Prep School Negro Rescheduling - New Date TBA

We're happy for snow but sad that it is getting in the way of our fascinating community conversation with Andre Robert Lee...We will confirm a new date for the  The Prep School Negro soon!

Girls Conference

Registration is now open for

the 14th Annual Girls Unlimited Conference!

All girls in 4th-8th grade are welcome

For more information and details on the workshops see the attached brochure or register here:https://hghw.wufoo.com/forms/girls-unlimited/

Registration is only $10 if you register before March 26; $15 after.  Registration includes breakfast, lunch, workshops and takeaways!  Full scholarships are always available and no one is ever denied.

Register today – this conference will fill up!

The Girls Unlimited Conference is a part of Hardy Girls Healthy Women’s Annual Girls Rock Weekend – a 3-day celebration of girls’ leadership, voices and activism.  For more information, visit us online: http://hghw.org/node/237

---

Megan Williams, President

Hardy Girls Healthy Women, Inc.

PO Box 821 / 14 Common Street

Waterville, ME 04903-0821

207.861.8131 (w) / 207.415.5253 (m)

megan@hghw.org / www.hghw.org

Skype: megan.hghw

Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter!

***Register for our Summer Institute, “Navigating Girl World: Connecting the Dots…Changing the Culture” – June 13-15, Colby College, Waterville Maine. Learn more or register: hghw.org/content/summer-institute***

Clynk for FSP

The FSP Clynk Outing Club account is currently at $73.35.  Helps us get to $100!

There are multiple ways to use the Clynk Bags to support FSP.

-- Take a bag and fill it :)
-- Put a bag in your work place
-- Host a genuine bottle drive in your neighborhood
-- bring a Clynk Bag to your St. Patty's party or to a sports event
-- donate money from your families Clynk account to FSP (we are listed both under Friends School of Portland and Friends School of Portland Outing Club - either will do.)

Worthy Reads

While on vacation, a number of ideas for links and "worthy reads" came my way :

Help Teens Learn to Listen from Daily Good - a sweet approach to teaching true listening skills -- also,

Support a teen in your life in listening; start off by modeling an "agendaless presence." Daniel Goleman explains: { more }

Our Kids & Stem (suggestions from Four)

• "The Gears of My Childhood" By Seymour Papert. This essay was published as the foreword to Seymour Papert’s book  "Mindstorms: Children, Computers, and Powerful Ideas"
• Wired, March 29th, 2007 :" Geek Dad: The Origins of Mindstorms" By Jim Bumgardner
• Does Heavy Media Use Make Girls Less Happy? NYT, Jan. 27th, 2012

NYT Stories Related to Kids, Quaker Ed, Etc (suggestions from Four) 

• The Art of Distraction
• Building Self-Control, The American Way 
• How Companies Learn Your Secrets 
• Handling Sexual Harassment in Schools

From The Alliance For Childhood

Play England has released a new report called A World Without Play: Literature View. It gives an overview of the importance of play for children's health.

Screen-Free Week: April 30-May 6

On average, preschool children spend a staggering 32 hours a week in front of a screen, and the number is even higher for older kids. Become a Screen-Free Week organizer! Sponsored by our friends atCampaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood.

 

A new blog about play called re:Play has been launched by the Strong National Museum of Play.

 

The long-awaited report on play from the American Academy of Pediatrics has been released, with a focus on children in poverty. Read it here.

 

We've recently updated our Nature Resource List, an extensive compilation of books, websites, organizations, and films about outdoor play.   Our latest article, “Crisis in Early Education: A Research-Based Case For More Play and Less Pressure,” continues to receive praise. It can be downloaded and distributed from our web site. It makes the case for play-based learning and supports our continued work with educators across the country.

We invite you to keep up with media coverage of issues affecting children by visiting our Facebook page regularly. You'll find many interesting articles there.

March 3 - Women in Harmony Concert (Jessica Sings)

Saturday, March 3, 2012            7:30-11:30 pm   ITALIAN HERITAGE CENTER* PORTLAND Tickets $15 each Cash bar & light snacks DJ Thunder Special guests: Blueberry Pancakes Steel Drum Band Tickets available in advance from chorus members or make a $15 donation per person at the door! FMI: wihmaine@gwi.net  An annual fundraiser to benefit WOMEN IN HARMONY Portland's Chorus of Women's Voices *off Congress St., behind Shaw's Westgate

Come boogie with your favorite chorus: Women in Harmony!  http://www.wihmaine.org

Yippee Outing Club

Maine Huts and Trails makes the New York Times!

