Peace Week 2013

“Life's most persistent and urgent question is:
'What are you doing for others?'” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Family Community Service Weekend

Saturday, Jan. 19th - Monday, Jan. 21st

As part of Peace Week, we encourage our families to put some time aside and as a family do some community service work. This can happen either during the week or on the weekend of 1/19 - 1/21.

Service Opportunities:

• FRIDAY, JAN. 18: Please bring in canned foods and baby supplies (diapers and wipes) for the Far Rockaway community this week as we will be making our next delivery on Sat., Jan. 19.  (Drop-offs can be made to the relief bins are in front of Frost Hall and the middle school).

• SATURDAY, JAN. 19TH: We will begin loading vans at noon for a delivery to Far Rockaway and Island Park and depart from the front of Frost Hall after.   Please contact rachel_hall@fa.org if you would like to help with this delivery.  Students: If you would like to travel by school van, please RSVP to Ms. Hall and she will send you the required permission slip.

• SATURDAY, JAN. 19TH AND SUNDAY, JAN. 20TH: Long Beach City officials are seeking volunteers to help with Sandy recovery efforts by planting flower bulbs around the city on Saturday and Sunday.  Volunteers should meet at the Long Beach Ice Arena at 9 a.m.
  Address: 150 W. Bay Drive. 
  Information: E-mail sandyvolunteers@longbeach-ny.gov with the subject "bulb planting."
  

• MONDAY, JAN. 21ST: The following are two good search engines that list a variety of service opportunities on MLK Day according to type of service and zip code:

  http://mlkday.gov/

  http://www.serve.gov/

TUESDAY: Celebration and Education

Peace Week Opening Assembly
Assembly – TASQUE reading and daily Peace Intention

The thought for today is UNITY.  Differences give variety to life and are often only on the surface.  Most communities are made of diverse groups of people who have different opinions, who look different, and who speak many different languages.   Our challenge is to see beyond outer differences in opinions and appearances and find a meeting point of underlying unity that exists in diversity.  There is peace and nonviolence in unity as we recognize who we are in others, a transformation from separateness to unity.

Today:  I will look for three ways to see beyond outer differences in opinions, appearances, or goals.  I will seek out someone who looks different from me; looking beyond these outer differences I will see the unity which is inside and journal about what I have discovered.

• • 8:05 to 8:25 a.m. – Upper School in the Theater – US Quaker students
    
  • TBA – Middle School in the Fieldhouse – Quaker students
    
  • TBA – Lower School in the Fieldhouse – Teacher John
    
  • TBA – Early Childhood in the Withington House – Teacher John
    

Middle School
Challenge 20/20 - “Global Peace Project” is an Internet-based program that pairs classes at any grade level (K-12) from schools in the U.S. with their counterpart classes in schools in other countries; together, the teams (of two or three schools) find local solutions to one of 20 global problems.

Sixth Grade visit to the Glen Cove Holocaust Museum

• 10:30 a.m. – Tolerance Program

Music in the Commons
Lunch Periods – Teacher John

Activism Lunch Discussion  --  Upper School
12:30 and 1:10 Theme – Discussion: Diversity and Peaceful Community

How does Diversity lead to Peace? How does it prompt tensions? (World Language Dept.)

WEDNESDAY: Peace Quilt

Assembly – TASQUE reading and daily Peace Intention

The thought for today is DISARMAMENT.    What if we lived in a world where there were no weapons?  What if we used the resources for developing weapons for other projects?  What if we really did beat swords into plowshares?  Imagine such a world for yourself and your family, because until we believe it is possible, it cannot become a reality.   Peace and nonviolence, does, and must, begin with each and every one of us. 

Today:  I will have a conversation with someone today about what the world would be like if there were no weapons, nor any need for them.  I will define new uses for the resources freed-up by not developing weapons.

Community Groups  --  Fieldhouse
10 to 11 a.m.  Building Community: Peace Quilt for Island Park Schools (Sandy Relief Partner School)

Activism Lunch Discussion  --  Upper School
12:30 & 1:00 Theme – Discussion: Peaceful Resolution of Conflict

How does innovation and technology lead us to violence? How can it lead us to peace? (Science Dept.)

THURSDAY: Peace Reflection

Assembly – TASQUE reading and daily Peace Intention

The thought for today is FORGIVENESS.  When we forgive, we do not condone hurtful behavior.  When we realize that there is something within us that is more important than this hurtful experience, we are free to let go of the past and move on with our lives.  In doing so, we open our hearts to the humanity of those we forgive. 

As we forgive others, we are teaching the mind to respond with forgiveness everywhere, even to the misdeeds and mistakes of our own past.  And if I have treated a particular person badly, even if I can no longer win that person's forgiveness, I can still win the forgiveness of myself.

"The result of forgiveness is the stopping of the recycling of anger within ourselves and in the world. Peace will come to the world when each of us takes the responsibility of forgiving everyone, including ourselves, completely."  -Gerald Jampolsky

Today:  I am willing to let go of the past, and forgive those who have hurt me, and towards whom I feel anger. I will forgive myself too.  Today, I will write a letter of forgiveness to someone (I do not have to mail it). 

• Throughout the day: Lower School in classroom (advisory) – Peace Intentions
  
• 8:15-9:10 a.m. – Middle School in Theater – Seeds for Peace presentation (tentative)
  
• 9:50-11:00 a.m. – Upper School in Theater – Kim Phuc presentation
  

Activism Lunch Discussion  --  Upper School
12:30 & 1:00 Theme – Discussion: Forgiveness and Healing

What examples have we seen regarding forgiveness and healing in the aftermath of 9/11 or the Sandy Hook tragedy? How do we see forgiveness and healing in fictional texts? (English Dept.)

2 p.m. – All parent Meeting for Worship with Kim Phuc

FRIDAY: Peace Activism

Assembly – TASQUE reading and daily Peace Intention

The thought for today is UNDERSTANDING.  Thich Nhat Hanh, Buddhist teacher says, “When you understand, you cannot help but love.  Practice looking at all living beings with the eyes of compassion.”    

Today:  When I find myself disagreeing with someone, I will focus on understanding what they are saying - and why.  I will listen compassionately to them, with a silent thought of love, and tell them what I understand them to be saying.  With empathy, I will say clearly and quietly what I believe to be true.

Community Groups:

• 10:10-11:00 a.m. Community Groups – Fieldhouse
  • Community Groups Guided Activity – Peace Quilt
  • Closing remarks by Head of School and a TASQUE reading

Activism Lunch Discussion  --  Upper School
12:30 & 1:00 Theme – Discussion: Innovation and Technology

How do we resolve conflicts at Friends? How do we teach diplomacy and conflict resolution in history? (History Dept.)

"The prevailing mission of all Quaker schools is to educate students for society as it ought to be and not for the society as it is."  – The Quaker Book of Wisdom