Dear Families,
After months of sunshine, heatwaves, smoke, and sunshine again, it’s time to turn our heads to the new academic year. Around campus, construction projects are coming to a close, and we are preparing for students to return. I am writing to put a few important reminders on your radar for the start of school, including:
- Building a strong community
- Back to school guide
- Summer work
- Academic Schedule
- Lower & Middle School Information Day
- Start of school
- Coming to campus
- Uniforms
- Athletics
- Updated information
- Trips to China & Iceland!
As always, please feel free to reach out to me or my colleagues with any questions. We are looking forward to students returning to campus and to a fantastic year!
With gratitude,
Bill Hulseman
Director of Middle School
Building a strong community
Recent events in Charlottesville and what feels like an increasing polarization are a stark reminder about the importance not only of establishing a safe and inclusive space for children to learn and grow but also of equipping our students with tools for dialogue and the cultivation of empathy. News of the impact of physical and verbal violence is devastating, and our work as a school community includes challenging perceptions, stereotypes, and prejudices that disrupt our students’ ability to build strong relationships, the foundation of a strong community. This summer, faculty and staff were invited to read Claude Steele’s Whistling Vivaldi: How Stereotypes Affect Us and What We Can Do, which explores the impact of “stereotype threat,” the experience of being at risk of confirming a negative stereotype about one’s social or identity group. Studies have identified that stereotype threat is part of the social, academic, and professional experience of members of minority, stigmatized, and marginalized groups and demonstrated it as a significant factor in achievement gaps. As Steele writes in the book,
“by imposing on us certain conditions of life, our social identities can strongly affect things as important as our performances in the classroom and on standardized tests, our memory capacity, our athletic performance, the pressure we feel to prove ourselves, even the comfort level we have with people of different groups—all things we typically think of as being determined by individual talents, motivations, and preferences.”
When I first read the book a few years ago, it opened my eyes to the ways that the social and physical environment of a school can either perpetuate or dismantle disabling stereotypes, and my hope is that our collective reflection and dialogue will not only inspire a fresh perspective on our students’ experiences but also bolster our community’s commitment to maintaining a safe and inclusive atmosphere for all students to thrive. The starting point for this is carefully building and nurturing our relationships with each other, and I invite all of our students and families to join us in paying close attention to the words we use with each other, to opportunities to reach out to people who feel left out, and to starting with compassion and kindness.
Back to school guide
The Back-to-School Guide (www.aw.org/back-to-school) includes everything you need, from reminders about accessing forms and contact information to summer work and a packing list for our Orientation Trip. Over the summer, Middle School students had some reading and writing to do (details are in the Back-to-School Guide and on the June 8 post of the Middle School Blog), and they were expected to get some math work done via TenMarks. Please note that summer work for Ten Marks will be unavailable after August 20.
Academic schedule
This year, we will continue with our 6-Day schedule. Letter Days are posted on the master calendar on myAW (be sure to activate 6-Day Schedule under School Calendars to see them). This year, we are implementing two changes that impact our academic schedule. First, we are expanding to three sections of Sixth Grade, with an eye to expanding to three sections across all MS grade levels. Second, as I wrote at the end of the last school year, all students in a grade level will be scheduled for math at the same time. This gives us the flexibility to group students around progress, appropriate pacing, and mastery. Students will be placed in sections relying on multiple data, including the Math Inventory and previous performance.
Lower & Middle School Information Day
On Tuesday, August 29, we host an Information Day for families in the Lower and Middle Schools. In the past, this has included a joint session in the Theater and time to visit tables in the Gym. This year, we are splitting the sessions in theater and offering 15 minute tutorials about navigating myAW.
9:00am Orientation for MS Students New to Annie Wright in the MS Lounge
9:00am Doors open! Information Tables in the Kemper Gym
9:15am myAW Tutorial in the Dance Studio (MS Families encouraged to attend)
9:30am LS Info Session in the Kemper Theater
10:00am myAW Tutorial in the Dance Studio (all Families encouraged to attend
10:15am MS Info Session in the Kemper Theater
10:45am myAW Tutorial in the Dance Studio (LS Families encouraged to attend)
11:30am End of Event
- myAW Tutorial Learn the basics of navigating the school’s student information and learning management portal, including finding report cards, schedules, homework, gradebooks, and a variety of resources!
- LS Info Session Geared toward families who are new to the Lower School, get a preview of the year to come, with special attention to the logistics of the school day!
- MS Info Session Geared toward families who are new to the Middle School, get a preview of the year to come, with special attention to the culture and climate, logistics, and program of the Middle School!
- Information Tables All families are encouraged to visit information tables in the Kemper Gym about Bus Transportation, Bookstore, Educational Technology, Extended Day, Health Forms, Learning Support, Private Music and Language Lessons, Registration, and more!
Start of school
Please note the following important dates for the start of the school year:
- Wednesday, August 30: Opening Day
- Daily Uniform
- 8:00am MS Students report to the Library
- 8:00am Coffee with the Head of Schools in the Great Hall
- 8:45am Opening Day Chapel
- Students receive their planners and schedules and meet their Advisors on Opening Day. Advisory and section lists are not available before Opening Day.
- Thursday, August 31
- 8:00am MS Students report to Advisory in Civvies Dress
- 8:15am Departure for Orientation Trip (information and packing list are available on the Back-to-School Guide)
- Friday, September 1
- Return from Orientation Trip by the end of the school day
- Tuesday, September 5
- Daily Uniform
- Classes Begin
- Thursday, September 7
- Dress Uniform - Photo Day (khakis/skirts, white button-down shirts, ties, blue sweater vests, black dress shoes, black socks or tights)
- Thursday, September 14
- 6:30pm MS Back to School Night
Coming to campus
When you come to campus, you’ll notice the beautiful updating and expansion of our 10th Street Circle and entrances! Please remember the following:
- When dropping off or picking up at the 10th Street Circle, please follow the directions of faculty and staff directing traffic; pull as far forward as possible in the Circle before letting students out of the vehicle; and avoid letting engines run idly. Students should never exit cars from the passing lane of the Circle or from the main driving lane of 10th Street; please pull to the curb of 10th Street or of the Circle before letting students out.
