Camelot Update 12/16/12

Greetings!

Our Class of 2013 is beginning to reap the benefits of much hard work in preparing excellent college applications.  This week the following acceptances came in:

Liz Reeder - Duke University and NC State

Max Fried - Highpoint University and Eckerd College

Zachariah Claypole White - UNC Asheville

Josh Pettway-Hinton - UNC Asheville

Congratulations Module 4 Merit Award Recipients - Heather Hartman, Evan MacDonald, Ray Palma and Kathleen Stancil-Sutton.

Congratulations Module 4 Honor Roll Students - Christopher Radcliffe, Virginia Bruhn, Wyatt Grose, Willa Holt, Collin Wilkes, Richard Carruthers, David McShea, Rachel Milkereit, Toyin Tosh, Leah Flood, Sarah Fauver, Victoria Hill, Alex Berro, Fiona Castorina, Olivia Castorina, Zander Hall, Zack Milkereit, Jenna Smith, Spencer Ahn, Olivia Arges, Grace He, Ke Lu, Lyn Mattox, Brian Powell, Rachel Roush, Zachariah Claypole White, Nathaniel Fischer, Max Fried, Bri Oleson, Josh Pettway-Hinton, William Radcliffe, Liz Reeder, Meg Rusconi-Warner and Josh Stallings.

Kudos to eighth grader Rachel Milkereit who is a successful entrepreneur!  Her original-design greeting cards and holiday boxes are for sale at Morgan Imports, Regulator Bookshop and Parker and Otis.  Please stop by to purchase what is sure to be a collector's item in a few years!

Our days at Camelot have been especially filled with student-powered outreach to make a positive difference in the world.  Sr MAPP students Olivia Goldsmith and Ephram Oliver have been drawing and selling cartoons to benefit the Durham Rescue Mission.  Ji HaoLi spoke poignantly in Morning Meeting to promote a local event to benefit underprivileged children.  Our NHS students continue to rally us to support the Crayons2Calculator tree and high school students Olivia Arges, Rachel Roush and Lyn Mattox, along with teacher advisor Jill Sugg, brought tears to our eyes at the news of how our shipment to the Afghanistan troops was so exuberantly received.  In these times of difficult news stories it is both heartening and empowering to keep the focus on the positive change we can be in the world.  I am constantly inspired and humbled by this focus that springs so genuinely from our wonderful student body.

In other news....

- HAPPENING TODAY!

Check out the Upper School vocal band and the Middle Grades instrumental band  at University Mall at 3 PM.

- Ms Krista and Ms Judith used the last yearbook/photography club meeting of 2012 to take some amazing pictures with the help of their students.   Check them out here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/camelotacademy/

- We still need to keep voting for our NHS Crayons2Calculators tree.  Please text or go online:

Votes can be cast by texting "TREE06" to 46988 or online at :

triangletreechallenge.com           Tree #6.

- We have a short week this week!

School closes EARLY on Wednesday

-11:30 AM for Kindergarten through Middle Grades students. 

-11:45 AM for Upper School. 

There will be no Optional Care or other activities after noon that day.

In Morning Meetings we will have a guest speaker each day to present HOLIDAYS AROUND THE WORLD.  On Wednesday, all three of our performing groups will perform their holiday repertoire for us.

Middle Grades students have several exams to go: 

            Monday:  math

            Tuesday:  Science and the World Cultures exam (Ms Amy's class).

Senior tutor Liz Reeder will once again run a free Spanish Review Session tomorrow from 4:30-5:30 PM.  Please send me an email to sign your student up for this.

Upper School students were sent home on Friday with exam review sheets for each class.  All of these are to be reviewed and signed by a parent and returned on Monday.  Tuesday is the last regular Upper School class day of the semester. 

The Tuesday dance club WILL meet this week for a make-up session.  All other Fall clubs have concluded.

The Upper School final exam schedule is posted on our website here:

http://www.camelotacademy.org/admin/editor_assets/documents/1213f_exam_sched.pdf

****Please Note this Important Fact Regarding Math - Upper School students who work through new math material over the Winter Break and wish to test on the material will have 2 options:

            1. Email me to come in at 3 PM on Thursday, January 3 (a Teacher Work Day)                 2. Stay for after school study hall on Friday, January 4. 

NO MATH TESTS CAN BE TAKEN DURING THE REGULAR SCHOOL DAY OF FRIDAY, JANUARY 4 - this is a REVIEW DAY!

All students return to school from the break on Friday, January 4.  We will have a pizza lunch that day compliments of the school. Regular lunch orders resume Monday, January 7 - lunch orders must be placed by midnight on Wednesday, January 2. 

