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Viola Vaughn from Sénégal to speak at Catlin Gabel on April 7
Viola Vaughn, founder and executive director of the nonprofit 10,000 Girls (http://10000girls.org) in Kaolack, Sénégal, West Africa, will speak at Catlin Gabel on Wednesday, April 7, at 12:45 p.m. in the Middle School Commons during her tour of the United States.
Vaughn is an American with an Ed.D. from Columbia University who received a CNN “Hero” award in 2008. She is a social entrepreneur who has built 10,000 Girls from an idea to a vibrant program currently serving 2,567 girls in 10 towns and villages in rural Sénégal. She periodically tours the U.S., speaking and participating in conferences to raise awareness of her organization's success in helping West African girls succeed as students and entrepreneurs. During her time in Portland Vaughn will also speak at Portland State University.
YouTube video of Viola Vaughn #1 YouTube video of Viola Vaughn #2
10,000 Girls has two primary programs: after-school education and skill-building, helping girls stay in school and complete their educations; and entrepreneurship, teaching a craft or trade and business basics to older girls who have already left school and need life skills to become self-reliant. The educational component provides tutoring and resources to help girls succeed in school. Older girls, who are no longer in school, learn sewing, baking, and other marketable skills, creating products such as dolls and table linens, which they sell locally and online. The girls also grow, harvest, and produce hibiscus, which they transform into tea and hope to export to the U.S. as Certified Organic. The girls in the entrepreneurial program have decided to donate nearly 50% of their earnings to the program, making 10,000 Girls entirely self-sustainable. In Sénégal – where 54% of the citizens live below poverty and 48% are unemployed – 10,000 Girls transforms the lives of participating girls and their families.
The dynamic Viola Vaughn, a long-time resident of Sénégal, dramatically describes the challenges and joys of running 10,000 Girls and speaks with passion about her organization's mission. She can relay fascinating stories, including how she convinced banks to open accounts for young girls, a first in Sénégal; why the girls chose to bake and sell cookies to raise money (like America's Girl Scouts); and the what poignant questions the girls pose at summer Democracy Camps in Sénégal.
In Portland, Violla Vaughn hopes to connect with individuals and organizations interested in the education of girls, as well as with businesses that might want to sell 10,000 Girls' products. She will also encourage individuals intending to volunteer for 10,000 Girls in Senegal.
The Catlin Gabel Lower School Crier, March 4, 2010
What's coming up?
March
4-5 *No classes, Parent-Teacher Conferences
9 Fourth Grade Music and Poetry Sharing, 8:30-10:10 am, LS Library
13 Gambol
16-19 Experiential Days
20-28 Spring Break
April
5 Parent coffee with Vicki, 8:20-9:15 am, LS libraray
10-16 Host N. Carolina Summitt School
16 Campus Day, 1:45-3:00 pm
*After School Care Available
Note: New or changed items will appear in bold.
Gambol Auction News
Go to www.catlin.edu/giving/gambol to purchase admittance and tuition raffle tickets. The Gambol auction catalog is online! Check it out and start making plans to bid on fantastic items. Go to http://www.catlin.edu/giving/gambol/catalog.
See you on March 13 at the Nines!
Class Art Projects for the Gambol
Unfortunately we are unable to display the AMAZING class art projects that will be auctioned off at the Gambol. You can view them online here.
Community Meeting, March 12
5th gr. French students will perform the play “Le Petit Chaperon Rouge” or "Little Red Riding Hood" at community and the second grade will present “Musicians of the Sun."
Viewfinder Global Film Series
Friday, March 5, 6:30 pm
Stand Like Still Living and 5 Heroes of AIDS in Africa
A man and woman living in a San village in western Botswana buck the silence shrouding AIDS in their community.
An uplifting documentary on the journey of South Africa's Agape Children's Choir
Hosts: Jessica Marlitt, M.K. Othologie, & the Global Citizens' Club
IMPORTANT Experiential Days Information
Who ya gonna call? Not Julie
Julie will be out of town the week of Experiential Days. Ginny Malm and After School Care will be the Lower School contact during this time. If you need to get messages to your child or if you have any questions please call Ginny Malm at 503-297-1894 ext. 353. Ginny will also check ext. 666.
This includes:
• Messages about changes in after school care plans
• Updated trip arrival times (the front desk at Toad Hall will have this information as well)
What if I’m late picking up my child?
Children who are not picked up from Experiential Days groups within 15 minutes of the publicized end-time will be sent to ASC. The Village under the Barn will help you locate your child.
What if I need to talk to someone in the Lower School office?
Julie will be in Sunriver with Flying on Snow and Vicki will be in North Carolina with her group. Ginny Malm will be the contact for the week. You can reach her at 503-297-1894 ext. 353 or by email at malmg@catlin.edu. Jonathan Weedman, LS counselor will be available for more pressing issues that may occur. You can reach him at 530-297-1894 ext. 336 or by email at weedmanj@catlin.edu. He will be out and about every day but will check his voicemail and email each afternoon.
