2025-2026 Friday Letter
THE WEEK AHEAD:
* Fri 31st: Vars FBall Playoffs vs. Santa Fe Trail @ Carbondale, 7 pm
* Tue 4th: BSA Mock Elections
* Wed 5th: Programming Competition @ K-State
* Thurs 6th: Seahawk Visit Day
* Fri 7th: Middle School Play, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, 7 pm
* Sat 8th: Middle School Play, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, 7 pm
Dear Parents,
I am very excited to announce that we hit our Seabury Fund goal this last week of Halloween! (It's a Halloween miracle!) One indication of health for an independent school is its success with their annual fund, and I am deeply grateful to so many people for investing in education and making this happen. On behalf of the students, I want to thank all of our families, faculty, trustees, alumni, and friends who stepped up to help us in this effort. Thanks also to our Seabury Fund Chairs Kellie & Tim Rogers, all of our class captains, and Development Director Ellen Chindamo for their collective work in organizing this effort. To those who were not able to send their pledge or gift yet, please know that we will continue to accept donations to the Fund throughout the year. We often get many gifts just before the New Year. Thank you again for your commitment and generosity!
Good luck to our football players as they head to playoffs tonight in Carbondale! Congratulations to all of our athletes and coaches for their great work and personal investment in their sports this season! Now, we turn the gym into a theatre...
...as we open the fall theatre season with the Middle School production of the Fantastic Mr. Fox next weekend. Our students are bringing you a fresh and funny take on Roald Dahl's clever story (or should I say "tail") about an urbane but unquestionably feral fox who seeks revenge on three alliterative farmers: Boggis, Bunce, and Bean. Come out next week and have some fun!
Good luck to our programming team "Seahawks1" as they head to their first competition at K-State on Wednesday!
This is the last reminder that the Tuition Assistance application process for 2026-27 opens on November 1st, and priority is given to current families. Information for 2025-26 tuition, fees, and assistance application can be found on our website here.
I realize that our school may be unusual for doubling-down on Halloween festivities, but this holiday is for the young. I have always been fascinated that one of the essential symbols of childhood is the teddy bear--one of the most intimidating animals in existence. How curious that adults (initially in the U.S. thanks for Mr. Roosevelt but now a global phenomenon) would choose THAT creature to be the cuddly companion to babies and children. I tend to think that Halloween serves a similar purpose now. Play and imitation are means of exploring and gaining confidence in the world, and a brief foray into the macabre and scary seems to benefit many children. My dad took me to see Alien when I was 12 years old--at my insistent request, after I read the dimestore novelization of the movie--and it continues to be an important moment of my childhood. I will admit that not every parent will be willing to go that far.... :)
Recently, I heard an adult talk about the phenomenon of trick-or-treating, focusing on the adults who stand in the dark by the street, keeping watch over their children. He was commenting with fondness on the unique trust those parents are placing in the adults who greet their children at the door, comment on the scary or creative costumes, and drop a handful of candy into each bag. My own neighborhood lacks street lights and my door is slightly elevated in relation to the porch, so I absolutely tower over little children who come to the door in near-total darkness. It must be a bracing experience for my visitors! I always wave at the parents who wait at the end of my driveway and enjoy the fact that we are "in on" this tradition and agree that it is worth it to keep it up. We are creating memories.
Have a good weekend--and don't forget that daylight saving time ends on Saturday night!
Dr. Schawang
THE WEEK AHEAD:
* Fri 24th: Vars Football @ Hiawatha HS, 7 pm
* Sat 25th: Vars XC Regional Meet @ Richmond-Bud Schaub Athletic Complex: girls 10, boys 11:10 am
Girls Vars VBall Substate @ Mankato-Rock HIlls HS, 2 pm
Fall Carnival, 7-9 pm
Senior Haunted House, 8-10 pm
* Sun 26th: Spirit Squad Clinic, 4-6 pm
* Mon 27th: Boys Vars Soccer Regionals @ Bishop Ward, 6 pm
* Tue 28th: Boys Vars Soccer Regionals @ TBA
* Thurs 30th: Boys Vars Soccer Regionals @ TBA
* Fri 31st: HALLOWEEN!
KSHSAA Girls State Volleyball @ Dodge City United Wireless Arena
* Sat 1st: Vars XC KSHSAA State Competition @ TBA
KSHSAA Girls State Volleyball @ Dodge City United Wireless Arena
Dear Parents,
The Seabury Fund total has reached $141,553. As we enter the last week of the drive, we are only $13,447 from our goal. We can do this! Thank you to everyone who has already made a gift or pledge, and if you have not yet sent in the card you received in the mail, please do it this weekend. We can make it easy for you with this online link or you can reach out to Bonnie at bonniebribiesca@seaburyacademy.org, and she can bill it to your FACTS account. Every gift makes a difference! Thank you!
The Tuition Assistance application process for 2025-26 opens on November 1st, and priority is given to current families.
Tomorrow night is the Fall Carnival from 7-9 pm, and the senior Haunted House is from 8-10 pm. The event is open to all Seabury students & families, and students are welcome to bring a guest but will be responsible for those individuals. Admission to the carnival is $5 and the Haunted House is $10. Please coordinate with your child about pick-up time.
Halloween is a big deal at our school, especially our annual Jack-O-Lantern carving contest. Advising groups will be working with intensity next week and will present their pumpkin entries during morning meeting on Friday. Standouts will receive prizes...and eternal glory. I am always amazed at what our staff and students can pull off in so little time!