All school pictures (individual, homeroom and whole school pictures) will be sent home with students on Monday.

Our lost and found collection is overflowing!  Please check the big Tupperware container at the front of the Big Hall for any missing items.

Have a great break and a Happy New Year.  I look forward to more great times together in 2013.

Best,

Thelma

Camelot Update 12/9/12

Greetings!

Congratulations to our Lego League Robo-Foxes -  students Susannah Hill, Kathleen Stancil-Sutton, Willa Holt and Virginia Bruhn who did a great job representing our school at the NC Regional FLL competition in Greensboro yesterday.  Many thanks to parents Jonathan Holt and Tina Sanders-Hill for their help at the event and to Coaches Amanda Fox, Chris Wilkes and Robyn Stephens for a terrific season.

Also, thank you to parent Richard Hill (Susannah's Dad) who not only made buttons for the Robo-Foxes (and a badge for me, the proud Director) but who also spruced up our playground castle last weekend!

Speaking of sprucing up, our National Honor Society students decorated the Crayons 2 Calculators Tree at the American Tobacco Complex this week. Now we need you to vote for their tree so that Crayons 2 Calculators can win funds for their great work.

Here's a reminder message from senior Meg Rusconi-Warner:

The Upper School National Honors Society has decorated a tree in the Triangle Christmas Tree Challenge in the name of Crayons2Calculators, an organization run by our own Amy Cummings which donates school supplies to those in need. We would really appreciate it if you would vote for our tree (#06). Votes can be cast by texting "TREE06" to 46988 or online at triangletreechallenge.com. You can vote once per day per device, and if you would like to have us vote daily in your name, you can write your email address on the sheet posted in the Big Hall. If you want, you can come see our handiwork downtown in the big field outside the DPAC.

http://www.triangletreechallenge.com 

Thanks to Ms Krista for taking pictures of the tree decorating - now found on our website:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/camelotacademy/sets/72157632180237340

Speaking of pictures, thanks to Mr. Scott, Mr. Mike and Ms. Wendy for getting the poster-sized photos of our student body, faculty and the Class of 2013 on display in the Big Hall.

This week is the last week of Fall Clubs.  The one exception is the Tuesday dance club which will run a makeup session next Tuesday, December 18.

Our basketball Knights have a home game this Friday, at 4:00 PM.  Please send me an email by 5 PM Thursday if you have a Middle Grades or Upper School fan you would like us to transport to the game.  Pick up at JCC at 5 PM.

MIDDLE GRADES PARENTS!   Your students have come home with Exam Review Sheets for each academic class.  Each of these sheets needs your review and signature - and return on Monday.  Middle Grades students start exams this Thursday and we need your help to pace and prepare them.  Thanks, in advance.

CALLING ALL PARENTS WITH HOLIDAY TRADITIONS FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD!  Please contact Ms. Wendy if you are available to give a brief Morning meeting presentation the week of December 17.  This is a Parent Service opportunity.

Note from senior peer tutor Liz Reeder:

"I will be running a Spanish study group for Middle and Upper School students on Mondays, December 10th and 17th, from 4:30 to 5:30. These sessions are free to attend and will be covering a variety of basic Spanish material (verb tenses, vocabulary, pronouns and simple conversation). If your student would benefit from some extra review before exams, this session will be perfect! The class will also include useful study techniques and other tricks. Students must sign up in advance by sending an email to Ms.Thelma. Please note: Unless your student has a club on Monday, he or she will need to attend Study Hall before the tutoring hour."

Our bands will be performing holiday music next weekend.  Please mark your calendars and try to come out to support our musicians in their first "public" performance of the year!

-       Saturday December 15 at 3pm all 3 of the Camelot music groups (The Middle Grades Music Group, the Upper School Instrumental Group and the Upper School Vocal Ensemble) will be performing atSouthpoint Mall. Look for them indoors, in the atrium near Santa Claus.

-       Sunday, December 16 at 3pm the Middle Grades Music Group and the Upper School Vocal Ensemble will be performing at University Mall in Chapel Hill, in the center stage area.

Looking ahead to 2013....

