Students in grds 3-5 performed a wonderful winter program this morning. Check out a photo gallery here, and click here for video.

Lower School News

Message from Kelly Pierre

Congratulations to Dawn Ovalle and grades 3, 4, and 5 for the spectacular Winter Program this morning. There were examples of Lower School musical learning in the form of singing, folk dancing, and body percussion and even a stunning display of shadow puppetry to accompany one of the songs. We were so proud of the 4th & 5th Grade Chorus and the Rainbow Ensemble for all of their hard work practicing for this very special event. A huge thank you to Kim Parris for coordinating a beautiful winter wonderland backdrop of student artwork.

With applications to the Lower School up by 35%, including 27 more applications than at this time last year, I greeted another group of enthusiastic and eager visitors Wednesday morning. My talk focused on how through 1) being guided by Quaker values 2) thematic learning 3) academic excellence and 4) maker ed we have created a learning environment that is both joyful and rigorous.

Click here for Kelly's full message, including a chart representing the four different studios in the Light Lab and what has been happening in each studio this year, a Maker Ed blog post and why it's important, 2B's blog and their Fall Project of The Arts: a study of drums, Hour of Code, and 2nd grade science.

Also, click here for a message from Kelly regarding a special visit from Princeton Friends School last week.

Grades 3, 4, and 5 Transition Breakfast - Dec. 14, 8:15 am
Grades 2, 3, and 4 Families - Join us Thurs., Dec. 14 at 8:15 am for our Transition to Grades 3, 4, and 5 Breakfast. You will learn important information about the transition to grades 3, 4, or 5 and see what's in store for your child next year from Lower School faculty members and see classes in action. RSVP to Melody Acinapura by Monday, Dec. 11.

Kindergarten-Grade 2 Winter Showcase - Dec. 15

Don't miss the K-2 Winter Showcase next Friday, Dec. 15 at 9 am!
 

Winter Field Hockey Clinics

FCS is offering field hockey clinics free for FCS students. The clinic is open for girls in grades 5-8 on Mondays in December - Dec. 11 and 18 - and are led by Varsity Field Hockey Coach Rachael Bloemker. The clinics take place from 7-8 pm in the FCS Linton Gym. Register online here. 

Winter Field Hockey Clinics are also open to girls in grades 3-8 on Saturdays in January (Jan. 6 and Jan. 20), and February (Feb. 3, Feb. 10, and Feb. 17) in conjunction with Sat. AM Basketball and take place in the FCS Linton gym from 9:30-10:30 am for girls in grades 3-5, and from 10:30-11:30 am for girls in grades 6-8. Register online here.

Lower School Winter Break Camp: Registration Now Open!

Children age 3 to gr. 5: join us on the LS campus! Our Break programs offer full- and half-day schedules that feature games, sports activities, arts & crafts, and more. For working parents, this program offers a fun, safe environment for your child to spend part of the school vacation! Half- and full-day options available for: Wed., Dec. 20 to Fri., Dec. 22. Find out more here. Register online here. 

LETTUCE FEED YOU 

Menu for Dec. 11-15

Soup, Salad, Sandwich Monday - Tomato soup, mixed grilled cheese sandwiches, tossed salad

Taco Tuesday - Mixed vegetable tacos w/ corn & tomato salsa, veggies

Pasta Wednesday - Chicken and broccoli alfredo, tossed salad

Thursday - Oatmeal pancakes w/ mixed berry sauce, housemade turkey sausage

Friday - Pizza day!

The MS Orchestra performing at last week's Holiday Concert. Click here for photos.

Middle School News

Message from Alexa Quinn

We had a wonderful day with our grandparents and special friends last Friday; it was a joy to meet them, to see them with your children, and to watch them experience our Middle School. I know they thoroughly enjoyed a preview of our winter concert, which took place that evening. Congratulations to our musicians in the Orchestra, Jazz Band, and Chorus on their superb performances! We were also thrilled to be joined by our Lower School 4th & 5th grade chorus for a song, which we hope will be a yearly tradition. Witnessing the talent of our students - grades 4 through 8 - was the perfect way to kick off the holiday season.

