November 3, 2011Peek at the Week for Nov. 3-10, 2011
November
| 4 |
Middle School choir begins today in the Upper School choir room, 3:30-4:15pm |
| 10 |
Teaching & Learning Center parent lecture evening, 7:00pm in the middle school Commons |
| 11 |
Middle School Coffee House, 7-8:15pm in Narnia |
| 13 |
Catlin Gabel Admission Open House |
| 15 |
Middle School parent coffee with Barbara, 8:30-9:30am in the middle school library |
| 16 |
Middle School Service Learning |
| 21-22 |
Middle School teacher report writing days, no middle school |
| 23-25 |
Thanksgiving Break, no school |
| 28 |
Classes resume |
December
| 2 |
Middle School dance, 7-10:00pm in the Barn |
| 2 |
Viewfinder Global Film Series, 6:30pm in Humanities building |
| 7 |
Middle School Service |
| 9 |
8th grade performance of St. George & the Dragon in Cabell Theater, 1:30pm |
Message from Barbara
Welcome to the “quiet” month of November. I encourage fun family dinners, movies and discussions, family book clubs- anything to take advantage of some time to spend together as life speeds up sooner than we know!
Huge kudos to the athletes and coaches for a wonderful fall season. Thanks to Len for overseeing all the sports and guaranteeing safe travels and good sportsmanship.
Our headlining remarks this week come from Len Carr, the Assistant Head of the Middle School regarding a great first sports season!
Middle School Fall Sports Wrap
By Len Carr
Congratulations to all Middle School student athletes who competed on our various teams this fall. There were approximately 105 students who competed in cross country running, volleyball and/or soccer. If success were measured solely by team bonding, skill development and fun – the season was a wonderful success. But in terms of competitiveness - put this season in the win column too.
The girls cross country team won districts and placed second in state. All of our runners were fierce competitors throughout the season. Our volleyball teams improved weekly. The Blue team went to playoffs and their season ended in a tense, scrappy final match where our team really jelled and matured, demonstrating their best talent of the season.
Our soccer teams had great success across the board. We were fortunate to have loads of talent distributed between two boy’s teams and one girl’s. In the end, our girl’s team fell one game short of the league semi-finals after playing competitively in every game throughout the season. Likewise our boys white team was a plucky, scrappy group who improved steadily. Our boys Blue team competed Tuesday night in the league championship match, earning league runner up honors.
We are immensely proud of our young Eagle athletes. Furthermore we tip our caps to all our coaches for their tireless efforts, good spirit and all around enthusiasm and leadership helping to make this fall season the enormous success that it was. Parents too – thank you for your fantastic support and good sportsmanship.
November tends to be a quiet sports month in the Middle School – a chance to turn attention to other interests and to focus on studies.
7th & 8th grade basketball will begin immediately after Thanksgiving break. Boys will begin practice on Monday, November 28 and girls on Tuesday, November 29. The basketball practice schedule will be posted soon and we will publish our game schedule on the school’s website once it is completed. But note that it is practices only through winter break. Practices will be 3:30-4:30. Games do not start until January. 6th grade basketball starts on approximately February 1.
Please feel free to follow our Upper School teams into the post season. Girls cross country competes Saturday at the State Championships in Eugene. The boys and girls soccer playoff schedule can be followed by visiting
: http://www.catlin.edu/athletics/schedules
It’s been a great fall for Catlin Gabel athletics!
Go, Eagles!
What a season!
A Brief Survey Please:
As we continually strive to look at our practice and how to best serve students and families, we would appreciate a few minutes of your time to take a brief survey regarding your experience at your C&C Advisor-Parent conference two weeks ago. As always, your input and candor are greatly valued.
http://inside.catlin.edu/survey/378. Thank you, Barbara
Middle School Fall Choir Begins Tomorrow!
The first group meeting is tomorrow, Friday, Nov. 4th 3:30-4:15 pm in the Upper School music room across from the Barn.
Middle School Science Olympiad:
In the next few weeks the Catlin Gabel Middle School will form a team to compete in Oregon's Science Olympiad tournament in late April (TBD) at Western Oregon University.
Science Olympiad teams are similar to school sport teams in that they “practice” to compete in a state tournament. Science Olympiad teams compete against teams in their own state, with the state champion moving on to compete against the best teams in the nation. Individual medals and team trophies are presented to winning competitors.
The Science Olympiad tournament will have 23 events in the various science disciplines of biology, chemistry, physics, earth science, environmental science, engineering and technology.
Teams can have up to 15 members, with each member working in groups of 2 or 3 to prepare for their chosen events at the tournament. Catlin Gabel’s Science Olympiad team participated in the national tournaments in Delaware 2002 and Madison 2011. If you'd like to join the team, or want more information about the competition, bring your lunch to meet with Larry in Treasure Island at 12:15 on Mondays and Fridays beginning this Friday, or contact him at
hurstl@catlin.edu.
