Date: Wednesday – December 14, 2011

Important Messages from The Cottage School are attached. Please sign this form indicating their receipt and return to the school

with your student tomorrow. Thank You!!

Parent Signature________________________________________

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December 14, 2011

Wednesday Packet

Important Dates/Information

High School ½ Day Exams – December 19th-21st – Noon Dismissal/HS Only M.S. Teacher Work Day – Wednesday, December 21st – No School/MS Only

Teacher Work Day – Thursday, December 22nd – No School MS & HS Winter Break – December 23rd-January 6th

Office Staff Return – Wednesday, January 4th First Day of Second Semester – Monday, January 9th

DUE NO LATER THAN TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20TH

LUNCH MENU SELECTIONS FOR JANUARY FOR THOSE WHO PARTICIPATE.

AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM

The January session begins the day we return for second semester…Monday, January 9th.

The Lunch Menu and ASP forms are available at the following link:

http://cottageschool.org/school/?page_id=177

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So much going on and Joe and I want to participate in all of it! We are very happy that we were able to attend Monday night’s High School play. These student performances are always a treat, but this one was particularly enjoyable! Director/Teacher/Renaissance man, Ryan Lafitte, creatively composed two vignettes taken from the early radio days. Then he, with help from Katja and Wilfrid, crafted a set and lines that allowed the radio personalities to also selectively dramatize the lines. The support team of staff and students worked their magic! The two offerings, Dracula and Our Miss Brooks, served the versatility of the cast beautifully! Not only was the amount of memorization impressive, but the timing, staging and line delivery was excellent! Of course, most of the audience was not around for Orson Wells or Eve Arden (Our Miss Brooks) but those are both timeless icons, who were certainly celebrated by the TCS Drama department. Information is in this packet about the Middle School performance next Tuesday! Always a treat! Speaking of treats, your PAC has done it again! With the delivery of personalized coffee/tea cups, followed by room service delivery of breakfast snacks yesterday morning, our entire staff feels appreciated!! During this hectic time of year, it is difficult to fit one more thing in! However, the ladies led by Kim Kitzler, Brenda Hall, Rene’ Boven, Kim Kershaw, Mekel Wakshlag, and their capable and willing helpers, certainly set the tone for a holiday season that focuses on others! Thank you PAC!! I hope all of you are following our successful senior class and their many post-secondary accomplishments. No matter what the journey has entailed for them, the final product is something to celebrate!! They have worked hard on academics, social skills, responsibility, goal setting, just to name a few, and they are now reaping the results of their efforts. I would be remiss if I did not also indicate that this was not a journey they have made alone. Every senior has a strong circle of family, friends and TCS staff who have provided encouragement, buffered them during difficulties and disappointments, offered a listening heart, and a gentle shove, when needed. It is important that they know how to ask for help and where to find the resources that will assist them in the future. Over the next few months we will watch, in amazement, as the gangly and awkward teens of the past become the confident and articulate young adults we all knew they could be. An amazing journey! Of course, it is not without its bumps along the way, but history has shown us how lasting these lessons are and how far our alumni can go! First semester will be over in a few short days. The gifts of the season are here, every day, in every classroom and office. It is the hearts and souls, the smiles and hugs, the moments of joy and generosity that keep our hearts filled. We make a good team and I look forward to semester two and all of the richness it promises!

Happy Holidays!!!!

December 14, 2011

Jacque’s Note

Show your COUGAR SPIRIT for

HOMECOMING WEEK

JANUARY 9th-13th

(This is the first week of school after the Winter Break!)

Participate in the following DRESS UP DAYS and help your building win SPIRIT

WEEK! Remember to be on time the whole week and stay in dress code, even

when dressing up, or no credit will be awarded.

Monday (Jan 9th)—Sports Day: Wear your favorite team jersey or any

sports gear (no jeans)

Tuesday (Jan 10th)—Hawaiian Shirt Day (shirt must be collared, no jeans)

Wednesday (Jan 11th)—Tacky Day (shirt must be collared, no jeans)

Thursday (Jan 12th)—Dress for Success Day

Friday (Jan 13th)—Purple and White Day (if you wear purple, you can wear jeans!)

See your homeroom teacher for more details on each dress up day and any questions

whether your costume will be dress code appropriate.

And don’t forget about Homecoming 2012 on Saturday, January 14th!

WE NEED YOU….

