THE ORACLE A WEEKLY NEWSLETTER FOR PARENTS AND FAMI LIES OF

Issue 14, Week of December 17 – December 23

CHARLIE SIEM VISITS TBS! HIGHLY ANTICIPATED GUEST CHARLIE SIEM EXEMPLIFIES GRACE AND CHARISMA AT TBS

Need more of Charlie? Read his exclusive interview with Ashley Jobe, TBS Communications Manager at

http://www.theburlingtonschool.org/cf_news/view.cfm?newsid=130

From top left: Siem poses with Marshall after an interview; Lucius and Siem embrace after performing in the gathering

space for TBS and Blessed Sacrament students; Siem and 7th grader Isabel Hudson perform “The Prayer” on their violins;

the audience waits in eager anticipation of Charlie’s arrival; Charlie Siem plays vigorously with intense concentration.

PARTAN

NAPSHOT S

THE 2013 TBS HOLIDAY PROGRAM FROM DRAMA TO CHORUS TO ROCK ENSEMBLE, OUR STUDENTS DELIVERED!

From top right: Julian Taylor pretends to open Christmas gifts prematurely; Tori Frahm performs a monologue; Vivien

Brown (left) and Kiran Merchant engage in a duel; Lily Barnette-Mould, Isabel Hudson, Ty Mitchell and Evan Morrison

“take a ride together”; Kai Norohna impersonates a reindeer; Lower School students sing a holiday tune; Middle School

students perform under Marshall Quall’s direction; Paige Duffy, Lucius Wilson, Tanner Slaughter, Jack Parker and Josh

Masters perform a rock ensemble number; Martha Barefoot-Yeager (right) and Kiran Merchant announce the Spring

Musical will be The Music Man! (Don’t miss the 12.19 Holiday Program; scroll to the calendar for more info!)

A HEARTFELT TBS APOLOGY

We messed up, bad. Some might even say royally. Any way you cut it, we made a mistake.

At our Upper School Awards Ceremony last Thursday morning, in recognizing our first trimester

exceptional achievers in arts, athletics, and academics, we failed to acknowledge a High Honors student.

Via human error, somehow Alston Hill was not singled out for his extraordinary academic work and

consequently left out of the proceedings. Our mistake, pure and simple, for which I am responsible and

have apologized to him and his family. It’s not how we drew it up, not what we intended; our mess up.

As in so much of life, there is a teachable moment in this mistake. For the adults involved, some

of it’s that everything we do and say, or don’t, matters in the life of the children we serve, whether as

educators or parents or passersby. (You can bet the list will be triple checked next time.) For our

students, some of it’s that somewhere, somehow, sometime in your life the adults around you will

disappoint you, obviously err, let you down, prove to have feet of clay. Most of them, especially in this

episode, not because they are negligent or malicious, but because they are human. For Alston and his

family, some of it’s that we are an imperfect bunch trying to do a perfect job who every day exist in need

of grace. I truly am sorry for the omission.

For all of us, some of the teachable moment is that we should “not go quietly into that dark

night” but rather speak up when we see or experience an injustice, for without justice there can be no

true peace. I’m not suggesting there aren’t or won’t be individual scars afterward, nor that due vigilance

isn’t necessary. I am saying another part of the teachable moment is doing right by the community.

Fortunately, in the midst of all the machinations, Alston stood calmly by, asked good questions,

offered reasoned responses, and accepted his High Honors certificate with grace. Obviously, given his

tender years, Alston has not made as many mistakes as I have. And he’s handling them much better than

I ever did.

-Dr. Smokey Oats, Head of School

A REMINDER FROM ATHLETICS: SAVE THE DATE S!

There will be practices and games over the break! Contact coach Ron Johnson (rjohnson@theburlingtonschool.org)

for basketball inquiries or coach Daniels (danielsemily2@gmail.com) for questions regarding swimming.

12/20 GV Basketball at Kerr Vance Tournament vs. Franklin Academy, 4:00p BV Basketball at Kerr Vance Tournament vs. Franklin Academy, 5:30p 12/21 GV Basketball at Kerr Vance Tournament vs. TBA, 12:00 or 3:00p BV Basketball at Kerr Vance Tournament vs. TBA, 1:30p or 4:30 12/22-27 NO ATHLETIC PRACTICES OR GAMES 12/28 BV Basketball, 11:00a-1:00p, Practice at GT 12/29 BV Basketball, 3:30p-5:00, Practice at GT 12/30 BV Basketball, 11:00a-1:00, Practice at GT Varsity Swimming, 5:00p-6:00

