SPRING 2005
n my last report, I announced administrative changes in the lower school, with two teachers, T. Dawn Boughal of Woodstown Friends Meeting and T. Patti Sanderson, serving as coordinators. Reports from the faculty are supportive of this new approach, and teachers and students are reporting a stellar year.
The middle school of Friends School Mullica Hill has an on-going relationship with the Disability Center in Mannington and ARC. For the past few weeks, a disabled citizen named Sonya has visited MHFS Middle School on Wednesdays at lunchtime. Students explained that Sonya is about 21 and developmentally disabled. She uses a wheelchair. Sonya’s visits are coordinated by her home health care provider. The students make a big deal about Sonya and she makes a bid deal about them with hugs and kisses. Visits from Sonya serve a two-way lesson. MHFS middle school students learn to connect to disabled adults. Sonya receives much-needed stimulation. The teacher who coordinates these opportunities is T. Peter Manzelmann.
The current fund-raisers include: Teddy Bear Collection for the Association for Retarded Citizens, a middle school fund raiser; the Canned Food Drive and Winter Coat Drive, school-wide fund raisers; and the Heifer Project, a 5th-grade fund raiser. You can bring your donations to the front desk at MHFS or send them to school with a MHFS student.
Annual Giving fund raising in ongoing, and more than 50 per cent of the goal has been realized. The Development Committee reports that progress is good and welcomes additional pledges in order to achieve the goal. Contact T. Bonnie at MHFS to obtain a pledge envelope.
The Fall Arts and Jazz Festival was held on October 21. It was a windy day but enjoyed by all the school families. The parents, staff and faculty that participate in running and organizing this event contribute to its success.
Math Night will be hosted by the lower school faculty as an opportunity for parents to come to school and get training on the math program, Everyday Math, that the students are scheduled to use next term.
The Board has begun receiving diversity training from Karen Washington of Moorestown Friends, also a Mullica Hill Friends School Board member, with focuses on cultural and racial diversity. After the Board has been trained, the school plans to continue Diversity Training to the faculty, administration, staff, and then to students.
As an aside, Middle School Friends from PYM met at Greenwich Meeting for the weekend of December 4. About 35 middle schoolers came to Salem Quarter from as far away as Princeton and Harrisburg. The weekend program focused on simplicity. Greenwich Meeting members provided Saturday night’s pot-luck dinner with accommodations from Greenwich Meeting and the Greenwich Presbyterian Church. Four Salem Quarter students, including 2 MHFS students, participated.
For Friends School,
Patti BurnsRETURN TO TABLE OF CONTENTS
Last modified:
Saturday, February 26, 2005 at 08:59 PM
