| | | In this column: From the Head of School * Barnesville Alumni Eagle Scout Project * RenWeb - Student Access * Facilities & Transportation * Auxiliary Programs * Admissions Corner * Barnesville Ski Club (scroll down to read) |  |
| From the Head of School | | John Huber
On the table in my office I’ve placed the education section from the most recent New York Times, easy to spot with its brilliant pink cover. The lead article is entitled “What If the Secret to Success Is Failure?”, and it’s an interesting examination of character education at both private and charter schools. The author discusses how schools are trying to teach such traits as grit, gratitude, and self-control, and they touch on the central paradox of parenting:
We have an acute, almost biological impulse to provide for our children, to give them everything they want and need, to protect them from dangers and discomforts both large and small. And yet we all know – on some level, at least – that what kids need more than anything is a little hardship: some challenge, some deprivation that they can overcome, even just to prove to themselves that they can. As a parent, you struggle with these thorny questions every day, and if you make the right call even half the time, you’re lucky.
I’d agree that many of us feel this paradox, and that we agree with the general concept of providing opportunities for challenge and failure for children. Yet when it comes to our OWN children, and this assignment or this athletic competition or this peer interaction, it gets much, much harder. We start wishing for the exceptions to the rule. I know that there has been more than one occasion when I’ve thought, “Yes, a loss in today’s game would be good for my son’s character… but maybe just this time, let’s have things go easily!”
I especially think about this paradox in light of our school’s mission. With “joy” in the mission, how can any student ever experience difficulties or hardships? But perhaps there is a way. After all, joy without challenge isn’t really joy at all. Joy comes from success, from hard work, from authentic achievement. Whether it’s the sports win after the loss, the good grade after the bad, the lead role after the years in the chorus line, the glow of victory can only come when there was a real shot at defeat in the first place.
I wish to share with you a story given to me indirectly from a retired head of school, a story that sounds apocryphal, but one I want to believe is true. The head of school goes to speak with a successful retired politician and asks what the secret is to his achievements. “Good decisions!” is the terse reply. Frustrated, the head asks what allowed him to make good decisions, and the equally terse reply is “experience!” Finally, the head asks how he got the right experience, hoping to get something more in the reply. The man’s reply? “Bad decisions!”
And so, let’s continue to work together to build resiliency in our children by giving them opportunities to meet life’s hurdles head-on. It won’t be easy (and by definition, shouldn’t be), but it will prepare our students for the continuous changing and challenging future. Ad astra per aspera! | |
| Barnesville Alumni Eagle Scout Project | | ALEX COLLINS' EAGLE PROJECT SUNDAY ONLY Your help is needed! Please spare some time to help Alex complete his Eagle Scout project. We will be installing a walkway at the school on Sunday and could use as many hands as possible to help with the project! Due to weather forecasts, we will work only on Sunday, Sept. 25 from 8 am to 5 pm. Volunteers are needed to help with all aspects of the project and learning service hours will be awarded to students who volunteer. Please let Alex know whether you will be able to help by calling 301-515-2601 or emailing drbith@aol.com. | |
| RenWeb – Student Access | | Jim Snider, Technology DirectorStudents in grades 5 – 8 can now directly access their information in RenWeb through individual RenWeb login accounts. For those students who previously supplied email addresses for RenWeb, there is no change, and they may create a RenWeb account by following the instructions at https://www.renweb.com/Logins/ParentsWeb-Login.aspx. For those students who did not previously supply an email address, we have added the student’s Barnesville School email address to their RenWeb account. The format for student email addresses is first_name.last_name@barnesvilleschool.org (for example; johnny.smith@barnesvilleschool.org). Using their Barnesville School email address students may create a RenWeb account by following the instructions at the web page above. Our goal is to empower students to regularly check RenWeb themselves for information from their teachers such as homework assignments, class activities, grades, attendance, etc. More information on this topic will be available at MS Back to School Night, Sept. 22. | |
| Facilities and Transportation | | I am happy to say that we finally have some outdoor lighting for the field used for evening overflow parking. Unfortunately we could not install larger spotlights, but I hope that what we installed will be of some help.
Just a reminder, during AM drop off, please follow the directional arrows in our driveway. That is, when you pull into our school, make an immediate right, and follow the arrows. In the afternoon, as you make your way to the side of the school, please maintain a double line to avoid a traffic backup on Peach Tree Road. | |
| Auxiliary Programs | | Our after school activities are off to a great start! We are cooking, painting, doing yoga, and learning how to raise our scores in math competitions. We always have more room for new friends. If your child is interested in joining one of our after school activities, it is not too late! Please email me if your child would like to get involved. Sarge has opened his athletic program to all students in grades 1-8. This is an excellent conditioning program and the kids have a great time. Let me know if your child is interested and we can get the ball rolling!
The schedule for LAND has changed. The LAND club will meet on the Sept. 30, Oct. 14 and 28, and Nov. 4 and 11. Mr Garth is looking for a volunteer to assist him with this activity. Please let me know if you are interested.
Rehearsals for the Darnestown Community Youth Band begin Oct. 6. I have registration materials available if your child is interested.
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| Admissions Corner | | Did you know that you are ALL Admissions Ambassadors? It's true... as we are out & about in the community we are always representing Barnesville! In fact, we have a new First Grade applicant as a result of an awesome Barnesville Admissions Ambassador! Miss Amy Germer (4th grade) was leaving her piano lesson, sporting her Barnesville shirt, and kindly greeted the next piano student. Her friendly, well poised, manner struck the mother of the young girl. She noted the name of the school from Amy's shirt and went home to research The Barnesville School. Moments later the phone rang... and the admissions process began!
