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IN THIS NEWSLETTER
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1. Attend Parents Association Meeting
2. Must-Read Parent Resource Available Online
3. Parent Email Newsletter Available Online
4. GS Introduces Four New Religion Courses
5. New Students Receive Green Gift
6. GS Student-Athlete Named Player of the Year
7. GS Teacher Named Coach of the Year
8. Join Others for International Day of Peace
9. GS Offers Chinese Classes for Children
10. Service Trip Deadline: September 22
11. Fall Athletics Schedules Online
12. June Georgian Online
13. GS Community Swim Program Offers Parent Discount
14. Send Your Child a Birthday Cake


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1. ATTEND PARENTS ASSOCIATION MEETING
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The Parents Association enhances the interaction between the school and parents in a wide variety of ways. Five times per year, the association holds evening meetings that are usually followed by an informative program.

The first Parents Association meeting of the academic year is scheduled for Tuesday, September 23, 2008, in the George School Meetinghouse. There will be a light dinner at 6:00 p.m., followed by a "get-acquainted meeting" at 6:30 p.m. This is an opportunity to meet other parents, learn about the activities of the Parents Association, ask questions about George School, and meet Head of School Nancy Starmer.

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2. MUST-READ PARENT RESOURCE AVAILABLE ONLINE
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The August/September 2008 issue of the Monitor—a must-read resource for parents regarding important dates, meetings, and school procedures—is available online. This issue contains information on various topics, including the following:

Visiting Day
Student Health Center
Portrait Photos
Weekend Information

For more information, read the August/September 2008 Monitor or archived issues of the Monitor.

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3. PARENT EMAIL NEWSLETTER AVAILABLE ONLINE
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If you ever want to see past issues of the George School Parent Email Newsletter and you don't have time to find them in your inbox, you can locate them through the Parents Gateway on the George School website. Just select the "Parent Newsletters" link in the right navigation bar. 

Read the August 2008 issue of the George School Parent Email Newsletter.

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4. GS INTRODUCES FOUR NEW RELIGION COURSES
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George School has begun its 115th year of operation with four new course offerings in its religion curriculum: Essentials of a Friends Community, Faith Traditions, Spiritual Practices, and Holistic Health. George School's religion curriculum also includes three other established courses (The Biblical Experience, Quaker Faith and Practice, and Health Topics) and a longstanding service program. The expansion of the religion curriculum is one result of George School's recent, five-year curriculum review process. For more information, to read the press release about the new courses.

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5. NEW STUDENTS RECEIVE GREEN GIFT
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When new students arrived for registration at George School on August 30, 2008, they each received a reusable, BPA-free water bottle with the George School tree logo on it. The bottles are a gift from Laura Boswell '08, one of two recipients of George School's Julius B. Laramore Service Award for the 2007-08 school year. Laura designated part of the funds from her award to be used towards sustainability efforts at George School.

The award was established in memory of George School faculty member Julius B. Laramore, who taught Latin from 1945 to 1970 and served as Orton Dormitory head from 1949 to 1970. Each year the award recognizes two students who are "quiet givers," enabling them to use funds towards projects that will help the larger George School community. In addition to providing the water bottles, Laura designated part of her funds towards equipment for the Arts Department. Vir Patel '08, who also received the Laramore Service Award in 2007-08, used his funds to purchase equipment for the tennis team and Orton Dormitory.

Read more about sustainability at George School.

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6. GS STUDENT-ATHLETE NAMED PLAYER OF THE YEAR
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Lisa Bernardini '08 was named Girls Lacrosse Player of the Year by the Bucks County Courier Times after a season in which she reached a total of 245 career goals in the sport, setting a record for George School. The award was announced in an article that appeared in the "2008 Spring Golden Teams" section of the newspaper on July 3. Read more about Lisa.

