Nicaragua: Volcanoes, Marimbas and Cultural Exchange!

Kai King, James Harding and Josefina Bolton

Nicaragua: Imagine sleeping in the crater of a volcano at night and reforesting a jungle by day…

This year for the 8th grade trip, we ventured to the beautiful tropical paradise of Nicaragua. Our trip was infused with an exchange of culture and language, as well as an elaborate service-learning project. We were proud of the 8th grade classes’ ability to quickly bond with both their host families, and the students in the rural community of Goyena.

From the moment we arrived in Managua, complete exhaustion was temporarily replaced by huge smiles and great expectation. Our first experience after the airport was an exciting bus ride from Managua to Leon. Lunch in Leon provided our first encounter with the delicious variety of food from this country. After lunch we had the opportunity to meet our host families. Any anxiety that our students may have felt was immediately lessened by our host families’ unparalleled hospitality and generosity. The time that we spent getting to know our new friends over breakfast and dinner conversations and sharing photos, was an experience that our 8th graders will never forget.

Our mornings in Leon began with a tour of the city. There, we learned about the history, culture and daily life in the city of Leon. Delicious and hearty lunches prepared us for the hard work that awaited us at the community of Goyena. Over the course of four days in this small rural village, our students helped to construct a new community center and a tree nursery. We also befriended and made completed art projects with local students at the free art center. Although our students were sweating and exhausted at the end of each day, they were enlivened by their purpose to give service to a community in need.

The second leg of our trip was spent in Lake Apoyo. The Fundeci/Gaia Spanish School and Biological Station sits next to a beautiful lake that long ago filled the crater of a dormant volcano. Here, our students participated in Spanish emersion classes, captured birds to study their features, and swam in the lake’s tropical waters. After exploring the natural beauty and diversity of the volcano, we ventured to the neighboring city of Masaya. Our music teacher, James, quickly learned that Masaya happened to be the unofficial capital of the Marimba. After multiple visits to Masaya in sweltering heat, James was able to arrange a Marimba concert by a local family who crafted Marimba’s by hand. The students enjoyed the music and a brief history of this unique instrument.

The trip was filled with hard work, and the students learned a lot. They will never forget the time they spent getting to understand not only another culture and each other, but also themselves.

Graduation & Last Days of School
Monday, June 6th & Tuesday, June 7th – Normally scheduled school days with extended care as usual. Please note: Tuesday is the last regular day of school for Preschool – 4th grades.

Wednesday, June 8th – 8th Grade Graduation Day – The ceremony is at the Brava Theater from 9:30 AM to 12:15 PM. Preschool, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade students are welcome to attend graduation ceremony if accompanied by parents/guardians. 5th – 7th grade students attend the ceremony in class groups. They should be dropped off directly at Brava Theater between 8:30 - 9 AM. 8th graders should be dropped off directly at Brava at 8:30 AM.

Dismissal will be from Brava. All 5th – 7th grade students should be picked at the theater at 12:30 PM. We will run a regular pick-up system there, with cars lining up and teachers dismissing students. Do not take your children without signing them out with the teacher in charge. Please note: There is NO AFTERNOON extended care on Wednesday, June 8th; all students should be picked up from the graduation site at 12:30 PM.

Please click here for a map and directions to the Brava Theater (located at 2781 24th Street at York). If you have any questions, please contact the Front Desk.

The Hills are Alive with the Sounds of the Middle School Orff Ensemble Salzburg Concert!
Mark your calendars for Thursday, June 2! The San Francisco School Orff Ensemble will be performing the show they will present in Salzburg in July. The concert will take place at the Lick-Wilmerding Theater (755 Ocean Avenue), from 7:30 – 8:30 PM. Not only is this a chance for you to enjoy and support the work of these 17 remarkable middle school students, but it's our last chance to raise much-needed funds so that all students may attend and represent our SFS school community! Tickets are available at the door the night of the show. If you cannot attend, but would like to donate, please drop off or mail a check payable to The San Francisco School and make a note that this is for the Salzburg Orff Ensemble. Shout from the hill tops and invite neighbors, friends and family! And don't forget to stop by the front desk to pick up a set of those fabulous toothbrushes being supplied by Steve Ostwald (Kelowna, 8th grade) as part of the Salzburg fundraising efforts!

4 Classes Surpass 90% Annual Fund Participation!
The 2010-11 Annual Fund rolls on as we continue to work towards our goal of 100% parent participation! As of today, four classes have surpassed the 90% participation mark: 2nd Grade 94%, 4th Grade 96%, 5th Grade 90% and 6th Grade 91%. And, a huge thank you to the South Class 4-year old families who have reached 100% participation! Within the parent community, 82% of families have contributed to the 2010-11 Annual Fund. Thank you to all who have given and for those who have not yet had a chance to contribute – we need your support to achieve our goals! Contributions to the Annual Fund can be made at www.sfschool.org/donate or by calling the Development Office at 415-239-1475.

Auction Payments
All Auction paperwork and certificates from the Night of the Auction, the Online Auction AND the Post Auction have been processed and are ready for pick up at the Front Desk. Please Note: If your bidding included any physical items, those can be picked up at 311 Gaven Street; otherwise, all certificates and paperwork are in the black plastic box at the front desk!

• If you participated in the Post Auction and have a credit card number on file you’d like to use for these purchases, please email Emily (egarlock@sfschool.org).
• If you participated in the Post Auction and need to submit a payment, please email/call Emily with a Visa or Mastercard number (415-239-1475, egarlock@sfschool.org) or drop a check at the Front Desk.

Scrip Orders Due Friday
Scrip is an easy and convenient way to support SFS while grocery shopping – at no additional cost to you (See the 9/14 TNH for more details). Last year we earned over $2,000 from the SFS community’s participation in the Scrip Program, and we are hoping to continue that level of participation this year. Place an order for Rainbow, Goodlife and Canyon Market scrip by the end of the day, this Friday, May 27th. Order forms can be found in the scrip envelope on the parent bulletin board, or by clicking here! (This form can also be found at http://www.sfschool.org/giving/index.shtml under “Helpful Documents”). Please contact egarlock@sfschool.org with any questions.

• Canyon Market – Now Offering Scrip Cards!
Have you considered participating in the Scrip Program, but don't want to deal with paper scrip certificates? Canyon Market offers scrip 'gift cards' in any amount, that can be used like a debit card every time you do your grocery shopping! If you are interested, please contact Emily (egarlock@sfschool.org).

Calling All Library Books!
It is time to return your library books! Look under the bed! Dig through your piles! Thank you, folks!

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