On Halloween day, students are also welcome to wear costumes to school. I always ask students to be tasteful in their costumes--nothing offensive, too skimpy, or involving real weapons. (If there is any question about the appropriateness of a costume, students should ask an administrator in advance of the day) As always, thanks to parents for accommodating the spirit of this macabre holiday, and I especially appreciate the staff for tolerating a certain degree of chaos during this very busy time of the year.
Good luck to our varsity cross-country and varsity boys soccer teams as they head to regional competition this week. Good luck to our girls varsity volleyball team as they head to substate. For those not going to Mankato-Rock Hills, you can livestream the substate game here.
The Episcopal churches in Lawrence are collaborating to begin offering a Lawrence-area youth group. If you are interested in attending a "listening session" for parents and students at the KU Canterbury House, please see the attached flyer.
Finally, I know you have the academic calendar accessible on the website, but I want to remind parents about two important events on the horizon. Convocation is an all-student event (less than an hour in length) on Thursday 20th at 7 pm. I will provide more details about this event for new parents in a later Letter. For now, please know that this is a required event for all students, parents are encouraged to attend, and students are required to dress more formally--dress pants/slacks, jacket and tie, dresses, dress shoes (no sneakers), and so forth--basically "business appropriate" for an office. An event called Heritage Day occurs on Friday 21st during normal school hours and students will engage in service work and other activities. Students will be released for Thanksgiving Break at 3:30 pm on that day. Thanksgiving Break will occur from Monday 24th to Friday 28th. It will be here before you know it!
I have been in Chicago for most of the week to work for our accreditation organization, ISACS. I appear to have brought the rain and cooler temperatures back with me. I have missed our students and am relieved to be back with them.
Have a good weekend!
Dr. Schawang
THE WEEK AHEAD:
* Fri 17th: Fall Tapestry Choral @ BSA, 7:30 pm (Choir arrives @ 5:30 pm)
Vars Football vs. Topeka-Hayden HS @ Oskaloosa HS, 7 pm
* Sat 18th: KVC Conference XC Meet @ Wyandotte County Park, MS 9 & Vars 10 am
International Movie Night, 6-8 pm
* Mon 20th: Boys Vars Soccer vs. KC Christian @ BSA, 4:30 pm
JV Football @ Hayden HS, 4:30 pm
* Tue 21st: Girls Vars VBall Regionals @ Centralia, 6 & 7 pm
* Wed 22nd: PSAT 10/11
Auction Committee Mtg, 6-7 pm
* Thurs 23rd: Boys Vars Soccer @ Paola HS, 6:30 pm
* Fri 24th: Vars Football @ Hiawatha HS, 7 pm
* Sat 25th: Vars XC Regional Meet @ Richmond-Bud Schaub Athletic Complex: girls 10, boys 11:10 am
Girls Vars VBall Substate @ TBA
Fall Carnival, 7-9 pm
Senior Haunted House, 8-10 pm
* Sun 26th: Spirit Squad Clinic, 4-6 pm
Dear Parents,
We have had an energetic few days with future Seahawks in the building--26 visitors, mainly from 5th & 6th grades. These are important recruitment days for us, and much responsibility is on the shoulders of our students who act as hosts throughout the school day. They did a fantastic job. Walking down the hallway yesterday, I observed one of our 6th grade hosts pass his 5th grade guest a dollar bill to buy a snack after lunch--ah! These kids! They are so cool.
This is the moment in October when I am relieved to see the "temperature" on the Seabury Fund thermometer ascend, and we are sitting now at $118,400 on our way to the goal of $155,000. Of course, this is also the moment when I wonder, "will this be the year we stall out?" As the person chiefly responsible for making sure our students and teachers have the resources they need to be successful, I am sending out gratitude to all the members of the community and our many friends who believe in the value of education and our school. Thank you to everyone who has already made a gift or pledge, and if you have not yet sent in the card you received in the mail, we can make it easy for you with this online link or you can reach out to Bonnie at bonniebribiesca@seaburyacademy.org, and she can bill it to your FACTS account. Thank you!
I hope you can come out to the Fall Tapestry concert tonight on our Seabury campus. I mis-typed in my last Friday Letter, as this will be a vocal and not instrumental concert. (Our instrumentalists will perform at our end-of-semester "coffee house" and a few other concerts later in the year.) Enjoy tonight's performance.
Congratulations to our Middle School girls A-Team and B-Team for each taking 2nd place in the Kaw Valley End of Year Conference Tournament! Congratulations to our Middle School boys soccer team on their season. And good luck to High School girls volleyball players as they compete in the KSHSAA Class 1A D1 Regional Tournament in Centralia next week!
You will notice a not-necessarily-new Seabury sport on the Week Ahead calendar. As I noted in August, we have several students who represent Seabury with Perry-Lecompton football thanks to a cooperative agreement between our schools. I will include their final few weeks of dates and encourage you to attend a game if you can. Good luck to our athletes!
The Diversity Club's International Movie Night on Saturday will feature the movies The Monkey King, My Neighbor Totoro, Persepolis, and Pan's Labyrinth. Students can choose which movie they want to watch (though they are required to be in one of those four rooms for the duration of the films). Students are encouraged to rsvp for their preferred film here. Only juniors and seniors will be allowed to watch Pan's Labyrinth (an excellent film, by the way) due to its rating. The event is free and snacks will be served. Parents, we think 8 pm is the right pick-up time, but we will encourage students to call or text if that changes.