ANOTHER PARENT SERVICE OPPORTUNITY!  Did you every wish you had known as a teenager what you know now?  Well, we can't help with a do-over but we can provide an opportunity for you to share your wisdom with the next generation!  Young people are unaware of many career options, stymied by how to get from here to there and often they are paralyzed by the idea that they must decide their entire lives before graduating!  Of course, we work hard to address these issues, but "many voices" can be a powerful thing.  As such, I'm coordinating a career speaker series for our Upper School students to take place on Friday, January 11.  I am seeking six parents willing to share info about their careers, their career path (meaning - what they thought  they  wanted to be when  they grew up....and then what happened?), their educational advice, etc.  Each parent will be asked to present to FIVE age-based groups (7th-12th graders) between 9:30 AM and noon on Friday, January 11.  Each session should include 20 minutes of information and five minutes for Q and A.  Presenters are then encouraged to stay for lunch to allow students to follow up informally. The entire commitment is from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM. If you are interested and available please forward me an email with a few ideas about what you'd like to share.

We will have a Camelot Pizza Day on Friday, January 3 - the first day back to school from the Winter Break. Each student will enjoy pizza compliments of the school. There will be no lunch orders that day.

The first Lunch Order after the Winter Break will be for the week of January  7 - 11, all orders must be placed by midnight on Wednesday, January 2.

Thanks for reading this through and for your attention to all of the details included!  It is a challenging time of year for us all – keeping track of multiple priorities and demands - we'll do a great job....together!

Have a great week.

Best,

Thelma

Camelot Update 12/2/12

Greetings!  Happy December!

Thanks to Ms Krista for sharing her special gift of photography with us at the Academic Fair/Thanksgiving Feast.  Check out her great shots here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/camelotacademy/sets/72157632134901974

This is the absolute “last call” for the March trip to England.  We are about to release the extra airline seats we had on hold.  Please let me know right away if you wish to join this trip!

We're in the homestretch of the semester now, so there is a lot to keep up with!

Monday - Second Semester Fees due

Wednesday - Middle Grades and Upper School have a "catch up" and special event day.   Those who need the time to catch up in a subject or task will be given extended time to do so. National Honor Society students will travel to American Tobacco Complex to decorate a tree*, Advanced Biology students will travel to a lecture at Duke and many others will attend a special screening of Lincolnat the MLK movie theatre.  This day has evolved to address many agendas in a way that is uniquely typical of our special school - I love the creative spontaneity of it!

Wednesday - home basketball game at 4 PM.  Middle and Upper School fans need to notify me via email by 5 PM TUESDAY if they want to ride the bus to the game.  Pick up at JCC at 5 PM.

Thursday - speaking of our unique and special school - on Thursday we will host our last Open House of 2012 from 4-5:30 PM.  This is a great time to send your friends over to meet our teachers and it is also a great time for current parents to stop in to learn about the next "division up" for your own student!

* Note from senior and NHS member Meg Rusconi-Warner:

The Upper School National Honors Society will be decorating a tree in the Triangle Christmas Tree Challenge in the name of Crayons2Calculators, an organization run by our own Amy Cummings which donates school supplies to those in need.  You can come watch the tree lighting ceremony at the Tower Lighting, which is held downtown in the American Tobacco Amphitheater from 6-7 PM on December 7th. We would also really appreciate it if, starting December 7th, you would vote for our tree (#06). Votes can be cast by texting TREE and our tree's two-digit number to 46988 or online at triangletreechallenge.com. You can vote daily both by text and online, and if you would like to have us vote daily in your name, you can write your email address on the sheet posted in the Big Hall.

http://www.triangletreechallenge.com

Have a great week!  Enjoy the holiday tunes in the sunshine!

Best,

Thelma


Camelot Update 11/25/12

Every now and then go away, have a little relaxation, for when you come back to your work your judgment will be surer. Go some distance away because then the work appears smaller and more of it can be taken in at a glance and a lack of harmony and proportion is more readily seen.

                                                                                                                                                            (Leonardo Da Vinci, 1452 – 1519)

Greetings to All:

I hope this email finds you emerging from a good break.  We're ready to come back for a fabulous end of semester and end of calendar year together.  There's much to do - but  together we'll clear the hurdles successfully!

Before we move on to new business - a thousand thanks to the following for their tremendous efforts in making the Academic Fair/Thanksgiving Feast a huge success - Jill Sugg, Erin Grady, Michelle Banal, Matt Wilhelm, Wendy Morris, Glenn Mehrbach, Teresa Fischer, Dan Hill, Rita Glynn, Scott Mitchell, Judith Kuegler, Krista Moll and the entire Camelot faculty and staff plus parent chairs Melinda Uthus and Frank Roberts and their fabulous parent crew.

Congratulations to the Camelot Basketball Knights who won their first game of the season in a game versus Triangle Collaborative School.  Our next home game is this Wednesday - Middle and Upper School fans who wish the school to provide transportation TO the game should have an email from a parent sent to me by 5 PM Tuesday.  The game is at the Levin JCC at 4 PM - parents must pick up FROM THE GYM at 5 PM!

