Roots & Shoots - July 9th

Roots and Shoots New England is sponsoring an art contest -- they are asking youth to submit artwork that display a vision for peace in the world. The artwork will eventually be sent to Iraq as part of the Well Wishes and Blessings project. We invite you to come make art with us on the picnic tables at Maine Audubon. Please bring any art supplies that you are able to share. We'll make sure to have plenty, too. Also, bring a picnic lunch if you'd like! I will send out a rain location if the weather looks bad. Also, let's plan ahead for a water-project on July 31st ... Kim

Welcome Events and Other School Traditions

What kinds of events would you like to see at the Friends School? What traditions or events did you love at past schools / camps? (Are there events you'd love to never experience again?) What kinds of events help you feel most included and help to "break the ice"? What works best for kids?

Roots and Shoots

Roots and Shoots is a program developed by Jane Goodall to engage kids with nature, age appropriate service/activism and community. We thought that it might provide a nice infrastructure for mutli-age FSP gatherings this summer and if kids like it they could continue as a club next year. Our first meeting will be at Baxter Woods (meeting at the large sign on Stevens Ave) on Friday June 15th at 10:00 am (weather permitting ~ bring a picnic lunch if you'd like) ... please feel free to share your schedule with me if you have particular days/times that work well and we'll vary our meeting schedule! We will introduce ourselves, read a story, and do an insect scavenger hunt. Use comments to suggest outdoor places to meet, to volunteer to lead an activity and to share scheduling info!

June 21st Parents Meeting?

Lise suggested that we begin our fall planning on June 21st -- perhaps people could use the comments to RSVP so we know if we have a critical mass?

Beyond Bully Prevention

eyond Bully Prevention: Strategies That Work There's a lot more to creating and sustaining safe schools than many current bully-prevention programs let on. Join us November 5, 2007 in Portland, Maine for a cutting-edge conference: Beyond Bully Prevention: Strategies that Work. Designed for teachers, school counselors, school social workers, administrators, and all adults who work with youth; this conference tackles issues underpinning school-based bullying and harassment. Many of the issues we will address with you are insufficiently addressed in popular bully-prevention approaches. Workshop topics will include girlfighting/ building girl allies, relationships between stereotypical masculinity, violence and boys' academic success, bias-based harassment of GLBTQ youth, the effects of sexist and racist media messages, the impact of poverty and social class on students' school experiences, and the misuse of technology and cyber-bullying. Registrations available in September, and for more information please send an email to info@hghw.org. View Our Save The Date Note, and forward it to your friends!

Appreciation & Lunch

Dear FSP Parents and Board Friends: The end of the year is upon us. I marvel at how much has happened in a single school year - - and I look forward to celebrating on June 4th. The teachers and staff have worked tirelessly this year to meet the challenges of a brand new school while maintaining loving relationships with our children. On June 7th we will thank them for their efforts by providing lunch / treats for the last two in-service days. We are asking for contributions of baked goods, salads, beverages, fresh flowers, or anything else you can think of... Since refrigeration is a problem, I propose that families in the Pre-School and primary classroom bring food on June 7th and families with children in the Upper Elementary and board members bring food on June 8th. You can bring non-perishables on June 6th if you need to. (Sign up through the comments if you'd like!) Families and board members may also participate by contributing comments of appreciation. Next week there will be a "Praise Jar" in the office. If you wish to write a special message of appreciation to a specific person, classroom or the whole teaching staff you and/or your child may do so. Please put the message in the praise jar (or e-mail it to me or Jessica) and they will be read out loud to all the teachers during the special luncheon gatherings. Thank you for helping to show our gratitude to the teachers and staff who made this year possible for our children! Kim Simmons (Grace's mother)