Weekly Update 12/16/07

Greetings! I hope you are enjoying the rain!

Congratulations to senior Terran Daye who has the first college acceptance of the Class of ‘08 - to Highpoint University.

Also, congratulations to the Basketball Knights - many of who are also the Soccer Knights - who have been working hard all year for a victory. That goal was achieved (hah!) on Friday in the game versus Clover Garden. Thanks, also, to all of the parents and students for their continued support of our athletics programs. The Knights have one more game before break - tomorrow (Monday) at 4 PM at the Lakewood YMCA versus Euroclydon Storm. Basketball players will receive another email with schedule details for the next few weeks.

Students in Middle and Upper Grades should be hard at work studying this weekend. As you know, Middle Grades final exams are Monday-Thursday and count 15% of the semester grade. Upper School exams are Wednesday - Friday and count 20% of the semester grade. As you also know, students have been sent home with detailed review sheets for each subject as to what material will be covered on the final exams. The Upper School has a “reading day” on Tuesday of this week. Attendance is optional ONLY IF the student has received advance permission from each of his/her teachers making it optional. Students are strongly encouraged to use that day to schedule extra time with teachers in the subjects in which they need the most assistance.

Each day this week in Morning Meeting we will welcome different parents to share with us the traditions of other cultures at this time of year in our Holidays Around the World celebration. Thanks, in advance, to Kris and Jim Arges, Kamyar Kheradpir, Catherine Chetty, Yvette Munroe and Shannon and Will Leskin for their contributions to this wonderful Camelot tradition.

Drivers Ed is available to our students, free of charge, through the Durham County Public Schools. The next class starts on Monday, January 7, and will be held at Durham Academy. Students must be 141/2 by the first day of class and must be available every day for three weeks from 3:30 - 6:00 PM. A flyer with this information is on Wendy’s office door.

Speaking of Monday, January 7 - please note that this is a Teacher Work Day (report writing), not a class day. We have added this day to our Optional Care schedule but as of last week the sign up was minimal. If you wish for your Lower/Middle Grades student to attend on this day please contact Wendy right away. School reopens for all on Tuesday, January 8 with two days of special programming called Special Session.

Lori is still taking orders for the 25th Anniversary Camelot shirts. She can get them in purple or black. Please email her directly with your orders (lori@camelotacademy.org). $12 per shirt.

Lastly, please remember that school closes at 1PM this Friday for Winter Break. We wish all of you a safe and wonderful break filled with quality family time.

Best,

Thelma

Weekly Update 12/9/07

Greetings!

Congratulations to Jonathan Monroe who was inadvertently left off of the list of Module 4 Honor Roll students.

Also, congrats to Camelot Alum (Class of ‘02) Stephen Hayes. His artwork is currently on display at the Hayti Heritage Center in Durham. See the link under Alumni on our website.

Fall Semester clubs conclude this week. Second semester clubs will begin in mid-January. Stay tuned for details.

If you haven't checked out the Camelot website in a while (www.camelotacademy.org) now is a good time - there are many new photos in the Gallery and pictures and videos of student work and performances under Student Work. Thanks to Matthew Etherington and Scott Mitchell for all of the work that goes into keeping the website current and dynamic.

Reminders from Wendy:
-Parent Service statements for the fall have been sent home. All parent service must be resolved before fall grades are mailed.

-Families who took advantage of early re-enrollment were sent a statement about the January 2nd payment. It is important that these families make arrangements with Wendy by THIS Friday (December 14).

Notes for this week:

Monday - Middle Grades - bring clothing and tools for service project as outlined in separate email

Wednesday - Lower School Craft Club - meeting #2 of 2 from 3:30 - 4:45. Thanks to parents Shawn Giffin-Dean, Sally Fessler and Whitney Barnes for making this such a success and to student Kriea Giffin-Dean for all of her assistance.