- All guests, including parents and other family members, must: sign in at the Front Desk or the 10th Street Office; wear a visitor’s badge or sticker while inside the building; and sign out when exiting the building. This is for security and emergency accounting purposes. Throughout the school day, Middle School entrance from the 10th Street Circle are open only from 7:30am-8:00am. Parents and other family members should not enter the school through the Middle School entrance.
Uniforms
All students are expected to be in uniform at all times while on campus (except for designated Civvies days or special events). Please ensure that your student’s school clothes adhere to our guidelines, especially:
- Hair color: Dyed hair must be a naturally occurring color.
- Shoes & socks: Shoes should be all or predominantly white or black, should have less than a 2” heel, and should not extend above the ankle. Socks must be solid black or solid white - no graphics, images, or patterns.
- Pants, shorts & skirts: Khaki pants or shorts should be hemmed and loose-fitting - no cargo style, capri length, jean-cut, or leggings. Skirts should hang no more than 2” above the knee.
- Dress uniform: Please remember that students must wear dress shoes (not sneakers), black socks or tights, and a belt (if wearing khakis) on Dress Uniform Days.
- PE Uniforms: All students are expected to wear PE Uniforms, available for purchase in the Bookstore for PHE class and Athletics (including teams, yoga, and strength & conditioning).
Athletics
During Opening Day and Orientation, students will learn about offerings for Athletics and have a chance to indicate their preferences for the full school year. Students may change their choice for Athletics until the first practice of each new season. Offerings for 2017-2018 are:
- Fall: Boys Soccer, Girls Volleyball, Co-ed Cross Country, Co-ed Yoga
- Winter I: Girls Soccer, Boys Basketball, Co-ed Strength & Conditioning, Yoga
- Winter II: Girls Basketball, Co-ed Preseason Ultimate, Co-ed Strength & Conditioning, Yoga
- Spring: Co-ed Track & Field, Co-ed Ultimate, Co-ed Tennis, Co-ed Golf, Yoga
Students who participate in a team or physical or athletic training (minimum 8 hours per week) outside Annie Wright may request an Athletics Waiver for the duration of the outside team’s season or for the duration of the training season. Students who receive a waiver report to study hall during the Athletics block. To request an Athletics Waiver, the parent/guardian must provide:
- A written request from a parent/guardian detailing the team or training in which the the student is participating, the hours of participation, and the duration of the season (an email to Mr. Hulseman with this information will suffice);
- and a letter from the team coach or training supervisor confirming the hours of participation and the duration of the season (an email from the coach to Mr. Hulseman with this information will suffice).
When an Athletics Waiver is implemented, the student is expected to remain on campus in study hall until the end of the school day (3:10pm). Students may not leave campus early on a regular basis without express permission from Mr. Hulseman.
Updated information
Please be sure to update your contact card on myAW - updated contact information and emergency contacts is essential! To review and edit your contact card, log into myAW, click your name in the top right-hand corner, and click profile. Click the pencil icon in each field to edit your information. Also, if you have any updated information regarding your student, such as new or updated assessments or updated medical information, please be sure to forward appropriate documentation to us.
Trips to China & Iceland
We are excited to offer two international trips this year! Over Spring Break, Mrs. Flores will lead a group of students to China, and over the summer!
The trip to China:
- WHO: Middle and Upper School Students, accompanied by Annie Wright faculty.
- WHAT: A 10 day trip to Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai.
- WHEN: Spring Break! March 22-31, 2018.
- COST: The cost per student is $3,664. WorldStrides provides several options for payment, including a monthly EZPay, as well as financial assistance through the FLAG program.
- HOW TO SIGN UP: Go to www.worldstrides.com/enroll! Username: travel; Password: wright. This page gives you all the information you need regarding itinerary, cost, and payment options.
- DOES MY STUDENT NEED A PASSPORT AND VISA FOR THIS TRIP? Yes! According to the US Department of State, US residents need a passport that is valid for 6 months after the visit and a tourist visa. WorldStrides provides an online system to check visa requirements and instructions to apply for visas.
- DEADLINE: Sign up with a non-refundable deposit of $300 by June 15, 2017 for a discounted rate! The final, non-refundable date to enroll is September 15, 2017.
- Questions? Contact Mrs. Alice Flores!
The trip to Iceland: An informational meeting will be held on September 8.
- WHO: Middle and Upper School Students, accompanied by Annie Wright faculty.
- WHAT: A 9 day trip to Iceland to explore the country’s unique ecosystem, geology, and culture.
- WHEN: June 18-26, 2018.
- COST: The cost per student is $3,739 until October 5, 2017. WorldStrides provides several options for payment, including monthly EZPay, as well as financial assistance through the FLAG program.
- HOW TO SIGN UP: Go to www.worldstrides.com/enroll! Username: wright; Password: iceland. This page gives you all the information you need regarding itinerary, cost, and payment options.
- DOES MY STUDENT NEED A PASSPORT AND VISA FOR THIS TRIP? Yes! According to the US Department of State, US residents need a passport that is valid for 3 months after the visit; no tourist visa is required. WorldStrides provides an online system to check visa requirements and instructions to apply for visas.
- DEADLINE: Sign up with a non-refundable deposit of $300 by October 5, 2017 for a discounted rate!
- For more information, see this short presentation or contact Ms. Emma Hartmann or Ms. Niki Taylor.