Will After School Care be offered next week? YES
Before and After-School Care will operate on their usual schedules during Experiential Days. Regular participants who are on campus will be expected unless parents tell us otherwise. Please leave messages regarding after school care changes at 503-297-1894 ext. 353. Ginny will also check ext. 666.
Are After School Care Enrichment Classes meeting? NO
None of the enrichment classes (Chess, HW club, strings) or Girl Scouts will meet the week of Experiential Days.
Will route buses operate during the week? NO
LS Experiential Days, MS Discovery Days and US Breakaway are all happening the week before Spring Break. Our bus fleet will be used for trips therefore there will be no route buses on this week.
Will the Barn be open during Experiential Days? NO
The Barn will not be open Tuesday, March 16-Friday, March 19. Please plan accordingly.
A BIG Thank You!
A big THANK YOU to all who helped us have a very successful first ever outdoor-wear sports sale! Wonderful donations, enthusiastic buyers, and lots of volunteers made for a great event. We made $500.00, all of which goes to support lower School Experiential Days financial aid. We hope to do this again next year, so look forward to supporting the 2nd annual sale. Megan Galaher and Catherine Kinnucan
After School Care News
Lower School after school activities next week include:
Monday Chess Club for experienced chess players meets in the Barn after School.
Tuesday Homework Club for 4th and 5th graders whose parents have made advance arrangements with Sue Sacks, LS Learning Specialist. Students report to the Barn for snack before 3:30 pm.
Wednesday Individual Strings lessons as scheduled.
Thursday Chess for Learners meets in the Barn after school.
Thursday MATHAMAZING for students in Grades 4 and 5 meets. Students should come to ASC unless other arrangements have been made. Pick-up is in the LS Science room at 5:00 pm.
Friday Fusion Yoga meets in the LS Library at 3:15 pm on Fridays. There are still student (Grades 1-5) spots available; contact Ginny Malm by email or phone if you are interested.
Girl Scouts - The Grade 2 Girl Scouts will meet after school in their classroom this Wednesday. Girl Scout groups in Grades 4 and 5 will not meet this week.
Menu change for next week
Monday
Fish soft tacos
Vegetarian soft tacos (V)
Chiken noodle soup
Garden vegetable soup (V, G)
Tuesday
Meatball sandwich
Vegetarian meatball sandwich (V)
Homemade fries (G)
Chicekn noodle soup
Tomato soup (V)
Model Railroad Club Open House
What has 34 wheels, generates more than 5,000 horse power, weighs 1.2 million pounds, can travel 80 miles per hour, and runs on water?
Answer: The largest steam locomotive ever built, the Alco 4-8-8-4 Big Boy.
Come see this and more than 30 other locomotives running in HO scale at the Catlin Gabel Model Railroad Club’s sixth anniversary open house. See the town lit up as well as the six- stall roundhouse. If you want to know how cool the train setup is, just ask the Beginning School Honeybees who recently visited the club.
Thursday, March 4, 3 – 6 p.m.
Friday, March 5, 3 – 6 p.m.
Saturday, March 6, 1 – 5 p.m.
Basement of the Catlin Gabel caretaker’s house at 8685 SW Barnes Rd.
Top of the hill behind the facilities building
Look for the yellow sign on the door leading to the basement.
It’s FREE, FUN and TOTALLY COOL!
Donate Humanitarian Supplies for Cuba Trip
Did you know that a Cuban citizen receives one bar of soap per month, and that all the hygiene supplies we take for granted are rationed in Cuba? You can help our students prepare for their trip to Cuba by donating basic supplies, from toothpaste and soap to old baseball gloves. Drop off your donations in the Upper School office or library any time through March 12. When the students arrive in Cuba in March, they will distribute the supplies to clinics and individuals. For a complete list of requested items to donate, please visit the Cuba trip page on the Catlin Gabel website On behalf of the students making this life-changing trip, thank you for your contributions.
Catlin Gabel Summer Programs
We are pleased to announce the launching of Summer Programs 2010! We have numerous programs available for students preschool through high school and even some adult offerings. Please peruse our online catalog and registration material. We have a number of wonderful new creative classes as well as the return of many favorites. Remember, Summer Programs are open not just to Catlin Gabel families, but to the entire community - please pass the word to friends, relatives and neighbors. Summer Programs - Our Difference Is Learning!
Mock trial team advances to state
Both the blue and white mock trial teams had a great day at the 2010 regional trial. The Blue Team advances to state to compete against the best teams in Oregon. This year’s case, State v. Lane, is a criminal case where the defendant, a rap artist, is charged with inciting a riot and arson.
Congratulations to Catlin Blue team members Talbot Andrews, Conor Carlton, Becky Coulterpark, Eli Coon, Nina Greenebaum, Andrew Hungate, Grace McMurchie, Kate McMurchie, Megan Stater, and Leah Thompson.
