Meeting of BISNY Parents Association February 5th 2015
Review of Past Events Family Movie Night – This was a fabulous night, a huge thanks to Lucinda Longcroft and Cynthia Coulson for all of their hard work in organizing the event and clearing up afterwards. Also thank you to the volunteers as well as Shu Chang and Amira Kerrar for the wonderful food that they provided for the parents. The BISNY staff were as always, extremely helpful and it was great to have the late club extension. Of note:
PA Parents Social Outing The first outing was planned for Friday 6 February to the Shop Life Tour at the Tenement Museum. Discussion with Mr Phelps Mr Phelps outlined the process for deciding about early dismissal or a snow day. There is also an option for a late start but this is difficult in practice. For an early dismissal a decision needs to be made 2 hours in advance of the dismissal ie by 12 noon for a 2pm dismissal. For a snow day the decision would be made during the evening of the previous day or by 5am of the current day. However, Mr Phelps made it clear that parents should still exercise common sense, make personal decisions based on their local weather conditions and not take unnecessary risks, even if the school eventually remains open. It is acceptable to keep children away from school in such circumstances. A number of staff live off Manhattan but it is generally still feasible to keep the school open without a full complement of staff, albeit with changes to staffing in classes. The children do not go outside to play if it is too cold or slippery. The world beyond BISNY
Minutes of the PA Meeting of the British International School of New York
8 January 2015 Welcome Stacy welcomed everyone to the first meeting of the New Year and especially new families who had just joined the school. Feedback on recent events 1. Holiday Gift Cards: Thanks were expressed to the Class Reps for handing out the gift cards to the teachers. Many parents had received thank you emails or cards from the staff. WP commented that the staff were grateful for the gifts. The process had worked well in general. It was requested that in future if a rep was unable to get into school collect the card from Al, they should either contact the other rep in the year or the board so that alternative arrangements could be made. 2. Holiday Parties: WP thanked the PA and mentioned that the children had loved the parties. Some classes had bought items such as a karaoke machine and lights and so it was agreed that it was important to keep an inventory of such items (Halloween decorations, quiz night goodies) and store them in a safe place so that they could be reused for future parties. Action: WP to contact Michelle Schwartz in the finance office to organize this. 3. Charity Drives: Both had worked well and it was good that parents had taken ownership of the drives. Parents were reminded that they could put posters around the school to advertise events and it was suggested that notes in backpacks might encourage more donations. 4. Class reps: Thank you for sending out welcome notes to new families. Winter Concert Thank you to all of the staff who had made the winter concert such a successful event. Parents had enjoyed the art display. WP mentioned that the date may move to the last day of term for 2015, although this was dependent on the availability of Hunter College. Jason Morrow’s Visit The reception and events to meet the new Headmaster had been successful. It was likely that he would be coming again in May. Upcoming Events 1. Movie Night: Cynthia Coulson and Lucinda Longcroft were chairing the event and had had a meeting with last years chairs in order to go through the process. A sign up sheet for volunteers to assist on the night was passed around. The event would be on 30 January which is also a non uniform day.The next step would be to select the films. Action: LB to pass on budget details. 2. Film Festival: Katrina Forde had been given details of a Children’s International Film Festival. Running from the end of February for a month, a number of short films would be shown. BISNY would be given the opportunity of buying a block of discounted tickets or using the events as a fundraising opportunity. Katrina would find out further information and pass it to class reps to guage support beyond the general enthusiasm in the meeting. 3. Book Week: This was starting on 1 March with a brunch at Books of Wonder. Belinda Cherrington was meeting with Books of Wonder next week and would report back. A sign up sheet was passed around for volunteers to help at the brunch. Once details of the authors were available, the class trips could be organized and further assistance may be needed. There was agreement for a suggestion that children donate books to a charity during book week. 4. Maths Night: no date had been set, but Lesley Radford, Alison Topen and Saswati Chakravati were chairing the event. The first step would be to coordinate with Mr Baxter. Support for Nicholas’s Law – Petition Stacy reminded the meeting of the background to this proposed legislation being put before the senate in the spring. Each state controls its own gun laws, and NY was proposing a safe storage act for guns, following the sad death of a child, Nicholas, on a play-date, where the family gun was not locked away. School Parents Associations were being asked to support the legislation and at the last meeting in December, it had been proposed that the BISNY PA