September 5, 2008

Dear Parents,

I am starting this letter very late, and that is a good thing for you because it means I will be brief.
 
For those who are new to Seabury, the first Monday of each month is “Late Start.” Students may sleep later on this day because we will not have morning meeting or advising, BUT all students must be in their 1st hour seats on time or face dreadful consequences. Older students who drive should be reminded of this fact.
 
Tonight is the Luau Dance from 8:00-10:00 pm. Mr. Gollier and the Student Senate are hoping students will come and have a good time. There is no pit and no roasted pig, but I understand Hawaiian punch will flow freely and the fearful limbo rod may make an appearance.
 
I want to offer hearty congratulations to all of our athletes, whether they are in Cross Country, Football, Tennis, or Volleyball. We had games/matches this week in all sports, and we are off to a strong and energetic start. The athletes received warm appreciation from faculty and students alike today in morning meeting and after lunch. Our athletics philosophy at Seabury is rooted in our mission statement. Our primary goal is to create strong, disciplined, and resilient athletes who understand and celebrate team spirit and grow from their experience. All victories on the field or on the court must start with those central lessons. Based upon their performance this week, our athletes are in the right direction.
 
Betsy has informed me that one of our Football parents might have left a purple XXL North Face jacket on the field last night. If so, we have it in our office.
 
Hopefully, you have had the opportunity to visit RenWeb. Like the rest of our teachers, I am using the system for the first time. I am very happy that parents will have an additional tool to keep themselves informed of student academic progress. However, I do want to encourage parents to remember that “raw” grades visible on this system should be read carefully. For most teachers, grading is just as much a process as student work. Early grades change if students do revisions. If offered, extra credit is not immediately reflected. The weight of a single test, quiz, or paper might change by the end of the quarter. The real value of on-line grading is that parents can keep track of the rhythm of a student’s work and, especially, to be alerted to any sudden and dramatic changes. If you are ever concerned about what you see on your student’s portal, please talk to the student and the teacher.
 
I hope you have an excellent and restful weekend.
 
 
Yours respectfully,
 
Dr. Schawang