Newsletter: January 8, 2010
Friday, January 8, 2010
Dear Pilgrim School Families, First Church Members, and Friends Near and Far,
Our students and faculty were excited to return to school after their break and participate in “Golden Week.” This Japanese cultural immersion program allowed students to learn ikebana, kabuki, origami, sushi making, traditional dance, calligraphy, and many other topics.
I want to thank the Kanai family for making this event a reality. I am hoping that this cultural immersion week will become a new Pilgrim tradition, so that students can learn more about traditions from other countries.
Coordinator Ken Kanesaka deserves special thanks. Ken found all of the teachers, many of whom are considered to be living treasures. He also taught kabuki, which I could hear from their rehearsals on Nancy White Way! This afternoon, students and faculty watched as various students showed what they had learned in their classes. It was incredibly impressive.
Our very own Jon Kidder (Secondary Director) and Teresa McDugald (Elementary Director) also deserve recognition for putting together a schedule that allowed students to engage in Golden Week smoothly. They worked diligently over the Christmas holiday to ensure that all was ready on the first day of school in the new year.
Monday is all-school chapel, and in some ways is the end of Golden Week, as a Buddhist monk will be instructing our students about Buddhist beliefs. For those who would like to join us – and you are always welcome! – we meet in the main sanctuary at 8:55 a.m.
Students also came back to find a new, bright blue handball board, which was built in front of our emergency storage locker on the big yard. A multicolored awning over part of the Preschool yard is also a new addition, thanks to generous parents who wish to remain anonymous at this time.
It is never enough at Pilgrim School to inaugurate just one program! Next week we launch our first “Tasty Tuesday.” Students from preschool through high school will receive a seasonal and organic treat every-other-Tuesday through the rest of the school year. The committee will prep the produce on Monday afternoons, and serve on Tuesday mornings. Thank you to TAPPS for the seed money for the program. If you would like to earn some delicious volunteer hours, please contact parent Vera Borges to sign up for a slot.
I am very excited to announce that our spring musical will be “The Wizard of Oz.” Auditions take place next Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and of course volunteer opportunities for parents are many. Please see the information from Ms. Amber Farris (who has extensive experience in conducting and directing musical theater, as well as opera) after my letter.
Please look for your 2008-2009 Pilgrim School Annual Report in the mail. It is a beautiful publication, highlighting the many events held last year in honor of our Fiftieth Anniversary. We are proud of our history, and are enjoying the voyage as the Pilgrim ship moves forward!
Our regular class schedule resumes on Monday. Please note that financial aid applications are online on our web site (pilgrim-school.org, under the Admissions tab) and need to be completed by January 31.
Our final Open House of the year is next Tuesday evening. If you know families who are looking for a new school, please encourage them to visit us at 6 p.m. The application deadline is January 31.
Parents of students in Grades 10, 11 and 12 are cordially invited to join me next Thursday at 8 a.m. for coffee and conversation. This is a chance to check in, brainstorm, and just continue to strengthen the Pilgrim community. I look forward to seeing you there!
With all best wishes,
Mark A. Brooks
Head of School
PS: Anthony Sparks, proud Pilgrim dad of kindergartener Olivia, dropped by my office today to let me know he is chairing Black History Month in February. He and Marlo Afflalo (who has helped to make February a great learning opportunity for our students for years) are putting together a list of potential speakers and events. The month will culminate in our traditional Pilgrim School Multicultural Pot Luck, so start looking through your favorite traditional recipes now!
DATES TO REMEMBER
Monday, January 11
8:55 a.m.: All-School Chapel
Tuesday, January 12
Tasty Tuesdays are inaugurated!