To Make Homecoming 2012 a

HUGE Success

We need volunteers on the following days:

January 12th

Pep Rally Decorators/Sign Makers

8:30am, Cottage School Gym

January 14th

Gym Decorators

12pm-2pm

Alumni Hospitality Hosts/Greeters

4pm-7pm

Shifts are for one hour and can be adjusted to fit your schedule. Signs

for the Pep Rally can also be made at home. Contact Lesley Masisak in

Advancement at 678-250-5108 to schedule your volunteer time.

Be a part of this GREAT event!

Don’t Miss it!HoMecoMing 2012

When: Saturday, January 14, 2012

What: Homecoming / MS, JV & Varsity Basketball Alumni vs. Staff Ultimate Court Challenge #7

Where: The Cougar Center

Time: 1:30 pm Doors Open 2:00 p.m. MS Junior Cougars vs. Swift School 3:00 p.m. JV Basketball vs Fideles Christian 4:00 p.m. Lady Cougars vs. Fideles Christian 5:30 p.m. Varsity Men vs New Birth Christian Academy

The Game: 7:00-ish p.m. Alumni Young Guns vs. Staff (Ultimate Court Challenge—#7)

Tickets: Adults: $3.00; Non-TCS Students: $2.00** **TCS Students/Alumni/Staff free.

PLEASE NOTE: Senior Night 2012 will be held Friday, February 3, 2012, during the final home basketball games of the 2011-2012 Season. All Seniors and their Parents will be introduced between the Lady Cougars’ and Varsity Men’s games. Watch for details!

Holiday Message about Gift Giving at TCS

You cannot go anywhere in Atlanta today without being bombarded with ideas for gifts for

the people in your life. This is a season of blessings and celebration, but it can feel like a

marathon shopping trip to fulfill the expectations of holiday giving. Guess what…we do it

differently here at TCS. First, the greatest gift you could give us is already in place. You have

shared your teen with us, and we are thrilled!! There are no words to describe the joy we

experience with every victory, accomplishment and growth. Second, there are enough costs

associated with raising children these days. Adding another set of gifts to buy when the funds

could be used for something much more permanent and meaningful, seems a waste. Third, gift

giving, although universally assumed to be a positive thing, can have some very unexpected and

unintentional consequences. If there is an inequity in the system or a competition around who

gives what to whom, the morale of the setting is deeply affected. Those of you who have been

in schools or other settings where there was no structure to the gift giving process, have seen

some (the art teacher or coach) fill their car with gifts and others (the math teacher or the

principal in charge of discipline) carry only their keys as they leave for vacation. We have also

witnessed the anxiety that results from comparing a well thought out and sacrificial gift, such as

a pen set, sitting next to the silver picture frame or other expensive item. Whether we admit it

or not, random gift giving is fraught with the potential for anxiety, misperception and hurt

feelings, on the part of both the givers and the recipients.

All of the staff members here share the role of providing the very best setting your teen can

enjoy. In order to acknowledge that fact and stay within the parameters of the holiday season,

a portion of your PAC dues (included in your tuition) goes to buy gift cards for a book store for

every TCS staff member. Your treasurer, Mekel Wakshlag, will distribute the gift cards before

the holidays with a greeting that comes from each of you. We thank you, in advance, for such a

useful and timely gift!! Since the funds for the gift come from your dues, there is nothing out of

pocket (whew!) and you can rest assured that every staff member will find joy in selecting their

reading pleasure!

We have carefully crafted a tradition that protects our parents and our staff from unnecessary

expense, financially and emotionally. Enjoy this reprieve and save your energy and your money

for special times with your beloved family! We also encourage those of you who have the

school in your “gift” budget, to contribute that amount to the PAC for this specific purpose.

Your PAC treasurer, Mekel Wakshlag, will be glad to add your donation to the fund.

Please be respectful of this practice. If you must offer something, send in some cookies that

you and your teen baked or have your teen send a heartfelt note to a teacher. Believe me,

those notes mean the world and are treasured for life! To us, this holiday is a celebration of

loving relationships and is enriched by the quality of the time we spend together, not the

quality of what we give or get. Thank you for all that you do to enhance the TCS experience!

