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Sophomores at Four Winds Ropes Course
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Calendar Challenges
With the best of intentions and the information at hand, we sent families a Key Dates for the Year document. Though it has a big disclaimer on it about things potentially changing, it has caused some confusion. Add to that that our website encountered a problem that was converting our times to EST!
Our website is now correctly showing PST and we will post in this newsletter the most up-to-date dates and times for upcoming events. Several that we want to call your attention to:
Parents' Association Meeting is now September 12
Junior Talent Show is now September 14
Faculty Professional Day on October 3 means there are no classes that day!
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Family/Student Handbooks, Agreements & Directories
by Rich Parsons
Family/Student Handbooks
and printed Directories for 2017-2018 were handed out to all students at the grade level retreats on Wednesday and Thursday. Students who have more than one home received copies for each household. The Handbooks all came with an attached Handbook Agreement Form, which parents are asked to sign and return to Elizabeth Riley by September 1. If needed, digital copies of the Handbook and
Handbook Agreement Form
can be found on the Branson website
at this link
. The agreement is also downloadable here if you click on the words above.
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Directory Changes
Every year after the directory is sent to the printer, we find a few omissions or changes. Please mark these in your directories:
Family changes:
Add to
Caitlin Evers, ‘21
Peter and Marisa Evers
6 Neila Way
Mill Valley, CA 94941
H - 415-888-3314
M - 415-823-4987
Add to
Helena Bates, ‘20
Marlene Bates
350 Margarita Drive
San Rafael, CA 94901
H 415-794-9485
M - 415-513-3302
Faculty/Staff Changes
Business Office:
Shana Jones
- GL Accountant, Ext. 222
Advancement:
Maria Kallmeyer
- Advancement Systems Associate, Ext. 215
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Show your Branson Spirit from Day One! Branson Spirit Wear will be for sale on Monday and Tuesday, August 28th & 29th, in front of The Commons during lunch AND on Friday at the football game. Come check out all of the new gear — sweatshirts, long and short sleeve T-shirts, sports bras, tank tops, and hats – along with the old favorites — PJ bottoms and sweatpants. After the first week,all spirit wear will be available at the Snack Shack.
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Carson Levit '20 was named Marin IJ Golfer of the Year
Read article
here.
(Photo from Marin IJ)
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Coach Tom Ryan's return as Branson's Athletic Director was featured in the Marin IJ.
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Teaching Workshop for Marin Performing Stars This Summer
by Kate Dilley '18
This summer, I organized and taught a three-day dance workshop for a group of four girls from the Marin Performing Stars program. The workshop was two hours a day; it focused on enriching the students' dance technique as well as giving them a safe space to be creative and artistic. The curriculum I taught included basic modern and ballet technique, as well as exploration of the choreographic and improvisational processes.
It was incredibly rewarding for me to see the girls grow in just three short days; by the end of the workshop, they had become notably more confident and grounded dancers.
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Shown above with the girls in her workshop, Kate Dilley is a senior in the Dance Performance Ensemble and the LEAP program coordinator and student teacher.
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What's New in CE?
The Community Engagement (CE) Office is excited to announce that we now have an online and mobile hours reporting system, x2VOL! Students will now be able to report their hours on their phones or their computers and will be receiving instructions about how to register in the first two weeks of school. If you have any questions, please reach out to
elizabeth_siarny@branson.org
.
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Jenna Deibel Honored by Wildcare
This summer,
Jenna Deibel '17
was awarded Wildcare's Teen Volunteer Award this summer along with a check for $1,500. Wildcare event organizer explains, "The Shirly Gans Young Adult Volunteer Award was founded in 2017 in honor of WildCare’s longest volunteer who gave 32 years and 5,300 hours of service before retiring in 2016. The winner of this year’s award, , Branson’s own Jenna Deibel '17, has been volunteering at WildCare for six years, and has served well over 1,000 hours in multiple capacities. She started out in the Wildlife Hospital at the age of 12 and at the age of 14, she was promoted to Team Lead, and again at 16 was promoted to Supervisor—the youngest Supervisor in the Hospital. To her commitment to the Hospital, she began volunteering in the Volunteer Department help keep the department on top of its 500 volunteers. This spring, Jenna designed her Senior Capstone to work in the hospital and with the Development team. This summer, she volunteered 40 hours per week at WildCare with a chipper demeanor, and without tire."
Congratulations, Jenna!