Also, this Wednesday is the deadline for ordering school pictures.  Ms. Wendy sent home a letter with instructions for ordering directly from the Strawbridge website.  If you need this info resent,  please let us know!

Our collection for the armed services continues through the end of this week.

Please click here for the list of needed supplies:

"http://www.camelotacademy.org/admin/editor_assets/documents/vet_donation.pdf

Please encourage your student to check his/her assignment notebook and book bag to check for homework or other items that should be tended to before tomorrow.  I look forward to seeing everyone!

Best,

Thelma

Camelot Update 11/11/12

Greetings!  We have had another full week at Camelot - from the Sound to Sea trip, to elections, to the start of basketball season and so much more - our days are humming with activity.  Please read this email with special care as there are many important details and announcements.

Congratulations to Module 3 Merit Award students:  Evan MacDonald, Ray Palma, Kathleen Stancil-Sutton and William Whetzel. Also, kudos to Module 3 Honor Roll students:  Christopher Radcliffe, Virginia Bruhn, Brooke Hall, David McShea, Rachel Milkereit, Sarah Fauver, Alex Berro, Fiona Castorina, Zack Milkereit, Spencer Ahn, Olivia Arges, Grace He, Ke Lu, Lyn Mattox, Rachel Roush,Feixiong Zhen, Zachariah Claypole White, Max Fried, Bri Oleson, Josh Pettway-Hinton, Liz Reeder, Meg Rusconi-Warner and Josh Stallings.

Our FLL team known as the Spark Sharks did a great job of competing at the regional qualifiers in Cary yesterday.  Many thanks toCoach Robyn and Coach Chris and the crew of parents who provided invaluable assistance.

The Mid-Semester grade portal will close tomorrow.  If you have a Middle or Upper School student and have yet to access this info please do so in the next twenty-four hours.  Mid-Semester Warnings that were sent home in the mail need to be signed and returned to the office on Monday morning.

Tomorrow is also the deadline for submissions to the first edition of our literary magazine, to be published before the Winter Break. Please encourage your student to submit essays, poetry, artwork or other suitable material.

On Monday after school and all day Tuesday, Upper School crates will be out for parents to review.  Also, Tuesday morning is Advisor Drop-In Day from 8 to 8:25 AM. 

In celebration of Veteran's Day, Monday will be the kick off for a collection of items to ship to our troops in Afghanistan.  The collection will continue until the end of the month.  A list of needed supplies can be found on our website here:

http://www.camelotacademy.org/forms.php

This Wednesday is the deadline for lunch orders for the week of November 26-30 (the week AFTER Thanksgiving).

Wednesday is also a Spirit Day in celebration of the first game for our Camelot basketball Knights (a home game!).  Our theme will be "Twin Day" in which folks may coordinate clothing with one or more friends.  In addition, the school will transport Middle and Upper School fans to the game based on my receipt of a parent request email by 5 PM this Tuesday evening.  Game time is 4:00 PM Wednesday at the Levin Jewish Community Center (1937 West Cornwallis Road).  Parents must pick up from the Center at 5:00 PM. There can be no provision for late pick-ups.

On Friday, we will all gather at the Downtown Durham Armory (220 Foster Street) for the Academic Fair and Thanksgiving Feast. Students in grades 5-12 arrive at 8:00 AM.  Students in Grades K-4 arrive at 10:00 AM.  Please be sure to park in the parking garage across the street as the few spaces around the building will be ticketed by the City.  Please remember that this is a required parent event and that in addition to the presentations by half of the Middle Grades and the Upper School, music and dance students will perform as well.  (Kindergarten and MAPP students should be practicing with their CD's!)  Be sure to bring your Thanksgiving appetite on Friday as a team of parents are hard at work organizing our meal!  Students are dismissed directly from this event to Fall Break.  There are no activities at our buildings on this day.

Please note that school is closed for the entire week of Thanksgiving (November 19-23).  Classes and all activities resume on Monday, November 26.

If you are looking for something special to do next weekend, three of Camelot's Upper School students (Lennon Klinger-Mehrbach,Bri Oleson and Lance Wilkes) are featured in The Community Church production of Godspell.  Click here for more info or see the posters on display at school.

http://www.pizzadreams.com/~C3HUU/Choirs/c3huuhsyggodspel.html

It is a true honor to work with you and your children each day.  I look forward to celebrating our students' accomplishments and all that we have to be thankful for with you on Friday.

Have a great week.

Camelot Update 11/4/2012

Greetings - I hope this email finds you and your extended family and friends doing OK in the aftermath of Super-storm Sandy.  What a difference a week can make...