OPPORTUNITIES KNOCKING for children 12 years old and under,

graduating High School Seniors, and young adults age 18 - 31

Information from:

Fulton County Housing & Human Services Department Office of Grants & Community Partnerships 137 Peachtree Street, SW G100 Atlanta, Georgia 30303 404-613-7944 (Office) www.FultonHumanServices.org

1. Wake Forest University has an opportunity for minority students to attend its MBA program for FREE, and so far, the response has been very poor. Please pass along this opportunity to your friends, families. This is a great school and a tremendous opportunity... to attend a top graduate school. See the details below, the contact person is: Derrick S. Boone, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Marketing, Rm. 3139 Worrell Professional Center, Babcock Graduate School of Management – Wake Forest University_ WINSTON_SALEM N.C 27109-8738 email: derrick.boone@mba.wfu.edu or visit www.wfu.edu phone# toll free (866) 925-3622 2. Black Male Teachers needed. Do you know any Black Males who are seniors in high school who want to go to college out of state for FREE? The CALL ME MISTER program offered by 4 historical black colleges in South Carolina, Benedict College, Chaflin University, Morris College and South Carolina State University – visit the www.callmemister.clemson.edu/index.htl details online application or call 1.800.640.2657 3. Harvard University is offering free tuition to families of HONOR STUDENTS and their income is less than $125,000 per year. Visit www.fao.fas.harvard.edc or call 617.495.1581. 4. Syracuse University School of Architecture is desperately seeking young women and men of color interested in pursuing a 5 yr. professional degree in Architecture. Contact: Mark Robbins, Dean School of Architecture, 201 Slocum Hall, Syracuse, NY 13244-1250 (315) 443-2256 www.syr.edu. 5. A free pair of eyeglasses from Target for any child ages 12 and under who brings a valid prescription for glasses from their doctor. You can find stores with optical departments at www.target.com. 6. APPLY NOW - If you have/know young adults between the ages of 18-31 with a High School Diploma. Can earn up to $100,000 and earn benefits. The Federal Aviation Association is taking application for Air Traffic Controller School visit the website www.faa.gov.

The PAC kicked off this year’s fundraising efforts with a Family Movie Night last month. A very special thank you to Viv Kurland and Robin Travis for mak-ing this family event such a success. Also, thank you to all the parents who volun-teered and donated items to help with this event too. We had 55 students and family members attend and raised our first $100.00 for the year. The Assistive Technology Fund was selected this year because so many of our students use it, need it, and benefit from it. The teachers were surveyed and they have submitted their wish lists. Let’s help them help our students!

The PAC is committed to making fundraising easy for TCS families. We know how overwhelming fund-raising can be, so the PAC has chosen ways to give indirectly to TCS as ways of raising funds to support the Assistive Technology Fund. This means by par-ticipating in the selected programs, you give to TCS with money you already spend each month, nothing extra to try to sell or buy. All you have to do is participate in one or more of these programs and you help the students and staff at TCS. For more infor-mation on indirect giving you can check out TCS’s home page to find more information on any of the

programs listed. Thanks for your support!

Our Progress

Look for the collection boxes near you! Turn in your box tops in the middle school or high school office.

Top Box top earner to be announced on Friday,

December 16th.

First Box Top Collection Competition!

The PAC will start a little friendly competition this month with its first collec-tion on December 15th. There will be two prizes awarded. The first will be a $25.00 iTunes gift card for the student that turns in the most box tops. The second prize will be a draw-

ing from everybody that turns in any amount of box tops. The second place prize will be a $10.00 iTunes gift card. Faculty and Staff are invited to get into the action too! The box top prize winners will be announced the next day, Friday, December 16th.

Be on the look out for your box top Ziploc bag that was sent home today. Use it to collect the box tops and to turn them in on Thursday, December 15th. Make sure you write your name on the Ziploc bag! Good Luck and go Collect those Box Tops!

Box Tops for educa-tion. BTFE.com

Amazon.com

Georgia Natural Gas Service

Publix shopping card

Box Tops for educa-tion’s Market Place

Box Tops for educa-tion’s Reading room

Target Card

Ways you can give to TCS

indirectly with the money you

already spend each month:

The PAC is raising money for the Assistive

Technology Fund.

PAC News

December 7, 2011

MS December Activities

DATE TIME Activity RAIN-

OUT

TCS$ Things to bring

Friday

12/16

Clubs

Academics

$156.40

$165.60

Wednesday

12/21

MS Teacher Work Day

Middle School will not have school. The

high school will still be having exams.