So... please don't forget the impact that you can have by simply being a good Barnesville community member!
Thanks, Amy, for being an excellent Admissions Ambassador!
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| Barnesville Ski Club | | Ted Rutsch, Barnesville Parent The Barnesville Ski Club is back for it's third year and we are already starting registration. We are currently at 35 members and continue to grow! For those of you not yet familiar with the club, as a group we are able to take advantage of the Night  Club Card/Advantage Card programs which are the most economical way to ski at any of our local mountains: Ski Liberty, Ski Whitetail, or Ski Roundtop. The Night Club Card is a terrific way to enjoy unlimited skiing and snowboarding every night for one low price of $169. The catch is that the card is only available through group membership. Once part of the club, each member can use their card individually at either Liberty Mountain, Whitetail Resort, and Ski Roundtop any night of the week from 4 - 10 pm, and from 3 pm on Sundays! For an additional $20, our members can get the Advantage Card, which provides a 40 percent discount off lift tickets, rentals, and lessons ANYTIME you want to go, day or night. Our club is open to all family, friends, staff, and, most importantly, students of Barnesville School. I started skiing with my son four years ago and learning was slow. Once we started the club and he was out there with his friends his skill level went through the roof and he didn't even realize he was learning! We have established beginner, intermediate, and advanced groups comprised of all ages with plenty of dedicated parents who are eager to share their passion for skiing with young learners. I am very excited to get your children out on the slopes. Skiing is always more fun with friends! For more information or to request registration instructions, please email me or call directly at 301-748-3407. Forms are also available in the front lobby. | |
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| | | | In this column: Important Dates * Need Help with RenWeb? * Easy Cash for Barnesville * Barnesville Basement * Help the Homeless Walkathon * Thank You Parents * Notes from Mrs. Nave... (scroll down to read) | |
| Important Dates | | September 22 MS Back to School Night, 7 pm 27 Looking Ahead to High School, 7 pm 29 Rosh Hashanah; School & Offices Closed October 5 Picture Day 6 1:30 Dismissal | |
| Need Help with RenWeb? | | Technology Director Jim Snider will be available during our Middle School Back to School Night, Sept. 22, to offer support and answer questions. Feel free to drop by the library before the start of Back to School Night, and he'll be happy to help. Jim will also be available after the 7 pm general meeting if you'd like to stop by later. | |
| Easy Cash for Barnesville! | | Have
you linked your grocery cards to The Barnesville School yet? Giant, Safeway,
Harris Teeter and Bloom give a percentage of your purchases back to the school.
Let us register your cards for you today! See the attached form or contact
Carol Vederman,
Shop for Barnesville Chair, and she will help you register. Thank you for your
continued support! | |
| Barnesville Basement | |  Redecorating? Remodeling? Consider donating your gently used furniture, appliances and household fixtures to Barnesville Basement. Donation days: Oct. 12, 13, & 14. Sale days: Oct. 15 & 16. Thank you for your support! | |
| Help the Homeless Walkathon | | Our annual Help the Homeless Walkathon is scheduled for Oct. 28 from 9 - 10:30 am. A flyer and  registration form is in your child's folder this week. All children must have a signed permission form returned to school in order to participate. Parents are also welcome to join us for the walk. Optional t-shirts are available for a donation: $20 for students; $30 for adults. Please return your signed forms by Oct. 5. Contact Linda Birkholz or Vickie Roos with questions. | |
| Thank You Parents! | | Thanks to the generous parents who fed the faculty and staff at the first Staff Appreciation Luncheon of the year, Sept. 21. The theme was "B" for Barnesville and all the contributions were Beautiful (and delicious). Bean Salad, Ferhet Hussain Biscuits/Butter, Deb Collins Banana Bread, Angel Rutsch Broccoli Salad, Pam Matia Black Bean Salad, Kate Polozie Beet & Quinoa Salad, Behnaz Almasikoupaei Baked Beans, Lynne Brown Bowtie Pasta, Shannon Goins BBQ Brisket & Rolls, Kristen Waksberg Beef Burgandy, Michelle Pappas Buffalo Wings, Karen Kinney Brownies, Dawn Wilbur Bread Pudding, Dana Smith Blueberry Dump Cake, Craig Walton Bottled Water & Bellinis, Arielle Band | |
| Notes from Mrs. Nave... | | Karol Nave, Administrative Assistant Getting to School on Time
Just a reminder: Morning Meeting starts at 7:55 am, and students are marked tardy if they do not arrive by 8:10 am. Please give me a call by 8:30 if your child is going to be late due to an appointment. Thank you
Lands’ End
The Lands’ End school code number for The Barnesville School is 900039249. Happy Shopping!
Directory Update
An update to the directory will be sent home next week. If you need to update any information that is in the directory, please let me know as soon as possible.
Tooth Box Report – Just for Fun!
In the past two weeks two middle school students and two lower school students lost teeth at school. Tooth boxes went home on Sept. 13 & 14 with Johanna Dunkers and Chris Terp. On the 14th and the 20th Charlie Matia and Toby Arcuri got tooth boxes for their teeth. Update on Lucy Walton: Her tooth came out at home.
Labeling Jackets, Sweaters, and Other Clothing
Please remember to label your child’s clothing. It will help keep their items out of lost and found. | |
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