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CIRCLE BACKSeptember 15, 2011
san francisco friends school * 250 valencia street * san francisco, ca 94103 * 415-565-0400 * sffriendsschool.org
September18-23 Yosemite Trip (8th Grade)
21 Back-to-School Night - Lower School (6:15-8:45p)
27 Back-to-School Night - Middle School (6:15 - 8:45p)
October4 Building Friends Campaign Kick-Off (6-9:30p)
5 Community Worship (8:40-9:15a)
5 New Parent Coffee (9:15-10:00a)
5 Parents Association Meeting (6:00-8:00p) -- Early Bird Wiki Training (5:30-6:00p)
5-7 4th & 6th Grade Trips
7 SSAT FOR 8th Graders
10 Fall Holiday - NO SCHOOL
12 Diversity Event (6:30p)
See full calendar here
Back-to-School Nights
A Sign of Respect
Summer Camp Snapshots
Talking Art with Kids
If there is to be any peace, it will
come through being, not having.
- Henry Miller
Tal Ariel entertains students at Friday Assembly
San Francisco Friends SchoolSeptember 15, 2011
Back-to-School NightsCome back to school on Septem-ber 21 (LS) & 27 (MS), 6:15-8:45p. The evening starts with a reception on the unfinished 3rd floor space (hearty refreshments and music). Presentations and classroom visits to follow.
Details:September 21 (LS), 6:15p - 8:45pJennifer Arnest (LS) [email protected]
September 27 (MS), 6:15p - 8:45p Andrew Salverda (MS) [email protected]
Campaign LaunchThe Building Friends Campaign to fund the Friends Community Scholars program and com-plete our 3rd floor is launching! Learn the details of our plans at these upcoming events:
October 4Open Forum with Administrators and Trustees6:30 pm
October 7Breakfast and campaign Q&A with Cathy Hunter8:30 am
In the Throes of Class PotlucksWe are in the midst of our annual Class Potlucks. These are set up as adult-only, casual, get-to-know-each-other din-ners for parents and teachers. They are social events only, so please kindly save specific questions about your child for the upcoming parent/teacher conferences. The hope is for the teachers and parents to relax, enjoy and kick off the new school year. Your room parents are coordinating these events, so if you have ques-tions, need a ride or help finding (or maybe sharing) childcare, contact your room parents. Wishing you all fun potluck nights with friends, new and old, and your wonderful teachers!
2nd Grade (Zach) Thursday, Sept.15
3rd Grade (Rich) Friday, Sept.16
4th Grade (Chris) Monday, Sept.19
5th Grade September 22
6th Grade September 26
7th Grade October 19
Contact:Carine Gursky & Pam HochmanRoom Parent Co-Clerks
HPP Drive Ends Next WeekBring in items to support HPP’s baby showers for homeless mothers!Drop items in boxes at school.
Questions? Contact Guybe, [email protected]
PARKing Day FridayThe 6th grade will be creating our own “parklette” in front of our school as part of global PARKing Day, an event that “invites people to rethink the way streets are used.” We will be one of over 800 parks in over 30 countries that day!
Details:September 16Jennifer [email protected]
Enrichment Classes & Music LessonsEnrichment classes and music lessons start next week. Register now for hip hop, screen printing, robotics, etc.
Click here to sign up!
Details:Marina Vendrell [email protected]
Booktopia Coming SoonAn evening of friends, refreshments, and books - what could be better! This annual event provides hundreds of books for the SFFS library. Get it on your calendar!
Details:November 3, 6:00 – 9:00p Books, Inc., Opera Plaza
San Francisco Friends SchoolSeptember 15, 2011
A Sign of RespectIn 1st grade this year, we are incorporating American Sign Language into our Community Studies, thanks to Alyssa Nelson (teaching assistant in Bliss’ class). Alyssa learned sign language from her mother, Sherie Nelson, who is a professional sign-language interpreter. Being able to communicate in silence is a perfect skill to learn this year as our community reflects on the Peace testimony. Aside from the obvious quiet when children are signing a greeting to each other, there is a spiri-tual beauty to observing children communicating only with their eyes and the graceful motions of their hands. On this level, through the demand of intent “listening,” the the use of signing evokes peace. Learning sign language also supports our emphasis on the social-emotion-al development of our students, which is fundamental to our Community Studies. In our opening and closing circles each day, 1st graders are asked to share simple gratitudes, appreciations, or positive feelings about a part of the day. The children come to know each other in this way and are also learning to listen and respond to each other with respect. They learn to address individuals directly, use eye contact, and use a facial expression that matches the feelings they are expressing. Sign language relies on all of these basic actions of communication. As another extension of Community Studies, 1st graders will visit local businesses and organizations. Alyssa will connect us with one or two business people in the neighborhood who are deaf. We will prepare the children to ask some basic questions in sign language and understand the sign language answers they receive.