write in support of this, as a Parents Association. A concern had been raised in the meeting about signing as the PA and so it was agreed at the December meeting that there would be a vote on the matter, when all parents would have the opportunity to respond. However, further discussion with Mr Phelps (who had not been present at the original meeting) had resulted in a change to this proposal. It was believed that the current constitution of the BISNY PA did not give the authority for the PA to take a role in a matter, not directly linked to school business. Therefore, in order to and support a petition for Nicholas’ Law, individual signatures would be required. Parents expressed their support for this law and thanked Stacy for bringing it to their attention. There was some disappointment expressed that the original proposal would not go ahead, but the importance of keeping a cohesive group was recognized. Action: The PA Board would facilitate this petition via the Class reps as soon as practicable. It was confirmed that an electronic signature was sufficient. Parents who were not US citizens were still entitled to sign this petition. New York state residence was the only requirement. Constitutional Change There was some discussion about the evolving role of the PA within a newly created school. It was agreed that the constitution should be changed, in order to facilitate a broader range of activities, such as supporting legislation that affected the welfare of children, in the future. Action: The Board would draft an amended constitution and circulate it via the class reps. In order to achieve this the board would consider the wordings of constitutions of other Parents Associations and parents who were lawyers, volunteered to assist. It was agreed that this should be done as soon as possible. New Social Initiative A parent had commented that other international schools they had been part of had a social initiative that included visiting local landmarks and museums. There was support for this and it was agreed that if a parent knew of a specific exibition etc that would be interest they would advise the Board who could advertise it. Terri also mentioned volunteering opportunities. The next meeting will be on 5 February Welcome
Stacy welcomed everyone to the final meeting of 2014 Feedback on recent events 1. International Week: Thanks were expressed to Carrie Hodgson for organizing the music and dance each morning and to Sophia Panagos for organizing the fair, along with all of the parents who hosted stalls and participated. This was the largest fair we had held with 15 tables. Will Phelps thanked the PA and said that from the school’s point of view it was the best fair and that Friday was definitely a good day to hold it. Next years fair should be on the Friday. 2. International Games Night: The PA and Mr Phelps commended the teachers for taking the initiative and hosting this event. The children thoroughly enjoyed themselves and all the left over food from the fair was eaten. However, it was felt that coming at the end of Co-opertition Week and International Week, it was too much for many parents. 3. Fun Run: Thank you to Amy Taylor for organizing. Numbers were fewer this year, but it was not clear why. Other schools had found this also. It was suggested that timing was an issue, for BISNY coming at the end of a busy fortnight. However, we have no control over the date, it is always the Saturday after the Marathon. 4. Mums Night: ShuHui Chang’s catering was outstanding and thank you to Lesley Radford and Alison Topen for organizing the event and to Paul for buying the wine. The timing and the venue worked well. 5. Dads Night: Thanks to Paul Peacock and Andrew Topen, who organized this event. A good number of dads attended and the fluidity of the event probably meant that there was a better turnout than on previous occasions. 6. General feedback: a. The meeting was reminded of the suggestion made last year that Coopertition Week be moved to early January. This would relieve pressure on a congested diary in October/November and be a nice welcome for those children joining the school in January. Action: WP/staff to look at calendar for 2015/16 year. b. There was a suggestion of a parents’ night out or a BISNY people night out, so there was no pressure to come as a couple! If this were in the Winter term it would be a good welcome for new families. However, someone would need to volunteer to organize it. Action: SC Put the suggestion in the Newsletter and ask for a volunteer. Movie Night At present nobody had volunteered to run the event and a further plea would be put in the News Sheet. If there was no volunteer the event would not run. Mr Phelps emphasized that the facilities staff were available to help set up the event and that he would be happy to meet with the chair of the event to help plot the logistics. Action: SC to put a request for a chair in the Newsletter. Discussion with Mr Phelps: School Bus service: At a previous meeting a parent had raised the possibility of a bus service leaving school at 4.30 perhaps with one stop in mid-town to help those wishing to attend after school clubs. Emmanuel Transit had been brilliant so far this term. However, at this stage in the school year the costs of such a scheme would be prohibitive. It was felt that there might be more chance of success if the request was made again in the summer, when Emmanuel were planning their routes and services. Other