Dear Sage Families,
I have such fond memories of my family’s traditions, many of which were associated with holiday times. My
sisters and I used to look forward to decorating the tree. When it was beautiful and twinkling, my mom hid a
pickle ornament for us to find. We still laugh about the year we could not find it!
Dr. Harley Rotbart, Professor and Vice Chair of Pediatrics at Children's Hospital Colorado, and the author of
No Regrets Parenting - Turning Long Days and Short Years into Cherished Moments for Your Kids, gives some
helpful advice on creating memorable traditions with your family.
He believes that there are two important things to consider: repetition and anticipation. When you find
something that brings excitement and smiles to your kids, keep doing it - not so often that it becomes mundane,
but on a regular and predictable enough basis that it becomes part of the family repertoire. Start talking about the
traditional event days ahead of time so by the time it finally happens, your kids are beside themselves with
excitement. Anticipation can be as much fun as the tradition itself.
Here are a few examples that might inspire you this holiday season.

Turn birthdays into unique celebrations. Hang balloons in the kitchen the night before a
birthday so the family arrives at a party room in the morning. Eat pancakes in mom and dad's bed
on birthday mornings. Sing "Happy Birthday" in the most silly, off-key way possible.

Double the number of birthdays in a year. Serve half a cake on half-birthdays or a cupcake on
quarter-birthdays. You don't need gifts on these birthdays…just laughter, singing, and fun.
Celebrate your pets' birthdays, too!

Do quirky things that only your family shares. Make a silly noise in the elevator when it's just
your family taking the ride, or give a whoop every day when the clock strikes your exact address
(if you live at 720 Elm, give a cheer at 7:20 in the morning and evening).

Have a special dinner on special occasions. Designate your favorite foods for different events,
like Chinese food for every anniversary, Indian food for good report cards, hot dogs on opening
day of the baseball season, etc.

Celebrate the seasons. Have a family leaf fight every fall, go sledding the day after the first
snowfall, and eat fruit salad in the garden to celebrate summertime.

Candlelight dinner. Once a month, for no special reason, everyone dresses up and eats a fancy
meal at home, by candlelight with soft music, the good china, and restaurant table manners.