We will also build upon the school’s relationship with the elderly residents at Francis of Asissi Senior Center. Last year as part of the dance program, students engaged in non-verbal movement and communication with active seniors, those who do not speak English, and those in wheelchairs. We will use our sign language skills to continue that connection and communica-tion.
- Bliss and Alyssa, Erin and Anusheh
Click here to see avideo lesson
San Francisco Friends SchoolSeptember 15, 2011
Friends Summer Camp
Last summer, Friends Summer Camp was bigger and better than ever! A big thank you goes out to all the teachers, campers and families that helped make it happen! Here are some of the highlights. (Each camp has a photo album on the Parent Wiki.)
Four days in Point Reyes Kayaking in the Bay
Stuffed Animal Workshop
Ferry to Sausalito
Mission High counselorsFour days in Point Reyes
Basketball skills
High school placement essay writing
Picnic in the Panhandle
Insect hunting in the Botancial Garden
Geocaching hunt in the city
San Francisco Friends SchoolSeptember 15, 2011
Talking Art with Your ChildOften times we are hesitant to talk to kids about their artwork or perfor-mances. “Great job” or “I really liked it” seem to be old stand-bys to get us through the moment and boost our child’s self-esteem. Many of us are scared of destroying a child’s creative spirit, of being too judgmen-tal, or of speaking to them about a subject we might know little about. This approach, though palatable, does nothing for the artist and misses out on an opportunity for learning on both the part of the performer and the audience. Great works of art, whether a painting, a play, or a con-certo, provoke questions and dialogue. Because many people think you have to be “in the know”, they are intimidated by these conversations.
In the SFFS Arts Department, we strive to break this cycle of intimida-tion, helping students to enter into the world of art with curiousity and enthusiasm. We do this by teaching students to ask good questions, helping support students with “thinking routines” that help unlock their ideas about art, and by having open, supportive dialogue.
The following categories are different ways to enter into an artwork. The different categories represent different aspects of the artwork/ performance that you can comment on, question, or think about. These categories are from work done at Harvard’s Project Zero in the realm of Visible Thinking. The list is called “Layers” and is one of many routines that they have created to help students think more deeply.
LAYERS
Narrative - narrative or story (back or pre-story/other or hidden story), the message of the piece. What do you think the message of the piece is? What makes you say that?
Aesthetic - appeal (what pulls you in?), the rewards or the take-away, the skill or mastery of the artist on display, some-thing new or different or unusual that you notice.
Mechanical – the technique, form, structure, methods, or sym-bolism used. What materi-als were used in this piece? How did the actors work together to create a particu-lar effect?
Dynamic – surprise, tension, emo-tion, or movement. What caught you off guard about the piece? What emotions are tapped into when you listen to the piece?
Connections – to other works (in and out of the medium/genre) to history, to oneself, to the artist’s other works or personal life. Does this piece remind you of some-thing? What period of time does this piece reflect? Is this connected to a particu-lar culture?
Use these Layers to talk to you children about the work they bring home from school, the art they see around them, and the art they imagine they can create.
- Jen Stuart, Caren Andrews
San Francisco Friends SchoolSeptember 15, 2011
After The Bell RingsFor the lucky kids who stay at school for Extended Day, they have made a whole bunch of new friends. Say hello to our great after-school staff -- our group includes a mandolin player, a skateboarder, an animal lover, a visual artist who loves baseball, a professional dancer who has performed at the Kennedy Center, and a Bengali speaker.
NOAH
LEANNA
ERINPETER
CLAUDIA
MAX
AISHA
LAIZU
MIKEBRIDGET
