Camelot Update 2014-11-30

Greetings!

I hope you have enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving Week.  It was the perfect start to the season to enjoy the Academic Fair/Thanksgiving Feast with everyone.  Special thanks to Ms. Jill, Ms. Erin, Mr. Tom and Ms. Michelle for shepherding the students through their research projects, to Mr. Glenn and Ms. Teresa for the lovely musical performances, to Ms. Wendy for orchestrating the meal, to Mr. Dan for tech support, to Mr. Scott for outreach, to Ms. Jo Anne and Ms. Amy for the Scavenger Hunt, to Ms. Lori for coordination before and during the event, to Ms. Judith for the table decor, art display and poster-board consults, to Ms. Roni for the presentation help and to Mr. Matt for handling the logistics on site.  I also want to thank every other member of Team Camelot for their countless contributions to make the day a success in ways too numerous to list - it is without a doubt a shining example of our Camelot Family working together to witness such a lovely occasion on behalf of our children.

We are now entering the time period I call "Interlude" - between the two holiday breaks.  It is a deceptive three weeks as it seems a short, easy time between alarm clock rituals but - actually - there is much to be done...

- Middle Grades students will take Semester Exams

- Seniors will complete the majority of their college applications

- The performing groups have their first public performances

- Upper School students finish their classes for the semester

- The holidays - and all of their accompanying merriment - provide a backdrop!

We will navigate it all together and simply ask that everyone pay a little extra attention to the details of the Weekly Email and student planners/folders during this busy time.

Highlights of the Upcoming Week:

Monday-

- Semester Paperwork due to the Office

- Picture orders due to office (or online orders need to be placed)

- MG pink exam info letter needs to be signed and returned

Tuesday -

Mr. Oliver hosts Math Study Hall 3:30-4:30 PM

Wednesday -

Mr. Dan hosts Math Study Hall 3:30-4:30 PM

Friday -

9 AM - Jr MAPP field trip to The Nasher

I hope you have a great week!

Camelot Update 2014-11-16

Greetings!

What an exciting week we had!  Many of the students completed their Academic Fair projects and you could feel the relief and satisfaction in the air by dismissal time on Friday afternoon.

We inadvertently left two students off the Module 2 Honor Roll last week.  Congratulations to Fiona Castorina and Chase Lewis!

Announcement from NHS:

At Academic Fair this Friday, NHS will be collecting cans and money to build a “Canstruction” sculpture next semester.  All the food from this sculpture will go to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina.  Please cansider making a cantribution of either money or cans. There will be a large red bucket where cans can be put and and a Cantribution collection box at the Convention Center on Friday. Collections will cantinue through December and early January.  Any cantributions are greatly appreciated!

The Search Institute is providing a no-cost webinar on Nurturing Strong Family Relationships During the Teenage Years.  It will be onWednesday November 19 from 1-2pm.  Even if you can’t watch during that time, you will receive a link to listen to it later if you register. Webinar participants will gain new insights about nurturing relationships in families along with some practical ideas for what they can do in their own families or families they work with to be more intentional about nurturing family relationships.  For more information or to register, go to https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/300000000010762652;jsessionid=abcSgCd6Wo8U2dYR3h1Mu

Highlights of the Upcoming Week:

Tuesday -

Achieve Portal for viewing Middle and Upper School Mid-Semester grades closes

Mr. Oliver hosts Math Study Hall 3:30-4:30 PM

Wednesday -

No Inventions Club this week

Mr. Dan hosts Math Study Hall 3:30-4:30 PM

Thursday -

School closed at 3:30 PM

No clubs, study hall, etc.

Optional Care available by pre-registration

(contact Ms. Wendy at wendy@camelotacademy.org)

Friday -

Academic Fair and Thanksgiving Feast (a required parent event)**

(see copies of detailed arrival time and directional info here:

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

All activities are being held at the Downtown Marriott Convention Center

**This is the biggest event of the semester - a true celebration of our students, our school, our families and all we have to be thankful for.  We look forward to sharing our learning, our music and a good meal.

School closed the week of November 24 for Fall Break. 

Classes resume on Monday, December 1.

Mr. Mike is in need of Parent Service help with leaf raking.  Contact him at mike@camelotacademy.org to sign up for a Saturday time in December.

I look forward to seeing you on Friday.  I hope that you have a safe and restful Thanksgiving.

Camelot Update 2014-11-09

Greetings!

Welcome Mira Salemy to Jr MAPP!  We are thrilled to add a sibling to our Camelot Family.

Many thanks to our wonderful guest speakers this week - Michelle Lewis, Troy Livingstone and Trang and Peter Lance.

Congratulations to Module 2 Merit and Honor Roll Students:

Merit: Joaquin Dlott, Travis Fountain, Dominic Harding, Nate Hopkins, Ephram Oliver, Elizabeth Whetzel, Isabel Brown and Heather Hartman.

Honor:  Evan MacDonald, Sean Kowis, Ray Palma, Amzie Yurko, Hannah Bao, Willa Holt, Rachel Kowis, Chris Radcliffe, Abby Weber, Richard Carruthers, Simon Dong, David McShea, Marcus Nylander, Danny Sutton, Peter Zhao, Victoria Hill, ElizabethProvenzale and Zack Milkereit.

A huge pat on the back to all who participated in the Spring 2014 Crop Walk.  Our school won the Silver Award for raising the second highest amount of donations (in the "School" category).  Not to be outdone by our own history, this year's NHS has been on a campaign for students to turn in the service hours they have performed in the community so they can be added to our school-wide count.  Here's a message from our NHS:

If we reach our 500 hour goal, the National Honor Society will host a whole-school ice cream or hot chocolate party. If your child has participated in ANY service opportunities during the first semester,  please fill out the forms in the Big Hall underneath the Community Service Hours bulletin board or emailamy@camelotacademy.org with the info.

