K-8 & Pre-K Open Houses / Winter Play Day Saturday, April 29th, 9:30 – 11:30 am: Pre-K Open House Fun Fair Planning Pep Rally - Please join us at school on Wednesday, March 1st (starting at 5:45 p.m.) for a Fun Fair planning meeting. Childcare and pizza will be provided - please call or email Jackie to sign up. Thanks! Science Fair - Our school’s annual Science Fair will be held on Monday, March 20th. The announcement letter, along with guidelines and a registration form, went home in your child’s Friday Folder (the packet may also be found on our Parent Portal). It is our hope to have many students participate. Please have your ideas in by today, February 27th. Meeting For Worship and Right Sharing Lunch - On Sunday, March 26th, State College Friends Meeting will hold their Meeting for Worship at our school at 11:15 a.m. All are welcome. Directly following Meeting, we will host a Right Sharing Meal, with the help of the Middle School. This meal helps us consider right sharing of world resources and understand more deeply the disparity of resources around the world. Look for more details soon. School Work Day - Please mark your calendars and save the date of Saturday, April 29, from 9:00 a.m. to noon for our all-school work day. With your help we aim to install several playground improvements, tend our gardens, and get our booths ready for the school’s annual Fun Fair. We can use lots of help to get several important jobs done at the school. Please let Tr. Dan know if you are willing to help. An organizational meeting will be held soon Summer Camp - Registration for summer camp for school families opened on Wednesday, February 15th. This year, all registration materials are available online. So, visit our Summer Camp Page and register- some camps are nearing capacity. Please let Jackie know if you have any questions. Teacher Luncheon - If you would like to contribute to March’s First Friday Luncheon for teachers and staff, please use the following SignUpGenius link: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F094AAFAA23ABFF2-first1. Our teachers and staff thank you!
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Valentine’s Day is always special at Friends School. Everyone gets a full share of affirmations. It is a wonderful thing to watch every student expend their time and effort to write personal affirmations for their classmates, teachers, and administrators.
This all-school celebration was started to ensure that all children receive affirmations of their positive characteristics during the day. In addition, affirmations teach students to think about others and identify special qualities in them that make them good friends. Every student in every classroom uses writing time to think about, draft, design, and write a creative positive expression designed to make another person feel good. I wish all parents could see their child’s face light up when they read the positive things their classmates and teachers have written. I think it is one of the events that brings our school closer together. It never gets old either. This year, I enjoyed every affirmation. It’s always good to know that people think you are funny, kind, a great president, and “mi friend.” ANNOUNCEMENTS Quakers in the Classroom - This Friday, February 24th, every classroom will have a visitor from State College Friends Meeting join them for some discussion and activities to help students understand what Quakers believe and the choices they make in their lives. Parent-Teacher Conference & Child Care Signups - Parent-Teacher conferences are scheduled for Thursday and Friday, March 2nd and 3rd. Please contact Jackie at the front desk to arrange for your conference and sign up for child care (if needed) during those days. Childcare is free during your conference time; regular rates ($4.50/hour) will apply beyond that. After School Spring Clubs - Completed forms for our spring clubs are due Friday, March 3rd. Announcements went home in Friday Folders and extra forms are available at the front desk. The Friends School Seed Sale! - The seed sale is ongoing. You can print forms using this link to the pdf: http:// www.fedcoseeds.com/forms/friendsOG.pdf. Please attach payment to the form. This year, a portion of the proceeds will be used to support the Slab Cabin Run Initiative to preserve the farmland across the road from our school. Open Houses - The following Open Houses are scheduled for the spring. First Wednesday of every month, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm: Walk Thru Wednesdays Saturday, March 18th, 9:30 am – 12:00 pm: K-8 & Pre-K Open Houses / Winter Play Day Saturday, April 29th, 9:30 – 11:30 am: Pre-K Open House Please tell your friends and encourage them to take a tour. Science Fair - Our school’s annual Science Fair will be held on Monday, March 20th. The announcement letter, along with guidelines and a registration form, went home in last week’s Friday Folder. It is our hope to have many students participate. Please have your ideas in by the 27th. Free Play Days - On Saturday, March 18th, we will be hosting an indoor play day for children ages 3-7. The Community Room will be open for supervised active and imaginative play. This is a great opportunity to bring a friend to the school and enjoy a morning out of the cold. All are welcome. Check above for times. Meeting For Worship and Right Sharing Lunch - On Sunday, March 26, State College Friends Meeting will hold their Meeting for Worship at our school at 11:15. All are welcome. Directly following Meeting, we will host a Right Sharing Meal, with the help of the Middle School. This meal helps us consider right sharing of world resources and understand more deeply the disparity of resources around the world. Look for more details soon. Summer Camp - Registration for summer camp for school families opened on Wednesday, February 15. This year, all registration materials will be available online. So, visit our summer camp page and register. Please let Tr. Jackie know if you have any questions. Electives are both fun and serious mini-courses at Friends Middle School. Electives run weekly for an hour and aim to provide students with knowledge on subjects that interest them. As a smaller school, we do not offer an array of choices but poll our students to determine their interests. If possible, we develop classes that can satisfy their interests. This year we have had electives in cooking, outdoor games, felting, Dungeons and Dragons, movie making, and something called genius hour. Our students have learned the rules to many outdoor games, produced a movie on bullying, felted unique creatures and learned how to make a Chicken Piccata dinner. In the genius hour elective, students were encouraged to research a topic of their choice and do something related to this topic. You may remember Grayson, staging a used book sale to support dolphin research (she raised over $300.00) but you didn’t see William’s numerous presentations on our presidents and their accomplishments or other student led presentations on subjects of their choice.
