Minutes of Parent Representatives’ Meeting
Nightingale-Bamford School
Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 8:30 am

Guest:  Susan Tilson, President of Nightingale Parent Association.

Carmen Knoepffler, President: Opens meeting and welcomes those in attendance.

Barbara Murphy, Service Saturday: Service Saturday, October 24, 1-5 pm, Nightingale-Bamford.  Forty-two students from 9 schools attended. Students packaged 275 bags of toiletries for charities such as Midnight Run, Trinity Place Shelter, City at Peace, the Bowery Women's Mission, and B'nai Jeshurun and St. Paul & St. Andrews Shelter; made 60 birthday cards and decorated 50 Thanksgiving shopping bags for clients of God’s Love We Deliver; and made 134 craft kits and 9 surgi dolls for Project Sunshine.  Suggestions for improvement for next year included getting a group of students to commit to staying until the end to help with clean-up and delivery of toiletry donations, and getting students involved earlier in planning the event so they have a sense of ownership.  Feedback from students who participated in the event would also be useful. Speakers from charities such as God’s Love We Deliver should address the students at their meeting before Service Saturday to generate enthusiasm; students should also be directed to view the GLWD video on YouTube. Students who participated will be sent email copies of the thank-you notes from charities that benefitted. Thank you notes received were circulated.

Suzanne Fawbush, JSA Parent Letter: The JSA Parent Letter to publicize Upper School JSA among its member schools and clarify its mission and activities was discussed.  The letter will be sent to JSA parent reps to send to their school’s PA Head and community service director and to be included in a school newsletter or email blast.  The issue of changing the name to distinguish Upper School JSA from its middle school counterpart was discussed, and it was decided to put the question to the student reps at their meeting November 19.

Monique Pettit, on behalf of Helena Park, Treasurer: The current balance, as of November 16, is $15,014.  This does not include Service Saturday expenses.  Reps who incurred out-of-pocket expenses are encouraged to send their receipts to Helena for reimbursement as we do not want to set a precedent of having volunteers shoulder the financial burden for helping out.  Parent reps from schools that have still not paid their 2009-2010 will receive a new invoice from Monique and should follow-up with their PA.

Colleen Pike Blair:  Independent Voices: Barnes & Noble, Lincoln Center, Friday April 23, 6:30pm. Colleen reported that the letter to Voices faculty contacts has been sent out, and several schools have responded.  A copy of the letter and list of faculty contacts will be sent to parent reps.  Submission deadline is February 5.  The poetry anthology this year will be online, like last year, but a modest number of hard copies will be printed as well, probably through a self-publishing program. Volunteers for proofreading were solicited, and Karen Gantz Zahler volunteered to help. Also needed is a student emcee and a student to create an improved version of the online anthology.

Carmen Knoepffler, Winter Carnival:  Winter Carnival, in lieu of the Holiday Carnival, will be held January 9, 1-5 pm at Christ Church, 520 Park Ave. at 60^th St. and co-chaired by Chapin, Sacred Heart, and Hewitt.  Student volunteers are needed to organize, set up and staff booths.  Carmen will email the notes and suggestions from last year to the Chapin co-chairs of the event.

Carmen Knoepffler, Student-Run Event: A student-planned event will take place in the Browning gym on February 20.  Student reps at the Nov 19 meeting will set up committees to plan and help out.  A group of three student volunteers including Ben from Calhoun, Katie from Nightingale, and Elizabeth from Hewitt will help plan and supervise.

***Next Meeting: Columbia Grammar & Prep School, 5 West 93^rd Street
Parent Rep meeting: December 9, 2009, 8:30am
Student Rep Meeting: December 10, 4:15 pm