X+Jan+&+Feb+2008

=**__School Life minutes 2/5/08__ **=  Attending: Leon, Angela, Elana, Mary Deborah, Charlie, Mary, Susan, Barbara, Martha, Dick, Kathy Charlie reports that Friday Meeting is in discussion about how we communicate our various events and activities in the units. They plan to give more time to this topic in both FM and in Heads’ Meetings. We should keep our current system for now. Individual styles of reporting are fine.  Charlie has looked into establishing a regular Meeting for Worship on the main campus and into ways of deepening connections with the Durham and Chapel Hill Meetings. Renee will visit the CH Meeting, and Cesanne will visit the Durham Meeting. CH has plans to host a CFS visiting day; it is hoped that Durham will do something similar. For this spring, campus Meetings for Worship will be held: Wednesday, February 27, 8:00 – 8:30 in the Center Wednesday, April 30, 8:00 – 8:30 in the Center Wednesday, May 28, 8:00 – 8:30 in the US Meeting Hall Charlie will set up and tidy up chairs for the space. Mary Deborah will coordinate with Nancy announcements in the News from CFS, in the Update, on the chalkboard, and will draft an invitation to members of the local Meetings.  New Garden Friends School is hosting a Quaker Education night on February 25, with speakers from FCE. Ida is organizing a carpool; email her if interested.  The AFSC has issued a new publication – __It’s My Life__  - outlining alternatives for kids finishing high school. Free to first 1000 subscribers.  The PSA would like someone to do a program on CFS as a Quaker school – either a 20 minute program for PSA, or co-sponsor a longer event in the fall with the PSA and the Welcoming Committee. Some ideas emerged: - Check with the Development Office to see if they already have a short program on this topic prepared - Also ask Development about materials gathered for the 40 th  – such as a video of Martha and Peter’s talk - In the old days session like this often took a topic area and looked at it through the lenses of the various units – Heads used to do this, but could be others - Suggest that PSA try to get a short presentation from Development this spring – see what queries emerge – then School Life help plan (this spring) a session for next fall – suggested date Tuesday, October 14 (which would be our first meeting) - School Life to host  <span style="font-size: 17.6pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Kudos to PSA for the great party! A reminder of two upcoming threshing sessions (2/7 and 3/6) on how to fund PSA activities. <span style="font-size: 17.6pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: 17.6pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Unit updates (see also reports following the minutes) <span style="font-size: 17.6pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: 17.6pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">ES Campus has been learning about Buddhist monks, making prayer flags, with staff helping students understand the difference between a wish (like a Christmas list) and a prayer Barbara went to a mindfulness conference at Pendle Hill – very personally enriching; now using “Pebble Practice” with kids <span style="font-size: 17.6pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: 17.6pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">LS As the staff works on a revision of the playground guidelines, students have been very involved in the process – defining rules for currently popular tag games such as “Beckon” and “Armalag”. Charlie has written an article for the February issue of <span style="font-size: 17.6pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">__Health and Healing__ <span style="font-size: 17.6pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> on using centering exercises with young children. <span style="font-size: 17.6pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: 17.6pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">MS A recent stoveside chat referred to the book <span style="font-size: 17.6pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">__Blessing of a Skinned Knee__ <span style="font-size: 17.6pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">. Discussion of parental fear – so much beyond our control, so perhaps over control the small things. Adolescent issues forum also produced a long list of students’ fears. Are we living in a “phobocracy”? Concerns about students who knowingly break the rules or violate the community mores: i.e. using the computers at break time for non-school purposes in clear violation of the computer use agreement that the student has signed; repeatedly disturbing settling in/out by talking or playing games on your phone; mindful littering, etc. The issue is not so much the specific behavior, it is the students’ making wrong choices in a seemingly deliberate manner. We expect students to strive for the better, to own responsibility, to be accountable. Some students seem only to amend their behavior when punished ( some are currently on probation as to whether or not they get to go on 4 <span style="font-size: 17.6pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">th <span style="font-size: 17.6pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> year trips) This seems a topic for further discussion. <span style="font-size: 17.6pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: 17.6pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">US All of the issues mentioned above happen in US also. Working on mindfulness, empowerment, respect, being involved. Some kids are great. Some…. This year 30/45 seniors did not turn in a senior page for the yearbook. Large issues go to the Staff/Student Discipline Committee; what about “small” things: trash, disrespectful speaking to staff, repeatedly playing music during others’ class time,.. Sometimes these kids come back years later and they have blossomed miraculously – they <span style="font-size: 17.6pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">__get it!__

Dick reminds us that the biggest troublemakers are often the first ones back for alumni events. We may be to close to the day-to-day to see the good we’re doing.