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AUGUST 28 - First Day of School
SEPTEMBER 1 - Welcome Week Dance
The Commons, 8 - 10 pm
SEPTEMBER 4 - Labor Day, no school
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First Parents' Association Meeting of the Year!
Please join us at the first Parents' Association (PA) Meeting of the year on September 12!
From 8:30 am to 9:00 am coffee and a light breakfast will be served for parents to socialize; the meeting will start promptly at 9:00 am will end on or before 10:15 am. Come hear our Head of School Chris Mazzola kick off the year as our first guest.
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Branson's Snack Shack Needs You!
by Aimee West, Coordinator
The Snack Shack is a great place to engage with the kids and enjoy the beautiful Branson campus. Support our kids and sign up for an hour once a week, once a month, or whatever suits your schedule.
SCHEDULE
Please note, with the new 6-day rotating schedule, the time slots are different from last year, different each day, and each week. The slots have shifted but the times are actually shorter than last year in most cases.
We will be open 2 shifts per day and are aiming to staff it with 2 people per shift to help cover the busy peak hours. Call a friend and sign up together or meet someone new when you volunteer at the sweetest spot on campus!
TRAINING
Training on the iPads (which are super easy to use) takes less than 10 minutes at the Snack Shack. Training is available:
8/24/17 - 12:00 p.m. after the Freshman Orientation Drop-off
8/28/17 - 8:45 a.m. on the first day of school
9/12/17 - 10:15 a.m. immediately following the first PA meeting
If you can't make one of these training sessions, no worries! Pascale, Ulrike, Metka, and I will be available to train new volunteers in the first few weeks of school. Please add a note in the comment area of your shift if you need training or a quick refresher.
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Class of 2021 Reminders
Freshman-Senior Breakfast on Monday August 28th at 7:45 am -The Academic Quad
Welcome Week Dance on Friday September 1, 8:00-10:00 pm - The Commons
Freshman Ice Cream Social on Thursday, September 14 (just prior to JTS) from 3:15 to 4:00 pm - Under large tree in front of Res (which houses the admissions office, theater, and library
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Class of 2018 Reminders
AUGUST
Senior Parent Reception at Chris’ house
(parents only)
Sunday, August 27 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Senior/Freshmen Student Breakfast in the Academic Quad
Monday, August 28 7:45 am - 8:50 am
SEPTEMBER
Senior College Night
(parents and students)
Wednesday, September 6 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
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Swiss Exchange Opportunity for Juniors and Junior Families!
by Anne Butti
Would your junior student like to spend a few weeks in Switzerland this summer? The Branson Swiss Exchange program is an excellent opportunity for your student to experience “studying abroad” while immersed in a memorable cultural exchange.
We are looking for junior families willing to host a Swiss student from October 21 to November 10, 2017. The Swiss students attend classes at Branson and participate in extracurricular activities while at Branson, much like your own son/daughter.
Your son/daughter will then leave for Switzerland June 9 (the day after Branson’s Graduation) and spend three weeks enjoying an incredible itinerary of activities hosted by the families (whose child you hosted) and faculty in Zurich. This is a very special opportunity to dip one’s toe into the experience of studying abroad.
Swiss students at Branson: October 21 - November 10.
Branson students in Switzerland: June 9 - June 30, 2018.
Please email
Anne Butti
for for details or call her at 415.455.7132.
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V
olunteer to Join the Annual Fund Team!
We put the “Fun” in Fundraising!
- Help us make 3-5 calls to Branson families before December 31, 2017
- OR, volunteer your time to help write thank you notes for annual fund gifts
- If interested, please contact Hayley Burner at hayley_burner@branson.org or 415-455-7100
SAVE THE DATE! Annual Fund Volunteer Training
Friday, September 22
8-10 am in the Old Dining Hall
Invitation to follow.
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Photo of cross country team on August 17 in Tahoe City, CA
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They Made It!
by Coach Steve Reinertsen
Branson cross country runners cool off after completing the arduous, fifteen-mile Sugar Bowl-to-Squaw Valley leg of the Pacific Crest Trail at the team’s annual Tahoe high-altitude training camp; guest coach Alex Varner ’03 squatting front left.
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Mountain Biking at Branson
Branson offers Mountain Biking as a club and competitive sport. If you would like to learn more, please
download this document
by Coach Adam Nuyens.
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Post Office Box 887 Ross, California 94957
(415) 454-3612 • www.branson.org
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