Catlin White team members include Rohisha Adke, Amanda Cahn, Rachel Caron, Audrey Davis, Layla Entrikin, Brian Farci, James Furnary, Mira Hayward, Thalia Kelly, Jackson Morawski, Grant Phillips, Charlie Shoemaker, Henry Shulevitz, Curtis Stahl, Lynne Stracovsky, Terrance Sun, Karuna Tirumala, and Michael Zhu.
Students lead CG response to Haiti earthquake, community raises $28,000
The world looked on in horror when the January 12 earthquake rocked Haiti. Immediately, Catlin Gabel students of all ages got to work organizing fundraisers to help the devastated island. Alumna Caitlin Carlson ’00, communications officer for Mercy Corps, came to campus to talk to about the essential need for cash in the coming months. We set up a web page aimed at inspiring students and consolidating our community efforts. Student-led bake sales and the Lower School read-a-thon raised $28,000 for Haitian earthquake relief. Our contributions will make a difference in Haiti: $16 provides a child’s "comfort kit” that includes a blanket, sketchpad, crayons and toys, $43 buys 110 pounds of rice, and $75 equips a Port-au-Prince resident for two weeks of recovery work.
The Catlin Gabel Lower School Crier, February 26, 2010
What's coming up?
March
4-5 *No classes, Parent-Teacher Conferences
9 Fourth Grade Music and Poetry Sharing, 8:30-10:10 am, LS Library
13 Gambol
16-19 Experiential Days
20-28 Spring Break
*After School Care Available
Note: New or changed items will appear in bold.
Notes from Vicki
A Thank-you from Mercy Corps
Please take a minute to view this short “Thank-You” video for supporting the relief efforts in Haiti. It is heart-warming and sincere; indeed, our significant contribution to Mercy Corps was noticed and one of our alums, who works there, has contacted us with the offer to come and personally thank the children and let them know how the money is being used to help people in Haiti. We’ll likely have her join us for a Community Meeting sometime this spring.
Hearing about the meaningful work our Catlin Gabel alums are involved in continues to amaze and inspire me. The quarterly Caller magazine often profiles a sampling of what our alums are doing and I love reading their stories. This fall I attended a dinner honoring “The 100 Best Nonprofits to Work For in Oregon” (Catlin Gabel was in this group) and during the course of the evening several people saw my nametag and excitedly wanted me to know that they were an alum. I shouldn’t have been surprised because our students do go on to make a positive difference in the world. I am proud to say that our students see themselves as efficacious and empowered to cause change. They are genuinely interested in service – and of course this starts during their Beginning School and Lower School years.
Catlin Gabel route buses cancelled during Experiential Days
During the week of Experiential Days, March 16 through March 19 there will be no route bus service.
Community meeting, March 12
5th gr. French students will perform the play “Le Petit Chaperon Rouge” or "Little Red Riding Hood" at community and the second grade will present “Musicians of the Sun."
Class art project for the Gambol
Get a sneak peek at the AMAZING class art projects that will be auctioned off at the Gambol. They will be on display in the front hallway of the LS the week of March 8.
The Parent-Faculty Association nominations
The Parent-Faculty Association (PFA) will be accepting nominations from March 1, 2010 until April 15, 2010 for the 2010-11 school year.
Anyone interested can apply. The PFA welcomes parents who are new to the school and parents who have not considered leadership involvement before. Generally, it is best to start out by volunteering as a grade representative before serving on the executive council. Nominating yourself is encouraged.
Please e-mail pfa@catlin.edu to nominate a candidate (including yourself) for any of the following positions:
- Grade representatives (preschool through twelfth)
- Volunteer coordinator
- Advisor to Council
- Beginning School coordinator
- Lower School coordinator
- Communications coordinator
- Treasurer
- Vice president
Outdoor clothing sale
March 2, 2:00 pm-4:00 pm, covered patio by the Beehive
Thanks to so many great donations of outdoor clothing and & gear we are ready for the sale! Our kids find out their Experiential Days selections today, along with information on any clothing and gear they may need, so come ready to shop! We can accept cash or check - no charges to student accounts. All proceeds will go to Financial Aid for Experiential Days.
Thanks again for your support!
Catherine Kinnucan & Megan Galaher
Viewfinder Global Film Series
Friday, March 5, 6:30 pm
Stand Like Still Living and 5 Heroes of AIDS in Africa
A man and woman living in a San village in western Botswana buck the silence shrouding AIDS in their community.
An uplifting documentary on the journey of South Africa's Agape Children's Choir
Hosts: Jessica Marlitt, M.K. Othologie, & the Global Citizens' Club
Gambol Auction News
$10,000 Tuition Raffle
The Tuition Raffle is back by popular demand. Buy a $100 ticket for a chance to win $10,000. Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to win almost half of the cost of tuition! To purchase tickets and more information go to www.catlin.edu/giving/gambol. Kick on the little red heels.
Look forward to seeing you at the Gambol!
Tickets are selling fast. Tables are filling up.
