Grace Church School

Parents Association Meeting Minutes

Tuesday November 18, 2003

NEXT MEETING:    HOT COCOA MEETING, TUESDAY DECEMBER 2.

•  Co-Presidents' Report

Camilla Campbell called the meeting to order.   She extended hearty thanks to all who worked on the International Family Night; and to all who worked on the Book Fair, especially the Book Fair Chairs, Peter Belhumeur, Ingrid Ellen, and Jessica Marshall.

Pamela reminded everyone that from now on all “backpack” notices are going by email.    If you don't receive your email notices, please contact Chris Scanlon.   ALL notices are supposed to go out on Thursdays.    The address from which they will come is “PAEvents”.      All routine emails from teachers are supposed to come on Thursdays, also.    Hard copies of the email notices will be posted on the pa bulletin board and in the pa lounge.   

Anyone who wants to participate in the January Food Forum is reminded that they must come to lunch at school first.     Lunch seatings are at 11:20a.m./ 12:00p.m./ 12:40p.n..   If you come to lunch, you cannot sit with your child.   

The next PA meeting is a cocoa/coffee holiday gathering, rather than a seated meeting, on Tuesday Dec. 2.  

•  Co-Treasurers' Report

Marian Toy reported $38,433.61 in the treasury.     The PA made $3,111.09 from the Book Fair.    This figure is only 9.9% behind last spring, and ahead of the five prior book fairs.    The fair did well, even though there were no adult books this time.    

•  State of the School: George Davison

George Davison reported that it has been a great ten days of activities around here.    Last Thursday we had Rachel Simmons here to a fairly full crowd, author of Odd Girl Out.   She discussed cliques and bullying.    For the faculty and students, she's part of a longer series.   They had a speaker do a workshop in September, creating mechanisms for discussing social issues.    Small groups start in third grade on.     The older kids also heard Rachel Simmons on Thursday.    They have the September speaker coming back for a follow-up in January.    The younger kids are using a workbook called Quit It! to help them say “no,” and the older kids are using Bullyproof.    They're carrying the theme forward throughout the year.    The faculty has told the administration they would like to work on some interpersonal issues among the adults, so we will get a facilitator to work with the adult professionals in response.     They are trying to tie many themes together:   the Diversity committee was co-sponsor of Rachel Simmons and of international night, and their theme is “Who am I, who are you.”    The Grace theme is: kids ever mindful of the needs of others.   

Mr. Davison emphasized that their greatest fear as a teacher is losing a child.    A danger point is the early pick up in the middle of the day.    Even though you've told the teacher and sent a note, YOU STILL NEED TO SIGN THE CHILD OUT WITH THE RECEPTIONIST.    There's a sign out book.    Because if there's a fire, and a teacher's out getting a cup of coffee, the division head may not know your child is gone.    They need to know who's left the building.     They don't want to send someone back into the burning building to find the child who's not there.

Mr. Davison reported that tomorrow is the open house for the caregivers.    They do it about every two years.    Mr. Davison and the rest of the administration talk to them.    They talk about homework for the younger kids, and what they're trying to do.    They take them on a tour of the school.    They hammer down dismissal procedures and sign out procedures.   

Mr. Davison reminded everyone that the GCS email list is NOT A COMMERCIAL LIST!!!!    For instance, please do not invite everybody whose email is there to a sample sale.

Lastly, he was asked to give the first reminder about the school gift policy.   GIFT GIVING SHOULD COME FROM THE HEART.    He reminded parents that the pa and holiday shopping people take care of the faculty and staff in terms of a cash gift for the holidays.    All the holiday shopping work goes into that cash gift, and it's divided equally among all the employees.    An Even Stephen.    The administrators don't get cash.     So as far as gifts go, we say “gifts from the heart.”    Examples include: things that are homemade; things that are “accessories”; consumables; a bottle of wine; a bottle of raspberry liqueur.    If there's a book that relates to what your child has been learning and the interest of the teacher, you can get that.   But they try to stay away from cash and cash equivalents – i.e. no gift certificates to Barnes and Noble.    They don't want any classwide solicitations.   Mr. Davison will send an email clarifying this the first Thursday after Thanksgiving.    It's also appropriate to give nothing.     If you really want to up the compensation of the teachers, you can give to the Annual Fund in honor of a teacher.    Or you can make gifts in a teacher's or administrator's name to the GO Project, or a cause or charity a teacher is involved in.   

