It has been a most exciting year for the Parents' Association. Countless parents have volunteered for roles large and small that benefited all of the families in our community. Please read on for a review of the highlights of the 2007-2008 school year and for a preview of the school year that awaits all of us in September.
But first, a quick disclaimer - I have learned that anytime one attempts to thank everyone involved in a large scale effort such as the Bryn Mawr PA, one runs the risk of innocently and inadvertently forgetting some important people. It is my guess that I will not be the exception to that rule. As hard as I have tried to get it right in advance, I apologize for any errors or omissions.
Gift-Wrap Sale Co-Chairs Chris McSherry and Elizabeth Lynch spent time in late August preparing to launch this major fundraiser soon after the start of the school year. The Gift-Wrap Sale is the PA's largest revenue generator and requires exceptional organizational skills, a significant contribution of time, and attention to detail. Fortunately for all of us, Chris and Elizabeth were willing to devote their many talents to this year's sale, which netted approximately $10,000 for the Parent's Association budget. To Chris, Elizabeth, and their hard-working committee, thank you for an important job very well done.
School Picture Days for our girls, the faculty, and staff at Bryn Mawr happen even before the leaves start changing color. We were all fortunate to have Nadine Fontan and Crystal DeVito coordinating volunteers for the various shifts at each of our Picture and Make-up Picture Days. Big thanks to Nadine and Crystal for their help.
At the request of the administration, Parent Socials were brought "back home" to Bryn Mawr this year. Under the able, creative, and dependable leadership of Chair Jacque Harris and Co-Chair Michele Leff, the evenings of September 14 and November 30 combined found hundreds of parents on campus conversing and relaxing. The various social sites were transformed from working academic spaces into elegant party venues awash in jazz, flowers, food, and candlelight. I am grateful to the Class Hosts for each grade, who are too numerous to mention, for the warmth they provided during those evenings. My heartfelt thanks go to Jacque, Michele, Ellen Wolf, Fran Ober, Eva Rotolo, Jeff Nelson, Terry Detorie, and the Operations, Dining Services, and Technology Departments for their tireless efforts. Their behind-the-scenes contributions to the success of the Parent Socials were priceless.
Cindy Minken and Eileen Thompson Co-Chaired the Recycled Uniforms Committee this year. A great deal of physical labor goes into the collection, sorting, and sale of the uniforms. Without exception, Cindy and Eileen were cheerful and accommodating all year while they toiled to help us parents gather needed uniforms. To Cindy and Eileen, many thanks.
It is the responsibility of the Parent's Association to coordinate snacks and drinks to be delivered to the monthly Faculty Meetings of each division. This year, three moms spent substantial time at their desks online soliciting volunteers and sending reminders to parents in their divisions. To Nancy Getter in the Lower School, Susan Park in the Middle School, and Margie Daniels in the Upper School, I say thank you for keeping the faculty nourished during their planning meetings.
With the help of The Children's Book Store in Roland Park, the Lower and Middle Schools each held a Book Fair in Centennial Hall Lobby. In November, Chair Jodi Lebow and Co-Chair Sonya Weinfeld organized a wonderful Lower School Book Fair enjoyed by every Lower School student. In March, on the heels of spring break, Co-Chairs Anne Porterfield and Nadine Fontan arranged a terrific Middle School Book Fair for all of the Middle School girls. Many thanks to Jodi, Sonya, Anne, Nadine, and all of the volunteers for their help with the Book Fairs.
The Wellness Committee worked very hard this year to, once again, bring us Parent Dialogues and the opportunity to meet with other parents of our grade. In addition, the Committee sponsored three Breakfasts with the Experts which were quite informative and extremely well-attended. Feedback on these breakfasts, with each focusing on a topic relevant to our girls' development, was overwhelmingly positive. This active committee was chaired by Debbie Bittar and co-chaired by Lora Peters. We are indebted to Debbie, Lora, and the entire committee for their continued efforts to keep us well-connected and well-informed.
