December 11, 2009

December

17   Revels 7:00 pm, Cabell Theater

19-1/3 Winter Break

31  Calendar Year Giving Ends

 

January

11   Parent Coffee with Vicki, 8:20-9:15, LS Library

12   North Carolina Exchange Parent Meeting, 6:30-7:30 pm, LS Library

18   No classes, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

22    Martin Luther King, Jr. community meeting, 2:15 pm

29    *No classes, Admissions Day

 

*After School Care Available

Note: New or changed items will appear in bold.

 

Notes from Vicki - Revels is just around the corner. Excitement is in the air!

Revels - December 17, 7 - 8:30 pm
Cabell Center Theater

Our students have spent the last month rehearsing for Revels. They have learned songs in French, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish as part of their language classes. Revels and the rehearsals that lead up to it are aligned with our broader aims that include: 1) to further the musical education of our students, 2) to honor the diversity within our school, and 3) to foster a sense of school as a community by asking all students to work together towards a common purpose. A winter festival, common to cultures throughout the world, offers a perfect opportunity to further the children’s education by focusing on these three aims. We deliberately include music that has cultural and historical significance. Each year Peggy selects a few new musical pieces and the children help with the choreography on all but a few numbers. Other selections stay the same, serving as anchors of familiarity and predictability for the children. We hear anticipatory exclamations such as, “You get to do the sword dance in the fifth grade!” It is also interesting to note that every child has an opportunity to sing, dance AND play a musical instrument over the course of the program. All children learn all parts!

Thank-you, parents, for your support of the effort that goes into Revels and for your celebration of the children in the larger context of the world during this holiday season.

Please read the following “tips” to help this year’s event go as smoothly as possible.

*Limited seating: Because seating is limited, we would appreciate you inviting immediate family only. We have 607 seats available -- this means that we only have about 3 seats per family.  You may consider leaving babies, toddlers and older siblings at home.  If you will be bringing Middle School age siblings, they must sit with you during the performance. Fire Code requires that we not overcrowd the theater. Seats will be on a “First Come, First Served” basis. Please do not “save” seats for other families – apparently this has been an issue in the past.

*Videotaping: We are happy to announce that once again the performance will be professionally videotaped. Copies of the DVD will be for sale for $30.00. Consider leaving your camcorder at home and sit back and enjoy the show! (If you wish to bring your own video recorder, please be considerate of other fellow parents in the audience and sit in the back row of the theater.)

*First and Second Grade sections: We have reserved sections on the main floor for parents and siblings of each of our first and second graders. We are assuming the 1st graders will sit on a lap.

*Third Graders in balcony: We ask that third graders and their parents sit upstairs in the balcony. The students will be cued as to when to come downstairs to perform.

*Fourth Graders to be seated in the aisles: We invite the parents of the 4th graders to sit in the seats nearest their 4th graders at the beginning of the show. Fourth graders need to meet in the Beginning School at 6:30 pm.

*Fifth Graders will be sitting in the aisles along the perimeter of the theater while they are not performing (not with their parents). Parents of fifth graders may sit in any of the unreserved seating areas. Fifth graders need to meet in the Beginning School at 6:15 pm.

*Where should we sit If we have kids in two grade levels? If one of your children is in the fourth grade, we ask that your family sit in the assigned aisle seats nearest your fourth grader. Otherwise, you may simply choose which grade level you want to sit with. Make this decision now, as the first grade class literally counts how many seats will be needed and exactly the right number will be reserved. Don’t worry about your children missing their cue to go on stage — the announcements will be very clear. There will be time for students to make their way down the stairs if they are seated in the balcony.

*Parking: Please carpool if at all possible, as parking is limited.

*Pre-performance wait time: You may be bringing your student early to get ready for the show. The doors open at 6:00 pm.

*Honoring the performers: To honor the performers, please turn off cell phones and remain seated during the performance. Bathrooms are located behind the theater for emergencies. Please encourage children to visit them before the show begins!