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Suggest reports be submitted by Friday, February 29.
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">SCHOOL LIFE UNIT REPORTS FOR FEBRUARY 5, 2008
<span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Mindfulness and reflection are being encouraged in various ways at CHES. <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The Dragonflies (Kindergarten) have been exploring poetry and rhyming through literature selections of Shel Silverstein. We have written our own poems and created a “poetry quilt” by closing our eyes and imagining the poem as a watercolor painting. Then we painted a square that matches a poem’s mood to a literal image from a poem’s narrative. We completed this project by adding our own words. <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Both the Dragonfly and the Butterfly (3 & 4 year old) classes began doing yoga in January with Mark Kosiewski, who also teaches an evening adult yoga class in our multi-purpose room. Identifying each posture as an animal or object in nature (tree, mountain, etc.) makes the movements fun for the kids while it also helps them learn to center themselves through holding the different poses in stillness <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">In our mixed age full-day group we have been using books by Todd Parr to reinforce Quaker principles. <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">__The Peace Book__ <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">, <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">__The Family Book__ <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">, and <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">__It’s OK to be Different__ <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> also tied into our discussions about Martin Luther King. Barbara Conger went to Pendle Hill, a Quaker Retreat Center near Philadelphia to attend a Mindfulness Conference for Educators. She has integrated several meditation techniques to enhance her own reflection and contemplation, and Barbara also learned the //<span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Pebble Practice // <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">, an activity she is now doing with the early schoolers so they can practice being mindful. <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Quaker Values at CHES **

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==**<span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">__Lower School__ ****<span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> – fall-winter 07-08 **<span style="font-size: 13.2pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> Unit theme for the year: “Inventioneering” == <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Two topics have occupied much of our staff meeting time during the last months: <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">We are examining how we group children for language arts and math. Lisa devised some queries to guide our discussion: How would you describe the process you use to group children for language and math? What are the benefits of that approach? What are the challenges? What considerations/modifications of that process do you feel are worth further exploration? <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">We have been doing a thorough revision and updating of our Lower School “playground guidelines”. We have involved the students in discussions about why rules for play at school may sometimes seem restrictive. Those staff who have been here for a long time note that we are much more cautious these days. We add more mulch cushioning under swings, put limits on how one can slide, impose restrictions on how forts can be built, etc. We question whether our playground can really qualify as an “experience in nature” anymore. Most of our rules are safety oriented. We wonder how to achieve a balance of “wild” and “safe”. <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">__All unit events__ <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">: Math Morning – whole school math activities in mixed age groupings Thanksgiving – shared snack (soup and bread cooked by classes) – Meeting for Worship at the Stone Circle with candles Kwanzaa celebration – older student sing and dance - all share “First Fruits” Holiday sharings - family customs shared by parents, holiday play Tob Chi school – parents share their letters and crafts with our students Martin Luther King Jr. celebration – weaving, singing, dancing – wow! Approaching our mid-year class swap – beginning in February the younger classes will have dance with Annie on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons; the older classes will have Spanish with Natasha during that same time <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">__Sky Class__ <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> is enjoying using the “Writing Workshop” (Lucy Calkins) approach to the written word. The students seem very comfortable generating ideas, editing their work, making suggestions to others, and sharing their work with the class. Teachers are finding it helpful to have a common vocabulary for talking about the writing process. <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">__River Class__ <span style="font-size: 13.2pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> is turning their class tree into a tree of hope via poetry. At the entrance to River you’ll see a wonderful driftwood stump labeled “Stumper”. Attached to the stump are various logic and trivia questions for students to investigate. <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">__Forest Class__ <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> has begun a study of belief systems, beginning with each student examining her/his own beliefs. A study of continents and oceans will accompany this work. <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">__Mountain Class__ <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> students will soon be designing their own new products. They have been looking at how most inventions “piggyback” on a previous idea. A look at prefixes and suffixes ( //<span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">tele-, auto-, super-, -graph, - ator, etc.) // <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> was useful in thinking about how to name a new product <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Parent