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7. GS TEACHER NAMED COACH OF THE YEAR
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After a season in which George School's boys varsity tennis team went undefeated in league play and won the Friends Schools League Championship, George School science teacher Pacho Gutierrez '77 was named Boys Tennis Coach of the Year by the Bucks County Courier Times. The award was announced in the "2008 Spring Golden Teams" section of the newspaper on July 3. Read more about Pacho and the boys tennis team.

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8. JOIN OTHERS FOR INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE
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George School is hosting an International Day of Peace commemoration on Sunday, September 21, 2008, at the George School Meetinghouse. This program is sponsored by the interfaith community of Lower Bucks County together with the Peace Center, the Coalition for Peace Action, and the Bucks Chapter of the United Nations Association.

Members of many faith traditions, including Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists, will join together to express their unity in a desire for international peace.

The program begins at 2:00 p.m. outside the meetinghouse with an opportunity to learn about the peace activities of local organizations. At 3:00 p.m., participants move indoors to honor the sixtieth anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights. Music is provided by children from the Mormon faith, the Presbyterian Korean Church, and the St. Andrew's Life Teen Group.

The first Peace Day, sponsored by the United Nations, was celebrated in September 1982. A 2002 UN resolution suggested that, "Peace Day should be devoted to commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples." The International Day of Peace website describes the day as "a Day of Ceasefire—personal or political," and they urge others to "take this opportunity to make peace in your own relationships as well as impact the larger conflicts of our time."

Learn more about the International Day of Peace.

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9. GS OFFERS CHINESE CLASSES FOR CHILDREN
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George School teacher Ning Yuan Yu, who teaches Chinese 1 and Chinese 2 to high school students, also will be teaching a creative Chinese language curriculum for children ages 6 to 9 and children ages 10 to 14. The registration deadline for the fall fifteen-week session is Saturday, September 20, 2008. The fall session runs from the week of September 23, 2008, to the week of January 20, 2009. A spring session will run from the week of February 3 to the week of May 26, 2009. 

Select this link for registration details.

Learn more about the curriculum.

Read more about George School teacher Ning Yuan Yu.

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10. SERVICE TRIP DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 22
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Juniors and seniors who would like to participate in George School work service trips in the spring or summer of 2009 must submit a completed parent permission form to Bev Trautwein by Monday, September 22, along with a $200 non-refundable deposit. Space is limited. Students will participate in a random drawing for a spot on a service trip. The permission form will be posted this week at the bottom of our "Service Trips" webpage.

You can also locate forms such as this through the Parents Gateway on the George School website. Just select the "Forms Library" link in the right navigation bar. 

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11. FALL ATHLETICS SCHEDULES ONLINE
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George School's fall athletics schedule is available online.

The Parents Gateway provides links to the athletics calendar and various other resources for parents.

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12. JUNE GEORGIAN ONLINE
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The June 2008 issue of the Georgian—our special Alumni Weekend edition—is available online. Select this link to find archived issues of the Georgian.

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13. GS COMMUNITY SWIM PROGRAM OFFERS PARENT DISCOUNT
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George School's Community Swim Program offers a ten percent discount to parents of current George School students. The program begins its fifth year for lap and open swimming on Monday, September 8, 2008, in George School's indoor Marshall-Platt Pool in the Worth Sports Center. The fall season of special instructional swim and aerobics classes begins the week of September 22. Annual memberships cost between $50 and $400 based on the programs selected. For more information, contact Pool Coordinator Elaine Clay at elaine_clay@georgeschool.org or select this link.

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14. SEND YOUR CHILD A BIRTHDAY CAKE
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The Parents Association Birthday Cake Committee offers the parents of boarding students an opportunity to provide their children with a cake and card on their birthday. Orders can be made by mail, email, or phone. Cakes are usually delivered to the student on the evening of his/her birthday, at check-in time. 

Select this link to find the Birthday Gram Order Form.

You can also locate forms such as this through the Parents Gateway on the George School website. Just select the "Forms Library" link in the right navigation bar.

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