12.03.11

"Sunflakes" by Frank Asch

If sunlight fell like snowflakes,
gleaming yellow and so bright,
we could build a sunman,
we could have a sunball fight,
we could watch the sunflakes
drifting in the sky.
We could go sleighing
in the middle of July
through sundrifts and sunbanks,
we could ride a sunmobile,
and we could touch sunflakes—
I wonder how they'd feel.

Weekly Newsletter
1. Important Announcement Regarding Potlach
2. Early Program Angels Singing
3. Register for Caedmon's Winter Bridge Camp
4. Additional Chorus Rehearsal Scheduled
5. Notice Regarding Inside Caedmon Subscription Issue
Regular Notes
• Curriculum Notes
• Caedmon Calendar
• Lunch Menu
• Inside Caedmon Archive
• Curriculum Notes Archive

1. Important Announcement Regarding Potlach

On Tuesday, November 22nd, we began preparations for our annual Potlatch Party.  This delightful event is one of the traditions that our children enjoy most!

To avoid confusion and to help you and your child participate fully, please read the following background and guidelines.

The Potlatch is based upon a Native American tradition from the Pacific Northwest.  According to custom, families would periodically throw a festival, or “Potlatch,” in which they strove to “give away” items they owned in order to earn honor and prestige within the tribe.  The more they gave, the greater was their renown.  As well as a social mechanism for distributing tribal wealth, the Potlatch was a means of nurturing spiritual and community values.  Possessions and commodities acquired their value in the act of giving them away, or using them up.  Not the “having,” but the “giving” of goods was important.

In emulation of this tradition, each member of the Caedmon community (Kindergarten through fifth grade) will secretly select the name of another.  Students, faculty, and staff are all included.  We will then spend the coming weeks, between Thanksgiving and December 15th, pondering a special gift to bestow upon our very own “Potlatch Person.”  On Thursday, December 15th, we will share our Potlatch gifts with each other.

              To best experience the spirit of Potlatch, the following rules apply:
1.  We may not go to the store and buy gifts!  We are not allowed to spend money.
2.  Our gift may be something we create, bake, or compose, with our Potlatch Person especially in mind.
3.  Our gift may be something we already possess and would like to pass on to our Potlatch Person because we know he or she would love it.
4.  Gifts may be wrapped and decorated in shopping bag paper, newspaper, or home-made wrapping paper. 
When your child shows you the name of their Potlatch Person, we hope that you will help him or her organize thoughts and plan the gift.  Should your child forget the name of his or her Potlatch Person, the classroom teachers can remind them.  As the date approaches, we will keep reminding you and your children, in order to avoid any stress or anxiety over not being prepared in time.  Should any child be absent or unprepared on the big day, classroom teachers will direct children to their Potlatch person on Friday, December 16th.  

If you have any questions, please contact your child's classroom teacher, or Mrs. Quintero. 

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2. Early Program Angels Singing

On the mornings of December 6-9 and 14, Early Program classes will share a few songs in their classrooms at drop-off time.  Parents and caregivers are invited to bring their children directly to the classroom on their assigned day, and to stay for a few minutes to enjoy the music.

On the morning your child’s class is scheduled to sing, please arrive no later than 8:25 so that we may begin promptly at 8:30.  We should be finished by 8:40.

Tues, 12/6       Rama/Simmons/Keels
Wed, 12/7        Schneider/Alcindor/Lee
Thur, 12/8       Mastrangelo/Milton/Vitolo
Fri, 12/9          Morgan/England/Kelly
Wed, 12/14      Mehdi/Huang

We look forward to spreading some cheer as the fall term comes to a close!

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3. Register for Caedmon's Winter Bridge Camp 

Registration is now being accepted for Winter Bridge Camp. Sessions are December 19th - 23rd and 26th - 30th. Full day camp is 8:30 - 3:30 each day. AM and PM snack is provided but lunch will need to be brought from home. Activities include Gym, SocRoc, Dance, Art, Cooking, Yoga and Courtyard. Open to all full day Caedmon students. $100/day or $400/week. Contact Andrew Kagan (kagan@caedmonschool.org) to register or for more information.

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4. Additional Chorus Rehearsal Scheduled

I am scheduling one final dress rehearsal for all Caedmon Chorus, in preparation for our December 13th performance at Lenox Hill Neighborhood House:

Thursday, December 8th,  8:15-9 am, in the music room

We will also have a full chorus rehearsal as previously scheduled on:

Wednesday, December 7th, 3:30-4:40 pm in the music room

Thank you for your understanding.

Jeremy Davidson
Music Specialist

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5. Notice Regarding Inside Caedmon Subscription Issue

The Caedmon School has decided to change the on-line service which delivers Inside Caedmon.  We believe that this will resolve any subscription issues which have arisen in the past. 

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Poetry

"Sunflakes" by Frank Asch
If sunlight fell like snowflakes,
gleaming yellow and so bright,
we could build a sunman,
we could have a sunball fight,
we could watch the sunflakes
drifting in the sky.
We could go sleighing
in the middle of July
through sundrifts and sunbanks,
we could ride a sunmobile,
and we could touch sunflakes—
I wonder how they'd feel.

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