Catlin Gabel Service Corps News:
Tree Planting!
And all are welcome...........
WHEN: Saturday, November 5th -- the planting starts promptly at 9:00am. The planting should conclude no later than 1:00pm.
A bus will leave from the theatre @ 8:30.
WHERE: Valley Memorial Park, 3809 SE Tualatin Valley Highway, Hillsboro
WHAT: Friends of Trees will provide gloves, tools and trained guidance, as well as breakfast treats and coffee. Dress appropriately for the weather and wear sturdy shoes.
To let us know a number, please signup here.
We are also starting our
21 Days for Bienestar project. Collections have begun and will continue until Friday, November 18.
Bienestar provides quality affordable housing and resident services to farmworkers and other low income families. The 21 Days for Bienstar project builds on our successful Upper School homework club paretnership and last year’s Service Corps book drive.
Please collect the following items for Bienstar. The MS collection site is on the benches in front of The Commons.
Clothing for infants and toddler under age 5.
Used or new toys and books for babies and toddlers. Educational toys and board or cloth books preferred, but toys age appropriate for under age 4 would be great!
Infant and toddler diapers.
Here is the link to sign up or for more information:
Artist in Residence
Eric Adjetey Anang, a Ga Fantasy Coffin sculptor from Ghana, will be an artist in residence at Catlin Gabel November 7th to the 11th. We have invited him here to demonstrate his amazing art of sculpting a coffin out of wood in whatever shape a family feels best represents their deceased elder. He will be sculpting a woodworker’s hand plane, approximately 7’ long, 3’ wide, and 4’ high on the front deck of the barn. Please come ask him questions, watch him work, and feel free to participate in the building of the hand plane. Eric will give a slide lecture on Monday, November 7, at 7:30 p.m. in the Gerlinger Auditorium
Two years ago, Michael de Forest, the LS Wood Shop teacher, traveled to Ghana for a summer and studied with Eric in his carpentry shop in Teshie, near Accra. There is also a proposed US trip planned for Ghana this summer July 29 to to Aug 19th, 2012 where students will be working in the Kane Kwei Carpentry Shop with Eric.
Follow the link below to see Eric's work.
issuu.com/catlingabel/docs/eric_adjetey_information/1
Fusion Yoga
Catlin Gabel Middle School students are invited to explore the basics of Yoga including stretching, breathing, and the practice of mindfulness for a quick 3-session yoga sampler over the next few weeks. This is a free, drop-in class. Should interest dictate, we may extend this as a fee based class starting in January.
About the instructor: Suresh Srinivas is a computer scientist and Principal Engineer at Intel and CGS MS parent. He is also a Registered Yoga Teacher. He is on the board of Street Yoga and has taught Yoga at the CGS Lower School, Intel, as well as volunteering at OutsideIn teaching yoga to homeless youth.
The dates for the yoga sampler will be Tuesdays November 8, & 29, and Dec 6th after school, 3:30-4:15. The class will take place in Brox. Bring your own yoga mat if you have one.
To sign up, reply to Len Carr at
carrl@catlin.edu or sign up on the Yoga Sign Up sheet on the counter in the Middle School office.
Teaching & Learning Center:
The summer issue of The Atlantic included the cover story, “How the Cult of Self-Esteem is Ruining Our Kids.” It highlighted resilience in the face of disappointments and failures and emphasized the importance of setbacks in forming fully developed and psychologically resilient adults.
Lack of resilience is a major issue for young adults — so much so that college administrators have labeled some students “teacups” as a metaphor for those who easily break at the slightest stress.
Please join us next Thursday, November 10 @ 7 pm in The MS Commons to hear from Nancy Donehower, Director of College Counseling and Psychologist Paul Myers, Director of Student Health at The University of Portland.
Middle School Coffee House:
Friday, November 11th 7—8:15pm
In the spirit of risk-taking, independence and autonomy, we invite all students in the MS to perform or listen at Coffee House. Kids recite original poetry, sing, play instruments, perform monologues, do stand-up comedy, lip synch to favorite songs or do impersonations. Riotous clapping follows each act. Sorry, the days of snapping are over. It all happens in the transformed setting that is Narnia/Treasure Island
. Tables and chairs are removed for couches, throw rugs, pianos and low lights. Due to the size of the room, guests are not allowed and we ask that parents do not attend, allowing the students to take full ownership of this event. Students should go home between the end of school and the beginning of coffee house. Contact Spencer White at whites@catlin.edu with any questions.
PFA News:
Parent Community Meeting, November 17th
Gerlinger Hall, 8:30am
COURAGE TO BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE
Do you have the courage to foster resilience in your kids, when the culture is telling you to rescue and prop them up? Do you have the courage to be truly compassionate not only to others, but to yourself, too? Learn how to model authenticity, honesty, and self-care in order to empower your kids. Join us as Kathy Masarie speaks about resiliency.