I learned this week that our Upper School social studies teacher Sonja Czarnecki will receive the Edgar Langsdorf Award of Excellence from the Kansas Historical Foundation for her research and publications. Congratulations Sonja!
Our Fall Carnival & Haunted House will occur next Saturday (25th). The Carnival involves a collection of games, and there is the option of entering the Senior Haunted House (which is intended to be scary, so young children should enter at parental discretion). The Carnival is from 7-9 pm and entry is $10 per patron. The Haunted House goes later, 8-10 pm, and admission to its terrors is $7 pre-sale and $10 at the door. (More information about pre-sale tickets will be sent out later.) Proceeds from the event help to fund the junior and senior trips in April. We do allow costumes on Halloween and we have some mad-skills jack-o-lantern action, but I will save that discussion for next week's letter.
Yours Respectfully,
Dr. Schawang
THE WEEK AHEAD:
* Thurs 9th: NO SCHOOL
Parent-Teacher Conferences, 1-4:30 & 6:30-9 pm
MS XC @ Eudora District Stadium, 4 pm
Boys Soccer @ Maranatha Christian Academy: MS 5, Vars 6:30 pm
Girls MS VBall @ Northland Christian School: B-team 5, A-team 6 pm
* Fri 10th: FALL BREAK--NO SCHOOL
* Mon 13th: FALL BREAK--NO SCHOOL
Boys MS Soccer Tournament @ Faith Christian Academy, TBA
Girls MS VBall Tournament vs. Northland @ BSA, 5 pm
* Tue 14th: Boys MS Soccer Tournament, TBA
Girls MS VBall Tournament B-Team vs. TBA @ KC Christian, 4 pm
Girls MS VBall Tournament A-Team vs. TBA @ Heritage Christian Academy, 5 pm
Boys Vars Soccer @ Heritage Christian Academy (East Campus), 4:30 pm
ACT Testing
* Wed 15th: High School Information Night, 6:30 pm
* Thurs 16th: Seahawk Visit Day
Cultural Food Fair
Boys MS Soccer Tournament @ Maranatha Christian Academy, TBA
Boys Vars Soccer vs. Lutheran of KC @ BSA SENIOR NIGHT, 4:30 pm
* Fri 17th: Seahawk Visit Day
Fall Tapestry Choral & Instrumental Concert @ BSA, 7:30 pm
* Sat 18th: KVC Conference XC Meet @ Wyandotte County Park, MS 9 & Vars 10 am
International Movie Night, 6 pm
Dear Parents,
I hope your parent-teacher conferences have been productive experiences. Ten minutes sessions allow us to confirm information, explore support strategies, and open up new lines of conversation--plenty of time to touch base and discuss most students. Of course, sometimes more time would be helpful. Please remember that you can always follow up with teachers in the future. Thanks to Jenny Razak's BSAP crew, Lindsay Roesler, and Beth Walter, as well as trustee Scott Zaremba, for providing snacks and breakfast for our teachers, and thanks to Ellen Chindamo, Bonnie Bribiesca, Lisa Leroux-Smith, and Betsy for helping to organize. And a huge thank you to our teachers for all that they do!
I am grateful for the early support of $78,042 in gifts and pledges to the Seabury Fund--a little over 50% of our goal! We have great momentum halfway through October as we aim for our goal of $155,000. If your Seabury Fund mailer is staring at you from the kitchen counter, please consider sending it in. To make it easier, here is the online link for giving. Thank you for your support!
Since most of our new students enter 6th or 7th grade, new families are primarily introduced to the Middle School Seabury program in the admissions process; subsequently, we find that parents appreciate an opportunity to learn more about the Upper School experience that follows. To that end, we will host our annual BSA High School Information Night on October 15th, 6:30 pm. All parents of Middle School students are welcome to attend. Upper School teachers will overview the academic program, Mr. Patterson will explain what 1:1 college counseling looks like, and a panel of older students will provide insight into what MS students can expect in the coming years. Please RSVP if you are able to attend.
For most of your children, their first introduction to our school was a Seahawk Visit Day. These are important recruitment days in the fall, coinciding with parent-teacher conferences at local schools, and this year's dates are October 16th & 17th (already full!) and November 6th. Prospective students of all grades will shadow a current Seabury student and attend classes, have lunch, and participate in the many traditions that make Seabury unique. If you know any students who would thrive at Seabury but may not have considered our school as an option, please contact Lisa Leroux-Smith and let her know! Feel free to share this link directly with prospective families: Seahawk Visit Days. Other days can be arranged as well for individual visits. Remember that current families can receive $500 toward tuition if they refer a family who enrolls and attends Seabury! For more information: Seahawk Referral Incentive Program.
Next Friday, we hope you can attend the Fall Tapestry Concert on our campus--an opportunity to enjoy the talents of our instrumentalists and singers.
The Student Diversity Club will be hosting an International Movie Night on Saturday the 18th. Several movies from around the world will be screened in different rooms on campus. The event is free and snacks will be served.
The Diversity Club will also host the Cultural Food Fair on Thursday during X-block. This event was a big hit last year with the students and is an opportunity for students and families (with their considerable culinary might) to share dishes that are an important part of their family tradition or heritage. If you would like to share a dish, you can sign up here.