options of carpooling or using a smaller company such as Kidcar NY who used minivans were discussed. Any parent who might wish to carpool was encouraged to email the BISNY PA via the gmail account. Action: SC to put in News letter? WP to raise with Harrison next summer? Heads Handover: The initial phase of the handover was beginning with Jason Morrow’s visit to the school in the last week of term. He would be leading an assembly with the children and meeting the staff on Tuesday. The meeting with parents on Wednesday was a get to know you meeting, but 90 parents had not opened their invitation. He would be shepherded around the evening and also have the opportunity to say a few words. Mr Morrow’s CV was on the school website. There was no child care at the meeting but Mr Phelps would consider it. Action: WP to consider offering child care at the event with Mr Morrow and notify parents accordingly. It was pointed out that some parents had not received an invitation and did not receive the HM News. Action: WP to send out a test email. Class reps to be asked to email their classes and ask them to contact Will/Holly if they don’t receive school communications. End of Term: There were a number of events coming up, winter concerts and class parties and a pantomime for the children. The last day of term would be a full day. The school would organize coffee for parents who were attending both winter concerts as there was no local place to go in the time between the events. Action: WP to organize. Leavers and Joiners: A number of families, who had made a significant contribution to the PA were leaving the school at the end of this term and thanks were expressed to them: The Hodgsons, Cheethams and tang families were returning to the UK, Australia and Singapore. Ed Hill would provide the names of new families so that they could be welcomed. Holiday Class Parties A budget of $7 per child was being made available from PA funds for the end of term parties. The class reps should discuss with their class teachers what help the teachers wanted. Money spent on the parties could be claimed back in the usual way. Action: LB to email class reps explaining the procedure for the parties and claiming expenses. Holiday gifts for Teachers Every Member of staff, directly employed by BISNY would receive an Amex gift card. For full time staff this would be $300 and for part time staff, $150. Playground assistants receive $100. The cards were being stored in the finance office and class reps could go and sign out a card for their teacher from 5 December. It was up to the rep to decide when to give it to the teacher. Lorna would be noting the reference numbers of the cards in case there were any defective ones. She would also send a note to class reps detailing the procedure, once she had checked the type of card that came with the gift card. It may be that each rep would need to supply a more cheery holiday card! Action: LB PA Heads Meeting Stacy had attended the meeting of PA Heads of the private schools in the city. At the last meeting and organization called New Yorkers Against Gun Violence (NYAGV) came to raise awareness of Nicholas’s Law which was being put to congress in the near future. This proposed legislation came about as the result of a child being killed on a play-date. Nicholas and a friend found the parent’s gun and sadly Nicholas was shot. the legislation would require guns to be locked away when there are children present in the home. Stacy had some literature about this legislation. NYAGV were keen to encourage PAs to sign a petition as a body and to encourage individuals to do so too, in support of this law. The overwhelming feel of the meeting was that the PA should support this legislation and sign the petition, provided it was within the PA’s power to do so. However, there was an objection that the PA be involved in such an activity. Since in was important that the PA speak with a collective voice – it was agreed that: Every paid up member of the PA be entitled to vote as to whether or not the PA should sign the petition. Action: Stacy to draft a memo to parents, to be sent out via explaining the situation and arranging for a vote on the motion of whether or not the PA as a body should support Nicholas’s Law. The PA bye-laws/constitution would be checked to ensure that this was a valid action. School Photos It was agreed that the ordering system was good and parents were reminded that the deadline for ordering was Friday 5 December. Open Floor Community Service: Each year the school takes part in various acts of community service, particularly on Make a Difference Day. There was to be a bigger impetus this coming year, and the school was looking for suitable charities to be involved with. Parents who were involved in local charities were encouraged to contact either Ms Grainsky or Ms Smith. There were photos of the second hand uniform which could go out with the newsletter and also be sent to new parents joining the school in January. Arabic speaking families had been investigating starting an Arabic language club, not just for them but open to all children. It was likely that this would start in February and ways of publicizing this were discussed. Action: SC to put in Newsletter next week. |
Our monthly meetings are very informal and generally last about an hour. An agenda will be issued here in advance of each meeting. Archives
June 2015
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