| | | In this column:
From the Head of School * Annual Fund * Admissions Corner * Facilities & Transportation * Lower School Holiday Show |  |
| From the Head of School | | John Huber
The other day I was leafing through a book that two former students at Wyndcroft had given me shortly before I left in 2006 to join Barnesville. They had written very kind words about my time at Wyndcroft. In reading their book dedication, I was moved by their sweetness and their thoughtfulness, and even though their dedication had been written more than five years ago, I felt a sense of joy and purpose for the rest of that afternoon.
So even though it was Thanksgiving last week, I’d like to extend this theme of giving thanks for a little longer. Not only was I inspired to do so by my former students, I was also recently reminded of the benefit to health and society that giving thanks conveys. In the Science section of The New York Times, writer John Tierney wrote that “cultivating an ‘attitude of gratitude’ has been linked to better health, sounder sleep, less anxiety and depression, higher long-term satisfaction with life and kinder behavior toward others.” Put simply, being thankful, and expressing that thankfulness, is both good for the giver as well as the receiver.
In that spirit, I’d like to extend more thanks:
- Thank you to all of our dedicated teachers, administrators, and staff members who keep things humming during even the most busy days and weeks of school.
- Thank you to Angel Rutsch and our squadron of parents who helped to make Grandparents Day such a success.
- Thank you to our grandparents and volunteer grandparents for showing your care and interest in our students.
- Thank you to Lynn Brown for her outstanding leadership of the BPC.
- Thank you to Chris Marett for his outstanding leadership of the Board.
- Thank you to our many volunteers who, each in his or her own way, make things better for our students.
- Thank you to all of our generous donors to the Annual Fund.
- Thank you in advance to all of our generous would-be donors to the Annual Fund who, upon reading this BITS, will call up our Advancement Office to make their pledges ahead of the close of the 2011 year.
- Thank you to our students for your joy and your energy.
- Last but not least, thank you to my family for your love and support.
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| Annual Fund | | Georganna Glen, Director of Advancement
Congratulations to all at Barnesville! Through the generosity of 58 percent of our school community, we’ve crossed the $200,000 threshold of contributions and pledges made through the Annual Fund! We offer our sincere thanks to all who have made their philanthropic commitment thus far.
The holidays are just around the corner. The $225,000 Annual Fund goal is in sight! For those who have yet to pledge or contribute, now is your chance! Won’t you make your pledge or contribution today? A quality education is a gift that “gives” throughout a child’s life. Since Annual Fund donations support our educational programs, what better present to give your child than a donation to the school?
To pledge or contribute:
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| Admissions Corner | | Susanne Johnson, Director of Admissions
Please join me in welcoming our two newest students to The Barnesville School community! Daniel Jenkins has joined our EC class and Hadley Miller has joined Ms. Morningstar’s PK class. We are delighted to welcome their families to Barnesville! | |
| Facilities and Transportation | | Bernie Weintraub, Director of Facilities and Transportation
In preparation for last week's Grandparent's Day, I went into both boys' and girls' locker rooms to make sure they were clean. I filled two 50 gallon bags with assorted clothing, shoes, etc. from the girls' locker room, and one full bag from the boys' locker room. Assorted never claimed clothing in our locker rooms occurs all the time. The clothing is eventually placed in Lost and Found, and then taken to the Frederick Mission. We will sort through these newly found treasures and put them in Lost & Found. If your kids are missing clothing that was recently removed from our locker rooms please have them visit Lost & Found next week. Parents will also have the opportunity to go through the items during the week of Dec. 12, before break. | |
| Lower School Holiday Show | | We are looking forward to our annual Lower School Holiday Show, Dec. 19 at 7:30 pm. This is an opportunity for all Lower School students to perform in a traditional, formal concert setting. Therefore, Mrs. Taylor kindly requests that parents and friends in the audience observe the following:
- There is no seating on the floor directly in front of the stage. (That space is reserved for the conductor!) Siblings and other children should sit in chairs with their families.
- Please maintain discretion if video-taping the performance. Please do not put cameras directly in front of your children's faces. It tends to encourage inappropriate behaviors.
The evening of the performance, the performers should arrive at School between 7 and 7:10 pm. They should immediately report to their classrooms. Festive attire is appropriate although it need not be overly dressy. The children should be comfortable and look nice and neat. No T-shirts or jeans.
Parents, when you bring your children to their classrooms between 7 and 7:10 pm, please take their coats with you to the gym. All Lower School children will be dismissed after the show from the gym.
We look forward to seeing you! | |
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| | | | In this column:
Important Dates * Wellness Night Postponed * Holiday Shop Update * Safeway Earnings Doubled * Gift Cards for Gala * Notes From Mrs. Nave... | |
| Important Dates | | December
5-9: BlackRock Artist in Residence
6: Wellness Night, 7 pm
7: 8th Grade Bake Sale
9/10: MS Winter Play, 7 pm
13: MS Holiday Show
15/16: Holiday Shoppe
16: LAND Holiday Greens Workshop
19: LS Holiday Show, 7:30
20: Noon Dismissal; No Kids Club; Winter Break Begins
21-Jan. 2: Winter Break
January
3: Classes Resume | |
| Wellness Night Postponed | | Wellness Night at Barnesville has been postponed to January 5, 2012; just in time for those ever-important New Year's Resolutions! | |
| Holiday Shop Update | | This year, to help students return to class in a more timley manner, we are limiting the number of gifts wrapped for the students. Gifts for immediate family members will be wrapped at school, while gifts for extended family will need to be wrapped at home.
The Holiday Shop volunteer sheet went out this week. Fill it out and return to Karol Nave at your earliest convenience so we can ensure a successful shopping expereince for all our students.
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| Safeway Earnings Doubled! | | In 2010-2011 our school accrued $197 through Safeway contributions. We have already earned twice that amount in just a few months into the current school year! We are also slated to surpass last year’s earnings from Giant ($681) well before the end of the contribution cycle (3/29/12).
Please allow us to link your grocery cards in time for all of your holiday shopping! You can also help keep up the good work by encouraging friends and family to link their grocery cards to The Barnesville School. Giant and Harris Teeter allow for more than one school to be linked to their cards. So, let your friends and family know that multiple school allegiances can be accommodated.
See the attached form or contact Carol Vederman, Shop for Barnesville Chair, and she will help register you, your friends and family. Thank you for your continued support! | |
| Gift Cards for Gala | | Don't forget to pick up your gift card for Family Fun Night while doing your holiday shopping, in line at the grocery store, or during that quick stop at the pharmacy. Gift cards in dominations of $5 or  more are requested for the gift-card raffle during Family Fun Night. Send gift cards to the attention of Georganna Glen, Director of Advancement. Please include your name so we can send you a corresponding tax-deduction receipt. | |
| Notes From Mrs. Nave... | | Tooth Box Report – Just for Fun!
Even with the Thanksgiving Break, three tooth boxes left my office since the last Bits. On November 18, Jojo Dunkers (5th) took a tooth box for her tooth. On November 21 Gabbie Umberger (7th) wiggled her tooth until it came out for a tooth box. Hana Lee (1st) proudly lost her tooth for the third tooth box on the 22nd. Several students came to have their teeth pulled but they were not ready to come out. I’m left wondering if any were lost while eating turkey.
Land’s End - School Code is 900039249 | |
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