SFS Athletics Apparel – One More Day
It’s that time of the year for our annual Fall Athletics Apparel Pre-Sale! We're offering zip hoodies, sweatpants, and long sleeve tees! Order forms are available on the Parents’ Bulletin Board across from the Front Desk. Images and sample sizes are available to preview here, and samples can be found on the Front Desk Bulletin Board. Please submit completed forms and payment by Wednesday, November 2nd. Support SFS and our Bears! For any questions, feel free to contact Athletic Director, Tiffany Fong (tfong@sfschool.org).

Calling All SFS Parents to Participate in the Skills Survey
The San Francisco School relies on the talents and skills of our parent community in many different ways throughout each school year.

Thanks to all those who have taken the survey over the past week. If you have not already done so, please take a moment to complete the (brief!) 2011-12 Parent/Guardian Skills Profile to share with us your professional background and areas where you have interest and proficiency, giving us an indication of your skills and talents. It will only take a few minutes and your feedback is greatly appreciated.

(Please fill out profiles individually – not one per household). Email Emily at egarlock@sfschool.org with questions.

Click to take the Skills Profile Survey
(or use this link: http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e4zm89rogtc2zwoz/start)

8th Grade Annual Thanksgiving Pie Sale
Yum! Please buy your Thanksgiving pies and treats at the Annual 8th Grade Pie Sale on Tuesday, November 22nd. Each year the pie sale helps support the 8th Grade Graduation and 8th Grade end-of-year activities. Support the SFS Class of 2012 and eat yummy treats! If you would like to preorder a pie to make sure we save you a particular kind, please email Leigh Kimberg (lkimberg@medsfgh.ucsf.edu). Preorders must be received by Wednesday, November 16th. We will be selling pies during AM carpool and after school as well.

Sibling Applications Due December 1st
If you have a child you are interested in enrolling for the 12-13 school year, please submit an online application before December 1st. Online applications can be found on our website at www.sfschool.org/admissions/apply. Please put ”SIBLING" in response to the question, "How did you hear about SFS?" and your preschool room preference in the "date of visit" field. If your child is currently enrolled in a school or daycare program, please also have his/her teacher complete a teacher evaluation form before the December 1st deadline and have him/her send the form directly to SFS. If your child is applying for grades 1-8, we will also need grades and test scores from his/her current school. All forms can be found on our website under Admissions: www.sfschool.org/admissions.

The preschool sibling assessment and interview will take place on January 4th at 3:30 PM. 1st-8th grade assessments will take place in February. We will let you know more details as the date approaches.

Feel free to contact Nina Wang or Paloma Herman at admissions@sfschool.org with any questions or concerns. Thank you!

The Walking School Bus Needs YOU to Walk!
We’re taking photographs for Walking School Bus promotional materials and need walkers LIKE YOU! If it's your first time, refer to the Walk in Thursday maps (Glen Park or Noe Valley) or just meet at the St. Mary's Playground at 8 AM. Kids love it! Parents love it! You'll know that your feet directly contribute to decreasing SFS's carbon footprint. And don't forget to wear your Walking School Bus wind breaker. We still have Walking School Bus Windbreakers in sizes for middle school students and adults. Join us and say "cheese"!

We Need Your Help to Reach Our Walkathon Goal - Only $5,000 To Go!
Thank you for all the amazing pledges and donations that have been collected and turned in in the past week. To date we collected approximately $21,000 of our pledged Walkathon total amount of $26,000!

All Donations Can Be Made Online!

Donations can be mailed to the school, turned in at the front desk, or donated directly online at www.sfschool.org/walkathon.

Tracking & Thanking Online Walkathon Donations
If you would like to track and thank your student’s online Walkathon sponsors, please contact Emily (egarlock@sfschool.org).

Special Parent Education Event: Discussing Gender Identity with Your Child
As parents we may hear statements like, “Mommy, only girls do that”, or “I can’t play with him, he’s a boy”. These are the types of comments that children may make as they are trying to develop a sense of their own and others’ gender identity. Please join the Diversity Committee as we discuss and explore this topic together as parents.

Parent Education Night: Discussing Gender Identity with Your Child
Wednesday, November 9th, in the SFS Activity Room
5:30 PM – Potluck Dinner; 6 - 8:15 PM – Program

Childcare will be provided. $5 - 20 per family (sliding scale). Please sign-up at at your earliest convenience at the bulletin board across from the Front Desk or email frontdesk@sfschool.org. If you have any questions, please contact Chris Yin (cyin@lwhs.org) or Rita Abraldes (rita_abraldes@yahoo.com).

Here are some of the questions/issues we will be exploring together:

Strategies for Re-Thinking and Discussing Gender Issues

• Be proactive in your conversations, bring up topics of gender and gender identity; don’t wait for your child to bring it up or for an experience or incident to talk about.
• Ask your child(ren) what they think of as "boy" things or "girl" things, and then ask why they think of those things that way. See if there are things they like which are assigned to the opposite gender and talk to them about how it feels to be told they can't wear or do certain things.
• Question and explore your own biases. For example, how do you feel about boys wearing long hair? Girls who “dress like boys?” Girls playing football or boys wearing earrings or fingernail polish? What messages are you giving your child(ren) about how they and others express themselves?
  

Body Music Festival This Sunday
The SFS Music Department invites you to the Body Music Festival this Sunday! If you missed our kids in the World Music Festival last week, now you can come see our Salzburg group perform in the unique and innovative Body Music Festival. Created by local genius Keith Terry, this is the 4th such festival and our kids have participated in all of them. This year we will perform at Yerba Buena Gardens at 2 PM on Sunday, November 6th. Great for kids and adults alike. Bring your neighbors! Tickets and further information can be found at www.crosspulse.com.

A Post-Halloween Request – Save Those Candy Wrappers!
SFS staff member Jane Loeser is looking for any used candy wrappers from Halloween for an art project – specifically waxed wrappers like those from tootsie rolls, tootsie pops, maryjanes, bubblegum and candies that come in individually-wrapped squares. All wrappers can be placed in the marked box across from the Front Desk. Thanks in advance!

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