$250 Patron ticket – sponsors a teacher to attend
$125 Individual ticket
$75 Alumni/Newcomer ticket
Register ONLINE today at www.catlin.edu/giving/gambol.
Sneak Peek: Auction Sign-Ups
We have a spectacular selection of items to offer this year. Here’s a sneak peek of the party and activity Sign-Ups available to purchase. These items are not open for bid. You may sign-up for these events at the Gambol on March 13 at the Nines.
Ano’s Art Party – private art party for 12 children or adults at Ano’s Art Academy in Cedar Hills
Big Night at Apolloni Vineyards – a summer tradition continues with outstanding food and wine for 75 people
Bernie Fagan Soccer Clinic – 30 kids at a soccer camp at PGE Park ages 5 -12 years old.
Barn Party – 50 adults party in the Barn, D.J. spinning tunes, kegs, and food by chef Hen Troung
Indian Dinner – lavish dinner for 8 people in the home of parents Murali & Indira Nallakrishnan
Woodshop for Women – 15 women design and build a masterpiece with teacher Jennifer Marcus ’73
Cycling Adventure – 12 people our Portland by bike with teacher John Mayer
Lemon Drops and Flip-flops – 25 people enjoy pampering and cocktails in a beautiful Dunthorpe garden
Overnight & Movie in the Paddock – 100 people watch a movie on the big screen under the stars
Taste the World of Teas – 10 people sample and learn from Teamaker Steve Smith, founder of Tazo
Tie Dye Party – 8 kids twist, tie and dye anything 100% cotton with parent Jenny Wilson Prendergast ’87
Persian Dinner – Parents Caroline & Babak Sabi host a fantastic evening of food and dancing for 40 people
Cupcake Brunch – Parent Dancy Jubb hosts 20 families for a Sunday champagne brunch and cupcake party
After-School Care News
• Monday Chess Club for experienced chess players meets in the Barn after school.
• Tuesday after-school Homework Club for 4th and 5th graders whose parents have made advance arrangements with Sue Sacks, LS Learning Specialist. Students report to the Barn for snack before 3:30 pm.
• Wednesday Individual Strings lessons as scheduled.
• Thursday Chess for Learners, MATHAMAZING and Fusion Yoga will not meet this week as there are no LS classes on Thursday and Friday. They will resume next week.
• Parent Conferences for Beginning and Lower Schools will occur on Thursday, March 4 and Friday, March 5. After-School Care will sponsor all-day programs and drop-in care (during the time of a family’s conference only) on those days.
All-Day Programs: Contact Ginny Malm malmg@catlin.edu or 503-297-1894 ext.353 ASAP to check if there is still room. Cost is $45/day/student.
Drop-in care during the time of a family't confernece only After-School Care will also staff drop-in care for parents during the time of their conferences only, paid for by the Beginning and Lower Schools. No need to pre-register; just walk your children to the Lower School Library 7:30 am – 4:00 pm, and sign them in on-the-spot. After 4:00 pm drop-in care will be located in the village under the Barn. Siblings must be at least 3 ½ years old and “school savvy."
Also After School: Girl Scouts in Grades 4 and 5 will meet after school in their respective classrooms this Wednesday. The Grade 2 Girl Scouts will not meet this week.
Model Railroad Club Open House
What has 34 wheels, generates more than 5,000 horse power, weighs 1.2 million pounds, can travel 80 miles per hour, and runs on water?
Answer: The largest steam locomotive ever built, the Alco 4-8-8-4 Big Boy.
Come see this and more than 30 other locomotives running in HO scale at the Catlin Gabel Model Railroad Club’s sixth anniversary open house. See the town lit up as well as the six- stall roundhouse. If you want to know how cool the train setup is, just ask the Beginning School Honeybees who recently visited the club.
Thursday, March 4, 3 – 6 p.m.
Friday, March 5, 3 – 6 p.m.
Saturday, March 6, 1 – 5 p.m.
Basement of the Catlin Gabel caretaker’s house at 8685 SW Barnes Rd.
Top of the hill behind the facilities building
Look for the yellow sign on the door leading to the basement.
It’s FREE, FUN and TOTALLY COOL!
Troupe from Beijing Dance Academy to perform at CGS Chinese New Year festival
Dancers from the Beijing Academy of Dance, the top dance school in China, will be coming to Catlin Gabel's Barn to be part of the school's Chinese New Year celebration, from 3:15 to 4:15 p.m. Tuesday, February 23. The free, short performance of "The Butterfly Lovers" will be geared for our children. The troupe is performing February 23 & 24 at the Newmark Theatre. Other New Year's activities for children include calligraphy, puppet-making, paper cutting, and a yo-yo demonstration.
The Catlin Gabel Lower School Crier, February 19, 2010
What's coming up?