Thursday-Friday - Upper School crates out

Friday -
- Upper School drop in Advisor time (8-8:30 AM)
- Senior application deadline (see separate email)
- basketball home game at the Lakewood YMCA - 4:00 PM.
- Last day of Fall Semester clubs

Next week-
Fall Semester Final Exams - Middle Grades and Upper School

Would you like to purchase additional Camelot Academy 25th Anniversary T-shirts? Cost is $12 each and orders are due to Lori by January 8. Contact Lori at lori@camelotacademy.org.

Have a great week!

Thelma

Weekly Update 12/2/07

Greetings!

Congratulations to Module 4 Merit Award and Honor Roll recipients:

Merit Award: Danny Sutton, Toyin Tosh, Claire Felix, Zane Klonowski, Sean MacNair, Carson Molaro, Stacy Powell, Elizabeth Provenzale, Tyler Reid, Margaret Sadler, Sarah Stewart, Angela Dodson, Madison Kartcheske, Grace Kirkpatrick.

Honor Roll: Olivia Arges, Elisabeth Parker, Amelia Sanville, Zachariah Claypole-White, Zofia Klonowski, Jonathan Monroe, Joshua Pettway-Hinton, Liz Reeder, Megan Rusconi-Warner, Sarah Chetty, Amber Rogers, Ryan Siebens, Eva Sutton, Ryn Wilkes, Ian Reid, Michael Berro, Xavier Klonowski, Molly Williams, Rita Glynn, Hayes Perry, Terran Daye, Cami Leeds.

Thanks to everyone for the turnout at Pizza Inn. The soccer team raised $195 to support the athletic program!


SECOND SEMESTER PAPERWORK IS DUE TOMORROW (MONDAY, DECEMBER 3RD).


Highlights of the week:

Monday - basketball game at 7:00 PM in Raleigh (see website for specifics)

Tuesday - students receive the 25th anniversary T-Shirt (Thanks to teacher Lori Hilliard for the design!)

Wednesday -
School Spirit Day - celebrate our 25th anniversary by wearing the new school T-Shirt
Lower School craft club meets from 3:30 to 4:30 (with “secret” clean up til 4:45 - no parents peeking!)

Friday - basketball game at home (YMCA) at 4 PM

Have a great week!

Thelma

Weekly Update 11/25/07

Greetings!

I hope you and your family have enjoyed a wonderful Fall Break and Thanksgiving Holiday. Thanks to everyone for making the Academic Fair and Thanksgiving Feast such a success.

Here’s a preview of the upcoming week.

On Monday we welcome Celia Battle to our Spanish classroom. We look forward to all that she will bring to our school.

Monday reminder to Upper School students - this is the final deadline for Module 4 AR tests!

Also on Monday and Wednesday the girls and boys have basketball practice. On Friday the boys have their first game at home (Lakewood YMCA) at 3:30 PM versus Emerson Waldorf.

On Tuesday morning Shawn Giffin-Dean (mother of Kriea) will be coming to Morning Meeting to kick off our school-wide holiday card writing effort for the residents of the Murdoch Center. This will be part of our community service work for the year.

On Thursday night at 5:30 the soccer team has their awards ceremony at the Pizza Inn on North Duke Street (3906 North Duke St, 27704). This event is a fundraiser for our athletic programs and will feature the Soccer Knights waiting tables! Soccer players need to report to “work” at 4:30 - we hope everyone will turn out for dinner to support the team!


Upcoming events.

Monday, December 3 - Spring Semester paperwork is due.

On Wednesday, December 5 and Wednesday, December 12, Shawn Giffin-Dean will be running an after-school holiday craft club for Lower and Middle Grade students to make gifts for their families. In addition to after school fees, each student needs to bring $5.00 for supplies. At the conclusion of the two sessions each child will have two unique craft items wrapped for giving. Attendance is limited to 20 students - please watch for the flyer your child will be bringing home to sign up.

Enjoy the last few hours of your break and have a great week!

Best,

Thelma

Weekly Update 11/11/07

Greetings!

