Peek at the Week for January 21-28, 2010
January 21, 2010January 21-28, 2010
January
| 22 | Middle School dance, 7-10:00pm in the Barn |
| 22 | Viewfinder Global Film Series, 6:30pm |
| 25 | Basketball begins for 6th grade |
| 28 | Middle School parent Facebook workshop, 7:00pm in the Middle School |
February
| 3 | Summer Adventures Fair at Catlin Gabel, 3:45-7:00pm |
| 4 | Middle School Parent Conference, no middle school |
| 5 | Middle School Parent Conference, no middle school |
| 6 | First Ski Bus Saturday |
| 11 | Middle School Parent Conference, no middle school |
| 12 | Middle School Parent Conference, no middle school |
| 12 | John Craig & the Upper School Jazz Band concert in Cabel Theater, 8:00pm with $5 admission |
| 15 | President's Day observed, no school |
| 19 | Re-enrollment contracts due to Toad Hall today |
Notes from Middle School Head, Paul Andrichuk
Assembly
Today Caitlin Carlson, Catlin Gabel alum, who currently works at Mercy Corps came in to speak with Middle Schoolers about relief efforts in Haiti. Here is some information she shared with us.
Mercy Corps' earthquake-response team is focused on meeting immediate needs while empowering the people of Haiti be the agents of their own long-term recovery.
Our first responders in Port-au-Prince, supported by staff at our U.S. and European headquarters and a logistics hub in the Dominican Republic, are working to restore clean water, help children recover emotionally and put Haitians to work clearing debris and rebuilding neighborhoods.
Right now our field teams are:
* Working with the UN's World Food Program to deliver high-energy biscuits to 1,500 patients in Port au Prince's largest hospital and more than 3,000 of their family members.
* Helping identify and rehabilitate sources of drinking water for local residents, including wells, boreholes and pumping stations.
* Crafting a Haiti-specific version of our trauma-alleviation program for children, Comfort for Kids, which we've used to help kids recover emotionally after 9/11, Hurricane Katrina and earthquakes in Peru and China.
Catlin Gabel is teaming with Mery Corps to provide an opportunity for our community to contribute to the Haitian relief efforts. Two lower school parents have offered to match any Catlin Gabel contributions up to $1000.00. Here is the link to the Catlin Gabel giving page at Mercy Corps.
Parent Facebook Workshops
Parent Facebook Workshops—Thursday, January 28 @ 7 pm in the Middle School
I want to invite you to a parent night that will repeat last Wednesdays Facebook presentations with the Middle Schoolers. These will be led by the Information Technology Department.
Student surveys over the course of the last three years have indicated that more Middle School students have Facebook accounts, with the biggest increase occurring between 6th and 7th graders.
At the same time, there are students who do not fully understand Facebook. This includes important things like how to use privacy settings, what “apps are,” and how information is mined from Facebook.
There are two essential questions the workshops will address.
Who am I presenting on Facebook and what can people learn about me?
What are apps and how do you use them?
Information about the workshops can be found on the following link: http://www.catlin.edu/news/middle-school/thinking-critically-about-facebook
Dance News
This is just a reminder that there is a dance tomorrow, January 22.
The theme will be THE BEACH. There will be a $3.00 fee.
The charity for our proceeds will be the TANZANIAN CHILDRENS FUND.
Additional dance information, including the guest policy can be found here: http://www.catlin.edu/middle/frequently-asked-questions
Your child may choose not to attend the dance due to a conflict, but we ask that you not schedule Middle School class or social events during dances in support of this community spirit. Individual family obligations are a different matter altogether.
A party or event implies an invitation and these are not given to all classmates. There are bound to be hurt feelings when individual students are excluded, and this is made worse by the fact that the dance tends to be an emotional time for Middle Schoolers as it is.
Further, we cannot assume that all parents know the event is occurring or their child is attending. When students leave (especially early) it is unclear to us whether or not they have received parent permission.
This means having adult chaperones at the curb with students leaving early so they are not assisting at the dance during this time.
I want to emphasize that we fully support students (and their families) seeing one another outside of school. I ask that these occasions be inclusive when they involve large groups of people. In addition, I ask that they not occur when there are community events already scheduled.
Parent Book Groups
Just a reminder that parent book groups start Monday.
These will always run from 8:30—9:30. Nurtureshock will meet in the library. Not Much Just Chillin will meet in Graceland (the MS office)
From Paul:
If you are reading the Perlstein book, we will divide the book by season, with “Autumn” being read for the second session, “Winter” for the third session, and “Spring” for the fourth session. Please read the Prologue as well as “A Conversation with Linda Perlstein” at the end of the book for the first session. I’ll include more details in weekly emails, once we’ve established some protocols.