In February, the administration, faculty, and staff were feted by a multitude of parent volunteers led by Faculty and Staff Appreciation Co-Chairs Debbie Finnerty and Andrea Katz. This year's theme of SHED LIGHT, SPARK HOPE laid the foundation for the luncheon which was held over two consecutive days. The decorations, food, raffle baskets, and favors all serve to show the teachers, administrators, and staff how much we hold them in our esteem and value their dedication to our daughters. From the rave reviews I received from folks campus-wide, I would say this year's luncheon and faculty room treats were an enormous hit. Thank you to Debbie, Andrea, and all who worked so hard to honor the faculty and staff.
Box Tops Chair Helen Vogel spent many an hour promoting, collecting, and counting for the Box Tops collection program in grades K - 5. For all of their efforts to collect as many box tops as possible, the Lower School grade with the highest counts in January and in May are awarded a pizza party and an ice cream party, respectively. It is a win-win as Bryn Mawr benefits from the proceeds of these Box Tops. Thank you very much to Helen and Diane for their help with the Lower School Box Tops program.
Thank you to Penelope Swenson Fallon for organizing parent volunteers for shifts at the Bryn Mawrket. The Bryn Mawrket is one busy spot anytime the girls are free from class. Much gratitude to Penelope and the other volunteers who staff the store and support Barb Peters and Trish Davis.
This year, the 7th and 8th graders enjoyed Activity Nights here on campus. On those evenings, Bryn Mawr hosted many, many students from various area schools - no small task for the coordinators of those evenings. For the 7th-grade event held in April, abundant thanks go to Faye Shaya. As for the 8th-Grade Activity Night back in November, Carolyn O'Keefe and Catherine and Evan Steiner are owed our gratitude.
Keke Simpson is at the heart of the Spirit Bracelet Committee and is ably assisted by Laura Burchell and Ina Patel. Sales of the many beautiful charms have increased year after year, to the point of this PA committee being able to contribute significantly to Bryn Mawr for the second year in a row. It is no wonder they are so successful when you look at their offerings, including the new Mawrtian charm. Be on the lookout for new and exciting things from this committee. Thank you, thank you, thank you to Keke, Laura, and Ina.
Parent Network is a nonprofit organization that supports the parents of students in the Baltimore-area independent school community by providing a broad range of parent education programs that address current parental issues. Utilizing parent representatives from member schools, Parent Network offers an information networking system that fosters dialogue among parents, enhances consensus building, and provides programs that strengthen parenting skills. In February, Bryn Mawr played host to Parent Network's Teen Scene. Peggy Mainor devoted much time this year to serving as Bryn Mawr's representative to the Parent Network, keeping us connected to this organization's valuable programs. Many thanks to Peggy for all her work on our behalf.
On Saturday, April 12, after many months of planning, PA sponsored After Prom for 325 junior and senior girls and their guests. After Prom is a local, regional, and national effort to attract teens to a fun, safe, and chaperoned event following their Prom Night, in hopes they will attend this school-sponsored event rather than pursue non-chaperoned activities once the actual dance has ended. And, what an evening! Chair Scott Guthrie and Co-Chair Catherine Searson and their dedicated committee organized a jungle-themed late night/early morning at the Timonium Bowling Alley starting at midnight and going until 2:30a.m. Parents were the key to the success of After Prom - financial support came from parents of grades 9, 10, 11, and 12. Upper School parents, and for the first time I am happy to say, Middle School parents, volunteered en masse to decorate, ride buses, chaperon, acquire and distribute prizes, set up, clean up, and more. In addition to Scott and Catherine, I want to wholeheartedly thank Patti Matz, Maria Gamper, Sandy McCarthy, Susan Clinnin, Greg Bacon, Eva Rotolo, Elizabeth Comer, Mary Arnold, Pat Bittrick, Claudia Desiderio, and the scores of other volunteers who made this event happen.