Welcome to our newest student - ninth grader David Achin - and his family.

Congratulations to fifth grader Lance Wilkes for his upcoming starring role as Jojo and big sister Ryn for her multiple roles in the show “Seussical the Musical” to be performed at The Community Church of Chapel Hill Friday, November 16-Sunday, November 18. Contact Becky Wilkes for ticket info (becky AT wilkesmail DOT COM).

Also, congratulations to fifth grader Grace Kirkpatrick and mom Sally Fessler for being featured in the current edition of Carolina Parent.

As you know, this is a big week - the Academic Fair projects that represent six weeks of student (and teacher! and parent!) labor will be presented this Friday at the Lyon Park Community Center.

Please read this email carefully to be aware of all that this week involves.

On Monday MORNING all orders for the team pictures are due to the office.
Also, all signed Mid-Semester Warnings and Attendance Warnings are due to the office now.
All Upper School final drafts and supporting materials for the Academic Fair are due on Monday.

On Monday and Wednesday the girls and boys will have basketball practice. Please note that the girls will be billed normal after school fees instead of an athletic fee since they will participate in scrimmages, but not games, this year. Also, please note that the boys’ game schedule is now posted on the school website.

On Tuesday, Greg and I are traveling with a group of 10th-12th graders to High Point University and the North Carolina School of the Arts. The trip departs PROMPTLY AT 7 AM and will return to Camelot at 5:30 PM.

Retake pictures have been sent home. All order forms need to be returned by Tuesday - regardless of whether an order is being placed or not.

On Tuesday and Thursday the DANCE CLUB will have extra meetings after school. These meetings will make up for previously missed sessions and will help the group prepare for their first performance at Academic Fair.

On Wednesday all Upper School poster boards and visual presentations are due. Students will be graded on their oral presentations on Wednesday and Thursday.

Second Semester paperwork has been mailed home. This paperwork is due to the office no later than Monday, December 3.

Finally, on Friday our school building is closed for the day. All students are to report to the Lyon Park Community Center. Students in grades 5-12 need to arrive between 8-8:15 AM. Students in K-4 are encouraged to arrive at 9:45 so that they do not tire out before their presentations and musical performances. However, they may arrive earlier if the later time is inconvenient for parents. Please remember that everyone has the option of using the shuttle from the Camelot parking lot - the last departure from Camelot is at 9:45.

Students will be dismissed from the Fair for the week-long Thanksgiving Break. Over the break many Upper School students will have an Accelerated Reading book to complete. Also, please check with your student about any math or other assignments that might be assigned that week.

I look forward to seeing everyone on Friday.

Best,

Thelma

Update 11/4/07

Greetings!

Congratulations to Module 3 Merit and Honor Roll Recipients.

Merit Awards: Danny Sutton, Toyin Tosh, Claire Felix, Zane Klonowski, Sean MacNair, Carson Molaro, Stacy Powell, Elizabeth Provenzale, Tyler Reid, Meg Sadler, Sarah Stewart, Angela Dodson, Madison Kartcheske and Grace Kirkpatrick.

Honor Roll: Olivia Arges, Kriea Giffin-Dean, Elisabeth Parker, Amelia Sanville, Zachariah Claypole-White, Liz Reeder, Megan Rusconi-Warner, Michal Bugno, Sarah Chetty, Connor Killian, Nigil Lee, Amber Rogers, Kathryn Wilkes, Courtney Munroe, Ian Reid, Michael Berro, Xavier Klonowski, Molly Williams, Rita Glynn, Zewek Klonowski, Hayes Perry, Terran Daye, David Hillsman and Cami Leeds.

Lots coming up this week! Please read through this information carefully.

Monday:
-Basketball forms due from the boys
-Monday/Wednesday practices begin.
-Girls are invited to join the boys at practices this week while we explore the possibility of running coed practices.
-Academic Fair/Thanksgiving Feast RSVP’s due
-Upper School work crates out.

