Small School – Big Effort
High Character – Huge Success
Weekly Bulletin – Nov. 9th, 2023
Principal’s Message
The first quarter ended today – Thursday, November 9th. Report cards will be distributed at the Parent-Teacher Conferences on Monday, November 20th from 6:00-8:00 pm and Tuesday, November 21st from 1:00-3:00 pm.
Additionally as a reminder, Tuesday, November 21st is a half-day for students. Dismissal will be 11:30 am and there will be no After School Program on this day. Please reach out to your child’s teachers if you have any questions or concerns; we all want each child to be successful!
Student Focus
Dear Families,
This week, the week we honor our U.S. Veterans, our school community focused on the character strength of bravery. Bravery means acting with mental, moral, or physical strength even when the individual knows things are difficult or scary.
Bravery refers to voluntary (not coerced) action in the face of a dangerous circumstance. This strength involves judgement; the brave person must have an understanding of the risks and consequences involved in acting. According to Socrates and Plato, forethought separates acts of valor from acts of rashness. This means that bravery isn’t simply fearlessness, but instead the overcoming of fear.
Overcoming fears is critically important in individual development, as it allows the person to do more and become more. A person can be brave every single day. For example, some people with social anxiety are brave just by leaving their house and talking with people. On a physical level, bravery allows us to overcome fears, such as swimming or playing a sport. And, on a moral level, doing what we know to be right, despite the risks, gives us the sense that we are acting on behalf of a larger purpose.
To practice and encourage the character strength of bravery with your child, please visit the Positivity Project’s P2 for Families (password: P2) where together you will watch a video, read a quote and talk about the answers to three questions.
Have a wonderful weekend, and thank you to all those who have bravely served our nation!
NO SCHOOL – FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10th IN OBSERVANCE OF VETERAN’S DAY.
Winter Recess Preparedness
Now that our weather is colder, a reminder to K-5 parents and students to make sure they are prepared for outdoor recess time. (Snow boots, snow pants, hats, gloves/mittens and warm coats.) Please make sure your K-5 child has warm weather attire each day to go outside so they can participate in recess.
American Red Cross Blood Drive – Tuesday, November 28th from 11:30 am – 4:30 pm
The SSCS Student Council, in partnership with the American Red Cross, is hosting a blood drive in the school auditorium on Tuesday, November 28th from 11:30 to 4:30. Anyone 16 years of age or older can donate blood. Please be sure to eat a good meal and drink plenty of fluids before you come in for your donation. On the day of your appointment, please bring a photo ID and the names of any medications that you are taking. Volunteers and Red Cross Staff will go over the basics with you at registration, at which time you will need to complete a brief health history. The whole process will take approximately 1 hour with the actual donation taking approximately 6 to 8 minutes.
After donating, the Red Cross will provide free snacks and refreshments, as well as a free Red Cross T-shirt. If you would like to make a donation appointment, please email Ms. Connors at dconnors@sharonsprings.org with your name and desired appointment time. If you prefer to schedule your own appointment, please use this link to do so: https://tinyurl.com/3863vp74. Walk-ins are welcome! Thank you in advance for your time and generosity.
To the Parents of the Senior Class of 2024
It is hard to believe that we are talking about Graduation already! Please be advised that we recently sent a list to the Senior Homeroom requesting they submit their names as they will appear on their diplomas. We have urged our Seniors to discuss this with their parents before writing their name on the list. We encourage you to discuss this with your Senior so everyone will be satisfied with what is on the diploma. Thank you.
Sharon Springs Dance Festival – November 17th & 18th
On Friday, Nov. 17th and Saturday, Nov. 18th, SSCS will host the Sharon Springs Dance Festival sponsored and hosted by the Klinkhart Center for the Arts. On Friday, Sharon Springs students will participate and/or observe in a school assembly. Friday night at 7:00pm, SSCS will host the Ephrat Dance Company for a Dance Party! This is free and open to the public for all ages! On Saturday, there will be various dance classes available. We encourage everyone to get signed up and ready for a wonderful weekend!
