Lower School faculty members entertaining onstage today

Lower School News

Message from Kelly Pierre

Today, Lower School students enjoyed a long-standing tradition at FCS: the LS Faculty Play. The faculty perform an original production and song written and created by a handful of talented teachers based on the theme of the Fall Project, which this year is "The Arts."

Today's production took place in dreary classroom filled with silly, mischievous students who come in contact with, and begin to decorate their classroom with, all kinds of art expanding their definition of what art is. One student (Ms. Tedesco) thinks she's being naughty by bringing out tap shoes, a trumpet, and a pie, which she has crept out of the classroom to find in the lost & found and kitchen. She realizes that with all of these things she can make art! With many jokes and much laughter came facts about Phila. artists Isaiah Zagar and Mary Cassat, author Faith Ringgold and The Sound Of Philadelphia. As traditions stands, the play ended with a pie in the face. This time it was "Principal Pierre," compliments of Ms. McBee and Ms. Tedesco who played two students fighting over who would claim this example of the culinary arts.

What an honor to be part of a faculty that truly goes all-out and shows our students that even the adults in their community are willing to take a risk. It was an incredible example of the experiential learning and thematic curriculum that are hallmarks of our Lower School program.

Last Sunday, six students joined Brie Daley, Light Lab Director, and Caitlin Nelson, Assistant Kindergarten teacher, who served as our Interim 5th Grade Math Teacher last year, at the Education Stage at New York Maker Faire to present grade 4 & 5 projects that represent the power of choice in our LS curriculum. Read more about this work and here to see more pictures here.

Lastly, the Lower School teachers have been working hard on their blogs. I will be featuring a different one each week so you can get a glimpse of the rich and intentional work that creates such an engaging and intellectual learning environment for our Lower Schoolers. Click here for a peek into the work of NurseryA. It's hard to believe how much happens in one week of Nursery!

Nursery Makes Applesauce! 

Click here for some pictures of Nursery making applesauce in the Light Lab. 

It's time for the 17th annual Harvest Fest!

The Harvest Fest is a time to celebrate our students' connection to the natural world, whether it be something they have grown themselves or something that they have observed in nature. Please have children bring in whatever they have: flowers, fruits, vegetables, photos, crafts, poems, stories of success and failure - all with descriptive labels, on Monday morning (anytime after 8 am).

When? Monday, October 9, 2017

Where? End of Hallways on each floor

This year, we are extending the event to last all week, with special harvest-themed activities! Click here for more!

LS Clubs Registration Closed

Fall club registration is closed, but be on the lookout for winter club registration in January! 

LS Parenting Mini-Workshop "Establishing Routines"
Thursday, Oct. 12, 8:15 am, LS Cafeteria

Good habits start at the beginning of the year. Join us for our LS Parenting Mini-Workshop with LS counselor Jessica Corsaro and Marguerite "Perk" Musacchio from Skills2Soar. We will be discussing strategies to help establish routines. Click here to register and to share any questions you would like addressed at the workshop.

Mark your Calendar! It's Coming! Pumpkin Fair 2017

Sunday, Oct. 22, noon-4  

Parent Volunteers make it happen! The Lower School Pumpkin Fair is our big community event of the fall. It is planned, organized, and run by parents who donate their time and energy to provide a fun-filled afternoon for families.

• Like to grill? The food tent needs 1-2 people to cook on the big FCS grills. Please contact Allison Liebman if you are interested.
• We need volunteers to take a shift at the various booths. Click here for the volunteer sign-up sheet.
• Questions? Contact Co-chairs Eva Greenberg or Elisha Snedeker

Grade 3 and 4 Parents Needed for the Haunted House

Attention Grade 3 and 4 parents - time to Haunt the House! It is an FCS tradition for Grade 4 parents to construct the Pumpkin Fair Haunted House for the Grade 4 students to haunt it. This year we are asking the Grade 3 parents to pitch in so they can lead next year.

Join us on Thursday, Oct. 12 from 2-5 pm to help construct the house. Parents can use Extended Day for their child at no cost if they are helping with the Haunted House. Please email Erica Seay if you will use this service.

Parent Gatherings
Every year, parent reps plan and organize a social for parents in each grade level. Save the date for your class! Invitations to follow.

N/PK/K - Friday, Oct. 6, 7-9 pm in the Light Lab. Look in your inbox for the invitation. RSVP to Felicia Lin, please include what you will contribute.