support and involvement in Lower School is such a gift! We have parents sharing family traditions, listening to children read, teaching interest groups, sorting catalogs, washing dishtowels, coaching recess baseball or soccer centers, and more. Huge thank yous to all! <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">A poem by 4thyear LS student Katherine MacPhail (This was <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">__not__ <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> a school assignment.) : <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Martin Luther King Martin Luther King gave us hope. He gave us praying and willing for the change we never thought would come. He made the future and the past. Without him we would not have our friends. Without him segregation would still roam the world and peace would never walk the countryside. He is our soul, our mind, our community, our life, our dream, our laughter. We come together on this day not to celebrate Martin, but to celebrate the justice he brought to us. We come here today to celebrate the wisdom he brought to our world. For the community he has made for us. Martin Luther King <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">This afternoon the middle school started the adolescent issues forum that will last for two days. It consists of the students taking workshops on their body, health, drugs, and other things. We are just finishing up a trimester, and are getting ready for the winter play, //<span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The Tempest // <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">, which will be performed in late February, then we will start the spring play, //<span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Our Town // <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> soon after that. One issue we are still trying to solve is the schedule, and coordinating with the upper school, but so far we seems to be pretty successful. The new Spanish program is great, and is giving students a chance to learn what they need at their own pace. The yearbook committee has just started to work, and I think that it will be fantastic. The Basketball season is coming to an end, and we will start girl’s soccer and boy’s baseball and tennis in late February or March. One conflict that has been brought up by many sports teams was the question of a sports conference, so that we could have a tournament like we had a few years ago. One interesting thing that is happening in the MS is that during our ‘Reading Excursions’ time a group of students is following the political world, all of the primaries and I hope that they will help to make the MS aware of this. The Swahili class has recently made an announcement about the children that Toni Williamson worked with in Africa, and how we can help. On the subject of charity, we also raised a large amount of money for Oxfam through our annual ‘Softballathon.’ - Elana <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-size: 13.2pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: 13.2pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">It has been an active January in Middle School, with a special nod to community -building and -supporting activities. <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The first highlight was MLK Day. Many Middle School staff and students participated as singers and drummers with the all-community choir and musicians. Activities prior to our all-school gathering concentrated on themes of diversity and acceptance. <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The second highlight of our month was the Adolescent Issues Forum, a 1 1/2 day focus on issues surrounding early adolescence. The activities included a human sexuality workshop as well as sessions devoted to the theme this year, “There’s a Monster Under my Bed,”—how to cope with fears and anxiety. We’re especially grateful to guest speakers within and outside of our community who contributed to a successful experience. <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Additionally, the second of three Middle School dances took place this month. The theme was Going Green and it was a great success. While middle schoolers were dancing, parents were invited to a Stove Side Chat. “Blessing of a Skinned Knee,” a parenting book using Jewish teachings to raise self-reliant children, was the focus of the conversation. <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Trimester two classes are drawing to a close, which means that both students and teachers are soon to be in the midst of writing evaluations—course, self, and student. And in yearlong classes. . . 1 <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">st <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> Years are beginning their next immigration unit, forced immigration from Africa. Toni’s recent return from Kenya will certainly inform and enliven unit activities. 2 <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">nd <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> Years are busy learning powerpoint techniques in Mythic Worlds by comparing gods and goddesses. And if your 2 <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">nd <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> Year has Christel for Math 6, ask him or her about the world of statistics and the ACC. 3 <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">rd <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> Years have recently completed reading of <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">__The Giver__ <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> and participated in the reenactment of “The Ceremony of 12.” Ask your 3 <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">rd <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> Year about his or her assignment! 4 <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">th <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> Years who are considering applying to Upper School have begun their visits to that unit. It’s an exciting, challenging time for them as they begin this next, important transition in their lives. <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Finally, though students had the day off on Friday, staff was “on” as they began the action steps of this year’s self-study, Global Citizenship. - Mary Deborah <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">
