Parent Post: Sept. 28, 2018

Service Opportunity: Moving Homeless Families

Sunday, Sept. 30, 12:30-2:30 pm
Once a month, through service partner Philadelphia Interfaith Hospitality Network, PC students help families experiencing homelessness move boxes and bags of their belongings to emergency housing in houses of worship. On Sept. 30 we need volunteers to move families from First United Methodist Church of Germantown to First Presbyterian Church of Germantown. All ages and grades welcome! Signup and details.

Friends & Family Open House

Tuesday, Oct. 2, 8:30-10 am
Because our October open house is so packed, and because so many of our applicants for admission are people referred to us by you, our community members, this year we are again offering a Friends & Family admissions event. Our goal is to provide prospective families referred to us by current parents, faculty, staff and OPCs more interaction with teachers and administrators, and a more personalized campus tour. As a courtesy to the community, we will waive the application fee for attendees who choose to apply to PC. They can reserve a space for this special event. Also look for that PC Connect postcard that arrived in your mailbox and share it with a friend or neighbor, or share this digital version.

Note: Lawn signs and date toppers to advertise our large open houses on Oct. 13 and Nov. 6 are available for pickup in each division office.

Parents of Color Affinity Group Social

Wednesday, Oct. 3, 6:30 pm, Timmons House, 3850 The Oak Road

All are welcome to share in this fellowship and to build and forge new relationships. Appetizers will be provided. You are welcome to bring your favorite adult beverage.

Upcoming on Oct. 16: LGBTQ Parent Affinity Group Social

Parent to Parent: Weekly Update

Coming up next week, join Dora Presley on a horseback trail ride. In the coming weeks, have coffee with fellow parents, embroider with Eva Kay Noone, learn about Naveena Bembry's trip to Japan, or join Jennifer Fiss for floral design 101! Sign up. We are currently looking for a parent who is social media savvy who can lead a workshop on what our kids are doing in the digital world. If you have an idea for a workshop, please contact Jennifer Fiss. We would love to know more about you and what you love to do. Supply fee request.

Monthly Parent Meeting for Worship

Thursday, Oct. 4, 8:15-8:45 am; Meeting Room (Main Building, 2nd floor)

Join other parents and the Parent Quakerism co-chairs in a silent Friends Meeting for Worship, similar to what our children experience each week. Come experience 30 minutes of silent reflection (interrupted only if someone is moved to speak). Clear the cobwebs in your mind. Be present and healthy in the new school year and enjoying the gift of silence. (Parent MFW is usually held the first Thursday of each month.)

Eco-Corner

Penn Charter is once again joining the Friends of the Wissahickon All-Trails Challenge with the team name: PC Hikes! Please join us and raise some funds while enjoying getting out in the Wissahickon Park. Challenge runs from now until the end of November; please contact Tom Rickards with any questions.

Penn Charter is now offering Boxed Water as an alternative to single-use plastic water bottles. Please encourage your daughter or son to choose boxed water, which is made from renewable resources, is recyclable, and does not clog our landfills and waterways as plastic water bottles do. The best option is to send your child with a reusable water bottle, and we now have filtered water stations in every divisional building this year. Thanks in advance for making sustainable water choices!

Final Days: Yearbook Orders Due Oct. 1

Reminder to all PC families: Place your online orders for the 2019 Class Record now. Our yearbook is a full-color student publication that chronicles the students and major events in the school year. The cost to pre-order a yearbook is $65; extra books will sell for $75 as they are available in June. Online orders will close on Oct. 1.

Sign Up for SportsZone Alerts

Interested in keeping up with varsity athletics? Penncharter.com/sportszone has it covered! Sign up for email alerts about new posts by clicking on the small bell icon and entering your name and email. Watch this brief tutorial on how to get email alerts.

Upper School

Back-to-School Dance

Friday, Sept. 28, 7:30-10 pm; Old Gym; cost $10
The first school dance of the year is open to all Penn Charter students. It begins at 7:30 pm, students must be in the door by 8:30 pm, and is over at 10 pm sharp. All students must leave the parking lot (or be picked up) no later than 10:15 pm. Once students enter the dance, they may not leave early. Guests of high-school age from other schools are permitted if registered with the assistant director of Upper School by 3 pm the day before the dance; each student can sponsor one guest, and the guest and the sponsor must arrive at the dance together. The sign-up list to bring a guest will be posted outside Lee Payton's office. The dress code is casual (not formal or semi-formal), but students must still be dressed appropriately.