If you carpool with a high school

student, please be sure

other arrangements are made.

Thursday 12/22

All School

Teacher Work Day

NO SCHOOL

12/23

THROUGH

1/6/2012

WINTER BREAK

NO SCHOOL

Monday 1/9/2012

FIRST DAY

2ND SEMESTER

Be sure to get the needed ASP and Lunch Menus

turned in for the start of 2nd semester.

Forms available at the following link: http://cottageschool.org/school/?page_id=177

ENJOY YOUR WINTER BREAK!!

December 20th,

2011

1:40 pm

In the RCC Parents welcome!

Middle School Drama

presents:

“Finders Keepers?”

and

“Go Constitution!”

Emory Shulse

High School December

Date Time December Rain out TCS $ Things to bring/US$

Friday

12/16

Academics

8:15

10:00

12:00

12:45

2:40

Levels

Academics

Lunch

Academics

Homeroom

$336.89

Aquarium

$299.46

Academic material to

complete work and spare

reading materials, if you

will be in academics all day!

Off-Campus 10:00-

2:00

2:40

Tellus Museum

Homeroom

$326.03

Aquarium

$289.80

Sack lunches or real $ for

lunch

On-Campus 10:00

12:00

12:45

2:40

Holiday Ornaments

Lunch

Wreath Making

Homeroom

$315.16

Aquarium

$280.14

Saturday

12/17

Saturday School For students who owe hours

All textbooks, notebooks,

planner, lunch and a change of

clothes for P.M. work detail

Monday,

Tuesday,

Wednesday 12/19-12/21

8:00

12:00

HS EXAMS Early dismissal for

Exam days!!!

Pencils, pens, calculator and

all other necessary items

need for exams

Thursday

12/22 No school

Teacher Work Day

Be sure to get the needed ASP and Lunch Menus

turned in for the start of 2nd semester.

Forms are available at the following link:

http://cottageschool.org/school/?page_id=177

*Don’t forget 12:00 dismissal for exam days. Make ride arrangements!

Enjoy the break: December 22nd to January 6th See you on January 9th.

Thursday, January 12th

Presentation 5:00-5:30 pm

Fair 5:30-7:30 pm

PACE ACADEMY: 966 W. Paces Ferry Road,

Atlanta, GA 30327

A time to step out of the traditional classroom

and explore the world.

www.usagapyearfairs.org

Fall Semester 2011 H.S. Exam Schedule

Exam Schedule Wednesday 12/14 1:15 - 2:40 6th period exam Thursday 12/15 1:15 - 2:40 7th period exam

8:00 - 8:15 A.M. Homeroom

8:20 - 9:50 1st period exam Monday 12/19 9:55 - 10:10 Break

10:15 - 11:45 2nd period exam

11:50 - 12:00 P.M. Homeroom

8:00 - 8:15 A.M. Homeroom

8:20 - 9:50 3rd period exam Tuesday 12/20 9:55 - 10:10 Break

10:15 - 11:45 4th period exam

11:50 - 12:00 P.M. Homeroom

8:00 - 8:15 A.M. Homeroom

8:20 - 9:50 5th period exam Wednesday 12/21 9:55 - 10:10 Break

10:15 - 11:45 Homeroom exam

11:50 - 12:00 P.M. Homeroom

Teacher Work Day Thursday 12/22 8:00 - 3:00 NO SCHOOL

Have a great Winter Break!

DECEMBER 23 to JANUARY 6

Second Semester Begins January 9

ATTENTION HS Parents and Students: In an effort to help our teenagers learn the concept of Sick/Personal Leave in the work place, we have a system that tracks their attendance hours as if they were on the job. Each student earns 8 hours (1 day) every 4 weeks and can use or accumulate up to 32 hours (4 days) per semester. If they are absent more than their allotted hours, they make them up. If they save the hours, they can cash them in for days off during exams- like we save days for vacation at work. Please check accumulated/negative attendance hours with your student, and verify with their homeroom teacher during weekly calls. Students who have saved hours are eligible to take early exams and buy-off their exam days for an extended break! Students who are eligible to buy off exam days will bring home an Exam Buy-off Form with their positive hours listed and they will need your signature to be able to take advantage of this privilege. If your student has negative hours, it is imperative that they make-up negative hours prior to Saturday School on December 17, 2011. If they fail to do so, they will have to attend Saturday School. Students who owe hours and who do not attend Saturday School will be suspended for the three days following December 17th per our school policy. This means that suspended students will miss all three days of exams and will receive a ‘0’ for those exams. For students who owe hours, they may come in early from 7 to 8 A.M. or stay after school from 3 to 4 P.M. We strongly encourage them to make up their hours daily, so they can avoid Saturday School all together!