Tuesday.
-8-8:30 AM - Upper School drop in time with teachers
-Crates are out

Wednesday
-Club and sports team pictures
-Basketball practice (coed)

New on our web site:
-Fall Festival pictures are posted under Gallery
- Copies of the Thanksgiving Feast info and Academic Fair Day details are posted under Student-Academic Fair

Other reminders:
-Mid-Semester Grades and Warnings have been mailed. Warnings need to be signed and returned to the office.
- Upper School students have their final draft of Academic Fair papers due Monday, November 12 and their presentation boards and oral components are due Wednesday, November 14.

Have a great week!
Thelma

Update 10/28/07

Greetings!

Congratulations to our Soccer Knights (Michael Berro, Liz Reeder, Terran Daye, Channing Pascone, Xavier Klonowski, Zewek Klonowski, Amy Hillsman, Hayes Perry, Sydney Pons, Connor Killian, Tony Heeron, Cami Leeds, Brian Powell, Caroline Pless and Charlie Miller) on the successful conclusion of the soccer season. Although it has not been a winning season as scores go, the team has played well and shown tremendous growth not only in their individual skills but also in their ability to work together. Special thanks to Coach David Reeder, Assistant Coach Greg Glynn, Athletic Director Paige Passavant and all of the soccer parents who have also demonstrated great team work, flexibility and commitment to the cause! Stay tuned for an end of the season celebration for the players and their families.

Speaking of athletics - girl and boy basketball players will have scrimmages this Wednesday and Friday after school. Camelot will transport to and from Lyon Park. Pick up from Camelot at 5:30 PM. All players will come home this week with the official paperwork necessary to sign up for the teams which will begin a regular practice schedule next week - the week of November 5.

Academic Issues -
Honor Roll - our very motivated and dedicated students sometimes take it very hard if they receive a Make Up Notice that puts them off the Honor Roll for a given module. This week in Morning Meeting we talked about the fact that classes SHOULD provide a challenge and, as such, there may be times along the way where something requires additional time before it is mastered. I want our students to be prepared for the fact that as they move through life there are going to be challenges and they may not be successful at everything on the first try. Please support this perspective with your student at home and reinforce that many things worth having in life require persistence and overcoming setbacks.

Mid-Semester Grades/Warnings - along the same lines, we had a Morning Meeting discussion this week about the fact that at the end of this week Mid-Semester Reports will go home. For Kindergarten and MAPP students, Warnings are sent if your student is struggling to meet pace and/or mastery goals in any discipline. For Middle and Upper School students, numerical grades are sent home for each subject for all students and Warnings are sent home if a student needs to pick up the pace or mastery level to be assured of earning credit at the end of the semester. Once again, our dedicated
students are a bit over-concerned (and fear their parents might be the same!) about the possibility of a Mid-Semester Warning being sent home. Please be aware that the entire point of this communication is to AVERT any end of semester problems while there is still plenty of time to remedy the situation. Mid-Semester grades are not part of a student’s permanent record - they are for internal purposes only.

Academic Fair - Middle Grades students had their rough drafts due Friday and Upper School students have their rough drafts due tomorrow (Monday). All students will receive edits back from their advisor NO LATER THAN Monday, November 5 and will have their final drafts due by Monday, November 12. This week, while teachers are editing papers, students should be turning their attention to the visual and oral component of their presentations.

On Wednesday (Halloween), the Kindergarten and MAPP classes will have a Fall Festival. Please pay careful attention to teacher letters that will go home outlining any clothing/costume guidelines. Middle and Upper School students will not have any planned festivities and, as such, are asked to keep any costumes to a minimum so as not to be a disruption to classes. Under no circumstances may students of any grade level come to school with gory costumes, costumes with fake weapons (guns, knives, swords, axes, etc.) or costumes to which anyone would take religious exception - including those of witches, devils, ghosts, goblins, etc. Please respect these guidelines.

