Dear members of the Morse School Community,

I hope that your week is off to a great start! I was out on Thursday and Friday attending the fall meeting of the School Reform Initiative, and I am happy to be back at the Morse School helping to prepare for Friday’s International Festival 2019! The annual International Festival is one of our most popular community events. This Friday’s event includes a potluck celebration, a tradition that involves bringing food to share with other members of the community. Families typically bring a dish that represents a cultural tradition, with enough to feed 6-10. We invite you to bring a dish to share - homemade or takeout - and come prepared to enjoy the food that other families have contributed! We also hope that you will stay for games, crafts, music, performances & prizes! This year we’re excited to have a performance by the Pasy Naay Leer Dance Company, a group of drummers and dancers from Senegal.

Our International Festival parent organizers Brian Funck and Sara Hendren are also seeking volunteers for a variety of positions and times during the evening. The jobs run in half-hour slots and include Set-Up, Greeters, Food Runners, Crafts, Games, Sports, Clean-Up, Souvenirs, etc. If you’re able to help out, please click the attached link and choose a slot (or two if you’ve got it in you). No experience necessary! All you need to do is show up — Brian and Sara will provide you with easy instructions, activities and supplies. Please click here to sign up!

As I mentioned in last week’s newsletter, we are also looking to assemble a big display of family photos in our lobby and corridors, to provide a visual representation of the diversity of cultures and backgrounds we enjoy at the Morse School. Please consider sending in a photo with your child, or sending an electronic version to Ms. Sullivan. Thank you!

2019 Tom Turkey Reading Challenge
November 2019 marks the 23rd year that students at the Morse School have participated in the Tom Turkey reading challenge for charity. Each of the feathers on the Tom Turkey display in our main lobby has the name of a student and the title of a book that she or he read written on it. It is a commitment on the part of each child to read the book and then purchase the feather for one quarter. This year, all funds raised through the Tom Turkey reading challenge will be donated to provide daily breakfast to rural children enrolled in the Matènwa Community Learning Center, located on La Gonâve Island in Haiti. Every dollar we raise provides one meal for a child. We will have information about both the Tom Turkey Reading Challenge and Matênwa at Friday’s International Festival.

Winter Weather Reminders
Please remember that students enjoy outside play at least once a day, weather permitting. We generally hold recess outdoors unless it is very cold (with a “real feel” temperature of 20 degrees or below) or raining heavily. Please be sure to dress your child warmly, with a winter jacket, gloves/mittens and a hat. Additionally, for those who pick up children in grades 1-5, please remember that in order to facilitate outdoor dismissal, it is important that you arrive no later than 2:25PM to pick up your children from their designated dismissal playground. For Kindergarten parents, we ask that you enter through the main entrance at 2:25PM.

Friends of Morse Clothing Exchange
If you are in need of winter clothing items for your child, please consider stopping by our main lobby and participating in the annual Friends of Morse clothing exchange! We invite you to donate any gently-used winter clothes that your children have outgrown (clean and in good condition), and/or pick up some previously-worn items from the collection bins in our lobby.

Upcoming Meetings/Events

• The Morse School Race & Equity Working Group will meet tomorrow (11/14) from 5:30 - 7PM in the Library.
  
  
• Ms. Pennell will also be hosting the first-ever Morse Family Book Club next Thursday November 21st from 6 - 7PM! You and your children are invited to read this year’s selection, The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser, and come to discuss the book with other families and staff members over light refreshments! Please RSVP to Ms. Pennell or Ms. Headley if you plan to make it! For more information, please see the flyer!

Thank you and I look forward to seeing you this Friday evening for our International Festival and Potluck Celebration!

Sincerely,

Chad Leith
Principal

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