Parent Pop-In

Friday, Sept. 28, 7:30 pm

We invite you to join us at the Upper School Parent Pop-In at Timmons House to get to know your fellow Upper School parents over drinks and hors d'oeuvres while your child attends the Upper School Back-to-School Dance. Bring your favorite beverage and stop by any time that evening until 10:00 pm for fun fare and captivating conversation! Please tell us you're coming.

Rowing Team Info and Tour

Saturday Oct. 6, 1-3 pm; Undine Barge Club, 13 Boat House Row

Families with ninth grade children interested in the PC rowing team (a spring sport) are invited to come to the team's fall workday to meet the team coaches and athletes. You can also get a tour of our team's rowing club and learn about winter conditioning opportunities, spring tryouts and other details about the rowing team. Families interested in additional information may message assistant coach Michael Moulton.

Middle School

Attention, Singers!

There are two vocal ensemble opportunities that are starting up this fall for students in grades 6-8. Students are invited to join and learn a variety of music to be performed in divisional assemblies and the Small Ensemble Concert in March 2019.

The Naturals (formerly known as the Sharped Flats)
Choral group for students in grades 7 and 8.
Faculty advisor/director: Joseph Fitzmartin
Location: Choral Room located on the second floor of the Kurtz Center
Date/Time: Tuesday mornings at 7:15 am, starting Oct. 2

The Sixth Note
Choral group/club for students in the sixth grade
Faculty advisor/director: Debbie Kaesshaefer
Location: The NEW Music Room located on the second floor of the Kurtz Center
Date/Time: Fridays during FLEX

Middle School Parent Forum

Thursday, Oct. 11, 8:15-9:15 am; Balderston Commons

Please join us for the first Middle School Parent Forum this year. Our topic is Navigating Screen Time and Social Media. Our own director of instructional technology, Michael Moulton, will join us for the forum and has shared this Family Guide for Navigating Screen Time for you to peruse before attending. Additionally, this resource for online privacy and safety from Common Sense Media has excellent resources for parents. As you may know, we use material from Common Sense frequently in our Middle School program.

Come early starting at 7:30 am and join other Middle School parents for coffee and a light breakfast bite courtesy of the Parent Community, outside Balderston Commons.

Back-to-School Night Survey

We hope you enjoyed Middle School Back-to-School Night on Sept. 20. We would appreciate it if you took a few minutes to take this survey to provide feedback, especially because we piloted a new opening to the evening.

Lower School

Lower School Movies that Matter: Moana

Friday, Oct. 5, 3:10-5 pm; Kurtz Center Choral Room
What to do before the Fall Festival? Bring the family to see Disney's Moana! Parents, please stay with your children. And let us know you are coming.

Fall Festival: Enjoy and Volunteer

Friday, Oct. 5, 5:30-7:30 pm, Front Field

Fall Festival is only one week away, so get ready to bounce, take photos with friends, craft, dance with the DJ and take a hayride to get into the fall spirit! This is an all-school event and all ages are welcome, so please come out and enjoy some fun with your friends. We need our Parent Community to sign up to volunteer to make this event a success. There are lots of opportunities to help out; choose a 30-min. timeslot to help the kids craft, snack and bounce. Rita's water ice, Philly soft pretzels and snacks are free! But please remember your money so you can enjoy dinner from the Senior Grill Squad as they fundraise for prom. In our attempt to limit waste and support our environment, please remember your water bottles and use the water fill stations.

Chamber Singers Begins

This choral group for students in grades 4 and 5 has been in existence for nearly three decades. Students are invited to join and learn a variety of music to be performed in divisional assemblies and the Small Ensemble Concert in March 2019. To sign up or for further information, please email Debbie Kaesshaefer, faculty advisor/director.
Location: The NEW Music Room located on the second floor of the Kurtz Center
Date/Time: Tuesday mornings, 7:30-8 am