In spite of the turbulence elsewhere, Camelot students had a productive week.  Middle and Upper School students spent our Morning Meetings stepping back from the current presidential election to reflect - in general terms - as to what the job description for the President of the United States really is and what qualities and qualifications are required   by law and by the actual demands of the role.  Mr. Matt has done an excellent job of keeping us all engaged and on point - and students across all ages have had much to contribute.  It is Camelot at its best when we can take the time to reflect on such issues and my optimism for the future always brightens when I am in the presence of our intelligent and thoughtful young people.

Our week also included a Spirit Day for which students came dressed as their favorite character from a book.  Thanks to Mr. Scott for posting photos for us all to enjoy:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/camelotacademy/sets/72157631910902809/with/8147638073

Two of our three Lego teams traveled to Greensboro yesterday for a regional competition.  They did an excellent job and learned a great deal.  The third team travels to Cary next weekend to compete.  Many thanks to Coach Robyn, Coach Chris and Coach Amanda and to all of the parents who make these experiences possible for our young people.

Ms. Lynne and I spent much of our week preparing Mid Semester Reports.  Kindergarten, Junior and Senior MAPP students should receive these reports in the mail.  Middle and Upper School families were sent an email with instructions as to how to access these reports via the online Achieve Technology program.  Mid-Semester Warnings for these grade levels have been mailed home and should be reviewed, signed and returned by this Friday.

Ms Wendy is pulling together a fabulous Thanksgiving meal for us all to enjoy together following the Academic Fair on Friday, November 16.  Your student should have brought home with a RSVP Form that must be returned TOMORROW, please! You can print a copy of the form from our website here:

http://www.camelotacademy.org/forms.php"http://www.camelotacademy.org/forms.php

What is Academic Fair/Thanksgiving Feast?

It is a day on which our entire community gathers at the Durham Armory (downtown) to enjoy:

- Academic presentations by many of our Middle and Upper School students (younger students present their projects at the February Pie Supper - another good excuse to gather, celebrate our wonderful students and eat great food!)

- Musical presentations by the Kindergarten, Junior and Senior MAPP classes

- Performances by the Middle Grades and two Upper School musical groups

- Performance by the Tuesday dance club

- all of us sit down to enjoy a great Thanksgiving meal!

Tomorrow morning all of our Middle Grades students depart for the Sound to Sea trip. 

Please note these important reminders:

- arrival is between 7:30 and 7:45 AM

- carefully follow the packing list that was provided

- all medications - prescription or over the counter - must be provided IN THE ORIGINAL CONTAINER and with written dosage instructions

- all students must have a completed Student Medical Form (provided to us by the Sound to Sea program)

- students who are sick should not attend. 

On Monday, Highpoint University (NC) will be visiting our campus at 1 PM.

On Tuesday, Upper School students turn in rough drafts of their Academic Fair papers.

Juniors and seniors who wish to take a class at UNC Chapel Hill next semester need to see Ms Lynne THIS WEEK to start the registration process.

Senior college application deadlines- we are in the thick of it now!  Thanks to everyone for working hard to honor these deadlines so that we can continue to do an excellent job in a manner respectful of everyone's busy schedules.

- November 15 apps due to me be November 8*

- December 1 apps due to me by November 12* 

- January 1 apps due to me by December 10*

(* these are COMPLETED apps - meaning the editing rounds between me and the student are COMPLETED by this date)

On Thursday, Camelot basketball season begins!  Players who are registered or who have expressed interest will receive a separate email.

Monday, November 12 is the deadline for our first edition of Broken Silence, the school literary magazine.  Students may get a submission form at school or you may request one from me via email.

Late-breaking news about the England trip:

- we can accept additional travelers up until November 20.  Please let me know if you are interested in joining this trip.

- high school students on this trip may earn COLLEGE CREDIT by completing online coursework associated with the itinerary. Coursework must be completed within 6 months of the March return date.  THIS IS AN EXCELLENT BENEFIT TO THIS TRIP AND SHOULD BE GIVEN YOUR CONSIDERATION!

Mr. Mike is continuing to seek parent service workers on Saturdays between now and the end of 2012 to assist with leaf removal. Please contact him directly at:   mike@camelotacademy.org

Finally, please be sure that all clocks that require it were turned back an hour.  Perhaps getting up tomorrow morning will be a bit easier!

Have a good week.

Best,

Thelma

PS - A note to parents who enjoy reading about education issues - today's New York Times includes great articles about online learning in Education Life and about raising prodigies in The Magazine.  "Book Club," anyone?