Also, one last eventbrite link  http://outingclubspring2012b.eventbrite.com 

to use for April, May and June!

Fun in the Sun

Looking for a great, healthy, fun, exciting, FREE outdoor family activity tomorrow? It's the state middle school Nordic ski meet in Fryeburg, with teams from about a dozen schools giving it their all for the glory of the sport. Two or three teams will dominate the standings, and the rest of us will strive for personal goals, the funnest time, and the best food. It's a heck of a day, and it's always gloriously sunny.

Come cheer for Violet, Sinéad, and Cecilia as they pour it on for Portland Nordic. Please stop by our area - we are the sea of lime green hats and we share food with our supporters (feel free to bring a plate of sandwiches or something healthy to share). John Marble is guaranteed to be somewhere in the woods banging a bucket with a stick - bring your own noisemakers (cowbells traditional) or share his. At Nordic ski meets, everybody cheers for everybody, and it's a very good example of healthy competition for younger kids to see. Depending on conditions, you can also bring skis or snowshoes and head off on the non-racecourse trails.

Directions: Rte. 302 into Fryeburg, turn left onto the main drag at the academy. After the traffic light, turn left at the Norway Savings Bank onto Oxford Street. Follow it to the end. There will be lots of cars - park anywhere you can. The trailhead is off to the right, over the railroad tracks and past all the cars, school buses, and oil tanks.

Prep School Negro - March 1st - 3 reasons to come

We were recently asked, "Why would I want to come to Prep School Negro?" and our thinking about the answered generated some queries:

1) What are the implications of economic segregation for ourselves and our children, and how does school shape our likelihood of integration or segregation in terms of race and class?

2) What does it mean to encourage "diversity" and "inclusion" in our schools?  Are there ways we could become more fully inclusive?

3) What role does education play in creating access to the middle and upper middle class?  What role do we, as citizens, play in shaping education policy that best serves democracy?

4) How do we maintain curiosity about experiences that are different from our own?  What might we learn about ourselves or our children through listening to Andre's story?  In what ways does his story reflect a more universal experience and in what way is it specific to him, to race, to class?

What other queries do people bring to this program?

Below is a clip from the film People Like Us : Social Class in America that describe the possibility and challenges of class mobility via education for families  - although the film is getting old, it is really interesting!

Tammy's Story : Rural Poverty

This time, a chance to think about sexism and boys (tomorrow!)

Michael Kimmel
SUNY Distinguished Professor
Department of Sociology
SUNY at Stony Brook, NY

Thursday, February 16th
1:00 to 2:30 pm, Talbot Auditorium
Luther Bonney, Portland
NOTE LOCATION CHANGE

Presenting on his book: Guyland; a study of young men, ages 16-26, and the new stage of development between adolescence and adulthood.

Sponsored by:
USM Campus Safety Project, School of Social Work, Department of Sociology, Women and Gender Studies, and Family Crisis Services.

This presentation is free and open to all.  

Cinderella, Dressed in --- PINK!

So many people have mentioned Cinderella Ate My Daughter to me, I'm hoping others might be willing to write guest posts or use the comments to provide some thinking for our FSP parents -- what can WE do about it?  What should we especially KNOW?  What did you find most interesting? 

Dance moment

Students in the Monday dance class are offering a peek to parents at the end of class...

"Anyone is welcome.  So for parents:  At 4:20pm, come watch an informal, lively, 3-minute dance performed in Carter Hall."


And don't forget to check out the footage of the Arts Intensive for some serious dance inspiration! 

Top 10 Tips for Ethical Parenting

Curious what people think of these ideas from Rushworth Kidder:

http://ethical-literacy.org/professional-development/ethics-parenting/top-ten-tips-for-ethical-parenting/

Top Ten Tips for Ethical Parenting

By Rushworth Kidder,

Excerpted from, Good Kids, Tough Choices, by Rushworth M. Kidder.