Mr. Davison concluded by saying we're really off to a great start this year.   We're past the “beginning” and are now in the “middle” of the year.      We're in one of the most productive months in the life of the school year.    The kids are achieving and learning and getting there.    He thanked everyone, and all the officers, for making sure things are really up and running.

•  Event Chairs' Reports:

-International Family Night:   Yoko Sanada thanked everyone who brought all the delicious food and who helped out, especially Ellen McElduff, Konki Sussman, Marilyn Weaver, Lisa Fox, Roger Chin, Caroline Press, and Robin Kahn.

-Holiday Shopping (Dec. 10)

Suzanne Kahn reported that you can still give money or gifts for holiday shopping.   It's not too late.     An email will follow about the raffle and its great prizes.    They need people to bring food in the morning of holiday shopping, and they'll put it out.   Also, please look on the bulletin boards for volunteer sign up sheets.   

-Auction

The theme for the auction this year is Old New York; New York in the twenties.   It's a rich theme allowing them to explore all sorts of things like jazz, flappers, speakeasies, and the Harlem Renaissance.    They're looking for people with snappy titles, so please submit something as catchy as last year's Caribbean Jump Up!

-May Fair

Jo Shane Cooper reports that the first official May Fair meeting is Thursday Nov. 20 at 8:30.    Whoever hasn't been involved before, please come (old hands welcome too)!     Pre-holidays is a great time to get rid of the old to make room for the new – so use the haul-it days.    

•  Liasons' Reports

-Multi-cultural Diversity

Marilyn Fox-Weaver reported that the next Diversity meeting is Dec. 3.    She reported that the last diversity meeting was fun.   They honed in on listening skills by pairing off, telling each other their history, and then having the partner tell the other person's history.    The theme of   “Who am I, who are you” continues.

-Church

Dana Foote, the Grace Church liason, reported that Umanoff & Parsons' Bakery pies can be ordered – if you order ten or more you can have them delivered to your office or home.    You can fill out a form, and there's a box in the PA lounge.    $7 from the sale of each item goes to support the choirs' trip to Bristol, England in July.   

-P.A. Event Coordinators

Dana Foote also reported that the PA general store downstairs is now open.    They've organized booths for soda and paper goods and bins and forks and napkins.    Just go down there and take it for use for any events like parent nights, etc.    They ask that you put things back in the proper bins, especially the leftovers from your events.    Dana reports, “we have SO MUCH!”    So don't buy these things.    It's all available for parents to use.    It's all leftover stuff, that Ellen and Lisa and Dana organized.     Please check their soda and wine and beer before buying your own – it's all fresh, and needs using.   

Camilla added:   “Everyone be sure to take down their notices after their events are over.”  

•  Community Service Speakers

-Wendy Reynoso, GO Project

The GO Projec is an outreach program of church and school, serving lower east side public schools.   There is Saturday morning tutoring, where an array of different professionals come in and volunteer.    They also have parent meetings with a parent coordinator.   In the past, they had a reading buddy program with GCS students paired with GO project students.      This year they need donations.    They also have a five week summer program with 15 students in the classroom with 3 adults.    Last summer some GCS children volunteered for the GO project.    Please call Wendy if your child is interested.    They are located across from the PE department.     They also receive community service volunteers helping them with their office work, including annual appeal, or filing, or organizing books.    In the summer they have an arts program so they need paper, pencils, crayons, paint, magazines, etc.   Other volunteer opportunities this year include volunteering to be a substitute tutor.   Also, they are looking for a bookcart – a bookshelf on wheels – for every Saturday.    They also take used and new donated books.   

-Carol Collet, Asst. Head and Head of Upper School, with Henry Ginna, in 7 th grade, vice-president of GCS Student Council.   

