Wednesday Pilgrim School Letter from Head of School
February 17, 2010

Dear Pilgrim School families, First Church members, and Friends close and far,

This update comes early for two reasons:  1. There is so much to tell you I couldn’t wait!, and 2. I will be in the Midwest the rest of the week meeting with college admissions directors on behalf of our Pilgrim students.

The featured speaker at this morning’s TAPPS meeting was LAPD Olympic Division Lead Officer Malkonian.  The Olympic Division is new, running from Hoover Street west to Arlington.  Officer Malkonian spoke about safety issues, and gave some valuable phone numbers and web addresses, which I share below.

Parents (and auction co-chairs) Kathryn Atwood and Annie Johnson updated parents about our forthcoming Vegas bash, Diamonds Are Forever.  They, along with a group of parents, are putting together a great party, which will bring us together as a community for an evening of fun and fundraising.  Thank you, Kathryn and Annie and Committee!

All auction donations will be listed in the Souvenir Program, and sent home a week prior to the party so you can begin your “shopping” early.  A bid sheet will also be included, for those who wish to bid (or “buy it now”) but cannot attend.

TAPPS became a major Diamonds Are Forever sponsor, underwriting teacher tickets to the party.  I cannot tell you how much this means to me, personally, and to our teachers.  It is a way the entire parent population can help to support this fundraiser as well as our fabulous faculty.  Thank you!

Thank you to the families in Grades 5 and 6 for today’s lunch for faculty and staff.  It is the “small things” that truly make us a community.  Grade 3, I am sorry to have overlooked you in January when you and Grade 4 parents got together to provide lunch for us.  Apologies, and thanks!

Speaking of feasts, Monday is our “famous” Multicultural Potluck Luncheon.  City Cuisine will provide fried chicken and cornbread, and parent Lisa Elliott is providing side dishes, thanks to TAPPS support of Black History Month.  Whether you are Italian or Irish, African or Asian, please bring favorite foods to share with our students.  A flyer follows this letter, along with volunteer opportunities.  Thank you!

Next week, the Black History Museum will be unveiled.  In the spirit of the multicultural potluck, Coordinator (and awesome Pilgrim parent) Lisha Rigney invites parents to bring in any cultural artifacts from their background to share by Friday.  Items will be stored in Dr. Kidder’s office (thank you, Dr. Kidder!), and will be on display in Amanda Scott Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.  Each grade will visit the Museum, and all are encouraged and invited to enjoy the displays.

Incidentally, last Saturday’s Rent Party in support of Black History Month was fantastic!  Thank you to the parents who organized it (Chloe Reid and Coco Wilson among others).  Great music, and great times!

There is more to celebrate!  All three of our varsity teams are in the California Interscholastic Federation playoffs, just as they were last year.  Congratulations!  Our girls’ basketball team, and boys’ basketball and soccer teams, have worked hard to dominate in the Omega League.  Tonight is the boys’ basketball game, and tomorrow girls’ basketball and soccer both have playoffs.  Wish them well.  Go, Patriots!  (A full schedule follows.)

I have been asked by First Church, whose campus we use, to remind Pilgrim parents and visitors that the Church parking lot is for use by First Church members and staff only.  School parking begins just past the drop-off area.  If the lot is full and you wish to park, Fifth Street is an option, as is Commonwealth.  Please be sure to put ample change in the meters!  (I also realize that street cleaning takes place once a week from 8 to 10, a time we hope to convince City Hall to change so that parents don’t get tickets during morning drop-off.)

Today begins the Lenten season leading up to Easter.  Every Thursday until Holy Week, organist in residence Wayne S. Foster is performing the organ works of the great Felix Mendelssohn at noon.  Programs such as this are one of the amazing cultural opportunities that Pilgrim community members have – and the concerts are free.

I look forward to seeing everyone on Monday – which is all-school chapel, so please remember the formal dress uniforms!

With best wishes,

Mark A. Brooks
Head of School

PS: Our Science faculty has informed me that we need judges for the Science Fair.  No need to be a scientist, all who are interested are invited to e-mail Sarah Hatfield (shatfield@pilgrim-school.org) for specifics.  Thank you!

DATES TO REMEMBER

Wednesday, February 17
7 pm:  Boys’ Varsity Basketball CIF Playoff Game!
Pilgrim v Calvary Baptist at Ribet Academy (2911 N. San Fernando Road, Los Angeles)

Thursday, February 18
7 pm:  Girls’ Varsity Basketball CIF Playoff Game!
Pilgrim v Big Pine.  Team leaves at 8 a.m., and returns Friday, February 19, 2 pm

3 pm:  Boys’ Varsity Soccer CIF Playoff Game!
Pilgrim v Bishop Union.  Team leaves Friday at 8 a.m., returns at 2 pm

Friday, February 19
Please bring items for Black History Museum by today

Monday, February 22
All School Chapel
Multicultural Potluck Luncheon

Tuesday, February 23
Tasty Tuesday!