*Young children: We ask that you keep your children (other than the 4-5th graders) with you during the evening. You may wish to bring something quiet to do with your child while you are waiting.  We ask that very young children sit in your laps.

*What happens if it snows? No worries – an alternate performance date will be announced. Please check the web site to see if Revels is cancelled.

*The day after: Coming to school Friday morning after Revels may be delayed a bit if you like, a tradition at the Lower School! Of course teachers will be here at the usual time.

*Dress Code for Revels
First - Pajamas without feet
Second, Third and Fourth grade: 
• Boys – Dress pants, collar shirt – tucked in – if the pants require a belt please wear one
• Girls – dresses, skirts or very dressy pants
Fifth grade – Black dress pants and a white turtle neck

Language Songs for Revels

The language teachers and the students of the Lower School are practicing the 4 language songs and the students might need extra practice at home. All the songs are on YouTube. Here are the songs to look for:

French

“Un flambeau Jeannette, Isabelle” by Rene Fleming

Chinese

“Chun tian zai na li” famous Chinese children’s song

Japanese

“Ookina noppo no furdokei”

Spanish

“Veinticinco de deciembre”

Sincerely,

Vicki Swartz Roscoe
Lower School Head
   

After-School Care news

Final week before Winter Break

•    Tuesday after-school Revels strings rehearsals from 3:30-4:30 pm in the US choir room.  Strings players who gather in the Barn after school will be escorted to rehearsal as a group. Players should bring their after-school snacks from home or purchase them from the Barn. Let ASC know whether to expect your strings player after the rehearsal.

•    Individual Strings Lessons as scheduled Wednesday afternoons.

•    Homework Clubs:  Neither the Monday after-school 3rd Grade Group nor the 4th and 5th Grade Group will meet this week.

•    Monday Chess Club and Friday Chess for Learners have completed their fall terms.  During the month of January, the CGS LS Chess Team will meet.  The Monday and Friday groups will resume in February.

* There will be After-School Care as usual M-F next week.

Menu change

The Barn menu has changed for next week.

Thursday
Curry Chicken and Pumpkin Stew
Braised Pumpkin and Potatoes
Steamed Jasmine Rice
Chicken Noodle Soup
Creamy Parsnip Soup

Friday
Rice Porridge with Fresh Flake Fish
Vegetarian Rice Porridge with Tofu
Chicken Noodle Soup
Cook's Choice

Admission information evening

If you know of anyone interested in applying for the Beginning or Lower Schools, please invite them to attend the Winter Admissions Parent Meeting Wed. Jan. 6 at 7:30 p.m. in the library. Our Open House for prospective families drew a good sized crowd on November 22. Lark, Hannah (interim head of the Beginning School), Vicki, and Traci presented our school’s philosophy and answered questions. Parents were given tours by eager fifth graders ( the hit of the day with their unscripted candor) and all of our teachers were available to chat. We anticipate having a strong pool of prospective candidates for the coming school year.

Unplanned school closures

When school does not open in the morning or opens late due to inclement weather, we notify the media before 6:45 a.m. and the school website is updated. We do not notify the media when school runs on a normal schedule. We will post a news item on the Catlin Gabel website alerting families that we are open when conditions are uncertain. The school avoids mid-day weather closures whenever possible.

Catlin Gabel does not necessarily follow the decisions made by Portland Public or Beaverton schools because our students come from a wide geographic area. Eric Shawn, plant manager, and Lark Palma make the decision to close school or delay opening based on conditions on campus and throughout the Metro area.

The safety of students is our primary concern. Parents should make personal weather-related safety decisions for their families. If it does not seem safe where you are, keep your children at home. If conditions deteriorate in your neighborhood during the day, you may pick up your children early (making sure to notify the division administrative assistant).

Reminder about calendar year-end giving

If your family has already contributed to the 2009-10 Annual Fund, thank you! If you have not yet made your gift and plan to contribute by December 31, please note the following so you can receive the tax benefit for 2009:
 

Checks: Checks must be postmarked or delivered to the school on or before December 31 to qualify for a 2009 tax deduction.