I've been in a number of classes over the past few weeks. As always, I've been impressed with the critical thinking, creativity, and effort I see from our students, and how our teachers are engaging students in that learning. A few highlights: students exploring the differences between chemical and physical properties in science; a discussion on the three branches of government and the intricacies of the electoral college; a math scavenger hunt on solving for x in algebraic equations; and a comparison of the figurative language in two Langston Hughes poems about dreams.

We had two special speakers this past week. First, we were honored to host Mr. Michael Herskovitz, a native of Czechoslovakia, who survived the horrors of Auschwitz and now speaks to students about his experiences. Mr. Herskovitz spoke to our eighth graders, who are currently studying Elie Wiesel's memoir Night, and we are so grateful that we were able to learn about history from him and have students ask him questions. We learned that Mr. Herskovitz is our neighbor at Greenhill, so we hope to have him back again.

Today, Michael Blanche worked with each of the three grades to talk about wellness, mental health, and the prevention of substance abuse. Mr. Blanche focused on self-care, knowing one's self, and reaching out for help. Our advisors did follow-up discussions during today's Advisory period, and I encourage you to talk with your child about this programming. Mr. Blanche also provided the following links to parents/guardians for your own information and use:

drugabuse.gov/family-checkup

drugabuse.gov/parents-educators

teens.drugabuse.gov/drug-facts

drugabuse.gov/family-checkup/question-1-communication

Have a wonderful weekend. The Middle School faculty and I extend our best wishes for Happy Hanukkah to all families who be celebrating next week.

MS Athletics - Game Day Alerts

While the season for some is underway, it is important for parents to subscribe to their child's game schedule to have on their calendar and receive alerts about the schedule. Click here for MS Game Day Logistics to find out more about subscribing to alerts.

Winter Field Hockey Clinics

FCS is offering field hockey clinics free for FCS students. The clinic is open for girls in grades 5-8 on Dec. 11 and Dec. 18 - and are led by Varsity Field Hockey Coach Rachael Bloemker. The clinics take place from 7-8 pm in the FCS Linton Gym. Register online here.

Winter Field Hockey Clinics are also open to girls in grades 3-8 on Saturdays in January (Jan. 6 and Jan. 20), and February (Feb. 3, Feb. 10, and Feb. 17) in conjunction with Sat. AM Basketball and take place in the FCS Linton gym from 9:30-10:30 am for girls in grades 3-5, and from 10:30-11:30 am for girls in grades 6-8. Register online here.

MS Chorus Performs at Electrical Spectacle - Dec. 10, 5:30 pm

Our Middle School Chorus will be singing at the Electrical Spectacle in Franklin Square on Sunday, Dec. 10 between 5:30 and 6:30 pm! Come out and support our singers! Find out more here.

Grade 8 Families - Middle School Yearbook Ads Available Online
Grade 8 families - create ads in honor of your 8th grader's last year in Middle School. Create your ad online using Jostens' online ad creation tool: choose which ad size, how many photos you want to include, customize, and pay for the ad online. Entries due in February. Download the flyer here. We look forward to capturing all the important moments for your child's special book.

Did You Know That We Livestream Our Concerts?
Check out the Middle School Winter Concert video here. 

Check the Lost and Found!
Lost and Found from both the Middle School ground floor and the "Rexateria" entrance will be collected on Dec 13. Students and families should visit these two spaces prior to 11 am on Dec. 13. Clothes and items left will be donated to local charities.

A School-wide "Waste Audit" took place this week. The three categories of food waste, landfill, and recycling were each weighed to be compared against another audit in April as part of the School's sustainability initiatives.