Wednesday, February 24
5 pm dismissal for Preschool (to allow for faculty meeting)

Friday, February 26
Re-enrollment contracts due
Spirit Day (Free Dress!)

ATHLETICS SCHEDULE

Thursday, February 18, 2010:
Middle School Basketball @ First Lutheran (Venice)
Directions: 10 Frwy/ W to the 405 Frwy/ S to the 90 Frwy(W/Marina Frwy/ to Lincoln Blvd/ R to the school.
Game Time:        3:30pm
Return Time:    6:15pm

Thursday, February 18:
3:30:  Hollywood/Wilshire Elementary Basketball game
at First Lutheran in Venice

Friday, February 19:   
4 pm:  Hollywood/Wilshire Elementary Basketball game
at Summit View West in Los Angeles.

Friday, February 19, 2010:
Middle School Basketball @ Summit View West
12101 W. Washington Blvd, Los Angeles
Directions: 10 Frwy/ W to the 405 Frwy/ S to Washington Blvd. continue straight to Sawtelle Blvd/ R to W. Washington Blvd / L to the school
Game Time:        4:00 pm
Return Time:    6:15pm

Wednesday, February 24, 2010 (makeup game from 2/8)
Basketball vs. Hollywood Schoolhouse, home game
Game Time:     4:00pm     (Note: This is a makeup date from  2/8.)

Thursday, March 4, 2010:
Basketball vs. Summit View West, home game
Game Time:        4:00pm

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER

March 13, 2010

Auction Co-Chairs Mrs. Johnson and Ms. Atwood have been busy!  Here are some new and updated items that have been donated, but first, an editorial correction!

•    The deep-sea expedition with Barry Gleiberman was incorrectly reported last week as deep-sea diving, when in fact he is offering to take people deep-sea FISHING!  This will be the experience of a lifetime for 30 people!

•    Spago Beverly Hills:  Dinner for two!  Perfect for an anniversary, birthday, or plain old-fashioned self-indulgence.

•    Lakers tickets – Row 7.  So close, you will see Kobe sweat!

•    An incredible golf package valued at $1800 and put together by Kindergarten, which includes

A two-night stay at the Westin Missions Hills Resort, Rancho Mirage (one of the Top 75 Golf Resorts, according to Golf Digest Magazine); includes a round of golf and two massages

A pro lesson at Annandale Golf Club in Pasadena

Golf “supplies,” books and more!

--This would be a great Father’s Day gift, thank you for Coach Sarafian, or maybe you just want it for yourself!

•    Color Me Mine with Mrs. Um and Ms. Piccinino for a lucky winner and friend!

•    Poet-in-Residence Charlotte Innes will write a poem about your child.

•    A jewelry party!  Over a delicious meal, enjoy a presentation about what to look for in jewelry, with a piece to take home.

•    Tequila from a boutique distiller.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Coco Wilson fills us in on the Rent Party:

“Thank you for sharing a fun night of dance and mingling for Black History Month. This party is a mini-fundraiser to cover some of the cost for the soul food luncheon.  Saturday night we raised $500!  Huge thanks go out to Lisa Elliott for bringing the munchies, Reno Wilson and Leroy Tyndale for being our certified mixologists, Deneen Cox for being our DJ, the Boutelles for our venue, Marlo Afflalo for instigating the BHM, AND... to all of you who made it a party by being there and being so danged cool!!!”

FINE ARTS CENTER UPDATE

I am writing to let you know that the Pilgrim School Fine Arts Center is almost complete!

As I write, the final coat of stucco is being applied.  Once the stucco is dried and sealed, the scaffolding will come down!  Mr. Kopp and Ms. Alexy, our phenomenal art teachers, are thrilled with the space, and I think our students will be, too.  I know that I am!  Once we get the occupancy permit from the city, classes will be held in the Center.

We are planning an opening celebration on Saturday, April 17, from 6 to 8 pm.  Please mark your calendars!  A selection of artworks from the private collection of the Quinn family will be on view.  The collection concentrates on Los Angeles artists from the 1960s through now and includes such iconic artists as Billy Al Bengston, Kenny Price, Ed Moses, Ed Ruscha, and others.

This will be a remarkable opportunity to see museum-quality work in our own Arts Center.  I want to publicly thank the Quinn family for their commitment to Pilgrim School and for creating this temporary exhibition for our community.

While we were building the Arts Center, we took the opportunity to freshen up four of the five preschool rooms.  I think our youngest scholars (and their parents) will enjoy their new “digs”!  Classes will be moved one at a time to allow for a smooth transition.  The other classroom will be updated over the summer.

