Dear Parents,
The holidays will soon be here, and I hope you are looking forward to the changes in routine that vacations bring. It will be nice to have some time to do some of the things we don’t often get to do. However, before the winter break arrives, there are some important events happening in the Lower School.
The LS Holiday Program (December 4 & 5) The Holiday Program is a wonderful event which you won’t want to miss. The Lower School students will be singing and dancing to songs about the upcoming holidays. In order that there will be enough room for everyone, parents of children in grades Kindergarten, Pre-First, First and Second are encouraged to come on Thursday, and parents of children in grades Three through Five are requested to come on Friday.
We have always asked that you not bring small children who cannot sit through an hour program. However, I know that this is sometimes not possible. Please, if you bring a small child, sit near the rear of the theater and take her or him out if the child becomes distracting to others. We also request that you do not take flash photography. As well, the LS Parent Network and I ask that you do not bring flowers to the performance for your daughter. If you wish to present her with some, please do so at home, but please remember that this is a Lower School concert. Flowers may seem more special and celebratory if they’re saved for truly rare occasions.
Holiday Fair (December 6) This is a big day for Roland Parkers. As I mentioned in last month’s newsletter, the fair has something for everyone. There are a lot of new things for the children to do, great food to eat, and many places to buy gifts and greens!
Kindergarten Coffee regarding Pre-First: As I am sure you are aware, RPCS, as well as many other independent schools, offers the option of a Pre-First year following Kindergarten. Pre-First is designed as a year for children to grow and mature, both academically and developmentally, before they hit the challenges of First Grade and onward. I encourage all Kindergarten parents to come to this Coffee on December 11 to hear more about Pre-First from the teachers and from some parents who have taken advantage of this unique opportunity.
Christmas Program You and your family are invited to attend the school Christmas Program held two times on the afternoon of the 18th. Please note that the program is held the day before school closes for Winter Break, not the last day of school. The program is a long-standing tradition at RPCS, dating back to the 1930's. The most remarkable aspects of the program are the three living reproductions. Middle School students portray the figures in well-known pieces of art depicting the nativity. Wonderful music and readings round out this remarkable holiday program. This program is one of quiet and reflection and is really not suitable for small children who cannot sit still and quietly for an hour.
Our Students will be Thinking of Others This December our girls will be encouraged to think of others. The Fifth Grade is organizing a drive to gather warm clothes and new-looking toys for the families who live near Lydia House in south Baltimore. The students will be making announcements and writing posters and flyers to remind all LS girls to bring these items in by December 12th. All warm clothing is welcomed: coats, hats, mittens, socks, snow pants, blankets.
Each Lower School girl is asked to pick from among her things one toy which looks brand-new and which another child would love to have. This should be an act of giving by the student, a small sacrifice in order to make the holidays nicer for someone else who might not receive much in the way of gifts or toys. At the holiday parties on December 19th, the girls will make wrapping paper and cards and wrap their gifts for other children. Please help your daughter select a toy which will strengthen your child’s understanding of what it means to give, so that others may receive.
A Message for 5th Grade Parents Although it is still early in the year, many Fifth Graders and their families are already beginning to be excited about the upcoming move to Middle School. We have in place a careful and thorough transition process.
-
A letter and course catalog will be sent to all current Fifth Grade families from the Middle School Head in March.
-
At spring parent conferences, your daughter’s homeroom teacher will talk with you about course selections, and you will fill out a course selection sheet
-
During April, 6th grade teachers will visit 5th grade classes to introduce themselves, and 5th graders will visit the 6th grade for a “mini day” of shadowing
-
On May 4 at 7:30 pm, all parents new to Middle School (this includes all parents of our current 5th graders) will attend an orientation meeting in the MPR
-
Over the summer, students are assigned to advisories by the MS Head and LS/MS Counselor and their course schedule is finalized.
-
On the day just prior to the first day of school in September, all students new to Middle School attend an orientation day designed to help them get to know the Middle School and its teachers
Please don’t hesitate to contact Rebecca Malone, Middle School Head, if you have any questions about this process or would like to hear more about the Middle School firsthand. It is always exciting when our girls move “up” to 6th grade and start on a new adventure in their lives!
To all Lower School families I wish for you and your family a wonderful holiday season, filled with many good times, lots of laughter, and occasions of quiet and peace.
~ B.G.S.