Finally, a number of our students have been recognized by the College Board Recognition and Scholars programs based on those students' cumulative GPA and performance on the PSAT and AP exams. Congratulations to these students!
Yours Respectfully,
Dr. Schawang
THE WEEK AHEAD:
* Sat 4th: XC @ Zarda Farm: Vars 8 am & MS 9:20 am
Girls Vars VBall @ Oakley HS, 9 am
* Mon 6th: Junior Trip to the Oakhill Cemetery
Girls Vars VBall @ Burlingame HS: 6 & 7 pm
* Tue 7th: Boys MS Soccer vs. Heritage Christian Academy @ BSA, 4:30 pm
Boys Vars Soccer @ Lutheran HS of KC, 4:30 pm
Girls HS VBall vs. Lutheran of KC: JV 5, Vars following
* Wed 8th: Picture Retakes
Parent-Teacher Conferences, 6-9 pm
* Thurs 9th: NO SCHOOL
Parent-Teacher Conferences, 1-4:30 & 6:30-9 pm
MS XC @ Eudora District Stadium, 4 pm
Boys Soccer @ Maranatha Christian Academy: MS 5, Vars 6:30 pm
Girls MS VBall @ Northland Christian School: B-team 5, A-team 6 pm
* Fri 10th to Mon 13th: FALL BREAK--NO SCHOOL
Dear Parents,
We had over 120 grandparents and extended family members in our classrooms this morning. That is a terrific number--and almost 50 more people than last year! I hope they had a good time, learned something in their classes, and enjoyed spending time with their young family members.
Since we always hold Grandparents Day at the start of October, the event inevitably coincides with the start of our Seabury Fund. I always assure our guests that this is a coincidence and not a ploy! (Honestly, the excitement on their faces as they enter the building this morning is the most valuable thing we can get from this day.) But I also admit that they will be on our mailing rolls just like our parents, alumni, trustees, faculty, and friends.
Every independent school works with an annual financial gap that is the difference between tuition income and costs for running the school. This year's gap is $2055. The Seabury Fund is our primary tool for closing that gap. We already have 100% participation from our faculty & staff, and I am truly thankful for their generosity on behalf of your children. This week, you will receive Fund brochures in the mail, and your Class Captains will reach out about the importance of the fund to our annual budget. As I told our guests today, we all have a philanthropic life and support the institutions that are meaningful to us. I hope you will support our school in whatever capacity you are able! Here is the online link for giving. Thank you!
Don't forget that parent-teacher conferences are Wednesday and Thursday of next week. If you have not done so yet, please use this link to sign up for conferences. Remember that the deadline for signing up for conferences is noon on Monday 6th. Betsy will close sign-ups then to allow the faculty time to prepare for the conferences. (If a teacher's slots are filled up, do feel free to reach out to those teachers after Fall Break to discuss your student if you wish to do so.)
Prior to the conferences, Mr. Pulsinelli will send out a list of names that serve as hyperlinks to Google Meet rooms, so you will simply need to find each teacher and click on those names when it is time for you to join your conference. For those of you who do not have a Google email account, you will need to create one prior to the session OR plan to join your first conference a few minutes early, as you will be directed to create a Gmail account on the spot when you click the name of your first teacher.
A quick reminder: conferences are 10 minutes. Teachers will admit parents to the online session once they finish with their prior meeting, and they are under strict directions from me not to go over those 10 minutes, so please be on time for your conferences. We have had very few technical problems with these conferences, but please be patient if you run into an issue, and know that you can always follow up with teachers. Thank you!
If you selected a retake on the electronic school photo order form you received previously OR if your student was not present during the original photo shoot, please note that school photo retakes are on Wednesday. Reach out to Betsy if you have further questions.
The seniors had good weather for their fall lunch cookout on the back patio today. We seem to have a beautiful week lined up with low 80's weather and sunny days. I hope you and your family can find some time to unwind and enjoy yourselves.
Yours Respectfully,
Dr. Schawang
THE WEEK AHEAD:
* Fri 26th: Parent Grade Meetings: 6:30 pm
Parent Game Night, 7:30 pm
Debate @ Olathe HS
* Sat 27th: Girls Vars VBall @ Olpe HS, 9 am
Debate @ Olathe HS
* Sun 28th: Seabury Spirit Squad Clinic @ Seabury gym, 4-6 pm
* Mon 29th: Boys MS Soccer @ KC Christian HS, 4:30 pm
Girls MS VBall @ Heritage Christian Academy: B-team 6, A-team 7 pm
* Tue 30th: Boys Vars Soccer vs. Bonner Springs @ BSA, 4:30 pm
Girls MS VBall @ KC East Christian School: B-team 4:30, A-team 5:30 pm
Girls HS VBall @ Marnantha Christian School: JV 5, Vars following
* Thurs 2nd: Boys Soccer @ Northland Christian: MS 4, Vars 6 pm
Girls HS VBall @ Heritage Christian Academy: JV 4:30, Vars following
Girls MS VBal vs. Faith Christian Academy: B-team 5, A-team 6 pm
* Fri 3rd: Grandparent & Family Friends Day, 8-11 am
XC Meet @ Zarda Farm, 3:30 pm
Dear Parents,
I encouraged the students that we have a less interesting day today, and they seemed supportive of that idea.
I am very happy that we have so many parent rsvp's for tonight's parent grade meetings and game night. Be prepared to take a little time with parking. When you enter the Commons, drinks and snacks will be available, and we can guide you to your respective locations. The game portion of the evening will begin at 7:30 pm We are looking forward to hosting you!