6 pm: Admissions Open House
Wednesday, January 13
7 pm: Pilgrim Book Group meeting, Secondary Library
Thursday, January 14
8 a.m.: Coffee and Conversation for Grades 10, 11 and 12
Monday, January 18
Martin Luther King Holiday: No School (pre – 12)
Wednesday, January 20
8 a.m.: TAPPS Meeting
Thursday, January 21
6 pm: Trips Information Meeting for Grades 6 and 7
ATHLETICS SCHEDULE
Monday, January 11:
3: Boys Varsity Basketball at Westmark
3:30: MS Boys Basketball vs. Park Century at Pilgrim
6: Girls Varsity Basketball at Cornerstone Christian
Tuesday, January 12:
6: JV Boys Basketball at Faith Baptist
Wednesday, January 13:
3:30: Boys Varsity Soccer vs. Newbury Park Adventist, at Pilgrim
Thursday, January 14
5 pm: Boys Varsity Basketball vs. Arshag Dickranian, 5:00pm, at Pilgrim
Friday, January 15:
3:30: Boys Varsity Soccer at Cornerstone Christian
3:30: Boys Varsity Basketball at LA Lutheran
6: Boys JV Basketball vs. Faith Baptist, at Pilgrim
SECONDARY NEWS
Students in Grades 8 through 12 are invited to a Big Bear Ski Trip this Sunday, January 10. We will leave Pilgrim at 6:15 a.m. and return at 8 p.m. The cost is $45. For additional information, please contact Dr. Kidder (who will chaperone along with Ms. Salter and Mr. Concialdi) at jkidder@pilgrim-school.org.
LIBRARY CORNER
Some new additions to our Secondary Library this month will surely prove to be very popular.
Struts and Frets by Jon Skovron is a great book for those who “like music, hate posers, have ever sat up all night listening to a favorite album, wondering if you’d ever find your place in the world.”
The Runaway Twin by Peg Kehret tells of a sister longing to be reunited with the twin she was separated from at age three. It’s a mystery with lots of suspense and action focusing on the true meaning of “family.”
Parents and teachers will be interested in Shelf Discovery: The Teen Classics We Never Stopped Reading by Lizzie Skurnick. All the great titles are listed here and they are sure-fire winners with young adults.
The Pilgrim Book Club for parents will meet on Wednesday, January 13 at 7 p.m. in the Secondary Library. We will discuss The Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. This novel is set in Seattle in 1942 and 1986 and chronicles the friendship of a Chinese boy and a Japanese girl, who was sent to an internment camp during World War II. Refreshments will be served. All parents are invited to participate in the discussion and to select future books.
PRESCHOOL NEWS
Welcome back and Happy New Year! We hope everyone had a safe and joyous holiday season. We are very happy to share this New Year with you and your children. We are beginning our New Year with great new addition to our Pilgrim family. Please welcome the Simril and Kevanian families to Pilgrim School! Sebastian Simril has joined in Ms. Szilvia and Miss Lanza’s Toddler Class and Gary Kevanian has joined in Ms. Sonia’s Junior Kindergarten Class.
Our theme of the month is Nutrition, Health and Personal Care. The students will learn about different food groups and their importance, dental hygiene, the importance of rest and exercise, and hand washing to eliminate germs. These activities will offer the children the opportunity to learn how to keep their bodies healthy and strong. This week we had a special visit from Dr. Kwon, a dentist. He generously made time to visit us and addressed the importance of good dental hygiene and how to keep our teeth healthy. He talked about some foods that are good and bad for teeth, how people develop cavities and the importance of visiting the dentist’s office regularly. He also read Dr. Seuss’s book, The Tooth Book. A special thank you to Dr. Kwon for the quality time he spent with our students!
The re-enrollment contracts for Kindergarten were sent out today. We have split the deposit in half to assist our families in budgeting. The deadline for returning the signed contract with the first $500 deposit is Friday, January 29, 2010; the second $500 deposit is due on Friday, February 26, 2010. Please understand that to hold your spot both payments must be made in a timely fashion. After January 29, if you should wish to enroll your child and have not yet done so, a late fee of $1,000 will apply should space be available. Re-enrollment contracts for the children in the younger preschool classes will be sent out on Friday, February 5 and due on Friday, February 26, 2010. If you have any questions about your contract or have not received it by Wednesday, please contact Patricia Kong or Debbie Battaglia in the admissions office at 213.355.5204.
SCIENCE FAIR NEWS
Pilgrim’s Science Fair will be held on Thursday, March 18, with judging taking place from 8 a.m. until noon. Projects from students in grades 6 through 12 will be judged, with the opportunity for winners to participate in the LA County Science Fair. Parents, if you are in a scientific field and would like to be a judge, or, if you are just interested in science, please contact Sarah Hatfield to find out more. She can be reached at shatfield@pilgrim-school.org. Thank you!