February
19 Re-enrollment contracts due
23 Chinese New Year Carnival, 3:15-4:15 pm, Barn
26 Fifth grade Music and Poetry Sharing, 8:30-10:10 am, LS Library
March
4-5 *No classes, Parent-Teacher Conferences
9 Fourth Grade Music and Poetry Sharing, 8:30-10:10 am, LS Library
13 Gambol
16-19 Experiential Days
20-28 Spring Break
*After School Care Available
Note: New or changed items will appear in bold.
Haiti Read-a-Thon donation total!
A huge thank you to all who pledged and participated in the Lower School Read-a-Thon.
Cash and checks collected: $9,547
Online donations: $10,826
Matching funds: $7,000
Total: A whopping $27,373!!!
Once again, the Catlin Gabel community has come together to help those in need- your generosity and kindness are surely appreciated by Mercy Corps and those beyond! We have never had a more successful student led fundraiser.
Garden Design Contest
The Garden Club is going to expand the existing garden behind the middle school, and we would like your design help. This is a contest soliciting your garden design ideas by February 22.
We want to add twelve more beds onto the existing five beds so that students, teachers, and parents can grow more vegetables for the Barn lunches. Hen in the Barn has requested the following: sunflower and lilies, basil, carrots, lettuce, cucumber, and tomatoes. Of course, beets, peas, and beans are welcome too! We also envision fruit trees or bushes, benches, garden art, and beautiful paths of some sort, lined with cedar chips.
Click here to go to the “Blank Garden Image” PDF to download and print the file:
Once you print the file, please follow the directions on the sheet by drawing in twelve beds, fruit trees or bushes, benches, and garden art.
Once finished with your drawing, please return it to Catlin Gabel School, addressed to Carter Latendresse, so that he receives it by February 22.
You will be notified if your design is chosen so that the Garden Club might honor you with a $50 gift certificate to The Farm Café.
Donations needed for outdoor clothing sale!!
Does the thought of having to buy one more pair of BRAND NEW RAIN PANTS AT FULL PRICE because your child is going on an outdoor trip and has outgrown the pair you bought last year drive you over the edge? We feel the same and that is why we are organizing a sale of slightly used outdoor clothing and gear! WE NEED YOUR DONATIONS NOW!! Please bring any items you can donate to the lower school office this week. Date and location of sale to be announced shortly. Prices at the sale will be moderate and all proceeds will go to Financial Aid for Experiential Days and Class Trips.
Thanks for your support, Catherine Kinnucan & Megan Galaher
Take Kindle for a spin
Overnight checkout available through IT department.
The Information Technology department now has an Amazon Kindle available to families for overnight checkout to evaluate whether or not they might wish to purchase one. The IT office is located in the upper level of the Vollum Humanities Building. Please email IT@catlin.edu if you wish to reserve the Kindle.
At this time, we do not anticipate formal school adoption of the Kindle or other electronic book reader, but we would like to support families that are interested in them.
Learn more about Kindle features at http://www.catlin.edu/news/take-kindle-for-a-spin-courtesy-of-it-department
First Grade Coin Lunch Bunch
Thurs. Feb. 25 first graders interested in learning about coins can bring their lunch to the library for “Coin Lunch Bunch.” They are welcome to trade for uncirculated presidential dollar coins and state quarters. We’ll be looking at other coins as well.
Do you turn left into Catlin Gabel from Barnes Road? If so, read on!
It has been reported that a police officer has ticketed one of our parents for pulling into the left turn lane too early. Since many of us deal with this issue on a daily basis, we wanted to let you know that it could be a $271 mistake....
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Gambol Auction News
Thank you Donors
Donations are closed. Thanks to the generosity of our donors we have fantastic auction items to offer. Look forward to more party and activity sign-ups than ever before, a full-bodied wine auction, and a live auction that will knock your socks off! Our catalog is going to print next week and we will preview the items on the website soon.
Registration
Tickets are selling fast and tables are filling up. Don’t miss out on the biggest party of the year. Buy your ticket here!
Organize a Table
If there is a specific group you would like to sit with at the Gambol, the auction office needs to know. Please fill out the Table Captain form and return to the auction office as soon as possible. Don’t have a group to sit with? No worries, we will make sure you have a great seat.
Volunteer Sign-up Open
Organizing a successful auction takes thoughtful preparation and dedication. Proceeds from the Gambol auction directly support our teachers and students. We rely on the generous volunteer support of our community to pull off this big party.
Please take a moment to review the volunteer opportunities that are available to help before, during, and after the Gambol event. Volunteer sign-up available here.
More information? Visit the website or contact the auction office at gambol@catlin.edu.
Poster Child
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Most of you know that Maggie, our beloved fifth grade teacher, has fought — and won! -- a battle with breast cancer this year. She wrote this article as a way of sharing a bit about her journey. It highlights our theme of resiliency; it also connects with the topic of our last parent coffee, “How to talk about the tough stuff with your child.” Enjoy!
It’s a joke among my colleagues at the LS that I am literally the poster child for resiliency. On the LS retreat, a picture of me surfing, taken the weekend after my cancer diagnosis, was taped to the tv so I could be “present” in spirit, even though I couldn’t be there in body. I was initially pretty embarrassed by this. For me, the ocean was the natural place to go and surfing was the one reliable place for me to clear my head. You can’t stay on the board if you think about anything else.
