Week of February 21, 2011

The Williams School works with each child to build and enduring
foundation for academic, moral and social success. A Williams School
student embodies integrity, confidence and a love of learning.

Honor before Honors

Dear Williams School Families,

Since Big Bertha’s passing, I have had inquiries from a few families as to why we need to replace Bertha with a 44-45 passenger bus (name
yet to be determined…) Thus, I began to personally monitor our bus usage and how we are coping with the loss of our bigger bus. When
you have something for so long, you tend to expect that it exists and it becomes part of the wallpaper—something you don’t really notice
…until it cracks, chips or isn’t there anymore.

And so it has been with our loss of one bus. Indeed, we have three other smaller buses that primarily serve our families who need it for pick
up and drop off at the beginning and end of school days. These buses literally have routes all over our South Hampton Roads Region.

I now more fully understand, through empirical data, the role a larger bus (Dear Bertha) filled in our daily needs. She was the bus that was
big enough to fully handle one of our lower school classes to and from our gyms and fields and pools that we use for our physical education
classes. The city is our campus, and Bertha’s larger capacity was always there to safely pick up and deposit our children as part of their
educational experience at Williams. In fact, the exact numbers of your children who use the bigger bus, just for P.E. classes is about 150 per
week, during the school day.

But then we have a sports program that uses the bigger bus so teams can “double or triple up” when we have an event at an away game.
Actually, our home court is the Salvation Army over on Raby Road and Park Place down on the other end of Colonial Avenue in town. Our
“home field” is a drive to Blue Bird Park. Our “home tennis courts” are in West Ghent. We drive to those places and we drive all over the
Hampton Roads region for all of our games.

In the past two weeks during our school days, we have had to use two to three of the “route” buses to do the work of our beloved Bertha.
And we will continue to do so for the remainder of the year. While this seems logical and good use of those buses, they have a huge amount
of miles on them already and we have had to hire additional drivers to ferry our students here and there. The wear and tear will take its toll,
on vehicles, drivers and budget.

And yet, I am not even talking about our sports program. Parents in bigger SUVs and vans have picked up our students to take them to
games as other buses are all in use after school for their routes. Thank goodness we have such a wonderfully dedicated group of team parents
who not only show up and cheer at games, but who now arrange for transportation. While I am very thankful for their efforts, but this is not a
sustainable situation.

And I forgot to mention that Bertha took no less than 30 field trips every year. These experiences both enhance and carry out our curriculum.
Right now, if more than one class wanted to go on a field trip at the same time, our current bus circumstance couldn’t handle that situation.

No kidding, I heard a parent ask another parent if she should consider getting a larger SUV for her next car purchase because she thought it
might be needed to transport students in a future without a 44-45 passenger bus at The Williams School. The cost of that new SUV would be
enough to almost fully fund an excellent used bus that would suite our needs as a school (my apologies to our car dealer families…I say go
ahead and get that SUV, but don’t do it for Williams.)

I just wanted everyone to know that we would never spend money on something here that would be superfluous. We run a very tight ship at
The Williams School and we will continue to put thoughtful time and effort to make sure the students continue to receive the most
outstanding educational experience anywhere. I also want to let you all know that the purchase of a 44-45 passenger bus is part of that
experience.

Have a wonderful President’s Day. I hope to see everyone at the auction next Saturday, February 26th at the Town Point Club at 6PM!

Warmly,

Jay
 THIS WEEK

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Monday, February 21
No School – Presidents’ Day
Camp Williams Not Available
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Tuesday, February 22
BOT Meeting 4:00pm MPR
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6 /7 Boys Basketball Practice 3:30-5:00pm Salvation Army
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Wednesday, February 23
Biography History Day 8:25am-9:00am
No Weekly School Assembly
rd th
3 & 8 Grade to Roper Center 9:30am
th th
7 /8 Boys Basketball Practice 3:30pm-5:00pm Salvation Army
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Thursday, February 24
th th
6 /7 Boys Basketball Practice 3:30-5:00pm Salvation Army
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Friday, February 25
Chinese Language & Culture Club 3:15pm-3:45pm
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Saturday, February 26
Auction – Town Point Club
PLAN AHEAD
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Monday, February 28
Dress Down Day
th th
7 /8 Boys Basketball Practice 3:30pm-5:00pm Salvation Army
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Tuesday, March 1
ETIS Tournament (TBD)
nd
Wednesday, March 2
ETIS Tournament (TBD)
Weekly School Assembly 2:25pm MPR
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Thursday, March 3
ETIS Tournament (TBD)
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Friday, March 4
Chinese Language & Culture Club 3:15pm-3:45pm

COMING EVENTS

th th
Monday, March 7 – Friday, March 11
No School – Spring Break
Attend a Fun, Educational Summer Camp Held at the College of William & Mary!
This summer send your child to iD Tech Camps – the World’s #1 technology program. During this weeklong, day and
overnight program, beginner to advanced students, ages 7-17 create video games, iPhone and iPad apps, C++ and Java
programs, websites with Flash, movies with Final Cut Studio and After Effects, Maya 3D animations and models, ad
designs, robots and more with products experts use in their professions. With one computer per student and an
average of six students per staff, students are given the attention they need to excel and take home a project at the end
of the weeklong course. Students have access to free year-round learning with iD 365, monthly online workshops taught
by live instructors. Programs are located at 60 prestigious universities nationwide. This includes the College of William
& Mary, UNC-Chapel Hill, American, Stanford, Harvard, Princeton and more. There are also special Teen programs at
select locations: iD Gaming Academy, iD Visual Arts Academy and iD Programming Academy. Visit
www.internalDrive.com or call 1-888-709-TECH (8324) for details.
Save $50 with the online Early Bird Special (ends March 15th). Use promo code SCHOOL.