And last, but not least, in our review of the year, the PA's most recent and wide-reaching event took place on Alumnae Weekend. The PA Bryn Mawr Bazaar - and all I can say is, "Wow!" This remarkable committee has been working non-stop since the start of the school year. Under the rock-steady leadership of Chair Rieyn Delony and Co-Chairs Elizabeth Lynch and Melissa Lane, not a detail was missed in the planning and execution of our school's day of fun. An event such as this requires the effort and organization of countless volunteers, consistent attention to the task at hand, careful and thoughtful planning, cooperation from pretty much every department at Bryn Mawr, and a lot of luck with the weather. Everyone in the Bryn Mawr community whom I have encountered since Saturday has raved about having a good time at the Bazaar.
All proceeds from the Bazaar benefit the Bryn Mawr Scholarship Fund. I am thrilled to report that this year's Bazaar proceeds were nearly twice as great as last year, enabling the Parents' Association to contribute almost $14,500 to the BMS Scholarship Fund. My hat is off to Rieyn, Elizabeth, Melissa, Gaby Saiontz, Nancy Cardwell, Fran Ober, Rhonda Okolo, Rebecca Murphy Jones, Tati Roth, Sheila Muccio, Susan Ciaverelli, Beth Felder, Lisa Auchincloss, Kevin O'Keefe, Alicia Del Guercio, Natasha Peacock, Janet Hopkins, and the rest of the volunteers. Thank you all so very much for a splendid Bazaar.
The executive board of the Parents' Association met the first Tuesday of every month throughout the school year. Within 10 days of that meeting, the Communications Committee of each division met. The divisional communications committees are comprised of a chair, class parents, and the division director. I would like to present just a few highlights of the year by division and introduce the current class parents by grade.
This year, Little School Parent Kelly Chew served as the liaison to the executive board. Kelly's enthusiasm and cheery disposition were a welcome addition to our discussions.
Kelly reported that annual events held at Little School were a huge success due to parent volunteers. Some of the events included:
Thank you to Kelly and the Little School parents for making life at Bryn Mawr so sweet for the tiniest members of our community.
Steve Drigotas chaired this year's Lower School Communications Committee with consistent, supportive, and encouraging leadership.
Steve noted that Lower School parents continue to be the driving force behind many of the school's fundraising efforts, from gift-wrap to Read-to-Feed to box tops. Lower School parents also step up often to provide the sweat equity needed to fuel the many aspects of Lower School life including the holiday concerts, Greek Myth Play, International Bazaar, Lower School bowling party, field trip transportation, cupcake baking, class party needs, and so much more. The multitude of grade level activities in the Lower School is impressive, and so are this year's Lower School class parents.
KINDERGARTEN - Rosetta Coates and Julie Regine
PRE-FIRST - Christine Layton-Sacktor and Nancy Wise
FIRST GRADE - James Blue and Melissa Lane
SECOND GRADE - Dave Earle and Gloria Reed
THIRD GRADE - Kathleen Bruns and Richard Skolasky
FOURTH GRADE - Karen Clark and Mary Lou Watson
FIFTH GRADE - Debbie Codd, Gillian Meigs, and Debra Williams
To all of you, I say thank you for keeping our largest division moving forward!
The Middle School communications chair this year was Greg Bacon who served his role reliably, with unwavering dedication, and phenomenal insight.
Greg and the Middle School class parents kicked off the school year in September welcoming new students with a pizza party. Middle School students participated in two weekend community service opportunities this year. The tutoring session was supported by Bryn Mawr and Gilman's 6th grades. The other project, the Druid Hill Park clean-up, incorporated students in grades 6, 7, and 8 from both Bryn Mawr and Gilman. Special acknowledgment for these community service programs goes to Ralph Ferrell, Darlene Kastner, Grace Pollack, Kathy Norman, and the Middle School community service guru herself, Cheryl Finney.
Middle School parents broke new ground this year when they volunteered at After Prom, which proved invaluable. I want to thank Greg specifically for initiating this effort and for his own volunteerism that entire night.