Cancer keeps you pretty busy for a while. Lab tests, doctor’s appointments, surgeries, medicine, and research about all of them, can fill your mind and your days for a good long while. When there’s a lull in the action, as there is for me right now, there’s a lot of time to think, a good thing and a sometimes uncomfortable thing.
I’ve thought about how my parents, whom I adore, didn’t share bad news with me or my siblings when we were little. Later, I heard about the biopsies, the wait for results and other worries, like how they would pay for college for six kids. I thought their lives were static: same friends, same job, same house. There was a lot of safety and security in that sameness. Now that I’m older, I appreciate their sacrifices and how they shielded us, yet we now have an agreement to share good and bad news.
When I was diagnosed, my husband and I decided to share information with the kids immediately. We told them, in an honest, but pretty bare-bones way, what we’d heard and what we’d need to do next. Then we listened to their questions, really listened. The boys didn’t have many and wanted to be done with the conversation for a while. The girls wanted to know some basics: would I lose my hair and what would life be like at home if I was at the hospital. We tried not to over-answer and to be available for follow-up questions when they arose around the edges – from the back seat, right before bed, during homework, etc. One of the kids didn’t want to ask anything, so I thought out loud in front of him, in the hopes that he’d know what would happen and that he’d be well cared for. Of course, the hardest part was that I couldn’t promise them that I’d be okay, even though that’s what we all wanted me to say.
During this process, Jonathan, our LS counselor, was so helpful to me in thinking about how to navigate this terrifying process as a parent. He helped me to see that we were doing some things right which felt so good when everything else felt so wrong. He also pointed out that each of our kids was going to, of course, handle this adversity in his or her own way. Our family can be silly and we found that humor helped a lot. Barry’s impersonations of a dinosaur at dinner are still a favorite. My brothers, as politically incorrect as ever, made me laugh over the phone.
Keeping the kids’ schedule as close to “normal” and honoring their gifts felt more important than ever. Jacob found rock climbing, Liam a new soccer team, Abbie a new volleyball team and Emmy a passion for skiing fast. Their growing competencies gave them an outlet and a feedback loop that helped them bounce back and feel strong.
I know that trusting that other adults could love the kids and take care of them at school, at home and on the soccer field helped the kids feel more secure. To do so, I needed to share information I didn’t always want to share. After Liam’s new soccer coach told him he wouldn’t play in games if he didn’t make every practice, I needed to share that this would be challenging. I had only met him once and then felt I needed to tell him about my breast cancer. I hated feeling that “out there” and vulnerable. What happened? It turned out the coach’s mom had just finished her last round of chemo and he wanted to pay it forward by driving Liam to every practice.
I believe that letting others take care of us helped my kids feel more rooted and safe. We’ve enjoyed eating so many amazing dinners from Catlin families, and our kids feel embraced with each meal. We eat in the dining room, surrounded by prayer flags created by Catlin faculty/staff, friends and family, and I know we all feel that even though things are rough, that we’ll all somehow be okay.
So, am I the poster child for resiliency? I still don’t think so, but with our community by our side, I feel that we’re making our way. I remember our first dinner this fall after my surgery when the kids weren’t so careful with me, weren’t overly polite, and I was thankful we were back to our version of normal. Am I mushier with them than ever before? Definitely. Am I always positive and do I feel strong? Definitely not, but I am very hopeful for our family’s future. My kids are going to be okay.
French students in 4th and 5th grade
We have been celebrating Mardi Gras and talked about the tradition in France and around the world.
We made Crepes and a lot of students wanted the recipe. You can find the recipe on the February page of my blog at Francine-bonappetit.blogspot.com Have fun!
Model Railroad Club Open House
What has 34 wheels, generates more than 5,000 horse power, weighs 1.2 million pounds, can travel 80 miles per hour, and runs on water?
Answer: The largest steam locomotive ever built, the Alco 4-8-8-4 Big Boy.
Come see this and more than 30 other locomotives running in HO scale at the Catlin Gabel Model Railroad Club’s sixth anniversary open house. See the town lit up as well as the six- stall roundhouse. If you want to know how cool the train setup is, just ask the Beginning School Honeybees who recently visited the club.
Thursday, March 4, 3 – 6 p.m.
Friday, March 5, 3 – 6 p.m.
Saturday, March 6, 1 – 5 p.m.
Basement of the Catlin Gabel caretaker’s house at 8685 SW Barnes Rd.
Top of the hill behind the facilities building
Look for the yellow sign on the door leading to the basement.
It’s FREE, FUN and TOTALLY COOL!
After-School Care News
Lower School After-School Activities next week include:
Monday Chess Club for experienced Chess players meets in the Barn after School.
Tuesday after-school Homework Club for 5th graders whose parents have made advance arrangements with Sue Sacks, LS Learning Specialist. Students report to the Barn for snack before 3:30 pm.