Ms. Collet reported that beginning in fifth grade GCS has a formal community service program.    In the sixth grade the children work in different places throughout the school – i.e. cleaning out the lost and found closet, helping in development office or in Mrs. Cooper's office.    The fifth graders collected and counted all the Unicef money.    The kids go into JK and K and work with the students and help the teachers.    They are thrilled, especially at the fifth and sixth grade level, and understand the importance of helping others.    By seventh and eighth grade, many do service outside the schools, including in their churches and synagogues.    One of our boys is helping the GO project on Saturdays.    One is a homework helper.    They also do classwide things.   This year, they'll suspend classes on Feb. 11 and the entire 7 th and 8 th grade will be broken into groups of six to eight students and go to different venues throughout NYC.    It's very unusual to do this at this age – a lot of places won't take kids this young.   They incorporate the projects in the Thanksgiving service.    The GCS singers group sang at firehouses.    Last year they went to the pediatric ward of Beth-Israel hospital.    They'll do that again.   They go to village nursing home.    The kids make holiday cards.   They help at Grace Church, too.    Sometimes they help with children's worship.     The goal is – you don't just take, you walk around asking how you can help others.   Holiday shopping day is a community service day because the older kids buddy the younger kids.    Book buddies meet weekly.    It's wonderful to see 8 th graders sitting with 1 st graders. The older children usually do 40 minutes a week of community service.    Ms. Collet programmed it into the 5 th and 6 th grade schedule.   They have an official time.    At the 5 th and 6 th grade level, they don't like to work by themselves.   In 7 th and 8 th grade they're more willing to do service on their own.     Even in lower school, community service happens unofficially.   They have pen pals.    They collect toiletries for the homeless.   They're all doing something.

Ms. Collet is always looking for other community service organizations she can work with.    They're trying to gather a list of organizations from the parent community that are good for childrens or families to volunteer with.      Ms. Collet also has a list of kids who like to babysit when they're available – please see her if interested.   They're starting a small program for New York Cares, buying gifts and sending them to the Bronx.   

Henry Ginna (7 th grader) reported that the student council has done a coat drive.    They've also set aside $1000 for a scholarship fund for a ski trip so everyone can go.     They've also given water fountains.   In the past they've given money to kids in Belize or a forestry association.     They do bake sales, carnivals, etc. to raise money.    They try to raise money and give the students something to brighten their day.  

Finally, Lester ? from The Caring Community, the oldest and largest provider of senior services in the East Village, shared volunteer opportunities.    He said that the homebound seniors are the largest part of their work.   They have a process of homebound meal deliveries.   They deliver 300 plus meals every Saturday: “meals on heels.”    Families usually bring the meals.   It is managed by a volunteer family.    They'd love to invite you to assist.    They also have pet care assistants for those who can't walk their pets anymore.    They have 100's of people who come to their centers during the day – they welcome kids to come and serve our meals.    Our policy is we don't have volunteers under 16.    However, they LOVE when children come in with their families.    They started a new program called Adopt a Grandparent.    They want to help people stay in their homes as long as they are able.   It is so much less expensive to have a person stay at home than go into a nursing home.    They hope to help the seniors live with independence, dignity and respect.    They love when families come together.   You can even bring a baby with you, for instance, when you do home visits.   Or you can go shopping for someone.    They are one of the few agencies who serve on Thanksgiving Day.    Their headquarters are on 20 Washington Square North (212-777-3555).    They serve lunch at four senior centers, including Our Lady of Pompei Church, First Presbyterian Church, Center on the Square, and Independence Plaza.    On weekends, they do everything out of St. Josephs's Church.    They do one meal a day, all during the midday.    They love when you call them to say you're coming, but you can also just show up.   They also do telephone calling to check in on seniors.     They're happy for people to say they're only coming once (they usually come back!).   Lester's closing words were :   “please come by and visit us.   Our seniors are truly the hidden population of our community.”

The meeting was adjourned at 9:40 a.m.

                                                                          Respectfully submitted,

                                                                          Caroline O'Neill