Thank you to Ralph Ferrell, Steve O'Donnell, and Greg Bacon for the new chariot they built for the 8th graders. The chariot had its maiden run on May 15 during the Latin Day festivities our girls share with Garrison Forest.
Although it is the smallest division of Bryn Mawr, the Middle School is thriving with activities galore, many of which require the assistance of our dedicated Middle School class parents.
SIXTH GRADE - Darlene Kastner and Grace Pollack
SEVENTH GRADE - Bonny Deweese and Ralph Ferrell
EIGHTH GRADE - Fran Cashman, Sherri O'Donnell, and Kathryn Norman
Thanks to all of you for a job well done!
Gina Adams assumed the chair of the Upper School Communications Committee with very little lead time. You would never have known that Gina did not have an "elect" year to hone her leadership skills. Steadily and impressively, Gina led her committee with grace, wisdom, and humor.
The Upper School class parents are called upon primarily to be communicators of information, and the class parents did an excellent job of reporting in on the happenings within their individual grades, most notably about the 9th-grade Fall Fling, 10th-grade Ring Dance, 11th-grade beginning the college process, the prom, and so on. The class parents were then responsible to send the approved minutes from the monthly meetings out to the parents of their grades, so that the parent body was informed and in the loop about US happenings. For those parents with less-than-communicative Upper Schoolers, the class parents faithfully provided a much-desired link to information about life in the Upper School. Upper School parents and students worked together in planning, organizing, and running the events in the Upper School. The seasoned moms and dads who served as class parents, along with others, provided leadership, guidance, and support in all facets of the world of Bryn Mawr.
NINTH GRADE - Robin Denick and Uma Anandakrishnan
TENTH GRADE - Sharon Stanton and Tom Johnson
ELEVENTH GRADE - Joanne King and Mary Louise Santini
TWELFTH GRADE - Susan Clinnin, Susan Cole, Elizabeth Comer, and Vinod Thankappan
To all of you, my abundant thanks!
According to the duties outlined in the PA By-Laws, the president of the PA is to "Act as the representative of the Parents' Association to the board of trustees during the term of office, to represent the Parents' Association at all board of trustees meetings, and to be a participating member of the board of trustees."
It was my pleasure to attend board of trustees meetings throughout this exciting year. The board is made up of 28 people from diverse backgrounds, with varying associations to the school and a wide array of professional and personal gifts. Every matter on the table before them is afforded the highest degree of deliberation and consideration. Their commitment to Bryn Mawr, its future and our girls is awe-inspiring. I was humbled to be a part of such a forward-thinking, intelligent, and devoted group.
The Board spent significant time this year working on its long-term Strategic Plan. It is still in its development stages and promises to be a guiding light for every area of Bryn Mawr's future.
In true Bryn Mawr fashion, the issue of the Lower School renovation has been evolving for many months now. Planning of all kinds is in the works from architectural design to temporary classrooms to traffic and carpool matters and fundraising for the project. The plans for the Lower School area are fantastic!
The board, administration, faculty, and staff have been spending lots of time this year on their self-study in preparation for the AIMS accreditation that happens every 10 years. This is a big task for all involved.
Trustee President Georgie Smith comes to the end of her term this year, and she will be succeeded by Ann Hankin on July 1. Both of these women embody the Bryn Mawr spirit and ideals and provide extraordinary leadership.
And, last, as many of you already know, the Bryn Mawr. Always. Campaign closed with a total of twenty six million four hundred and seventeen thousand dollars, exceeding the original twenty five million dollar goal. Quite a feat! Thanks to all for their support of the campaign.
I have saved some important people to thank towards the end - the members of this year's PA executive board.