NOTE: This week is a “no homework week” for students in grade 4 so parents should arrange to pick the up after school or make arrangements for them to attend ASC.
Individual Strings Lessons as scheduled Wednesday afternoons.
Thursday Chess for Learners - Meet in the Barn after school.
MATHAMAZING for students in Grades 4 and 5 will meet on Thursday afternoon. Students should come to ASC first unless other arrangements have been made. Pick-up is in the LS Science Room at 5:00 pm.
Fusion Yoga meets in the LS Library at 3:15 on Fridays. There are still student (Grades 1-5) spots available; contact Ginny Malm by email or phone if you are interested.
Parent Conferences for Beginning and Lower Schools will occur on Thursday, March 4 and Friday, March 5. After-School Care will sponsor all-day programs and drop-in care (during the time of a family’s conference only) on those days.
Also After School: Girl Scouts - The Grade 2 Girl Scouts will meet after school in their classroom this Wednesday. Girl Scout groups in Grades 4 and 5 will not meet this week.
The Catlin Gabel Lower School Crier, February 5, 2010
What's coming up?
February
5 Read-a-thon for Haiti, 2:15-3:00 pm, Lower School
8 Parent Coffee with Vicki and Jonathan, 8:20-9:15 am, LS Library , Topic: How to Talk with Your Child About the Hard Stuff, (like war, death, abuse, oppression, body image, etc.) When do you protect your child from the scary stuff and when do you “go there?”
12 *No classes, Professional Development Day
15 No classes, Presidents' Day
19 Re-enrollment contracts due
23 Chinese New Year Carnival, 3:15-4:15 pm, Barn
March
4-5 *No classes, Parent-Teacher Conferences
13 Gambol
16-19 Experiential Days
20-28 Spring Breaks
*After School Care Available
Note: New or changed items will appear in bold.
Notes from Vicki
Katie, in grade 3, wanted to do something to help people in Haiti. I interviewed her:
“I thought about how lucky I was to have a home because I’ve never been through a real earthquake. And I thought maybe I could do something. A year ago my dad had the idea to make dog biscuits for my birthday in November and sell them to raise money for the homeless but I didn’t do it. Instead I did it this year to raise money for Haiti.”
“We had the recipe for dog biscuits in a little book. They were quite easy to make. We put them into little bags with hearts on them and put up a table outside a store (we got permission first.) I sold a bag of four for $5.00. Five people bought them at the store so this was $25.”
“My mom put up an e-mail and a lot of other people bought them, too. And altogether I raised $250!”
Coin Lunch Bunch
Thursday, February 11
Come eat your lunch in the library and chat about collecting coins! You’ll still get recess!
Students can trade for the gold presidential dollars and state quarters. We’ll be talking about the new Lincoln pennies as well!
Chinese New Year Carnival
February 23, 3:15 - 4:15 at the Barn
Welcome the arrival of the Year of Tiger? Food, games, arts and crafts. All Lower School students are welcome to join us.
Art Show
February 10, 5:00-7:00 pm, Cabell foyer
We have an extraordinary art exhibit at our school. Bring family, colleagues, and friends to the Cabell foyer on February 10 from 5-7 pm. Let us know you’ll be there! RSVP to Mira Om. There will be delicious food and interesting discussion with renowned experts in the field.
Lower School Community Meeting
Mariam Higgins, fourth grade teacher, describes Haiti and her families' experiences there in light of the recent humanitarian crisis. Click here to view the slideshow.
Read-a-thon for Haiti
We had a large turnout and a wonderful afternoon of reading! Thanks for participating!
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First and fourth grade buddies read together.
Friends got cozy in the library...
and under tables.
After School Care News
Lower School After-School Activities next week include:
• Monday Chess Club for experienced Chess players. Meet in the Barn after School.
• Tuesday Homework Club for 4th and 5th graders whose parents have made advance arrangements with Sue Sacks, LS Learning Specialist. Students report to the Barn for snack before 3:30 pm.
• Individual Strings Lessons as scheduled Wednesday afternoons.
• Thursday chess for Learners group meets in the Barn after school.
Not meeting next week
Fusion Yoga will not meet this Friday, as the Lower School has no classes that day. There are still student spots available; contact Ginny Malm if you are interested.
Other ASC news
Girl Scouts: Grades 4 and 5 will not meet after school this week. The Second Grade Girl Scouts will meet for the first time in the 2nd Grade classroom after school on Wednesday, February 10.
The ASC all-day program next Friday will focus on the celebration of the Chinese New Year (Year of the Tiger.) Please contact Ginny by email or phone at 503-297-1894 ext. 353 ASAP if you need your child to participate.
Gambol auction tables and tickets are available!
We encourage you to purchase your tickets online at www.catlin.edu/giving/gambol. The Gambol is a wonderful way to support our school and connect with the Catlin Gabel community at our biggest party of the year.
