Tandem Friends School
Friday Letter

Volume 13, Number 1
Friday, September 3, 2010

Dear Parents,

We are keeping this Welcome to the 2010-2011 School Year missive short. We know
many words are coming at you in these first days of return and adjustment to early rising, packing lunches, and all…

Let us know what you need to make your child’s experience here at Tandem Friends
more lucid, graceful, harmonious.

We are at your service.

In Friendship,

Nura and Tom

New students and their Trusty Tandemites on Orientation Day

All School News

General Items -

Notes from the Business Office - This year, the Business Office wants to reduce the number of checks that parents have to write for various things, and that teachers and coaches have to collect.

So, charges for athletic fees, Emphasis fees, and all-grade field trips will appear on the family's monthly billing statement.  Parents should not expect to send checks to teachers or coaches for these events unless you get a request directly from the teacher for individual class trips. 

This will not cover every expense that calls for a check, but it ought to simplify everyone's life just a little.

Tandem Film Club - The Film Club starts back up on Monday, September 13th from 4 -5pm, meeting in the Black Box.  Offered every Monday,  and hosted by teachers Lydia Horan, Jay Kulhmann and Larry Goldstein, Tandem Film Club is open to Middle and Upper School students who want to work on individual and small group film projects that can be shown in school, at Film Club and community events, and for possible submission to film competitions.  Students film around campus and edit films in the MAC lab.  A new part of Film Club this year will also include occasionally viewing and discussing films of different genres in the new Black Box space.  Notice will be sent out as to what films will be shown on a given afternoon and pick up time will be 5:30 on film viewing days.  Middle Schoolers who are interested will be given a Parent Permission slip to bring home which must be signed and returned before or on Monday, September 13th.  For more information please contact Lydia Horan.

T'ai Chi @ Tandem - Tandem's Community T'ai Chi class, a satellite of the non-profit Hiromi T'ai Chi, begins Thursday, September 9th, at 4:00pm in the Einstein room, located on the lower level of the Math-Science building. Any friend of Tandem, whether new or experienced, is welcome. You can attend your first session without commitment, so if you are at all curious, feel free to just show up. E-mail questions to Matthew Messner.

Back to School Night - Mark your calendars for our most important school event of the year - Back to School Night - on Wednesday, September 22. Parents (no students at this event) are reminded to arrive by 6:40pm, as we run a tight schedule that night which begins promptly at 7pm in the Community Hall. Meet the faculty and staff, learn more about upcoming activities, and spend the evening going through shortened versions of your child's schedule. Don't miss it!

Tandem's Inaugural Fall Festival, Saturday, October 30th, 10 to 4 - The Parent's Association is organizing this fun event and wants to include all students, faculty & teachers in our volunteers. Under the big top tent we will have a Carnival Area, Craft Alley (create and take home!), Artisans & Crafters selling their goods, Baked Goods for sale, Grilled Food for sale, Petting Zoo, plus much more including Live Music, Haunted House and the famous Charlottesville Donut Man selling his goods. We are inviting the entire Charlottesville community to come up the hill and enjoy the day with us. Won't you and your child come help and volunteer? Parent Debby Ware  is chairperson and will be at Back To School Night with volunteer sheets for the many activities.

Watch for more information in the next few weeks.

Tandem Book Club - Head of School Paul Perkinson encourages interested community members to join him in a new book club. The first title is A Whole New Mind: Why Right Brainers will Rule the World by Daniel Pink. Stay tuned for Book Club meeting dates, and dig into some fine reading. More info...

Mindfulness Education - Tandem will be hosting a Meditation, QiGong and Yoga Class for Teens, taught by Inward Bound Mindfulness Education. This six-week class will be held on Sundays, October 10 through November 21 from 2-4:30pm. Teens aged 14-19 are welcome; the cost of the class is $30-$50. First meeting is free. More info...

Upper School News

Grade Parent Meetings - Grade parent meetings will be held over the next two weeks. These very important beginning of the year gatherings serve several purposes - a way to meet parents from your child's grade, share interests and concerns, and hear from division directors and advisors about academic issues, school trips and activities. Upper School meetings will be held in the Blue Room as follows:

Junior Class Together Day - On Tuesday, September 7th, the junior class will be participating in
an all-day off campus service project with Habitat for Humanity at Sunrise Trailer Park in Charlottesville to assist three families in a relocation project. Each Upper School grade is participating in a day-long activity as a way to launch the year and come together as a class. Questions? Contact David Slezak.