We are a week away from Grandparents and Family Friends Day. If you have not sent an RSVP for your guest, please do so soon with an email to ellenchindamo@seaburyacademy.org. PARENTS, PLEASE NOTE THAT WE WILL NOT HAVE LATE START NEXT FRIDAY. STUDENTS SHOULD ARRIVE BY 8 AM!
Our Debate team is launching into their competitive season this weekend. Best of luck to them!
You have hopefully been receiving a trickle of progress reports during the week. This is the one time of the year where all teachers send reports for all students. RenWeb has changed its format so that you will see general comments for classes in the email you receive, but you will need to click on the link towards the top of the message to see individual comments at the bottom of the subsequent page. (Certain all-school Middle School classes such as SPARK, P.E., and Music will not have comments.) These reports are timed to go out prior to parent-teacher conference sign-up.
Parent-Teacher conferences are on the horizon. You will receive an email from Betsy with instructions and a link to a Sign-Up called 2025 Fall Conferences. You will have until Monday the 6th @ noon to sign up. After that, the sign-up will be closed so that teachers have time to prepare for those conferences. Remember that these conferences are ONLINE and not on campus. Subsequently, after you sign up for conferences, you will receive a list of Google Meet links for the faculty. VERY IMPORTANT- you need to have a Google account to be able to join the conferences. You'll want to take care of that right away. Betsy will send a list of the faculty Google Meet links out on Friday the 3rd.
See you tonight!
Dr. Schawang
THE WEEK AHEAD:
* Fri 19th: Homecoming, 3:30-7 pm
Boys Vars Soccer vs. Maranatha Christian Academy @ BSA, 4 pm
* Sat 20th: Vars XC @ Tonganoxie-Leavenworth County Fairgrounds, 8 am
Girls Vars VBall Tournament @ Hiawatha HS, 9 am
* Mon 22nd: MS Boys Soccer vs. Maranatha Christian Academy @ BSA, 4:30 pm
MS Girls VBall vs. Northland Christian Academy @ BSA: B-team 5, A-team 6 pm
* Tue 23rd: Vars XC @ Royal Valley HS, 4 pm
Boys Vars Soccer vs. Bishop Ward @ BSA, 4:30 pm
VOLLEYBALL SENIOR NIGHT: Girls HS VBall vs. Bishop Ward @ BSA: JV 5 pm, Vars following
* Wed 24th: MS XC @ Tonganoxie-Leavenworth County Fairgrounds, 3:30 pm
* Thurs 25th: Boys Soccer @ Faith Christian Academy: MS 4:30 & Vars 6:15 pm
Girls MS VBall vs. KC Christian @ BSA: C-team 5, B-team 6 & A-team 7 pm
Girls HS VBall @ Lutheran HS of KC: JV 5 pm, Vars following
* Fri 26th: Parent Grade Meetings: 6:30 pm
Parent Game Night, 7:30 pm
* Sat 27th: Girls Vars VBall @ Olpe HS, 9 am
Dear Parents,
I hope many of you can come out for our Homecoming celebration and the varsity soccer game this afternoon. If your child is not staying for the event, remember that pick-up between 3:30-4 pm may be "interesting" (Please consult the email I sent yesterday.) Waiting until 4 pm might be a good idea.
Don't forget that Parent Grade Meetings and Game Night will happen next Friday, September 26th 6:30-9:30 pm. We will provide drinks and snacks. Parents will have the opportunity to socialize with other parents in their grade before moving to the Commons at 7:30 pm for our annual parent game night. You can RSVP here. Thank you for doing your best to attend this event, relax, and have some fun.
Parents, if your child needs to be absent (whether unexpectedly or planned in advance) please remember that the first person you need to contact is Betsy--definitely before the start of the school day in question. Remember that students cannot excuse themselves.
Friday, October 3rd is Grandparents and Family Friends Day. These guests are invited to attend morning meeting, shadow their students for several classes, and finish the day with the Head of School. Grandparents with multiple students will be able to divide their time accordingly. If your child has a grandparent or family friend who would like to attend, please RSVP to ellenchindamo@seaburyacademy.org by Friday, September 26th with your child's name and the names of their guests. Our extended Seabury family members always enjoy this experience and we are glad to provide it!
Our Lawrence Sister Cities programs are always active in creating opportunities for our students to travel overseas, and one such opportunity occurs this summer. If you think your child might be interested in an visiting our Sister City Hiratsuka, Japan in late June/early July, please check out the attachment for more information and an application.
Yours Respectfully,
Dr. Schawang
THE WEEK AHEAD:
* Fri 12th: The Rave (Fall All-School Dance), 8-10 pm
* Sat 13th: Varsity XC @ Wamego Country Club, 8:30 am
* Mon 15th: Boys MS Soccer vs. Northland Christian @ BSA, 4:30 pm
Girls MS VBall @ Faith Christian Academy, B-team 5:30 & A-team 6:30 pm
* Tue 16th: Upper School Play Auditions, 3:30-5:30 pm
Boys Vars Soccer vs. Heritage Christian Academy @ BSA, 4:30 pm
Girls VBall vs. Heritage Christian Academy @ BSA, JV 5 pm, Vars following
* Wed 17th: Upper School Play Auditions, 3:30-5:30 pm
* Thurs 18th: BSA Open House, 6-8 pm
Boys MS @ Heritage Christian Academy East Campus (9333 W. Overland Park), 5:30 pm
Girls MS VBall vs. Maranatha Christian Academy, B-team 5 & A-Team 6 pm
Girls HS VBall @ Northland Christian Academy, JV 5, Vars following
* Fri 19th: Homecoming, 3:30-7 pm
Boys Vars Soccer vs. Maranatha Christian Academy @ BSA, 4 pm
* Sat 20th: Vars XC @ Tonganoxie-Leavenworth County Fairgrounds, 8 am
Girls Vars VBall Tournament @ Hiawatha HS, 9 am
Dear Parents,
The first school dance of the year is tonight. I hope students enjoy it!