12/31 BV Basketball, 11:00a-1:00, Practice at GT MS and Varsity Swimming, 5:00p-6:00 1/1 BV Basketball, 4:00p-5:30, Practice at GT 1/2 BV Basketball, 11:00a-12:45, Practice at GT Boys MS Basketball, 1:00p-2:30, Practice at GT Girls MS Basketball, 3:00p-4:30, Practice at GT GV Basketball, 5:30p-7:00, Practice at GT MS and Varsity Swimming, 5:00p-6:00 1/3 Boys MS Basketball, 8:30a-10:00, Practice at GT Girls MS Basketball, 3:00p-4:30, Practice at GT GV Basketball, 5:30p-7:00, Practice at GT BV Basketball at Wayne Country Day Tourney vs. Neuse Christian, 6:00p 1/4 BV Basketball at Wayne Country Day Tourney vs. TBA, 11:30a or 1:00p

THE TBS ANNUAL FUND KICKS OFF IN 2014!

Each and every year, parents, alumni, grandparents, faculty/staff and friends support our students and

programs with their Annual Fund gifts. The Annual Fund supports inspiring teachers from our Lower to

Upper School! Gifts made in support of the Annual Fund help support our outstanding faculty to be the

very best— and so much more! Academics, the arts, athletics, technology, our facilities on both campuses

all benefit from your Annual Fund dollars each year. To make your Annual Fund gift, please visit us online

at www.theburlingtonschool.org/givenow.

-Maggie Byerly, Director of Advancement

DON’T FORGET: MAKE A GIFT TO THE FACULTY ENRICHMENT FUND!

Your tax year-end gift can be made online at www.theburlingtonschool.org/givenow.

Honor your child’s teacher with a special gift this holiday season. Your gift will support professional development, classroom supplies, equipment, books and other pre-approved expenditures. The Head of School and/or an appropriate designee from TBS will administer the Fund. Thank you for your support! Here's how to give:

Visit www.burlingtondayschool.org/givenow,

Select the fund from the drop down menu,

Indicate the teachers you wish to honor, and

Make any additional notes of thanks in the comments box on the form! If you would like to make your gift the old-fashioned way, drop your check by the front office of either campus with a note in the memo line that it's to support the Faculty Enrichment Fund. TBS will be sure to let the teachers know a gift has been made in their honor! All funds donated through the Faculty Enrichment Fund are fully tax-deductible, will directly support the teacher you are honoring, and the funds will be accessible by them for use in their classroom. Visit page 25 of the TBS Family/ Student Handbook for more information! -Susan Davis, TBS Parent’s Association Vice President

TRADITIONS LUNCH REMINDER:

Middle and Upper School Families ONLY: On Friday, December 20, our advisory groups will be hosting a Traditions Lunch. The Upper School students’ lunch will be held in the Davis Street gymnasium. The Middle School students will hold their lunch in the math classroom in the middle school hall. We have been discussing family traditions in advisory in December, and to celebrate the various traditions, each student is responsible for bringing in a food or drink (enough to serve at least 10 people) that is special to them or their family. Students will set up for this lunch, possibly decorate and help to serve and clean up. All students and staff are expected to participate and all will have an opportunity to eat together that day. We encourage you to discuss with your student what they plan to bring and allow them the opportunity to make the food. Food should come to school on Friday with the students. If it needs refrigeration, please bring it in a cooler. If it needs to remain heated, crock pots are a great way to keep it warm. Students should deliver their food to their advisor who will keep the food in their room until time for set up. Please label all containers so that they may be returned. We are looking forward to learning more about diverse traditions and sharing in great food and fellowship! Please contact your student's advisor if you have further questions. -Leslie Blank, Community Life Facilitator

THE T-B-S SPELLING BEE IS ON THE HORIZON!

Each year we have a school-wide spelling bee in January where 2 class winners from each grade, 4th

through 8th, compete against each other to be the school winner and represent us in the Times-News

Spelling Bee in February. The Language Arts teachers in each grade have a classroom Bee to determine

the two winners and then those winners are given a new list to study for the school Bee. The school

winner will compete against all the elementary and middle school winners in the county, so there is

usually 30 or so incredible spellers competing. The winner of the Times News Bee will move on to the

National Bee in Washington, D.C.

-Jayne Woodruff, Fourth Grade Teacher

HOLIDAY CARE DEADLINE: In case your plans have changed and you missed the deadline for holiday care, Extended Day has extended their deadline for registration for holiday care to no later than tonight at 6 PM. Please e-mail Trinity if you will be needing care! -Trinity Taylor, Extended Day and Coordinate Programs Director

WHAT’S COMING UP? There are so many exciting things going on in our community! Access the TBS website’s full calendar to

plan further in the future.

December 19 — Holiday Concert (Whitley Auditorium; Elon University) 7pm

The Holiday Concert is THIS THURSDAY! TICKETS ARE SOLD OUT!

December 20 — Traditions Lunch (MS and US Students)

December 20 — Last Day of School for 2013!

January 6, 2014 — Classes Resume