 * <span style="font-size: 13.2pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">The News from Middle School **

<span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The Upper School in the New Year and beyond: compiled by Susan Kincaid: 1/30/08
<span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">__Upcoming events and general news from the Upper School:__ <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> //<span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">I asked Upper School staff to share information on some of the wonderful things they are doing in their classes recently. Here are the responses I received. These should give you an idea of the variety of options for students in the Upper School. // <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Ken’s guitar-building class is almost finished building two acoustic guitars. He feels that these will be “very fine instruments.” <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">A group of 20 from the Lycee Jeanne d'Arc in Rouen will come for a 10-day home stay with our CFS French students in April (2nd - 12th) Ken feels that “It will be an exciting time around here!” <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Ken finds his Car Control class to be a real plus for US students. A senior reported to Ken recently that because of this class he was able to change a flat tire at 2 a.m. last weekend. He told Ken that it was a very “empowering experience.” <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Here’s an exciting update from Jon Lepofksy about the new African-American History class he is teaching this term. Jon's 2nd Period class is creating a documentary with the working title “Understanding Race, Hip Hop and the American Dream.” Jon began the term by asking students to identify a contemporary topic that they would like to study and which they felt like they needed to know more about the history of race in the U.S. to understand fully. The class decided to focus on hip hop music and culture and turned that topical interest into a research question: how did hip hop culture and gang culture come to be understood as synonymous with each other? In order to answer that question, the class has been studying key moments in the history of race and the construction of African-American identity as well as the content of both hip hop culture and gang culture. This course of study has taken the class to ask how hip hop--as a poetics of ghetto life--and gang culture--as a component of the political economy of the ghetto--draws upon and helps extend the history of race in the U.S. The documentary is incorporating interviews with people within and outside of the CFS community (using questions collectively composed by the students and footage generated by the students) as well as information and narration (gathered and written by the students) to give context to the interviews. From the interviews done so far and the class's collective analysis of these interviews, it looks like the documentary will not only offer an explanation of <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">why hip hop and gang culture get associated with black identity in many people's minds by drawing upon historical context, but also will make a broader statement about how hip hop culture is fundamentally about struggling to achieve the American Dream and the ways in which race shapes that struggle. The direction this project is taking seems to point to a poignant statement about hip hop or any topic of study: that understanding it requires taking it seriously, both its "good" and "bad" parts, tabling judgments, and recognizing it as a logical response to people's real lives and the history that shapes those lives and experiences. <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Susan’s Immigration Class is planning a Walk-A-Thon for Saturday, March 1 <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">st <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> on Franklin Street to raise money for the Valentino Achak Deng Foundation. Valentino is one of The Lost Boys of Sudan, who is currently studying at Alleghany College in Pennsylvania. He is planning to build a school in his hometown of Marial Bai, Sudan. For us, Valentino represents the true spirit of the Quaker commitment to service as well as the path of immigrants to the U.S. As part of this Walk-A-Thon that class plans to create scarves with patterns of footprints to illustrate the often arduous journey of immigrants to our country. The class asked the Upper School parent community for donations of old sheets, curtains, or thin fabrics to make the scarves. As well as acrylic paint. Their plan is to decorate cut strips of fabric with the footprints of children from the Early and Lower Schools. Students will dip their feet in acrylic paint and walk across the fabric. In a recent email to Valentino, Upper School student Madeline Smith-Gibbs wrote, “ <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">__What is the What__ <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> has had a profound impact on all of us. No one in the class can read the account of your life without being horrified at the violence and hate that occurred in Southern Sudan—and is still happening in the country—but the love, strength, and hope of you and other Lost Boys is truly inspiring.” Students hope that we can get Valentino, who is currently a student at Alleghany College in PA, to come and visit us here at CFS. <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Our Language Arts and Social Studies teachers are in the process of redefining our sophomore curriculum. Our purpose is to create a yearlong course of study that: emphasizes changes leading up to the world we currently live in, develops awareness and understanding of the contemporary world, and outlines how we got to be who we are. We want to help students learn how to participate as global citizens in an ever-changing, dynamic world. Staff is networking with other Quaker and Independent Schools for feedback and suggestions. <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Students have been assigned to end-of-years trips. Groups are now planning itineraries, getting passports, and preparing for our first major fundraising event, a Cabaret on Saturday, March 1 <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">st <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">. Students are also encouraged to raise money themselves to help pay for expenses outside of the end-of-year budget.