Upcoming parent service options:

- Cleaning and/or Touch-Up Painting on Saturday, November 3rd
- Leaf raking on Saturdays starting November 10th and running through December

Work times are generally midmorning until mid-afternoon.
Parents who are interested in signing up should e-mail or call Mike Glynn (818-0047) or mike@camelotacademy.org.

The Drama Club is looking for donations of clothing, wigs, etc to use for props and pretend. Anything donated that cannot be used will be given to charity. A collection box is being set up in the Big Hall.

Thanks and have a great week.

Thelma

Update 10/21/07

Greetings!

Congratulations to Module 2 Merit and Honor Roll recipients. I'll email the complete list of students tomorrow.

This week Upper School enjoyed a visit from Mary Anderson - a woman who grew up in our building when it was the Foushee home. We enjoyed a slide show of many family events that took place on our grounds including the wedding of her parents that was held in front of the mantle in the Junior MAPP room! We look forward to Mary's future visits with both Lower School and Upper School students.

Our soccer team will wrap up their season this week with practices on Monday and Wednesday and tournament games to be played Thursday, Friday and/or Saturday (two of the three days). Our game days and times will be scheduled and announced after all of the other league teams finish their games this week....stay tuned.

On Tuesday I will be traveling to Wilmington with a group of our high school students for a tour and information session at UNC-Wilmington. I hope to schedule a few more trips to NC colleges over the course of the year. I won't be checking email for most of the day so if a need arises please relay a message via Wendy.

It is hard to believe that Friday is mid-semester. Mid-semester Grades and Warnings will be mailed home the following week.

Academic Fair update - Upper School students have a final outline and one written section of their paper (other than the Introduction or Conclusion) due tomorrow (Monday). Good News - we have reserved the Lyon Park recreation center (right off of Lakewood Avenue) for the Academic Fair and Thanksgiving Feast. Due to limited kitchen facilities most of the meal will be catered...details to follow.

Please note that the whole school trip to the Flamenco ballet that had been scheduled for this week has been canceled by the performers.

Have a great week.

Thelma

Update 10/14/07

Greetings! Thanks to everyone for a very productive week of conferences. It was a pleasure to take the time to discuss each of our students and to spend time with their families. Progress Plans will be mailed home this week.

On Monday all Upper School students...
- need to bring in required Academic Fair items (see website for specifics)
- need to have finished AR before homeroom time at 8:30 AM
- need to bring in completed job shadow forms, if applicable
- need to bring in participation form for girls' basketball, if applicable

Soccer team - games on Monday and Friday - practice on Wednesday.

Girls' basketball - scrimmage Thursday after school.

College Track
Friday - Campbell University representative visits
Saturday - 10th and 11th graders take PSAT - arrive 7:45 AM

Other:
Thursday is Make-Up Picture Day.

Have a good week.

Thelma

Update 10/7/07

Greetings!

Welcome to our newest student - ninth grader Charlie Miller.

We look forward to seeing everyone in family conferences this week. As you are aware, Upper School is closed for conferences all week, Middle Grades is closed Wednesday-Friday and Kindergarten and MAPP classes are closed Thursday and Friday. Please spend some time preparing for your conference by making a list of questions you want to ask and feedback or information you want to share. We believe the time we dedicate to discuss each student is invaluable to the Camelot experience and we want you to derive maximum benefit from our time spent together in conference.

As you know, Middle and Upper School students are required to attend their conference. In addition, they have Academic Fair and other homework assigned over this break. Upper School students will find the timeline, directions and forms needed for Academic Fair on the website under the "Students" tab.

Many of our Upper School students have a job shadow lined up this week. Thanks to all of the parents who have opened their place of business up to our students for this experience. If your student is scheduled for one of these activities it is important that he/she call the parent contact the day before the appointment. To receive credit for the experience students are to complete the forms in the packet and return them, along with a thank you letter, to our office on Monday, October 15.

Reminder - because Upper School is closed there will be no lunch service this week. This is because we need to meet a certain order minimum for our vendors to deliver.