Thank you for your patience with this project.  Our students will receive years of art instruction in our new building (the first on campus since 1964).  I hope you will join me in celebrating this grand occasion.

SECONDARY NEWS

Pilgrim’s Chinese teacher, Dr. Sherry Walker, hosted a wonderful lunar New Year banquet last Friday night for 150 guests!  Every student who is taking Chinese (which includes the entire 7th grade!), every international student from China and their families or guardians were invited!  It was a wonderful evening, including recitations and performances by the students.

I would like to share part of a letter we received from a parent who attended:

Dear Dr. Walker:

I wanted to congratulate you on a very enjoyable and lovely Chinese New Year banquet celebration. I thought it was a great success, full of joy and energy. It is obvious that your students are very inspired to learn Chinese, and they very much appreciate your teaching. I know Michael really likes learning Chinese and he has already told me that he will want to continue full-time Chinese next year.

It is a testimony to you, particularly your devotion to your students and your love of teaching. You should be very proud of what you have accomplished.

As you know, the Lunar New Year is the most important holiday for Chinese, though it isn't celebrated nearly as much in the U.S. as it is in China. So I thought it was wonderful that you could generate such a warm, festive atmosphere, truly infused with the spirit of the Lunar New Year's celebration as seen in Asia. This is a great thing for everyone--students, parents, families and faculty--to be a part of.

Again, thank you very much and congratulations for all that you have done, and all that you will continue to do, to further the teaching of Chinese language and culture at Pilgrim. As a Chinese, I feel this is a very important way to round out my son's education and help him understand his roots.

Xin nian kuai le!

Pierre Wong

PRESCHOOL NEWS

Our "Mommy and Daddy Club" is scheduled on Friday, February 26th from 3:30-4:30 PM in the toddler classroom. We will have a “Family Royal Tea Party” and a fun imaginative play with the parents by making crowns. Dress-up for parents is optional but encouraged. Please bring your favorite biscuits or cookies!
Due to construction, the Preschool and JrK Multicultural Luncheon potluck will be held in the elementary yard on Monday, February 22nd from 11:30-12:30 PM. Please sign up for the potluck!
Coco Wilson has invited a capoeira (dance/martial art) presenter to come and do a demonstration for the Preschool next Wednesday, February 24th.  Thank you!
On Monday, March 1, the John Tracy Clinic will conduct hearing screenings at Pilgrim School to identify children who may have undetected hearing loss. Results will be reported to parents. If necessary, parents can consult their medical provider or the John Tracy Clinic for further evaluation. With early medical and educational intervention, the effects of a hearing loss can be significantly reduced.  There is no charge for this screening, which we highly recommend. If you wish your child to be screened, please sign the permission slip and return it to your child's teacher as soon as possible.

EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS

Olympic Division Lead Officer Malkonian shared the following safety tips at today’s TAPPS meeting.

First, he highly recommended that families subscribe to nixel.com.  This service provides instant feedback regarding criminal activity, traffic reports and other information in your community.  You can sign up for various locations.

There is one city-wide phone number that residents can call to get a variety of services from reporting eyesores such as trash; street lights that are out; graffiti; and other quality-of-life issues.  That number is 311.  This goes straight to an operator who can assist you.

In a non-emergency if you need to get reach the police, call 1-877-ASK-LAPD (275-5273).  This brings you in touch with a dispatcher, who will most efficiently route your call.

In the case of an emergency and you can use only your cell phone, call
213-928-8206.  Officer Malkonian strongly suggested that you dial this in to your cell phone.  If you call 911 on your cell phone, most calls are routed through the California Highway Patrol.  Also, 911 cannot track where you are while using a cell.

In the case of an emergency if you are near a land-line, that is always the phone to use.

LIBRARY CORNER

Harlem Masquerade by Nikki Grimes won the Coretta Scott King Award in 2003.  It opens with a high school student reading a poem he has written in his English class. Other students want to participate and soon most of the students are sharing narratives in which they reveal their deeply personal thoughts. It’s a novel both thoughtful and sincere, and it can be found in our Pilgrim School Secondary Library!
Happy birthday to Garrett Ikegami!  His family is celebrating in part by “adopting” library books in his honor.  Thank you!

COMMUNITY SERVICE NEWS

A great big thanks goes out to all those who participated in our Relief Drive for Haiti. The moneys are still being counted and soon we will send one large check to Doctors Without Borders. A special thanks goes to elementary school art teacher Katrina Alexy, who led the students in making refrigerator magnets that were sold to support our drive. But we also want to thank every child who used his or her own money to help our neighbors in need. Thank you to all those parents, who, in conjunction with African American History Month, organized the drive to collect shoes for Haitians. Thank you to all those who contributed to the Hope-Net food drive as well. It is wonderful to witness the generosity of our community.