Kudos to Jill Pitino and my sister Donna De Carlo (our off-site IT person) who were a whirlwind of activity pulling together Mid-Semester grades and comments.  In a school in which there are almost as many unique schedules as there are students, it is no small undertaking to pin down all of the variables.

That whirlwind of activity will now continue as many of our students work to meet Academic Fair deadlines, our seniors work to meet college deadlines and the end of semester is suddenly just a few weeks away!  During this busy time, all students would benefit from extra support at home in the homework and time management process.  Please remember to check homework planners/folders each and every night!

Highlights of the Upcoming Week:

Monday -

-  RSVP due from ALL families for Academic Fair/Thanksgiving Feast

- Crates Out!  (This is Camelot-speak for an opportunity to view student work.

See below for details**)

Tuesday -

Crates Out!**

Mr. Oliver hosts Math Study Hall 3:30-4:40 PM- use Sign-Up Genius to reserve a seat

Wednesday -

- Mr. Dan hosts Math Study Hall 3:30-4:30 PM - use Sign-Up Genius to reserve a seat

- Upper School Academic Fair final papers are due

- Deadline to sign up for NYC/Boston trip (see email sent Saturday, November 1 to Middle and Upper School families for details)

- Deadline to return all signed Mid-Semester Warnings

Friday -

US graded Academic Fair presentations (poster boards and oral defense) due

** "Crates Out" means that during BEFORE and AFTER SCHOOL hours, parents may review student work in the following locations:

Sr MAPP, Middle Grades and Upper School -

-Crates are UPSTAIRS on the table

Jr MAPP -

- Workbooks are in/on student desks with note to parents posted by white board in the classroom.

KinderMAPP -

 - Purple Folders go home each Friday with weekly work.

-  Journals are in basket on radiator in the classroom for parents to review.

I hope you have a great week!

Camelot Update 2014-11-02

Greetings!

The busy month of October came to a close with a full and eventful October 31.  Of course there was the fun of costumes and the fuel of candy, but there was also gardening, trips to bakeries, a trip to Old Salem, parties and guest speakers.  Many thanks to our wonderful guest speakersAngela Kirby, Victoria Kaprielian and Reginald Parker.  Our students are incredibly fortunate to be able to interact with people with such diverse and fascinating backgrounds.  Also, many thanks to Ms. Amy who coordinates the speakers and is an invaluable help in scheduling all of theFriday programming.

Congratulations to sophomore Chase Lewis for his invention "to solve a challenge of the world" that was selected as one of six winners in the national XPrize/Disney Big Hero 6 Challenge.  He looks forward to a trip to Los Angeles and a walk down the red carpet.  You can read more about it all here:

http://learning.xprize.org/press-release/xprize-recruits-real-life-big-hero-6

Speaking of inventions, we have another budding inventor in our Inventions Club in need of a consultation with an ELECTRICAL engineer.  If that might be you, please respond to this email and I'll forward your info.

We are excited to have some unique sign-up opportunities this week:

1)    Middle Grades and Upper School students (and their parents) may participate in the June trip to Boston and NYC.  The itinerary was sent via email yesterday and includes something for everyone.  The destinations were chosen based on your feedback in the Going ForwardSurvey.  Note the stops at Harvard and MIT!

2)    6th to12th grade young men AND WOMEN may join our Basketball CLUB (NOT a competitive team).  Details about this were also sent in an email yesterday. This club should allow us to grow the interest and young talent we have now into a league-ready team next year. 

3)    Middle and Upper School students in need of extra time for math instruction will receive email invitations on Monday to sign up for ateacher-sponsored math study hall.  Only eight spaces per day, so be ready to respond to the email!

Here's a peak at this week:

Monday -

- Upper School Academic Fair rough drafts are due!

- Email will be sent with Math Study Hall Invites (from Jill P)

Tuesday -

Election Day - Camelot students participate in Kids Voting

Mr. Oliver hosts Math Study Hall 3:30-4:40 PM

Wednesday -

- Smith College (MA) rep visits

- Mr. Dan hosts Math Study Hall 3:30-4:30 PM

- Co-Ed Basketball Club sign-up deadline

- 3:30 PM Boston/NYC Middle/Upper School Trip sign-up event (for parents)

Thursday -

- All students participate in Love Lunch (multi-age discussion/activity groups)

Friday -

- Mid-Semester grades posted on Achieve Portal for Middle and Upper Grades students

- First Quarter Reports mailed for MAPP students

SERVICE OPPORTUNITY

On Saturday, November 22, Camelot Academy will host MEL's POP-UP SHOP, a sale of unusual things with a vintage all their own, along with a BOOK DRIVE to benefit Book Harvest, a Triangle nonprofit that collects new and gently used children’s books

to distribute to children in need. Since it kicked off in 2011, Book Harvest has given more than 240,000 donated books to low-income children throughout the Triangle.  We will have a donation box for books and a portion of the Pop-Up Shop proceeds

will be donated to Book Harvest.

Set-up is on Friday afternoon, November 21 (after the Academic Fair/Thanksgiving Feast), and the Shop is Saturday, November 22.  We could use help on Friday after 1 pm and on Saturday from 8 am-4 pm (the Shop is open to customers from 9 am-3 pm).  There are five slots available for Parent Service (two on Friday afternoon and three on Saturday) and opportunities for high school students to earn service hours at either time. If you or your student are available for a 3 hour shift to wrap purchases, take money or watch over various tables, please emailmelanie1952@gmail.com the date/times.

Enjoy your extra hour of the weekend!