Visa, MasterCard, or American Express: The development office must receive your credit card information on or before December 31 to make the charge in 2009. Make your gift online and choose the Annual Fund badge on the bottom of the screen.
 

Gifts of Stock: The gift date is recorded as the date on which the stock is transferred into Catlin Gabel’s account. It often takes a few days to verify transfers and we want to make sure your transfer is completed before December 31.
If you have any questions about making your calendar year-end donation to Catlin Gabel please call Eileen Andersen, annual giving program director, at 503-297-1894 ext. 306.
 

Thank you for sustaining and strengthening Catlin Gabel.
 

CG logo sale at the book store - one-stop shopping solution for the holidays!

Our close out sale of legendary Catlin Gabel vintage wear and logo items begins next week and continues through January 22!  For the best selection come to the book store on Monday and Tuesday, December 14 and 15, from noon to 3:30 pm. Raffle! Prizes!

Catlin Gabel ski bus 

The snow is flying and it’s not too early to start planning for this season’s Catlin Gabel ski bus program! The ski bus will roll out every Saturday morning for six weeks beginning February 6, 2010. If you are looking for a fun holiday gift for your 5th grader, middle or upper schooler, this may be the ticket. Mt. Hood Meadows’  6 week package options are listed below. Sign ups and payments for these programs will be made online this year, but transportation by Catlin Gabel school bus is paid directly to Catlin Gabel and is an additional $150 for the six weeks. More information will be coming soon and questions can be directed to Kathy Sloan, Len Carr at ex. 406, or Chris Bell at ex. 403.  Financial aid will be available.

Ski Bus Prices

5-8th grades                                         
(lessons required for 1st 4 weeks of program)

Lift/Lesson/Rental - $360                                                            
Lift/Lesson - $275                                                            
Lesson/Rental - $230                                                         
Lesson only - $90 (4 weeks)                                              
Helmet rental - $30                                                                
Lift only - N/A                                                                 
Lift/Rental - N/A                                                                 

9-12th grades

Lift/Lesson/Rental - $405
Lift/Lesson - $315
Lesson/Rental - $210
Lesson only - $105 (4 weeks)
Helmet rental - $30
Lift only - $228
Lift/Rental - $335

Facebook privacy settings

Facebook has implemented new privacy settings that make it much easier to broadly share your personal information. If you accept Facebook's recommended privacy settings, Facebook will make your status updates, links, photos, videos, and notes available to the entire Internet (think Google). I recommend that you instead manually adjust your settings. Select Settings -> Privacy Settings from the blue menu bar and review the options in there.

In addition, Facebook will now share your friend list both on the Internet and with third-party Facebook applications. You do not have control over that.

The following article explains the change in greater detail: http://tinyurl.com/fbprivacy20091209

Although Facebook limits accounts to people age 13 and older, I understand that some fourth and fifth grade students have them. I urge parents to consider the privacy implications before helping a lower school student create a Facebook account.

- Richard Kassissieh (kassissiehr@catlin.edu)

Fourth grade news

    “Wow, you all seem to have some amazing background knowledge about the importance of healthy watersheds and habitat for salmon.  How would you like to present what you know to a broader audience?” I asked.
    “A newspaper!” the fourth graders crowed.
Thus began an energetic research project to master the Pages application, learn to transfer word documents, images, and scanned artwork by using email attachments and flashdrives.  Admirably, every design and production decision was arrived at by whole class collaboration and consensus.  Their gorgeous culminating publication, which has been animated, is available for viewing on our class webpage.
There is no stopping them, keep your eyes peeled for Volume 2 on the endangered Canadian Lynx.
 

Marysville Elementary School tissue and book drive 

Leslie Hillman, 2nd grade TA and fourth graders, Gracie, Chloe, Miriam and Katie helped coordinate a collection for Marysville Elementary after their school closed due to a fire. Teachers were very appreciative for all the support that was given. Thank you also to the parent helpers who transported the boxes of donations!