Our BSA Open House is on Thursday night. Please invite any parents whose children would thrive at our school--or anyone interested in the school. Open House is also open to our existing parents. Curriculum Night was your opportunity to learn about your child's present teachers and coursework, but the open house can also be an opportunity to learn about what lies ahead for your children. So don't hesitate to drop in!
Don't forget that we will have a Homecoming celebration next week in conjunction with the Varsity Soccer game against Maranatha Christian. All parents, students, alumni, and staff are invited to attend. At 3:30 pm, we will launch the Out of this World Golf Cart Parade. Every grade has been given a golf cart to decorate according to a specific theme. Everyone who attends the soccer game will receive a ticket to vote on the float that they find most impressive. The winning grade will receive something fantastic for their form trip. Around 5:30 pm, following the game, we will have games on the back patio with hamburgers (and veggie burgers), chips, and frozen treats. The event will finish by 7 pm. I hope you can come out to enjoy the float, support our athletes, and have some fun!
Don't forget that our annual parent grade meetings and the parent game night will occur on September 26th, starting at 6:30 pm. You will receive more details from your class captains and in next weeks' Friday Letter.
Congratulations to our Middle School actors on being cast in the fall theatre production. Auditions for the Upper School production will occur this week on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon.
By Student Senate decree, next week is the much-anticipated fall Spirit Week. Expect your child to walk out the door in slightly "unusual" apparel (well, maybe not on pajama day....let's not kid ourselves). Here are the themes:
Monday: Pajama Day
Tuesday: Tropical Day
Wednesday: Wacky Hat Day
Thursday: Jersey Day
Friday: Seahawk Spirit
Congratulations to Marcella MacGonagle on being named a National Merit Scholar Semifinalist. She is one of the top scoring .5% of seniors in our country who take the PSAT. Great work, Marcella!
We had a bit of a nervous moment this morning as our science teacher Mr. Nelson (an expert biker) had an accident this morning just a few blocks from school on Clinton Parkway. He is banged up but doing okay. We hope to see him back next week.
I think you will agree that this has been a bumpy week. As many of you know, I do not like to truck out lengthy discussion about the anniversary of 9/11 in morning meeting. Adults have very powerful memories of that day, stoked by the annual flood of pictures and remembrances on social media, and it is tempting to want to convey to our children the importance of that day in our own lives. However, I find that children become unfortunate receptacles to adult anxieties and traumas without having any outlet for that negative energy and no confident means of processing these vicarious nightmares. I encourage older students to talk to adults about their memories, but I think it is just as well to leave younger students alone.
Of course, yesterday was not simply the anniversary of 9/11 but also carried the stress of both the assassination of Charlie King and another school shooting on Wednesday--and, of course, the firestorm of emotion across our already volatile political landscape. I reminded students that open debate and exchange of ideas is something that should happen in this country without fear of violence or repression. I teach philosophy to our seniors every year, and a central theme of my class is that our best realization of truth is achieved through an exploration of ideas from many vantage points, and counter-arguments should always be welcome. Of course, the legitimacy of an idea is dependent on certain moral principles. One of those assumptions is that every human being has dignity and should be treated with compassion. We must avoid the distortions of hatred and prejudice, our worst instincts. It is one thing to say this is true. It is quite another thing to make this belief real in the world through our actions.
Therefore, my final admonition to our students was--as they experience their lives as a protagonist in their individual stories--that they make decisions and engage one another in such a way that they are the heroes in the stories of other people. To me, this means intentionally and consistently reinforcing the dignity of other people and improving their lot in life, not simply focusing on the self. A hero can be a firefighter or office worker who gives their life in the stairwell of the World Trade Center to save the lives of strangers--but it can also be a 7th grader offering a seat at their lunch table to a student who is sitting alone, even if they have nothing to say to one another. It is understandable to be dispirited by the decisions of people outside our control, but it is our individual decisions that give our lives meaning. We can control at least this much, and no one can take that away from us.