Dance Festival Schedule:
Friday, November 17th – 7:00 PM
EPHRAT ASHERIE & COMPANY:
UNDERSCORED highlights with Dance Party:
Please join us for a limited edition of UNDERSCORED. Part dance-performance, part dance-party, UNDERSCORED is a celebration of our need to gather, connect and share stories. Rooted in the multi-generation club-life stories of NYC underground dancers, this is an experience for EVERYONE. Observe or participate; we can’t wait to see you!
Saturday, November 18th – 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Master Classes and Workshops for all ages will be offered throughout the day at the Sharon Springs Central School . All classes are FREE but students must pre-register. Use the link in the schedule below to register for the classes of your choice; class size is limited.
Class schedule:
- 10:00 AM Children’s class (60 min) Ephrat Asherie and Company
Children’s Class: Specifically geared towards students ages 7 to 12, this class will focus on teaching specific hip hop and club dances, while also sharing tools to help participants create their own movements (freestyle!) to their favorite songs. Get ready to sweat, enjoy and shake-a-leg!!
- 11:15-12:30 PM Community class (Teens-Seniors) Shake-A-Leg with Archie & Ephrat
Come catch some New York City club vibes with the legendary Archie Barnett and choreographer and b-girl Ephrat Asherie. All ages and levels are welcome as we share with you some of our favorite party/social dances. Get ready to sweat! - 1:15-2:30 PM Musical Theater-Telling Stories Through Dance with Mindy Cooper
In this master class, you will harness the vocabulary of telling stories, putting dance at the forefront. Dance is just steps until you create the inner-life and layers of the story you are telling. you will learn choreography, and then learn how to elevate that choreography by carving layers of character, motivation, intent and objectives into the performance of that choreography. Physical storytelling at its very finest! Mindy’s expertise and body of work is storytelling with dance as the driving force that moves the narrative forward. - 2:45-3:45 PM Belly Dance with Maureen Iseman-Broeking
Belly (Middle Eastern) dance is an ancient art which continues to evolve today. It consists of shimmying hips, delicate hand and arm gestures and sinewy, fluid undulations of the body. It uses all the muscles of the body…from head (to belly) to toe. Students should wear comfortable dance, or workout clothing. No jeans, please, and bring water! If you have a fun hip scarf, by all means, bring it. - 4:00- 5:00 PM Wrap Up and Cool Down with Betty Gavin-Singer
Wrap up the festival with Betty’s cool-down class. This deep stretch class will incorporate various positions to open and lengthen the muscles from all angles to help you stay injury and pain free. The class will conclude with relaxation and breathing techniques. All levels welcome; students should bring a yoga mat.
All Dance Classes are Free and Open to The Public!
Computers Available
If your household qualifies for free or reduced school lunch and you would like a computer for your household, please contact Tom Reynolds at treynolds@sharonsprings.org or 518-284-2266.
Community Focus – A Service to the Sharon Springs Community
Joshua Project Thanksgiving Baskets
Applications will start being accepted on October 10th on the joshuaschoharie.org webpage. The deadline for applications is November 10. This program is not affiliated with SSCS.
Schoharie County Christmas for Kids
Eligible families are invited to apply for the SCC for Kids Program to receive holiday gifts and/or gift cards for their children. Once application is accepted, you will receive an e-email, or phone call informing you of where and when you can pick up your gifts. Applications are available at joshuaschoharie.org and click on Programs and Services then Schoharie County Christmas for Kids, Sign up Gifts. Application deadline is December 5th – no exceptions. Questions – contact The Joshua Project at joshuafoundation1@gmail.com or 518-937-2422. This program is not affiliated with SSCS.
Weekly Bulletin Submissions
SSCS will continue to produce this document each week as a service to the SSCS community. Similar to last year, classified ads, such as advertisements for the sale of items, help wanted ads, etc., will no longer be accepted. Advertisements will only be accepted if it relates to a potential educational benefit for our students or it has the potential to benefit the Sharon Springs community. SSCS reserves the right to edit any submission. For consideration, please email by 3 p.m. on Tuesdays to weeklybulletin@sharonsprings.org.
