Dear Families,
It has been a great week leading into a well-deserved Thanksgiving break for students. Thank you to Karen Gowen P'09,'10,'14 for capturing this photo of pure joy from the football team's win over Tatnall on Saturday to bring home the Cannon and conference championship.

There were similar scenes at the conclusion of the boys' and girls' cross-country State Championship meets on Saturday. Both teams finished 4th in the race to continue the proud tradition of SAS cross-country. The girls fielded one of the top five fastest teams in School history and the boys redefined the term "rebuilding" after losing four of their top five runners to college last year.

Boys varsity soccer won back-to-back conference championships for the first time since 1996 and faced #2 Charter in the first round of the State Tournament on Saturday. Charter fielded an All-America striker and scored five goals in a game on five different occasions this year, but the Saints played inspired defense before an own-goal in the final minutes led to a 1-0 heart-breaking loss.

We celebrated all the teams at our fall Athletic Assembly yesterday afternoon. One by one, coaches took to the stage and thanked their players. The stories they told emphasized lessons of teamwork, hard work, selflessness, and dedication — all character traits that will stick with these young men and women long after the wins and losses are forgotten.

The lessons will of course continue this winter as students take on squash, basketball, wrestling, swimming, a play, a musical, mock trial, and forestry (after, of course, a full day of classes).

Happy Thanksgiving,
Will Robinson '97
Communications

Deadlines for Service Trip Opportunities Fast Approaching

Thanksgiving might be the perfect time to discuss several of the service trip opportunities available for students during the spring and summer breaks. Please note that deadlines to join four of our trips are right around the corner.

Also on tap for the summer...

Experience St. Andrew’s College Program

Representatives from nine colleges and universities arrived on campus early this morning to spend the day visiting classes, meeting with students and faculty, attending lunch and tonight’s Thanksgiving dinner and chapel service. Tomorrow, this same group will serve as guest panelists and small group discussion leaders for the V Form Parent and Student College Program.

This year’s representatives come to us from Babson College, Boston University, Carleton College, University of Chicago, Grinnell College, Tulane University, University of Vermont, Williams College, and Yale University.

Thank you to Kassy Fritz and her team in College Counseling for making this innovative and unique program possible.

Green Cup Recycle Challenge Results Are In!

Students announced today that St. Andrew's placed 10th out of 67 schools in this year's Green Cup Recycle Challenge. The month-long challenge asked school communities to measure their recycling efforts.

Thanks to the initiative of our new Director of Sustainability Diana Burk, this was the first year that St. Andrew's participated in the challenge meant to educate students on the impact of recycling. We look to build on this effort throughout the year and use it to further emphasize the importance of living sustainably.

Professional Development

Religious Studies teacher Nate Crimmins is driving to Chicago (as you read this) to attend this year's American Academy of Religion conference, the world’s largest gathering of religious scholars. He'll spend four days engaged in lectures, roundtable discussions, and workshops.

Shanshan Xu and ChiaChyi Chiu are attending the American Council on The Teaching of Foreign Languages conference in Philadelphia today and tomorrow. Chiachyi is presenting on both days with talks focused on how technology can enhance effective language learning and her use of story-based projects to help students develop a global competency in Chinese.

Chaplains Jay Hutchinson and Dave DeSalvo are attending the National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES) Biennial Conference 2012 in Baltimore today and tomorrow. They will take part in workshops and community service events with administrators from Episcopal schools from across the country.

First Quarter Grades

First quarter report cards for students for whom grades are complete were sent via email attachment to all parent addresses earlier this week. The few remaining will be shortly forthcoming. Please be in touch with Academic Dean Nathan Costa if you have any questions or difficulties with our first academic email correspondence.

Full School Calendar — Athletics Calendar