Thank you,

High School

February 21st – 24th

North Carolina

-Ski or Board-

For extra info check out permission slips on the Cottage School’s web site or you can contact Ivan…

Don’t forget money and permission slip due by January -20-2012

Students who have never skied or snowboarded before must

take a MANDATORY lesson!

Basic Package Transportation, lodging, ski/snowboard

rental and Lift tickets to ski Wednesday and

Thursday during the day:

Circle one:

Ski Snowboard

$280.00 $300.00

*damages to individual equipment will be billed to the individual student

Deluxe Package Transportation, lodging, ski/snowboard

rental and lift tickets to ski Wednesday and

Thursday during the day and at night:

Circle one:

Ski Snowboard

$300.00 $320.00

*damages to individual equipment will be billed to the individual student

Due to Ivan on or before January 20th –

no exceptions & no refunds (unless you don’t have enough TCS $$!)

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ (Please detach, sign and return w/check)_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

PERMISSION SLIP: I give my permission for ________________________(student) to attend the Cottage School Savings Account trip to Beech Mountain, N.C. from February 21st – 24th. I understand students will be transported in school vehicles. My check for the____________ package is made out to The Cottage School in the amount of $______________. My student (circle one) HAS/HAS NOT skied/ HAS/HAS NOT snowboarded before. ________________________________________________________________ Signature of parent or legal guardian for above mentioned student

Tuesday, Feb. 21st Wednesday, Feb. 22nd Thursday, Feb. 23rd Friday, Feb. 24th 7:45am-Drop gear by buses 7am Rise, Shower & breakfast ($$) 7am Rise, Shower & B’fast ($$) 5:30am Rise & Pack Busses 1:05- Load into buses - Depart 8am Meet in Parking lot/ 8:30am Meet at Group Sales 6:30am Depart 5:30- Stop for dinner ($$) Paperwork at Group Sales 12pm Lodge Lunch ($$) 8am Stop for B’fast ($$) 8:30- Arrive at houses 12pm Meet for lunch at Lodge ($$) 4pm Back to house to rest 12pm Stop for Lunch ($$) 9:30- Unload and get to bed 4pm Back to house to rest Deluxe Pkg: Ski until 10pm 2:30 Arrive at school early for morning skiing Deluxe Pkg: Ski until 10pm 5:30 Dinner ($$) Clean Busses 5:30 Dinner ($$) 10pm Back to houses/ bed 3:00 Meeting w/ Skiers 10pm Back to houses/ bed Dismissal

North Carolina February 21st – 24th

$138.47

TCS $$

*Meals tagged with a ($$) are the responsibility of the student!

*Please note that the package pricing does not include food money ($$) and any extra spending money students may want for ice skating, tubing and/or shopping.

Attention All Seniors!

Please make sure that you bring your post-secondary acceptance letters to school so that we can confirm your acceptances!

Congratulations to the following seniors on their post-secondary

acceptances!

Jason Benator – Florida Institute of Technology, Kennesaw State University, Oglethorpe University, Embry-Riddle Griffin Boven – Andrew College, Beacon College Brendan Jagielski – Reinhardt University Jonathan Oakes – Drexel University, Roanoke College, Mercer University, Colorado School of Mines John Peaden - Johnson & Wales University Kristina Tull - Young Harris College and Truett-McConnell College

The remaining seniors’ applications are still in process. Stay tuned!!

Senior Scholarship Awards 2011

Please congratulate our seniors on their scholarship awards so far…we are

so proud! Jason Benator – Florida Institute of Technology - $10,000 Brendan Jagielski – Reinhardt University - $3,000 per year Jonathan Oakes – Mercer University - $17,000 per year Drexel University - $13,000 per year Roanoke College - $15,500 per year Kristina Tull - Young Harris College - $12,000 per year

If your senior has a post-secondary acceptance letter or has been awarded

scholarship money please contact Lori Dasher at 678-250-5113 or

lorid@cottageschool.org so we can share their accomplishments!