Grade 1 - Saturday, Oct. 14 at the home of Ben & Elisha Snedeker. Click here to sign up to bring something.

Grade 2 - Tuesday, Oct. 17, 6:30 pm, home of Vanita & Jim Treat. Evite here.

Grade 3 - Thursday, Oct. 12 at the Kiss home. Click here for the invitation.

Grade 4 - Saturday, Nov. 18 at The Pig Iron

Grade 5 - Friday, Nov. 3 hosted by the Esposito's

Grade 7 students challenging themselves on the ropes course at Echo Hill yesterday

Middle School News

Are you looking for voice or music lessons for your child?

If so, please contact either Carl Bradley, Director of our Middle & Upper School Music Lessons, or Zachary Zaitlin, our new Accompanist.  

Grade 6 Visits the Renaissance Faire!

Grade 6 is making its annual pilgrimage to the Renaissance Faire in just a few weeks - Thursday, Oct. 5. Grade 6 parents - be on the lookout for a Chalk permission form in the coming days. 

Parent Gatherings - Save the Date!

Grade 6 - Friday, Oct. 13, 7-9 pm in the OPA room

Grade 7 - Friday, Oct. 6, 7-9 pm in the OPA room - Click here to RSVP.

Middle School Cast Members Working Hard in Shrek Jr.

Twenty-four Middle Schoolers are working hard to bring you their vibrant production of Shrek, Jr., which takes place on November 17 and 19 - be sure to save the dates!!

Ninth Grade Day in the Upper School today (photo by Joel Dankoff)

Upper School News

Message from the Upper School Office

We have enjoyed another week of summer weather; the new outdoor seating that has appeared while Shallcross is renovated is a hit, and 10th and 11th graders enjoyed refreshments on Felsen Common after a fun assembly (Picture Jeopardy) organized by 11th grade members of Student Council, which offered some consolation for the fact that they were the only Upper Schoolers attending classes today. In that vein, thanks to 9th grade advisors, peer mentors, and 9th grade Dean Alex McDonnell for a fabulous 9th Grade Day - and to the good sports from the faculty who participated in assembly.

We hope 12th graders enjoyed a productive College Process Work Day and remind them (and you) that two additional such days are scheduled for October 19 and 20, during the Fall Service Days for 9th-11th graders. (12th graders will be on campus for Senior Day on October 18 to begin learning about Senior Project and to participate in a yearbook workshop.) Non-Seniors have begun to sign up for service placements electronically, after experiencing Tuesday's interesting and energetic set of panel presentations about the many opportunities.

If fall is here, Friends Schools League play has begun, and we encourage you to join us on campus to support our teams. Prom Committee will welcome you as additional purchasers of the snacks and drinks they will be selling at games. There's a lot of buzz about the new MixBeverage machine in Shimada which allows users to customize drinks from a variety of "recipes" - or follow their instincts to blend a combination that sounds good - which they dispense straight into their water bottles: something else for you to try out when you're on campus!

Finally, we're looking forward to welcoming visitors from our PAIS evaluation team next week. Experience has shown us that our students are great ambassadors for the Upper School, and we're grateful to be so positively represented!  

Are you looking for voice or music lessons for your child?

If so, please contact either Carl Bradley, Director of our Middle & Upper School Music Lessons, or Zachary Zaitlin, our new Accompanist.  

Upper School Fall Service Learning Days 

We kicked off our 2017-2018 service learning program on Tuesday at our Service Learning Fair. Our 12th graders were terrific ambassadors for the non-profit agencies where they volunteered last year, explaining projects to the 9th-11th graders. This year's selection of 36 projects can be found here. Students were invited to express their preferences, and their assignments will be on Veracross next week. Fall Service Days are Oct. 18-20. Permission slips and more info will be sent home via Chalk soon. 

School Portraits Available for Purchase by Oct. 17

We will send you an email shortly with a link to the online gallery, specific instructions for placing orders, and the coupon code you can enter for discounts. In the meantime, click here to visit the school portraits FAQs page and get answers to common questions.

From the College Counseling Office
Late registration for sophomores and juniors to take the Oct. 14 PSAT exam is Friday, Oct. 6. Click here to register. The cost is $40 to be paid at the time of registration. For families needing financial assistance, please contact the College Counseling Office. Click here for a list of upcoming local college fairs!

Grade 9 Parent Gathering 

Save the Date! Friday, Oct. 20 7-9 pm in the OPA room