Activities just for your family. Have a family comedy night or a talent show; make holiday
cards from scratch; write personalized lyrics to an old song and karaoke your new composition
together; do "family university" trivia contests on the patio after dinner on warm summer nights.
You know the chemistry of your own family and which traditions will resonate. Try a lot of different ideas.
There's no such thing as "failure" - if an idea doesn't work, you've still spent wonderful moments with your kids
and given them something to tease you about for years to come ("Remember when mom thought it would be cool
to have all of us wear costumes to surprise dad at dinner?"). I hope that you create traditions that your kids will
remember as fondly as my siblings remember ours.
Wishing you a wonderful holiday season! We will see you back at Sage on Monday, January 5!
Warm Regards,
Dr. Nan Wodarz
Head of School
Winter Assembly and Early Dismissal on Friday, December 19
Please remember, tomorrow, December 19, is an early dismissal day. To assist us with a smooth
dismissal on this day, please notify the front office no later than today by 3:00 p.m., if there will be a
change in your child's normal procedure such as carpooling/playdate, switching from carpool to walker
line, etc.
You are invited to join us for our Winter Assembly at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, December 19, in the
Sage gymnasium. Many of our students will be sharing their talents, and it will be a spectacular event!
Join in the festivities by wearing your ugliest holiday sweater!
8:00 to 9:30 a.m.
Many of you like to accompany your child when he/she drops off cards and good wishes to teachers.
During this time frame, please feel free to stop in classrooms with your child to do this. We ask that
once you are done, your child returns to the group, and we will have a designated place where you can
sip some coffee and chat with other parents.
According to the Fire Marshall, we may NOT park in the fire lane. Parking will be in designated
spaces only. We will have people in the FACULTY parking lot directing parking for our parents.
9:30 to 10:00 a.m.
Student performances for the Prelude to the Winter Assembly in the gym.
10:00 to 11:00 a.m.
Winter Assembly featuring the Annual Ugly Sweater Fashion Show - wear your ugliest sweater and
join in the fun!
End of Assembly
Parents will go to the homeroom of their (youngest) child.
Any siblings with parents present will gather their belongings and go directly to the homeroom of their
(youngest) sibling.
11:00 to 11:30 a.m. Dismissal of students with parents present
All parents must check out with their (youngest) child's homeroom teacher.
Prime Division: Dismiss through the Great Room
Junior Division: Dismiss through the Front Lobby
Middle School: Dismiss through the Windsor Wing/Gym doors
We will stagger the dismissal times to alleviate the congestion in the parking lot. Please follow the
directions given via the intercom.
12:00 p.m. Regular Dismissal (students without parents present)
We will run regular car line and walker line. Both the Local Motion bus and the Foxboro bus will pick
up students at noon.
We hope you can join us for this festive tradition!
Lost and Found
Has your child misplaced a winter jacket, sweater, boots, or lunch box? Please remind your child(ren)
to check the lost and found in our front lobby. We are overflowing with jackets, sweaters, mittens, and
more. All items not claimed before the winter break on Friday, December 19, will be donated to
charity.
iSTEAM@Sage Corner
“Color is the keyboard, the eyes are the harmonies, the soul is the piano with many strings. The artist
is the hand that plays, touching one key or another, to cause vibrations in the soul.” - Wassily
Kandinsky
You might have noticed that this past Tuesday, Google Doodle was dedicated to the 148th birthday of
the Russian artist, Wassily Kandinsky. Kandinsky lived most of his life in France and is credited with
being the first painter to produce purely abstract works, use color and geometrical shapes as an
expression of emotion, and often make connections between the process of painting and composing
music. Here is one of his many insightful quotes about geometrical shapes:
“You mention the circle and I agree with your definition… …why does the circle fascinate me? It is
(1) the most modern form, but asserts itself unconditionally, (2) a precise but inexhaustible variable, (3)
simultaneously stable and unstable, (4) simultaneously loud and soft, (5) a single tension that carries
countless tensions within it. The circle is the synthesis of the greatest oppositions. It combines the
concentric and the eccentric in a single form, and in balance. Of the three primary forms (triangle,
square, circle), it points most clearly to the fourth dimension.”
This quote also reminded me of a wonderful post that came out last year on the National Geographic
website, while celebrating Pi day and debating whether a “perfect” circle” exists in nature.
The winter break is almost here. Many of you will travel and celebrate - encourage your child to make
those connections between art, science and math. Encourage them to ponder and try to see beyond the
obvious.
When you return (even during the holiday), share with us any STEAM experiences that you and your
child celebrated during the break.
I wish the Sage family happy holidays and a healthy, joyous, and astounding new year.
D-Res, STEAM Coordinator
Did You Know?
Our Pre-Kindergarten students gave the gift of warmth to a local animal shelter! Our Pre-Kindergarten
class donated handmade blankets to the Brockton Animal Shelter and presented them to one of the
student’s grandmother, Libby Reichman, who is a shelter volunteer. The classroom community service
project was organized by teacher JoAnna Telschow who taught her students how to make the colorful
fleece blankets by hand as their gift to animals who will be in a shelter for the holidays.
Give a Gift from Amazon, SPA Receives!
As you finish your holiday buying, please continue to do your Amazon shopping via the Sage Parents’
web page. Simply enter the item you are searching for in the black Amazon box; you will be directed to
Amazon. You continue your purchase, and Amazon donates a portion of the sale to SPA. You give and
SPA receives! One note: In order for SPA to receive credit, you need to start on the Parents’ page each
time. Thanks so much!
Support SPA at Orange Leaf
Take advantage of the early dismissal on Friday, December 19, between the hours of 12:00 p.m. and
8:00 p.m. to enjoy some frozen treats at Orange Leaf in Mansfield (321 School Street) or Norwood (38
Vanderbilt Ave) and support SPA at the same time! Just mention Sage, or bring this flyer, and 15% of
your sale will be donated to SPA. Win/Win!
January SPA Meeting
Please plan to join us for the first SPA meeting of the new year on Wednesday, January 7, from 8:05
a.m – 9:15 a.m.! Our guest speaker will be Marie Leary, Assistant Head of School. Marie will be
discussing strategies for parents to set kids up for success in age-appropriate social situations, whether it
is organizing or chaperoning Sage or non-Sage events.
Youth CITIES' Bootcamp
Are you a tinkerer, and dream about creating products that millions of people will use? Or are you a
community activist that wants to help the less fortunate? Engineers and inventors build great things,
and philanthropists do great things, but having an entrepreneurial mindset transforms an invention or
helping hand into a solution that has greater impact in the world. Learn how to validate an idea, find the
right resources to make it happen, and get your idea moving through Youth CITIES' March-to-May
Bootcamp. The program takes place near MIT (Kendall Square Cambridge, often considered to be the
hub of innovation). Find more info about the Bootcamp at http://youthcities.org/programs/march-tomay-bootcamp/ or register now (http://youthcities.org/registration-for-march-to-may-bootcamp/).
Enrollment is on a first come basis, and a waiting list will begin after they have reached capacity. If you
have any questions, please email Vicky Wu Davis at vicky@youthcities.org.
Middle School Sneak Peek for Junior Division Parents
All Junior Division parents are invited to explore our Middle School in action. This is a fantastic way
to see the end result of a Sage education. We hope you will join our parent guides on a tour through
humanities, math, science, languages, and the arts to experience firsthand all the magic that is uniquely
Sage.
Tour dates are as follows:
Tuesday, January 20, from 8:00 to 9:30 a.m.
Wednesday, January 21, from 8:00 to 9:30 a.m.
In order to have enough guides, click here to RSVP by Friday, January 16.
Looking Ahead
Visit our website for the complete Sage calendar, but here is a look ahead at some upcoming
important dates. Please check the calendar regularly for any changes in dates or times.
Friday, December 19
Monday, Dec. 22 – Friday, Jan. 2
Monday, January 5
Winter Assembly, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
12:00 p.m. Dismissal (see Winter Assembly details)
Winter Break – School Closed
Classes Resume
Wednesday, January 7
Tuesday, January 13
Wednesday, January 14
Thursday, January 15
Monday, January 19
Tuesday, January 20
Wednesday, January 21
Friday, January 23
Tuesday, January 27
Wednesday, January 28
Thursday, January 29
Friday, January 30
SPA Meeting, 8:05 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.
SPA Book Club, 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Admission Open House, 9:00 a.m.
Re-enrollment materials mailed
Little Scholars Pre-K & K Afterschool Enrichment Winter
Program Begins, 3:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day, School Closed
Junior Parents’ Sneak Peek of Middle School, 8:00 a.m. –
9:30 a.m.
Junior Parents’ Sneak Peek of Middle School, 8:00 a.m. –
9:30 a.m.
Junior Teacher/Parent Snowflake Social, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00
p.m.
Kindergarten Parent/Teacher Conferences
Board Meeting, 6:00 p.m.
Grade 1 Parent/Teacher Conferences
Grade 2 Parent/Teacher Conferences
Pre-K Parent/Teacher Conferences