These tips, distilled by my colleague Paula Mirk and Institute for Global Ethics staff through years of working with parents, children, teachers, address two questions parents raise most frequently: “Why does ethical parenting matter?” and “What can I do to make a difference?”

1. Children learn self-steerage from watching us. Provide frequent opportunities for your children to see you as an independent thinker. Do the right thing, especially when no one’s around to give you credit for it.
2. The language of ethics helps shape thinking and behavior. Integrate core values into your vocabulary. Instead of encouraging kids simply to”be nice” get specific. Urge them to “be compassionate,” “be respectful,” “be fair.”
3. When you think out loud, your children learn your ethics.Let your children hear your thought monologues as evidence of how your mind works in the realm of ethics.
4. Your ethical reasoning elevates their critical-thinking skills. Connect thought to action. Articulate the ethical “why” behind your behavior. Make it clear that your choices and actions are based on sound ethical reasoning.
5. When you stretch to do the right thing, your children grow more ethically fit. Rather than saying, “I’m right, he’s wrong,” get in the habit of explaining why you and someone else disagree: “Here’s how I’m thinking, and here’s how he’s thinking.” Then be sure to ground both sides in ethics.
6. When you admit your own imperfections, you take the pressure off your children. Rather than trying to seem perfect, let your children know that we all make mistakes–and take responsibility for yours.
7. If you keep your ethical aspirations high, children are likely to do the same. Be consistent and conscientious about your ethics, and your children will more readily follow suit.
8. You’re their number one role model. Your behavior matters. Be conscious that your children are watching. The little things can make the biggest difference.
9. Your promote moral courage by modeling it. Let your children see you choose to take the tough stand over the easy way out. Talk about the challenges as you’re going through them.
10. You make them believe in the future. Be enthusiastic and upbeat about applying ethics in your daily life and in the future. Children look to us to paint “adulthood.” What do you want them to see?

See related video clips:

• “Ethics and Parenting: Carly’s Story – Part 1,” a clip of Rushworth M. Kidder, President and Founder,  Institute for Global Ethics during an Ethics and Parenting talk. Click here.
• “Ethics and Parenting: Daughter’s Email Dilemma,” a clip of Rushworth M. Kidder, President and Founder,  Institute for Global Ethics during an Ethics and Parenting talk. Click here.
• “Ethics and Parenting: Eating Disorder Dilemma,” a clip of Rushworth M. Kidder, President and Founder,  Institute for Global Ethics during an Ethics and Parenting talk. Click here.

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Sleep - from Race to Nowhere

Dear Kimberly, Quick: How much sleep did you get last night? If you’re like most Americans, you didn’t get enough. And if you’re a student, you’re probably among the 92% of teens who don’t get the recommended 9 hours of sleep each night. This month, in anticipation of National Sleep Awareness Week, March 5-11, we’re urging parents, students and school leaders to launch—and learn from—innovative practices that will restore balance to student schedules and encourage healthy sleep. Join us by taking the Sleep Challenge. Visit our website for ideas on how you can make sleep a priority. Why should getting a good night’s sleep be a priority? Studies show that losing just one hour of sleep per night can set students back two grade levels. Sleep deprivation is also linked to: Teen car accidents Lower grades Decreased attention and memory skills Depression and anxiety Take the Sleep Challenge and experiment with making sleep a priority: http://www.endtherace.org/sleep-challenge Best, Vicki Abeles & the End the Race Campaign Team P.S. With a continued focus on inspiring dialogue and igniting change in local communities nationwide, we're also  announcing release of the "Race to Nowhere" Educational Tool Kit and DVD in our new online store! This product is available to schools and institutions who wish to either acquire the DVD for use in institutional and library collections or host one or more "Race to Nowhere" screenings in their communities!

Girls, Legos and STEM For All

If you haven't heard about the controversy with Lego's new product aimed at girls, watch this short video then check out HGHW's push-back!



And, to encourage girls and all kids in pursuing STEM activities, check out  these upcoming events :


3/3 :  Greta told me about this upcoming engineering expo event for kids/families - she said it was really great last year.

3/10 :  For older kids (7th grade - 12th grade), Maya shared that MIT offers SPARK - a Saturday of workshops and events

3/10:  For younger & older kids, Habitat for Humanity hosts Youth Build  - a lego building contest for all sexes, in Falmouth this year.