Yours Respectfully,
Dr. Schawang
THE WEEK AHEAD:
* Fri 5th: Girls VBall @ Veritas Christian Academy: MS B-Team 4:30, MS A-Team 5:30, JV 6:30 pm--Vars following
* Sat 6th: Girls Vars VBall @ McLouth HS, 8:30 am
* Mon 8th: Girls MS VBall @ KC Christian HS: C-team 5, B-team 6, A-team 7 pm
* Tue 9th: MS Play Auditions, 3:30-5:30 pm
Boys MS Soccer vs. Faith Christian Academy @ BSA, 4:30 pm
Boys Vars Soccer @ Baldwin HS, 4:30 pm
Girls HS VBall vs. Maranatha Christian Academy @ BSA: JV 5 pm--Vars following
* Wed 10th: MS Play Auditions, 3:30-5:30 pm
MS XC @ Pembroke Hill School--Ward Pkwy Campus, TBD
* Thurs 11th: Picture Day
Boys MS Soccer vs. Northeast Kansas Homeschool Athletics @ Sports Zone, 4 pm
Boys MS Soccer vs. KC Christian @ BSA, 4:30 pm
Girls HS VBall @ KC Christian HS: JV 4:30 pm--Vars following
Girls MS VBall vs. Heritage Christian Academy @ BSA, B-team 5 & A-team 6 pm
* Fri 12th: The Rave (Fall All-School Dance), 8-10 pm
* Sat 13th: Varsity XC @ Wamego Country Club, 8:30 am
Dear Parents,
Although we are still months away from our annual auction (February 20th), preparations for that event occur early, and the BSA auction committee will meet for the first time on September 15th. The committee always welcomes new members. This is a great opportunity for parents to get to know other parents and enjoy each other's company--quite aside from providing a great service to your child's school. Reach out to Ellen at ellenchindamo@seaburyacademy.org if you would like to join in or if you have questions.
Our theatre season also begins next week. Auditions for the Middle School production (The Fantastic Mr. Fox) will occur on Tuesday and Wednesday at 3:30 pm. Upper School auditions will occur the following week.
For Middle School parents, we dedicate time to the development of executive functioning skills that will not only be essential for success in their present school work but will serve them for the rest of their lives. Parents are essential to that process. This one-pager offers steps you can take to help your child develop these crucial skills.
School pictures for all students will be taken on Thursday next week. Because we use senior pictures for graduation purposes, seniors need to wear a dark jacket, a white dress shirt, and a tie or a nice black dress or blouse. Consult the flyer from Jostens that Betsy sent yesterday--especially the warning that your children not wear green, as the green screen the photographers use will otherwise turn your children into floating heads. (For those of you with mischievous children, re-dress them as necessary before they leave the house!)
Our Student Senate will host a Back-to-School dance (The Rave) for all students next Friday from 8 to 10 pm. There is a $5.00 entrance fee, and the funds raised will underwrite student events like Palooza and Winter Formal. Students may bring one guest but will be responsible for that guest's behavior. Our BSAP President will be sending out a signup for parents to help chaperone and to provide snacks and refreshments. Should you have any questions about the dance, please reach out to Mr. Whipple at williamwhipple@seaburyacademy.org. The dance will be held in the commons area of the school. I always feel the need to instruct our new parents that our school dances are not the clumsy, unfortunate adolescent mating rituals you may remember from your youth. Try to picture a collection of weekend-energized students bouncing up and down for several hours...that is a Seabury dance. Our dance code of conduct form is attached as well as the guest form. I hope the kids have a good time.
Congratulations to our 2025-26 student senators who were just elected today:
6th: George CiCi & Sloane Mizer
7th: Olivia Pavisian & Israa Aziz
8th: Kingston McCall & Alex Miles
9th: Zeke Kalbas & Natalie Koprince
10th: Corinne Gab & Madilynn Walter
11th: Eva Farmer & Alice Pulsinelli
12th: Gabe Rinnert & Riley O'Neill
One of our big fall traditions is our annual BSA Homecoming--a celebration of school spirit built around the September 19th varsity soccer game vs. Maranatha Christian. Parents and alumni are always welcome at this event. We kick off the event with a golf cart parade, and each grade of students decorate their golf cart according to a theme. This year's theme is "Out of this World," which we announced to the students today with this video. Following the soccer match, students can enjoy games, walking tacos, and fun. We also developed a t-shirt that students and parents can order, and you can use this form.
Yours respectfully,
Dr. Schawang
THE WEEK AHEAD:
* Mon 1st: Labor Day--No Classes
* Tue 2nd: Boys Vars Soccer vs. Cair Paravel Latin School @ BSA, 4:30 pm
Boys MS Soccer @ Tonganoxie HS, 6:15 pm
* Thurs 4th: Vars XC @ Wyandotte County Park, 9 am
Girls VBall vs. Faith Christian Academy @ BSA: JV 4:30, Vars 6 pm
Girls MS VBall @ Maranatha Christian Academy, 5 pm
Boys MS Soccer @ St. Paul's Episcopal Day School, 5:30 pm
Boys Vars Soccer @ Chanute HS, 6:15 pm
* Fri 5th: Student Senate Elections
Girls VBall @ Veritas Christian Academy: MS B-Team 4:30, MS A-Team 5:30, JV 6:30, Vars 7:30 pm
* Sat 6th: Girls Vars VBall @ McLouth HS, 8:30 am
* Sun 7th: Spring Break Trip Meeting, 4-5 pm
Dear Parents,
I trust your students are starting to get into the rhythm of the new school schedule now that they have a few weeks under their belt. I expect they are looking forward to the 3-day weekend.
Our student athletes have been working diligently in these first weeks, and I am always impressed to see students finishing morning practices as I am coming to work each morning. Good luck to all of our teams as they begin their competitive season! Please come out and support them when you can.
Seabury has a cooperative partnership with the football program at Perry Lecompton High School, and sophomore AJ Campbell and junior Lucien Brockhoff will be representing our school. Best of luck to them with their season--which kicks off next Friday in a game against St. Mary's High School.