At Bryn Mawr, we are blessed with a staff liaison titled director of parent programs who is a member of the PA executive board. In the first half of the year, Sarah Shelfer was in that position and graced us with her many talents and strengths. In late January, we found ourselves with a new director of parent programs named Caroline Rosenberg Pinkin, and what a joy that has been. Caroline is a new mom, spent some of her student years here on the BMS campus, and drops adorable baby girl Reed off at the Little School in the morning before coming to help us. Every day since
January 28 has found Caroline attending to all of our needs, large and small, simple and complex. I can honestly say that I have no idea where we would be without her, her humor, and her tenacity.
The other men and women who comprise the executive board are mothers and fathers who stepped up for significant two-year roles to benefit all of us - our girls, our families, the teachers, and the administration. They have chosen to help enhance the Bryn Mawr experience for so many. Each one of these executive board members has gone above and beyond the call of duty. Their voices around the table all year have been strong, articulate, inquisitive, and supportive. They have attended to their respective tasks with precision, kindness, and good intention. I owe them a debt of gratitude beyond words.
PRESIDENT-ELECT - Ellen Wolf
PAST PRESIDENT and NOMINATING CHAIR - Cecily Matthai
UPPER SCHOOL CHAIR - Gina Adams
UPPER SCHOOL CHAIR-ELECT - Sharon Stanton
MIDDLE SCHOOL CHAIR - Greg Bacon
MIDDLE SCHOOL CHAIR-ELECT - Stephanie Adler
LOWER SCHOOL CHAIR - Steve Drigotas
LOWER SCHOOL CHAIR-ELECT - Ina Patel
LITTLE SCHOOL CHAIR - Kelly Chew
TREASURER - Vernice Harrison
RECORDING SECRETARY - Monica Tucker
CORRESPONDING SECRETARY - Carrie Montague
From the bottom of my heart, I thank you!
Slate of Nominated Officers for 2008-2009 PA Executive Board
Past President and Nominating Chair Cecily Matthai led a group of us through a gentle and far-reaching process of nominating parents to fill the executive board positions that are to be vacated this year. For her three years of unshakable PA leadership, guidance, patience, and resolve, all of us on this campus owe Cecily a sizable debt of gratitude.
The slate of PA executive board officers for 2008-2009 as presented for vote at the Tuesday, May 6, General Membership and Election Meeting included:
PRESIDENT - Ellen Wolf
PRESIDENT-ELECT - Greg Bacon
PAST PRESIDENT - Susie Mann
UPPER SCHOOL CHAIR - Sharon Stanton
UPPER SCHOOL CHAIR-ELECT - Pat Meisol
MIDDLE SCHOOL CHAIR - Stephanie Adler
MIDDLE SCHOOL CHAIR-ELECT - Grace Pollack
LOWER SCHOOL CHAIR - Ina Patel
LOWER SCHOOL CHAIR-ELECT - Richard Skolasky
LITTLE SCHOOL CHAIR - Jenny Garbarino
TREASURER - Fran Ober
RECORDING SECRETARY - Monica Tucker
CORRESPONDING SECRETARY - Carrie Montague
NOMINATING CHAIR - Susie Mann
The motion for this slate was seconded and passed.
For the very first task of my newly acquired past presidency, I would like to introduce to you my successor, your PA President Ellen Wolf.
Ellen Wolf is the mother of three children, current 8th and 9th graders, Molly and Miriam, here at Bryn Mawr, and John in the 5th grade at Gilman. Stepdaughter Jessica graduated Bryn Mawr in 1992. It is impossible to overstate Ellen's strengths. She is focused, bright, and hardworking. She is a fine-tuner of details, a solver of problems, and she never shies away from a challenge. She is warm and kind. And, for those of you who know her well, I know you will agree that she is one of the funniest people you will ever meet.
I was over-the-top lucky to have Ellen supporting me all year at every juncture.
The Bryn Mawr community is most fortunate to have her leadership.
In closing, I want to thank you for the opportunity to serve as the Parents' Association President. I was humbled by the energy with which parents on our campus approach volunteer opportunities. We are, all of us, beyond fortunate to be members of such a dedicated community.
Have a fun, restful, and restorative summer.