Diane Discenza, Community Services Coordinator, Sabina Wu, Chair, Holiday Carnival: The Carnival was a huge success. 80 JSA students (Brearley-8, Browning -5, Chapin              -3, Collegiate-6, Columbia Prep-3, Dwight-3, Hewitt-5, La Scuola-4, Marymount-11, Nightingale-10, Our Lady of Pompeii-1, Riverdale-1, Sacred Heart-7, Spence-13) participated in 12 booths with 25 Mission Society (MS) children attending.  The rain prevented more MS kids from coming, as attendance is normally closer to 40.  Next year, MS plans on adding another elementary school to their program so the mix will be slightly younger.  The popular booths were Spin Art, Game Table, Bracelet making, Basketball toss.  Musical chairs started off slowly, but picked up well after the JSA boys made announcements and JSA students participated.  The giant musical chairs near the end of Carnival was very successful too, and we handed out a second goody bag as a prize.  Freeze dance needs a crowd to work.  Limbo, cupcake and cookie decorating, face painting/tattoos, bowling, Twister all had steady interest.  Spin art paint refills were very expensive, and it was suggested that next year’s Chairs could perhaps purchase it cheaper at Oriental Trading when purchasing the prizes.  Basketball toss was chaotic at times, and was broken beyond repair when a boy fell on it.  The booth needed parental supervision.  We should consider more crafts booths for next year. Small prizes were handed out to each booth for distribution as they saw fit, while goody bags filled with larger items were handed out to each child. The question was raised whether snacks (chips, brownies) provided during the Carnival took away from the cookie and cupcake decorating.  But, it is not clear whether the large amount of leftover cupcakes/cookies was due to low attendance or competing snacks.
Evianne Cowing, Treasurer, financial update: Hewitt and Trinity have not sent in their dues. Carmen has called and left message for the new PA head, Linda Van Kesteren, and Martha Hirschman is new Assistant Head of School at Hewitt.  The 2008-09 Budget was presented: Estimated income of $6565 versus estimated expenses of $7832, resulting in a shortfall of $1273. The most expensive event is Voices at $4,000.  Last year, we received $5,000 from MasterCard but no new underwriting is evident for this year.  If each school raises $200, then we can break even.  However, it’s always the same handful of schools that raise any money:  Browning, Nightingale, Spence, Marymount and La Scuola.  Parent reps are encouraged to help prod the faculty advisor or Student coordinator.
Ensuing (lively) Discussion on Marketing JSA:  Understanding and visibility of JSA is poor, most schools are clueless, and parents confuse the Upper School JSA with the Middle School JSA.  Parent reps have responsibility to actively market and pass on information to their schools. Each school requires a different approach but marketing can include speaking at Parent Association meetings, coordinating with schools’ Dean of Student Affairs, Community Service Director, Club Faculty Advisor, and/or Upper School Head, encouraging students to write about events for their school newspapers or websites and speaking up in school assemblies. Suggestion was made that letters be sent to US heads acknowledging their students’ participation and thanking them.  Also, suggestion was made to invite college Guidance Counselors, Community Service Directors, Dean of Student Affairs to Voices and Visions.  JSA should attend MS JSA meetings and educate parents about our organization.
Diane Discenza, Community Services Coordinator: Service Saturday, Feb 7th, Columbia Grammar & Prep. Students will make birthday cards for God’s Love We deliver, Valentine candy bags for Yorkville Pantry, and Valentine-party-in-a-box for Pediatric Chemodialysis patients at Kravis Children’s Hospital/Mt. Sinai.  We are interested in adding more charities, preferably children-based.  Sloan Kettering and Ronald McDonald House were suggested.
Coleen Pike Blair, Independent Voices:  Barnes and Noble may be rearranging dates (subsequent to meeting, B&N informed JSA of date switch to Friday April 3).  We are still waiting for confirmation of gallery space.  School faculties have been notified of the Voices schedule, submissions can be made starting in January.

***Next Meeting:  Columbia Grammar & Prep     36 West 93rd Street
Joint Parent Reps meeting:  Dec. 10, 2008, 8:30am, Library
Student Reps meeting:  Dec 11, 2008, 4:14p, Cafeteria