No doubt you are aware of the school shooting that occurred at the Annunciation Catholic School in Minnesota on Wednesday, almost exactly one year after another tragic incident of school violence at the Apalachee School in Georgia. I believe that I am fairly adept with language, but my wish to provide something helpful to parents in light of these incidents...well, I am always outmatched. It is excruciating to sort through the known and imagined details of incidents like this--yet nearly impossible not to. For me, it is a professional obligation. It is perhaps cold comfort to be reminded that children are statistically much safer in schools than in their own homes, and these incidents truly are very rare, no matter how heavily they weigh on us when they happen. However, in these moments, I do remind parents that school safety is something that administrators and educators engage every day. It is an inevitable part of our work and is baked into our daily consciousness. When you drop off your children every morning, you can be certain that their well-being is always our first concern.
One additional note. Whether your child is a 6th grader or a senior, most of them probably are aware of what happened in Minnesota. I believe it is always appropriate for parents to ask their children what they know about the incident (if you haven't already), knowing that the discussion will be guided by the needs and questions of the specific child. Car rides, before dinner, or bedtime are often the productive moments for such conversations. I tend to think children appreciate having openings to express their feelings and thoughts about difficult topics--even if they say nothing at all.
Have a restful weekend,
Dr. Schawang
THE WEEK AHEAD:
* Sat 23rd: Senior Retreat @ Mr. Richmond's house, 5-9 pm
* Wed 27th: Theatre Kick-Off Party, 3:30-5 pm
Dear Parents,
I trust you had an engaging time at curriculum night and enjoyed meeting your child's new teachers and learning about their courses. I always look forward to having parents on campus.
Last spring, you may have seen the headline from the Lawrence Journal-World, "College-readiness levels hit new lows in Kansas." I think it is important to emphasize that standardized test scores and college readiness data for Seabury students and graduates have remained consistently strong. Our average ACT score for the last three years is 27.5, well above the nation (19.6) and state (19.5). Scores on SAT assessments (including PSAT 8/9, PSAT, and SAT exams) indicate similar success in student preparation. Last year, we offered Advanced Placement exams in eight different subjects with an average exam score of 4.1 out of 5 (with 3 considered a passing score and the baseline for college-credit eligibility).
Of course, standardized test scores and college-readiness benchmarking--while being a necessary and objective measure of academic success--are not the only or most important indicator of education, at least not in my perspective. We believe the development of a full human being is not limited to intellectual prowess but also strong character, civic-mindedness, resilience, creativity, and independence of thought. By the time our graduates cross the stage at May's Stepping Up ceremony, they are pretty impressive young adults. At the start of the year, I think it is fitting to remind parents why you have enrolled your child in this school and what we aim to achieve. And I hope your experience at curriculum night and reports from your children's first two weeks reinforce that message.
The first full week of classes is always a long one as students (and adults!) adjust to the daily school schedule. We will all enjoy a little rest this weekend.
Yours respectfully,
Dr. Schawang
THE WEEK AHEAD:
* Sun 17th: New Parent Orientation, 4-5:30 pm
* Mon 18th: Fall Sports Practices begin
* Thurs 21st: Curriculum Night, 7-9 pm (optional parent mixer @ 6:30 pm)
* Sat 23rd: Senior Retreat @ Mr. Richmond's house, 5-9 pm
Dear Parents,
I know you get a lot of emails, so the Friday Letter is a method I use to provide streamlined communication. I will assume all parents will read these letters each week, as information here may not be repeated elsewhere. To create ease in reading, I bold-face the topics in each paragraph.
First up, I do not like changing the dates of events once they have been published--so I am especially sorry to announce TWO such changes. First, Ms. Lawrence is always good about publishing her concert dates early so parents can plan accordingly, but we have discovered an unavoidable conflict for the fall concert, so we need to move that event. The new date for the Fall Tapestry Concert is Friday, October 17th. Please make that change in your calendars--and thank you!
Just yesterday, I asked you to save the date for parent grade meetings & game night, and then we discovered later in the day that the event would go up against the Chiefs' opening game. Uh-huh. SO, we will be rescheduling that event for Friday, September 26th 6:30-9:30 pm. We will provide drinks and snacks. Parents will have the opportunity to socialize with other parents in their grade before moving to the Commons for our annual parent game night. We hope you can attend this event, relax, and have some fun. We will send more details in September.
On Sunday, we will host our New Parent Orientation in the Commons from 4-5:30 pm. New families, I hope that you can have at least one parent in attendance. (Students generally stay home.) After a presentation from me, we will use an open house format with various tables so you can focus on getting the information you need. Parents who already have children at Seabury (in addition to a new student) do not need to attend, but you are welcome!
Thursday evening is Curriculum Night. This will be your opportunity to follow your student’s schedule, meet their teachers, and learn about course work. Parents often tell me this is one of the most important experiences of the year, and my favorite comment from parents is always the same: “I wish I had these classes and these teachers when I was in school.” We will also have an optional parent mixer at 6:30 pm on that evening, giving you time to have an adult beverage (if you choose) and wander the hallways. I hope you can attend. I will send more info next week prior to the event.
Congratulations to our Upper School math teacher Shane Richmond and his wife Jessica on the birth of their daughter Millie!
Once again, I cannot express how happy I am to hear the flow of student laughter and chatter in the hallways and in the classrooms during the day. A little quiet--and a slower pace to work--during the summer is welcome, but there is nothing like having students back in the building.
Yours respectfully,
Dr. Schawang