Upper School News

Message from the Upper School Office

Things are festive here in the Upper School, with homerooms participating in the annual Angel Tree drive organized by the Service Committee. Students purchase and wrap gifts for children whose parents are incarcerated, using the "wish list" of prisoners as a guide for what gifts will be most appreciated. Closer to home, Student Council has organized and distributed names for the US-wide Secret Santa program that includes students and adults: each participant is encouraged to pay a little mysterious attention to their recipient this week, not to exceed a $5 investment. Plenty of things are free, and anonymous messages on classroom white boards add to the positive spirit of the program. Today's assembly was particularly exciting, a beloved tradition featuring sibling pairs (eligible to participate if one is a senior and the other in gr. 9) in competition.

The season is also all about music. The orchestra enjoyed its annual excursion on Tuesday to Liberty Place with director Carl Bradley to perform for holiday crowds; they and the jazz band present their winter concert tonight at 7 pm; we hope to see you there. All are also encouraged to attend the winter choral concert next Friday, Dec. 15 at 7 pm in Shallcross Hall. Michele Zuckman and her hard-working singers look forward to sharing a wide variety of songs, from work of the 10th century German mystic Hildegard von Bingen to music by the celebrated contemporary song-writing duo Pasek and Paul. Congratulations and thanks to Michele, Carl, and our talented and committed musicians!

We are enjoying the chance to host prospective students from other schools as well as our own 8th graders to Upper School classes this month; our students are gracious, welcoming hosts, and it's a pleasure to see our school through their appreciative eyes as they spend the day with our visitors. It was also great to see gr. 8 parents on campus on Tuesday evening to enjoy an array of classes taught by US faculty; thanks to those who attended and especially to the teachers who participated.

Though we're looking forward to winter break, you can see that things are bright and busy here in the season of light. Happy Hanukkah from all of us here in the Upper School!

Did You Know That We Livestream Our Concerts?
Check out our YouTube channel for a livestream of tonight's Instrumental Concert and next week's Choral Concert.

Senior Parents - Send in your Yearbook ads!

Yearbook recognition ads are a great way for parents, families, and friends to commemorate student achievements and important milestones. Revenues from recognition ads also help us to create a better yearbook. To purchase your ad online, follow the instructions on this form. Jostens is managing our yearbook ad sales, so please do not contact or send materials to the School. Please read the ad guidelines on the bottom of this form during the creation of your ad online. All ad orders must be placed online by the end of December. Please remember to order your yearbook for your senior at the discounted price of $65. 

Yearbook Orders - Buy Now to Get a Low Price on Yearbook!
To order yearbooks at a discounted price, please use this link. The low price will be available until mid February. After that date, the price of the yearbook will go up to $70. No need to sign in - just click on yearbook, then add to cart. The yearbook will be delivered to Friends' Central's campus. Senior Parents: In the past, the yearbook has been added to your account whether you were interested in a yearbook for your child or not. This year, you are given the option to order a yearbook. All parents: Please be aware, the deadline to order is June 1. if you have not ordered a yearbook, there will not be extra copies to be able to purchase after the deadline date.

Support the Prom with a Holiday Treat Box!
Heading to a holiday party and have nothing to bring? Having a party and don't have time to cook goodies? The Prom Committee would love to provide a box of various homemade holiday baked treats for the low price of $20. We are able to accommodate for nut allergies and gluten-free requests. To place your order, please email Heather Tomes, Evan Paszamant, or Taylor Williams, indicating the amount of boxes and any special dietary restrictions (ie. nut or gluten-free). Orders are due in by Friday 12/15. The boxes will be available for pick-up on Monday, Dec. 18. The money raised will help to reduce the cost of Prom tickets, and it's our goal to have the tickets at a reasonable price. Support the cause! Many thanks from the Prom Committee!

Check the Lost and Found!
Lost and Found from both the Middle School ground floor and the "Rexateria" entrance will be collected on Dec. 13. Students and families should visit these two spaces prior to 11 am on Dec. 13. Clothes and items left will be donated to local charities.

Grade 10 Parent Gathering with student acappella performance!

Save the Date Friday, Jan. 26, 7-9 pm in the OPA Room

Grade 12 Parent Gathering

Save the Date Saturday, Jan. 20, 7-9 pm in the OPA Room of the Main Building. (Snow Date Jan. 27, location to be determined.)