Gambol Mythbusters
Myth # 1
"I don't have anything fancy to wear"
Truth...
Attendees dress in everything from jeans to gowns. Wear what makes you comfortable. It doesn't matter what you wear as long as you are there!
Myth # 2
"Everything so expensive, there is nothing in my price range."
Truth...
There will be items in all price ranges from as low as $25 to as high as you want to go.
Myth # 3
"I haven't been asked to sit at a table"
Truth...
You can arrange your own table or the Gambol committee has a person in charge of table seating and she will do her best to sit you with your class or your division.
Myth # 4
"The live auction is too long"
Truth...
We have shortened the live auction this year and added an after-party featuring games and prizes -- just in case you were outbid on your fabulous trip.
Be a Patron at the Gambol
As a Patron you will receive an invitation to a private reception on March 3 with Head of School Lark Palma, along with Hannah Whitehead, Vicki Roscoe, Paul Anderchuck and Michael Heath. On March 13, you will receive complimentary valet parking at the Nines hotel. And best of all, your Patron ticket purchase sponsors a teacher to attend the Gambol auction. Show your support of our school and buy your patron ticket today at http://www.catlin.edu/giving/gambol
Tuition raffle tickets on sale for $100
The Tuition raffle is back by popular demand. Don’t miss this opportunity for a chance to win $10,000 towards tuition at Catlin Gabel. You can purchase your raffle ticket here. You must be 18 years and older to purchase a raffle ticket. Drawing for raffle will take place on March 13 at the Nines. Need not be present to win. For more information, please contact the auction office.
Re-enrollment contracts due February 19
Re-enrollment contracts for the 2010-11 school year were mailed on January 27. Signed contracts must be postmarked or hand delivered to Toad Hall by February 19. This deadline is firm. We cannot guarantee a spot for your child(ren) if we do not receive the contract by February 19.
If your child is not returning, please return the enrollment decline form by February 19.
Please call Traci Jernigan Rossi ’83 in the admission office if you have questions about re-enrollment, 503-297-1894 ext. 346. Questions concerning payment options should be directed to Mary Ann Rogers in the business office at 503-203-5114.
Upper School Jazz Band supporting Portland's John Craig Band
Friday, February 12, Cabell Center, doors open at 7:00 pm, show starts at 8:00 pm
Come and hear the Upper School Jazz Band supporting Portland's John Craig Band, Friday February 12 at the Cabell Center. Tickets are $5.00 at the door and the whole family can come. Doors open at 7:00 pm and the gig starts at 8:00 pm with our very own Upper School Jazz Ensemble performing first. Come and hear a night of, rock, soul, fusion and indie music.
Calendar news for 2010-11
This year we added instructional days to the school year. Our students are benefiting from more time in class and teachers are pleased to have more time to cover their curricula. Because the extended calendar is so successful, we are adopting the same number of instructional days for the 2010-11 school year.
As you review the calendar highlights below, please keep in mind that Labor Day falls late in 2010 (September 6). Lower, Middle, and Upper School students will begin before Labor Day, just as they did this year.
Last year's unusually high number of snow days persuaded us to create a policy about unscheduled school closure days: If school is canceled for three or more days, due to weather or other emergencies, the days will be made up in June.
Calendar Highlights 2010-11
Upper School orientations and activities
Thursday, September 2, and Friday, September 3
Middle School orientation day
Thursday, September 2, 10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Lower School open house
Thursday, September 2, 10 a.m. – noon
Lower and Middle School teacher prep day (no classes)
Friday, September 3
Middle and Lower School classes begin
Tuesday, September 7
Beginning School orientations begin (details to follow about small group visits)
Wednesday, September 8
Beginning School classes begin
Friday, September 10
Thanksgiving break
Wednesday, November 24 - Sunday, November 28
Winter break
Saturday, December 18 - Sunday, January 2
Martin Luther King Jr. Day - no classes
Monday, January 17
Presidents' Day - no classes
Monday, February 21
Spring break
We are waiting to hear for Portland Public Schools and other area schools to confirm their plans before scheduling spring break. We will let you know as soon as decisions are made.
Last day of classes
Friday, June 10
Graduation
Saturday, June 11
Reserved days for closure make-up (if we have three or more unplanned closures)
June 13 - 15
Students raise more than $12,000 for Haiti relief
On Friday, February 5, 200 Catlin Gabel Lower School students plus staff, faculty, and parents participated in a readathon for Haiti relief. They all read books in the Lower School library, and up and down the halls, from 2:15 to 3 p.m., unified in a student-led community effort to show we are trying to make a difference. Students collected pledges for reading a certain number of minutes or a certain number of pages, and the resulting pledges were added to the funds that Catlin Gabel students and community members have already raised for Haiti relief. As of February 8, more than $11,000 had been donated to Mercy Corps from student-led efforts all over the school, and that figure will continue to grow.
Haiti Presentation
Mariam Higgins, fourth grade teacher, describes Haiti and her families' experiences there in light of the recent humanitarian crisis.
News