The Sixth Annual Biography Day is Wednesday, February 23rd!

Each class is learning about a different group of historical people and we are all excited to celebrate by dressing
as the biography grades K through 5 have read or studied. Our middle school will dress as a person from their
history studies. We will have a brief fun activity with Bigs and Littles together in the mpr after homeroom.

Please remember to creatively use what you have or can put together at home; we don’t want anyone have to go
to any expense. I am looking forward to seeing the Wright Brothers, Ulysses S. Grant, Eleanor Roosevelt,
Shirley Temple, Albert Einstein, Marco Polo and so many others! Please feel free to contact me with any
questions.

Please join us at the Auction!

Marrakesh Express
-A Magical Journey Through Morocco
February 26, 2011, Town Point Club. 6:00 p.m.
Facts about the Auction:
*There will be an Auction Preview on February 24th from 2:30 until 6:00 p.m. in the MPR. Stop by to take a
peek at all of the wonderful items we have to offer – including the class furniture projects, baskets for kids and
adults, jewelry, home décor and sports memorabilia.

* Free henna painting will be offered at the Auction Preview from 2:30 until 5:00 pm. Henna designs can
last, on average, from ten days to two weeks.

*The entertainment this year is a belly dancer. She is known as “The Moroccan Rose.”
*The Auction website is LIVE! Check it out at http://thewilliamsschool.maestroweb.com. In an effort to
shorten the length of the Live Auction, we have reduced the number of Live Auction items. This means that
our “Super Silent” category is a lot bigger and even more exciting this year!

*Don’t forget to buy your Auction tickets (and let your Auction volunteers sleep a bit easier this weekend!).
Go to www.thewilliamsschool.org/auction2011 and scroll down to the order form, pick up an order form in
the front office, or contact Jennifer Cahoon at (757) 627-1383 ext. 232 or jcahoon@thewilliamsschool.org.

*Best of Live! tickets are NOW ON SALE. The price is $150. Limited to 50 tickets (and only one per family
prior to the auction). Go to www.thewilliamsschool.org (there’s a link under the “What’s New” section) or
contact Jennifer Cahoon at jcahoon@thewilliamsschool.org. You must be present to win.

*The deadline to Order Auction Tiles is February 23rd. Tiles are $50 each and may be purchased online or by
contacting Jennifer Cahoon at (757) 627-1383 ext. 232 or jcahoon@thewilliamsschool.org.

Hop on the Bus

We need to replace “Big Bertha” so we’re raising money for a bus at the Auction. Every little bit counts, so
come out and help us buy a new set of wheels.

Auction Item Spotlight

We have twelve summer camps to offer! Check the details out at http://thewilliamsschool.maestroweb.com
for details. Start planning your summer now, and support The Williams School at the same time.

Three Cities, Three Seasons Cocktail Parties:

The Golpiras, the Astons and the Benedettos invite you to join them for cocktails! This series of three cocktail
parties begins on April 30th on the banks of the Lafayette River at the Norfolk home of Pierre and Liz Golpira.
Kick off the Fall on September 24th at the home of Cindy and Bob Aston in Portsmouth. Winter blues got you
down? Michael and LeAnne Benedetto are planning a Bahama-themed party for January 14th at their home in
Virginia Beach. You're welcome to take a polar plunge into Broad Bay if the Bahama heat leaves you feeling a
bit warm. Three parties not to be missed!
Donated by: Bob and Cindy Aston, Michael and LeAnne Benedetto, Pierre and Liz Golpira

Sheraton Drop Leaf Table and Six Chairs

Compliment your décor with this Sheraton Drop Leaf table (circa 1830) and six (6)
chairs. 50% of winning bid will be donated to the construction of Saint Gabriel
Middle School in Lascahobas, Haiti.
Donated by: Allan and Patricia Britz
Thank you to our Auction Sponsors!
Much of the success with our annual auction is due to the wonderful support of our generous sponsors.
Please join us in thanking our partners to date:

Founder’s Event Sponsors

Tony and Monica Cetrone

Heritage Event Sponsors

Jason and Michelle Hirschfeld
Andria and Mike McClellan

Marrakesh Sponsors $2,500 and Above:

Amerigroup Foundation
Lloyd and Laura Taliaferro
TowneBank
Wynne Ford & Wynne Volvo

Fes Sponsors $1,500 to $2,499:

Marybeth and Jim Dixon
Katherine and Joel English
Pam and Mike Robinson

Meknes Sponsors $750 to $1,499:

Associated Distributors
Kedron and Derek Fix
Norfolk Tug
David and Kathy Shelton
Young Yogis Yoga LLC, Olde Towne Pharmacy Center - Rita and Ron Woods

Rabat Sponsors $500 to $749:

Mike and Sabrina Anderson
Wendy and Frank Auerbach
Thomas and Carolyn Betz
Emily and John Birknes
Jason and Leigh Davis
Bill Docalovich and Lynn Tiedge
Michelle Foy
Liz and Pierre Golpira
C.W. and Marilyn Gowen
Dan and Lynn Neumann
Anne and Gordon Roesch

It’s not too late! We would love to have you as a sponsor! For more information, please contact
Jennifer Cahoon at jcahoon@thewilliamsschool.org or (757) 627-1383 ext. 232. Thank you!
Our Community in Action
Learn about the new federal Food Allergy and
Anaphylaxis Management Act (FAAMA) and how it
might help with establishing food allergy guidelines
in your school. Also, hear about other policy
developments regarding food allergy.
 Sustainable Living Fair
February 26th & 27th, ODU Webb Center