Students who were given eligibility materials for Duke Talent Identification Program (TIP) are reminded to register now. More info can be found on the TIP website http://www.tip.duke.edu.

Sophomores are juniors are reminded that they will be taking the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) on Saturday, October 20. The test will be given at Camelot and students will need to arrive by 7:45 AM.

Finally, check out our website for updated photos in the Gallery and a link to the News and Observer article that appeared this week about the accomplishments of senior David Hillsman.

See you soon!

Thelma

Update 9/30/07 - Lots of Importance!

Greetings!

Congratulations (yet again!) to senior David Hillsman who has been named as an AP Scholar and to Class of 07 grad Morgan Leeds (big sister to Cami - Class of 08) who has been named an AP Scholar with Distinction. These honors are for outstanding scores on multiple Advanced Placement (AP) Exams.

We're ready for another busy week - please note all of the important reminders below - noted in calendar order.

Sign up for Family Conferences NOW!! (Lower School sign-up is outside classroom doors, Upper School was sent a sign up form in the mail - see Wendy.)

All week - Club sign-up for the club of your choice. The nine week club fee is INSTEAD OF being billed for after school fees on the day(s) of the club you select.

Monday - Early Re-Enrollment Due! (See Wendy to take advantage of this once a year offer to lock-in to your current tuition rate.)

Tuesday - Upper School Academic Fair Topic Proposals due. As we discussed in Morning Meeting - this is THE most important part of the entire six-week process - students should ask for adult input and do some preliminary research to be sure they will be able to find adequate resources for their topic.

-Noon - Guilford College Representative Visit

Wednesday - Spirit Day! All students who stay for afterschool (other than assigned study hall or Tai Chi Club) will be transported to the Lakewood YMCA (5 minutes away) to watch our soccer team play Emerson Waldorf School (4 PM game time). Parents please pick up from the Y between 5:15 and 5:30 or, better yet, come early and cheer our team.
Attire - Lower School - school colors (purple and gold) or school T-shirt; Upper School - "dress up."

Thursday - 10th-12th grade trip to Raleigh to see "The Crucible."

Friday - School Closed at 1 PM (Optional Care by preregistration).
Faculty Meeting to set up for Family Conferences

-11:30 - Davidson College Representative Visit


Notes for the following week........(Week of October 8) - No lunch service this week!

Upper School Closed All Week for Family Conferences. Students will have homework, Academic Fair work and may opt for Job Shadow or college visits.

Middle Grades - Closed Wednesday - Friday for conferences (Optional Care by preregistration)

Kindergarten and MAPP classes - closed Thursday and Friday for conferences (Optional Care by preregistration)

Have a great week!

Thelma

Camelot Update 9/23/07

Greetings!

Welcome to our newest student-junior Amanda Stevens and her family.

Thanks to everyone for the turnout on Thursday at Back to School Night. We greatly enjoyed the chance to meet and chat with everyone.

Congratulations to senior David Hillsman for being a Commended Student in the National Merit Scholarship Program. David scored in the top 5% of the over 1.4 million students who entered this competition!

Thank you to Scott Mitchell and his many parent helpers for a very successful book fair. The final numbers aren't tallied yet but Scott thinks this was our biggest one ever!

Group picture order forms are due tomorrow (Monday) - picture day is Tuesday. Please have students dress appropriately as we take the homeroom pictures and the annual whole school picture on this day.

Sophomores and juniors must return the PSAT form by this Friday.

We have two college reps coming this week - both on Wednesday - Drew University of Madison, NJ (my sister is an alum and had a great experience there) and Furman University of South Carolina.

Parents of juniors and seniors take note - the last college fair on our calendar will be held on Sunday at 1 PM at Northgate Mall. If your student has not yet attended a college fair attendance on Sunday is REQUIRED to meet the requirements of the college track.