9th Grade Bonding - On Friday, September 10th, the 9th graders will be spending the school day at Triple C Camp just down the road on Route 20.  We have found that a day of class togetherness is an excellent way to begin the school year. Leadership, team-building and problem solving are some of the goals of the day - and, of course, fun. Students should bring a lunch and plenty of water and wear comfortable "play" clothes. The cost of the day-long adventure is $35.00, included in your regular billing from the business office.

Middle School News

Grade Parent Meetings - Grade parent meetings will be held over the next two weeks. These very important beginning of the year gatherings serve several purposes - a way to meet parents from your child's grade, share interests and concerns, and hear from division directors and advisors about academic issues, school trips and activities. Middle School meetings will be held in the Middle School meeting room as follows:

5th Grade Trip to Sugar Hollow - Parents of 5th graders are reminded that the class will be making an overnight trip to Sugar Hollow September 16-17. Details will be provided at the 5th grade parent meeting on Tuesday, September 7 - 6-7pm. Questions? Contact David Slezak.

College Counseling News

9/8 – College Visit from Sweet Briar College (1:10pm) - All juniors and seniors are welcome to attend this (and other college visits) in the College Counseling Office with prior permission from their classroom teachers.

9/10 - Registration deadline for 10/9 SAT - Registering on-line (www.collegeboard.com) is fast and easy!

9/12 - "Sticker Shock!" - All Tandem parents are invited to attend a program on financing college from 3-4:15pm in the Community Hall. Representatives from UVA's Financial Aid Office will be joining us to discuss the ins and outs of the financial aid process and financing your child's college education.

9/12 - Senior College Meeting - Seniors and their parents are required to attend the Senior College Meeting from 4:30-5:30pm in the Community Hall. We hope that you will also join us for the "Sticker Shock" program at 3pm. We will review upcoming steps in the College Search and Application Process, and address any questions and concerns students and parents are currently facing.

9/13 – College Visit from Hood College (12:25pm)

9/15 – College Visit from Davidson College (11:40am)

9/16 – College Visits from Vanderbilt College (8:30am) and Elon (11am)

9/17 – Registration deadline for 10/23 ACT – Register online (www.actstudent.org)

PSAT Prep - (Please keep your eye open for more information about the PSAT in the upcoming College Newsletter which is e-mailed to all Upper School families). This year, our optional PSAT prep sessions will take place on four Saturdays, September 11 through September 25, with one make-up session on October 9th. All sessions will occur from 10:30am-12pm except for the first session on 9/11, which will run from 9:30-11am. The four weekend sessions are designed to provide an orientation to the PSAT, offer a general overview of strategies, and demonstrate their use as they apply to the critical reading and math sections of both tests. We are fortunate to have Clay Daniel join us to teach the course. Clay has several years of experience preparing students for the SAT, both privately and with test preparation centers in the area. The cost for the Saturday program is $180 (textbook to be purchased separately) and checks should be made out to Clay Daniel and brought to the first class on September 11. The registration deadline is Friday, September 10 - contact Catherine if interested.

Athletic News

Tennis Meeting - Girls of all grades and proficiency levels who have an interest in tennis are encouraged to come to the first meeting of the JV Tennis Team on Tuesday at 3:30 in the Blue Room. We  will compete in matches beginning in late September with St. Anne’s, Covenant and other private schools with a JV team.  We are particularly looking for girls who are ready to play in matches, but beginners are welcome to come and try out this lifetime sport.  On Tuesday, we plan to meet our new coach, an experienced player and instructor who is eager to help all players gain confidence and skill as they move to the next level of play.  Practices will be held at Tonsler Park on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 4pm to 5:30pm.  A Tandem bus will be available to transport players to the park and back to school. Tennis is a sport that can be enjoyed by every age and every ability level. You’re never too old, never too young.

Field Hockey - The Field Hockey team is still looking for a few players. Students in grades 8-12 can play in the games while younger students will work on skills building. Our new coach Britton Gendell is enthusiastic about the season and eager for new players to join!

Games this Week:

Wednesday - September 8
Volleyball - Girls Varsity vs. Covenant School 4:00pm Away

Friday - September 10
Volleyball - Girls Varsity vs. Wakefield Country Day School 4:30pm Away

Announcements

Radical Reels Tour - Grab your tickets and hang onto your seats when the 2010 Radical Reels Film Tour comes to Charlottesville. Hurtle down steep untouched powder, feel the cold spray of stomach-dropping kayak first descents, take a flight from a bike, and experience more in adrenaline-pumping mountain sports. Thursday, September 16 at PVCC - Tickets $10-12.
More info...

After School Classes and Activities - We receive a great deal of information on local classes, workshops and activities for students of all ages. Links to some of those offerings are provided below, with registration deadlines rapidly approaching:

Quote of the Week - Happy Labor Day!:

Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.  ~ Ovid