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December 2, 2011
Dear Parents:
I realize you are receiving many emails at this time of year from BSAP, coaches, staff members and, occasionally, me. This phenomenon is difficult to avoid, so thank you for your patience and selective speed-reading abilities. I know my Friday Letter is the most torturous of emails, so I will try to move quickly through my list of subjects.
Tonight, we open our basketball season with our various boys teams going head-to-head with Olpe. We encourage parents, students, teachers, and friends to attend as a massive wall of support for our athletes. I spoke to students today about being a committed fan base while also recognizing the rules for good sportsmanship—a reminder that seems more essential with basketball than with any other sport. I would ask parents to please help me in modeling the best behavior at games. Go Hawks!
Good luck also to our Debate Team as they head to competition at LHS this weekend! (Unlike our athletes, the debaters have received a dispensation to argue with their opponents….)
Please note that Lessons & Carols will occur on Wednesday at Trinity Episcopal Church, 7:30 pm. Every year, after the event, parents tell me how glad they were that they could attend the event. It is quite beautiful and a great way to celebrate the season. I hope you can attend—you will be very glad you did.
Thanks to Ms. Porter, Dr. Brunfeldt, and students for representing our school with their entry to the annual Lawrence Festival of Trees. The tree sold a whopping $1,100—the proceeds directed towards The Shelter in Lawrence.
This is a good time to review our Inclement Weather Policy:
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If Lawrence Public Schools cancel classes for snow or ice, we will also cancel for the first day. We will reconsider on a daily basis and may not follow their lead on subsequent days.
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Whenever classes are canceled, my first call is to Mr. Kellogg, who will post a weather closing notice on the opening pages of the school website, www.seaburyacademy.org. This is the very best and fastest way for you to know whether we are having classes no matter where you live.
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I will also notify Sunflower Channel 6, KLWN/Lazer 105, the Journal World, and KPR.
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I will try to avoid canceling class in the midst of the day because I don’t want students on the roads, especially without parents knowing. However, you are welcome to come and pick up students if you are concerned about them getting home safely. Should such an event become likely, I will send an e-mail to the community.
As you can imagine, not everyone agrees about what constitutes “risky” conditions. I will endeavor to make appropriate decisions. I used to love snow…now, not so much.
We are in the middle of our Annual Fund Drive. I think some new parents were confused about a letter that went out recently thanking supporters for contributing to the 2010-2011 Capital Campaign that raised money for specific needs outside of our operating budget. We will announce periodic Capital Campaigns but at this date we are not currently in a Campaign. As an independent school, we conduct an Annual Fund drive every year during the fall and winter to raise money to pay for the school’s operating costs. Our present Annual Fund drive is ongoing, and I hope that all of you will support our school by submitting a pledge. Hitting our goals of $155,000 by Christmas Break would certainly help your Headmaster sleep at night! (…when he isn’t up watching the weather…) We will update you on our progress soon, but please get those pledge cards into the mail or contact Ms. Lawrence atmargielawrence@seaburyacademy.org. Thank you!!!
As if this Letter is not long enough, I have attached the transcript for last week’s Convocation. For those who could not attend—and those who asked for copies—please feel free to read at your leisure.
Finally, on Tuesday morning, I took the senior class out to hunt down a school Christmas Tree with the help of Mr. Nelson and Dr. Brunfeldt. We chopped down a fine tree, escorted it back to the school (stopping briefly at McDonalds so that the seniors were able to feed their insane metabolism and maintain their strength), and then dressed the tree while we sipped on hot chocolate. The tree now stands proudly in the Commons near the Advent altar. I have attached a photo of the seniors with the tree. They are a happy group.
Have a good weekend.
Yours respectfully,
Dr. Schawang
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