Note: Our Friday lunch vendor, Chick-Fil-A, has passed along a slight price increase. Please note that the menu posted on our website has been updated to reflect these changes.

Parking lot flow - please obey our one way traffic pattern. We need the help of everyone to keep our parking lot safe. To keep things flowing, please remember to pull to the right if you are waiting to drop off or pick up so that cars that are moving can continue to do so by forming a lane to the left.

Does anyone belong to a civic club or a church with a facility large enough to accommodate our Academic Fair and Thanksgiving Feast???? Our usual spot - the Durham Armory - is under renovation and Wendy is spending hours on the phone trying to come up with a good Plan B.

It is time to sign up for October family conferences! Lower School sign-up is posted outside classroom doors and Upper School sign-up information is being mailed on Monday.

Finally, keep checking the website for new pictures. Some great photos of the Lower School trips are up - and more will follow in the next day or so.

Have a great week.

Thelma

Weekly Update 9/16/07

Greetings! I hope you are enjoying the magnificent weather this weekend.

The teachers and I are gearing up for one of the biggest weeks of the school year. School is closed tomorrow and Tuesday, September 17 and 18, for faculty retreat. Optional Care will be provided for families that pre-registered. During retreat we will be discussing each student in the school in terms of pre-test results and goals for the year. It is a very full agenda that is key to our delivery of the most meaningful and productive school year to your student. We appreciate everyone's support.

On Thursday night we host Back to School Night. This is an important time for you to meet with all of your student's teachers to learn classroom expectations and plans. Please note that this is a REQUIRED parent event. Although this event is not appropriate for students to attend, out Beta Honor Society students will offer baby-sitting services on site to Lower School students. A $10 donation is requested, proceeds to benefit Beta Club activities. Please respond to this email to sign up your child.

Back to School Night Hours:
Lower and Middle School - 5:30 - 7:00PM
Upper School - 7:30 - 9:00 PM

Our soccer team has two away games this week - on Wednesday versus Hopewell Academy and on Friday versus Euroclydon. Soccer families will receive a separate email to arrange transportation to the games.

All 10th and 11th graders went home with a letter announcing the administration of the PSAT on Saturday, October 20, at Camelot. This is a required test for the college guidance process. The letter also notes that I will be running a test prep course the week before the test. The letter must be returned with a parent signature by Friday, September 28.

Speaking of college guidance, this week we will host a representative from both Meredith College and Hollins University. These two schools for women provide wonderful options for our students and I hope many families will check out their programs.

Finally. as if all of this isn't enough activity, this week we will host our annual book fair! When you arrive on Wednesday you will note that the Big Hall has been transformed to a mini-book store. Thanks, in advance, to the parents who will be helping with this activity. Please be sure to check out the many books and other educational products provided by Scholastic. This is a fundraiser for the school that helps us build and expand our classroom libraries.

Have a great week and I look forward to seeing you on Thursday night.

Best,

Thelma

Weekly Update 9/9/07

Greetings! I hope you had a nice weekend.

Next time you are in the building check out the artwork of the Lower School on display in the Big Hall. From the individual student posters to the wall hanging about community our youngsters are rightfully proud of their contributions to our decor.

Soccer players have their first game tomorrow (Monday) in Raleigh versus St Thomas More School. They also practice on Wednesday and Friday. Check out our website for directions and also for the complete soccer calendar.

Your student should have come home on Friday with a Retreat Feedback Form. Please be sure to return this by Wednesday. We ask that all families sign and return these forms - with or without feedback - so that we know they reached you.

Please remember that school is closed on Monday and Tuesday, September 17 and 18 for faculty retreat. Thursday, September 20, we will have our annual Back to School Night. This is an important opportunity to meet with teachers about classroom plans and expectations for the year. Please note that this is a required parent event.

If you haven't already linked your grocery frequent shopper card to our school account please do so! This is a painless fundraiser for all of us and it simply requires a once a year "relink." Please ask your friends and families to link to our school as well.

Have a good week.

Thelma