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">On Thursday, January 31 <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">st <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> and Saturday, February 2 <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">nd <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">, the Upper School Improvisation Class will hold its annual show in the Meeting Hall. This year the show was organized and will be run completely by students.
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Student-led conferences will take place on Thursday and Friday, February 21 <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">st <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> and 22 <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">nd <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">. This is a valuable part of the Upper School tradition of student leadership.
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">This week the Clerks Committee instituted a Random Acts of Kindness week. Each student was encouraged to pick a student name out of a bowl on Willy’s counter and do something nice for that person. This is a fun way to build school spirit during the cold days of winter.
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The Upper School is very excited about the many ways in which students participated in the MLK celebration. Students were part of the Community Choir and the drumming ensemble, and helped to weave two colorful rugs under the direction of US parent Carol Blackmore (see the rugs and a photo collage in the gym lobby). Of special note is Jasmine Berry, who organized the US speaker that morning. Joe Jones led a lively conversation about how to create and sustain community, and the many ways we can help one another. Students also enjoyed hearing stories about his grandmother (an avid UNC fan).
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Our swim team won their first meet! Way to go!
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Congratulations are in order for Senior English Clemmons, who planned a successful fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis at the Governor’s Club last weekend. Many students, parents, board members and teachers attended the event. English has raised over $15,000 so far and was featured in a recent N & O article.
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The Student Staff Discipline Committee has been busy wrestling with critical issues of community trust, demonstrating careful discernment and living the process of consensus. Carrie recently wrote to US parents, “I believe that the SSDC is one of the most important aspects of the Upper School.”
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">It seems like many students are finding it hard to get to school on time at 8:30. Our lateness policy for chronically late students assigns them extra cleaning jobs at the end of the school day. We are asking parents for their help in getting kids to school on time.
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">On Thursday, February 18 <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">th <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">, students will run a Valentine’s Day Dance in the lobby of the Gym. This will be a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the end of our term.
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The topic for the US symposium this winter is: “Sex, Drugs, Rock-n-Roll.”
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">We are hoping to set aside Wednesday, March 12 <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">th <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> as a student teach-in day. We invite students to teach our regular classes for a day and run the US! In the past we have found this to be a very empowering experience for all students. It also provides time for the staff to do some long-range planning.
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The Upper School will be offering many exciting new classes in the spring term. Among them are: Emotional Intelligence and Social Dynamics: The Mind of Mental Health, and Gay History. In addition, three classes will be led by Seniors and supervised by staff: Hip-Hop, German Culture, and BBQ 101.

=<span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">PSA report = <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Some highlights from the PSA include the recent adults-only dance held at the Century Center in Carrboro. Parents of both alums and current students as well as staff enjoyed a variety of live music performances, dancing, and lots of good food. I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews from those who attended. <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Looking ahead, two threshing sessions will be held under the auspices of the Review Committee to discuss how to fund the PSA. Those sessions are open to all interested and will be from 7-9 pm on both Thursday, February 7 <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">th <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> and Thursday, March 6 <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">th <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">. The Events Committee is also continuing to make plans for the Community Read (“Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life” by Barbara Kingsolver) and its related events. More information will be forthcoming. <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Finally, the Care Committee continues to work to meet emergent needs in the community while setting up systems to better streamline the response process.

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