From Lynn:
I am excited to be convening the NurtureShock book group beginning January 25th. My plan is to begin the first session discussing the introduction and chapt. 1 (The Inverse Power of Praise). In subsequent weeks we will cover most, but not all, of the other chapters in the book averaging around 30 pages per session. On February 1st the focus sleep and siblings in chapt. 2 (The Lost Hour) and chapt. 6 (The Sibling Effect). February 8th we'll devote to issues of diversity and inclusion in chapt. 3 (Why White Parents Don't Talk about Race) and chapt. 9 (Plays Well with Others). We will not meet on February 15th but will resume on the 22nd to discuss chapt. 4 (Why Kids Lie). Finally, on March 1st we will conclude with chapt. 7 (The Science of Teen Rebellion) and the Conclusion (The Myth of the Supertrait).
Dates:
Monday, 1/25
Monday, 2/1
Monday, 2/8
Monday, 22
Monday, 3/1
Two additional parent book groups, lead by Ann Fyfield and Chris Bell, will start April 5th and run every Monday throughout the month. Why Gender Matters: What Parents and Teachers Need to Know about the Emerging Science of Sex Differences by Leonard Sax and Rapt: Attention and the Focused Life by Winnifred Gallagher are the books for the April groups.
Join the "What's Next?" workshop online
RSVPs were required by January 8 to participate in person, but it's not too late to participate online.
Alumni, parents, students, and friends of Catlin Gabel are encouraged to join the workshop online. It's easy:
• Visit the website on January 23, between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. (Pacific time).
• Find the "What's Next?" badge below the home page photo.
• Click on the badge to link to the virtual version of the "What's Next?" workshop.
We also welcome you to make suggestions for how Catlin Gabel can keep the spirit of the Rummage Sale alive through a new activity. Post your ideas on our website forum. http://www.catlin.edu/forums/after-rummage
» Learn more about the What's Next? process http://www.catlin.edu/all-school/whats-next
Viewfinder Global Film Series .jpg)
Be part of a dynamic, interactive evening that merges art, culture, diversity and global issues.
Friday, Jan. 22, 6:30 p.m.
Childcare is available for potty-trained children ages 3 and up.
It is possible for your family to attend this film series and your middle schooler to attend the middle school dance in the Barn. For this night only, middle schoolers, whose families are attending the film series, may come to the Village area under the Barn at 6:30pm and wait with a faculty member until the dance begins. We ask that you please accompany your middle schooler to the Village and check in with the faculty member before leaving for the film series.
Over 135 people participated in our November screening.
Re-enrollment contracts due February 19
Re-enrollment contracts for the 2010-11 school year are being 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.
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Gambol Auction News
Registration is open for Gambol 2010!
Tables and single tickets are now available for the Gambol auction being held on Saturday, March 13, 2010. Reserve your seats today before we sell out! A portion of each ticket is tax deductible. Registration is online on our secure site. Click here to register.
Auction item donations are accepted until February 1.
Don't miss out on participating in this important event for our school. Donations are essential for meeting our fundraising goal. Forms are available at www.catlin.edu/giving/gambol.
Advertising and Sponsorships are a great way to expose your business to the Catlin Gabel community.
The Catlin Gabel community is a desirable demographic for any advertiser. Reaching them through such a focused and receptive forum as the Gambol auction catalog is a distinctive advantage for your sales efforts. In addition to being featured in the auction catalog for over 450 guests to view at the event, your ad will be made available to the entire Catlin Gabel community through an online catalog on the Gambol website prior to the event. For specific paid advertising and sponsor information, please go to www.catlin.edu/giving/gambol or contact the auction office at gambol@catlin.edu. For free class advertisements in honor of teachers and students please contact Gambol Co-chair, Gina Wand, at gwand@comcast.net.
The Catlin Gabel Community Is Invited to the Next Garden Club Meeting on Wednesday, January 27, 2010, from 3:30 – 5:00 PM.
The next Garden Club meeting is an open meeting for the Catlin Gabel community. This is an invitation to parents, students, and staff to come and collaborate and plan on the next steps for the garden that is growing behind the middle school. The meeting is from 3:30 – 5:00 PM on Wednesday, January 27, in Narnia in the middle school building.
Our agenda is simple but ambitious: 1) How to incorporate the garden into school curricula, grades Pre K – 12; and 2) the physical design of the garden, as we plan on building seven more raised beds and adding garden art this spring and summer.
If there are questions, please email Carter Latendresse at latendressec@catlin.edu. Thank you.
Summer Adventures Fair
All interested teens and parents are invited to a Summer Adventures Fair on Wednesday, February 3, from 3:45 to 7 p.m. at Catlin Gabel School, 8825 SW Barnes Rd., Portland (next to St. Vincent Hospital). Meet with representatives from a wide variety of summer programs for teens, including summer camps, travel abroad, outdoor adventures, local internships, and academic experiences. Admission is free and open to the public. For more information, email adventure@catlin.edu or call Julie McMurchie at 503-348-7149.