School News and Notes

Business As Usual in the Early Childhood Classes



Click image for more photos  

It was great to see everyone back at school today. The students and teachers were energized and it was business as usual throughout the building. Thank you again to everyone for your patience this week. It was a challenging week for all!

Students to Participate in National Geographic Bee 

We are excited to announce that Congressional students will once again participate in the National Geographic Bee. Sponsored by the National Geographic Society, this is a great opportunity for students in grades 4-8 to test their geography knowledge and potentially compete with other students on a national level. 

The 4th - 8th grade students will take a 50 question test during Social Studies class during the week of January 6th. The top performers on this test will participate in Congressional's Geography Bee on Monday, January 13, 2014. The winner of the Geography Bee will then take a written exam to compete for a place in the state level National Geographic Bee to be held in Richmond in the spring. Good luck to all!

Report Card Update 

Middle School report cards and Preschool report cards will be able to be accessed through NetClassroom on Monday, December 16, after 4 PM. 

Report Cards for Junior Kindergarten through 4th Grade will be emailed by the child's teacher directly to parents. These reports will come in the form of a PDF and will not be available through NetClassroom.  

 Middle School Spring Break Trip

Don't let your Middle School student miss out on this great trip to the Grand Canyon, Bryce National Park, River Rafting, Hoover Dam and many more sites and activities. Registration for this trip is now open. Please contact Dan O'Neil [email protected] for more information or to register.

Dressing for the Cold 

Don't forget to make sure your students are dressed for the cold weather. Layers are always good, as are coats, scarves, hats and gloves for outside recess. For girls who choose to wear skirts, please encourage them to wear tights, as the classes do still venture outside for recess, even in cold weather. 

Gala & Auction 

Committee Meeting December 20 - All are welcome!

The monthly meeting of the Gala and Auction Committee will take place next Friday, December 20th, in the L&M cafeteria from 8:15 - 9:30 am.  You are invited to join the 2014 Gala and Auction Chair, Jim Frye, and members of the Gala and Auction committee immediately after drop-off in the L & M School Building, as we plan for the 2014 Gala.  

For more information about the Gala and Auction and ways that you can help, contact Gala and Auction Chair, Jim Frye (Ethan-Class of 2015, Anna-Claire-Class of 2017), or Director of Development, Jayne Shedd.

Support Congressional While You Shop 
for the Holidays!

Are you shopping online for holiday gifts? Click here for links to shopping portals that you may use while shopping online, and support Congressional as you shop.  Use the Box Tops for Education Marketplace portal (click here) to access over 400 online stores such as Toys R Us, the Lego Store, Macy's, and hundreds more with no cost to you!   Or use this Amazon link to directly access the Congressional School shopping portal, shop at Amazon as you usually do, and automatically support the school with each order.

 

Quick Links: 

Box Tops for Education Marketplace

Amazon.com

Becoming Responsible Digital Citizens

Last week, Congressional welcomed Ms. Jenni Swanson Voorhees who conducted a series of student and parent workshops on the topic of being a responsible and ethical digital citizens. Ms. Voorhees is the Lower School Technology Director at Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C.; she is chair of the NAIS 21st Century Curriculum/Tech Task Force, an advisory group for the National Association of Independent Schools; and she serves on the AIMS (Association of Independent Schools in Maryland) Technology Committee. She shared a great deal of valuable information and advice to both students and parents. You can download a synopsis of the the workshops below. 

Workshop: Becoming Responsible Digital Citizens 

Gifts and Appreciation

As this holiday time approaches, you may be wondering the most appropriate way to show your appreciation to teachers. We understand the special bond that exists between a student and a teacher and, as a result, students and their parents may wish to express their gratitude by giving gifts to their teachers during this time of year.  Similar to last June, the CSPO will not be coordinating gift giving between families and teachers.

 

The most appropriate and cherished gift to a teacher are those that are from the heart and typically expressed in meaningful messages of thanks.  Such tokens of appreciation are truly priceless to educators who willingly and lovingly teach children.  For those parents who prefer to give a holiday gift for their teacher, the school encourages that individual teacher gifts be modest.  The school feels that a modest gift offers an opportunity to express sincere thanks.

 

If parents believe their thanks cannot be adequately expressed within these guidelines, one option to consider is making a gift to the School's professional development fund in honor of the teachers they wish to recognize. This fund supports attendance at workshops and summer courses, sponsorship of speakers on campus, and the growth of our professional library. This type of gift truly lasts a lifetime!

Congressional Student Qualifies for Irish Dancing World Championships


Wonderful Irish Dancing performances by Congressional students have been a long-standing highlight of our annual International Night celebration. We recently found out that one of the these performers, 5th grader Amanda Gaffney, is headed to the World Championships of Irish Dancing. Amanda qualified to compete at Worlds last weekend at National Harbor by placing 9th out of 90 girls in the Under 10 category at the Southern US Regional Championships. The World Championships (also known as the Oireachtas Rince Na Cruinne) will be held in London, England in April during our Spring Break. Amanda dances for the Broesler School of Irish Dance in Maryland. Congratulations Amanda!