Electives have always been part of our middle school program as they offer our students a chance to gain knowledge in unique areas. In the past, I have used this time to teach students how to paint a room, hammer a nail, and use a screwdriver. Bailey has taught outdoor survival skills, animal husbandry and even studied fairy habitat. Each year we try to balance our desire to impart useful skills with our students’ need for exploration and fun. In addition, middle school students also participate in a life issues course that explores topics such as anger, alcohol, drugs, and peer pressure. In this important course, students are introduced to these issues through thoughtful presentation of the facts and encouraged to talk more about them in an open, caring environment. These courses serve a significant purpose in our middle school. They provide students with an opportunity to explore their world and get to know their teachers in ways that are not present in a typical classroom. It gives them a safe outlet for their questions, builds confidence, and opens new avenues of thinking about themselves and others. Electives serve a vital role in a quality middle school program. ANNOUNCEMENTS Open Houses - An Open House specifically for the middle school program will be held this Wednesday, February 15th, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. This lunch time informational session and tour will give all parents the opportunity to learn about our research-based, developmentally-appropriate program. All interested parents are invited to attend. Additional Open Houses are scheduled for the following dates and times. First Wednesday of every month, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm: Walk Thru Wednesdays Wednesday, February 15th, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm: Middle School Lunch and Tour Saturday, February 18th, 1:00 – 3:00 pm: K-8 Open House and Winter Play Day Saturday, March 18th, 9:30 am – 12:00 pm: K-8 & Pre-K Open Houses / Winter Play Day Saturday, April 29th, 9:30 – 11:30 am: Pre-K Open House Please tell your friends and encourage them to take a tour. Free Winter Play Days - On Saturdays, February 18th and March 18th, we are hosting Winter Play Days for children ages 3-7. The Community Room will be open for supervised active and imaginative play. This is a great opportunity to bring a friend to the school and enjoy a morning out of the cold. All are welcome. Check above for times. Flexible Tuition - The deadline for submitting financial information for the first round of flexible tuition is this Sunday, February 19th. If you need information on how to do this or have questions, contact Tr. Lisa at lgamble@scfriends.org. The Friends School Seed Sale! - The seed sale is ongoing. You can print forms using this link to the pdf: http:// www.fedcoseeds.com/forms/friendsOG.pdf. Please attach payment to the form. This year, a portion of the proceeds will be used to support the Slab Cabin Run Initiative to preserve the farmland across the road from our school Quakers in the Classroom - On Friday, February 24th, every classroom will have a visitor from the State College Friends Meeting join them for some discussion and activities to help students understand what Quakers believe and the choices they make in their lives. Parent-Teacher Conference & Child Care Signups - Parent-Teacher conferences are scheduled for Thursday and Friday, March 2nd and 3rd. Please contact the front desk to arrange for your conference and sign up for child care (if needed) during those days. Childcare is free during the conference time; regular rates ($4.50/hour) will apply beyond that. Meeting For Worship and Right Sharing Lunch - On Sunday, March 26, State College Friends Meeting will hold their Meeting for Worship at our school at 11:15. All are welcome. Directly following Meeting, we will host a Right Sharing Meal, with the help of the Middle School. This meal helps us consider Right Sharing of world resources and understand more deeply the disparity of resources around the world. Look for more details soon. Summer Camp - Registration for Summer Camp for school families begins this Wednesday, February 15. This year, all registration materials will be available online. So, visit the our summer camp page and register. Please let Tr. Jackie know if you have any questions. |
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A Tradition of Successful Learners
- Confident, Creative, Compassionate -
- Confident, Creative, Compassionate -