Parents Association

Our Mission

It is the goal of the Parents Association (PA) to support parents, children and teachers by helping to create a positive environment at Barrow Street Nursery School at Greenwich House (BSNS). The PA enhances the mission of BSNS by organizing and implementing activities that bring the BSNS community together and acting as a liaison among the administration and all parents at the school.

Monthly Meetings

The PA meets on the third Wednesday of each month at 9:15 a.m. (unless otherwise noted) to organize various school events and to support our parents and teachers throughout the year. Meetings are held in the conference room on the second floor of 27 Barrow Street. Coffee and bagels are served.

All parents are welcome to attend.

2020-2021 Board

Co-Presidents: Betsy Pepe and Julie King

Co-Vice Presidents: Melissa Frankfort and Elizabeth Grenley

Treasurer: Deshi Singh

Secretary: Kerry Van Voris

2020-2021 Committees

  • Auction Committee 

The auction raises money for scholarships, professional development and various school projects. It is the sole fundraising event for the school’s scholarship fund which enables BSNS to maintain an economically diverse student body.  This committee organizes every aspect of the auction.  There are many ways to support this committee – it is truly a community effort and the more people the better.  Meetings are held on a monthly basis, typically after the PA meeting. 

Vice-Chairs and Volunteers Needed for: Donations (soliciting and organizing), BSNS Video and Art Project (to be shown/sold at event), Event & Décor,  Marketing/Social Media/Graphics, Night of Support, Flexible organization work done remotely from a computer.   

Contacts:  Alana Axelrod, Zara Tisch, Sas Simon and Rachel Wexler

Time Commitment: 2-4 hours per month, more in March/April (Auction occurs in April)

Timing of Event:  April, planning throughout the school year

 

  • Bake Sale Committee 

Funds raised support classroom needs identified by the school as well as a local charity in conjunction with the Community Engagement Committee.  Volunteer opportunities include: baking, buying, working a shift, and helping to organize the event.  

Contact:  Kate Burke and Chrissi Crampton

Time Commitment:  1-4 hours per event

Timing of Events:  October and May

 

  • Community Engagement Committee

BSNS has a rich history in community service. The Community Engagement Committee is responsible for planning and executing 3 to 5 school-wide community projects each year.  Past examples include:  a zero waste initiative, a partnership with Hudson River Parks and necessity drives (clothes, food, diapers).  The group works with a BSNS teacher liaison to support in-class community engagement initiatives. 

Contact:  Liz Yingst and Heather Summe-Aleksinas

Time commitment:  1-4 hours per project

 

  • Dad’s Committee

No meetings, no minutes.  The Father’s Committee is a group of fathers who want to be involved, but without regular meetings.  Primarily a social committee, they host 1-2 events per year and lend a helping hand with activities sponsored by the PA and school.

Contacts:  Andrew Axelrod and Neil King

Time Commitment:  1-4 hours per event

 

  • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee

The mission of this Committee is to support BSNS’s commitment to creating a community that promotes inclusion and respect by valuing the diverse perspectives, backgrounds and experiences of our children, teachers and families. This newly formed Committee endeavors to support, celebrate and embrace all of our families by hosting various events throughout the year.  Examples are:  coffee chats with parents & faculty, book readings, speaker series, as well as collaborating with other committees.

Contact:  Katty Lau and Jackie Stockel

Time Commitment:  1-4 hours per event

 

  • Fall Fair/Spring Streets Committee

Fall Fair has an array of carnivalesque stations for each classroom to visit throughout the day. 

Contact: Serena Peck

Time Commitment:  5-8 hours, possibly more surrounding the fairs

Timing of Event:  Late October

 

  • Family & Parent Events Committee

This committee hosts Parent/Teacher Cocktail and a Winter Brunch at the school. The brunch is an opportunity for parents and children to come together and enjoy a social event on a weekend. The Events committee organizes and plans all aspects of and works with the parent body to determine the need for additional events. 

Contacts: Jill Bouquard and Camilla Locker

Time Commitment: 2-4 hours per event.

Timing of Events:  September (cocktails), January (brunch)

 

  • Flex Committee

For parents who want to be engaged but have sporadic availability and are open to being contacted for last minute projects either at home, work or school.  This committee will receive monthly requests with projects and volunteer opportunities that need to be done. Parents can opt to sign up on an as needed basis. This committee is also a great way to meet a broad range of parents and explore which committees you may want to commit to more permanently.

Contacts: Eyal Dagan 

Time Commitment: 1-2 hours per project.

 

  • Literacy Committee 

The Parents’ Association takes pride in organizing the newly updated library, an annual book fair in the fall, and an author visit in the spring.  This committee selects and orders new books, handles the pick-up/delivery from the vendor, organizes the set-up and breakdown, reconciles the financial transactions, and runs the actual book fair.

Contacts:  Casey Weiss and Louise Hart

Time Commitment:  2-5 hours per event

Timing of Events:  Library organization is throughout, November (book fair), Spring (author visit)

 

  • New Family Committee

This committee supports our admissions office by volunteering to help with Open Houses and Tours in the fall and then welcomes our new families in the spring by organizing events and introducing them to other parents, teachers, and staff. This committee organizes buddies for new families, Family Play Dates, the New Parent Cocktail and the Getting Ready for School Event.  

Contacts:  Eyal Dagan and Lizzie Leventhal

Time Commitment:  2-4 hours per event

Timing of Events:  September – January (Open House/Tours), April – June (Cocktail, Workshop and Play Dates)

 

  • Social Committee

This Committee hosts informal events where parents can connect.  Past examples include:  coffees, gallery tours, cocktail events, shopping events, parent volunteer opportunities and work-out events.  This committee allows working parents and others with busy daytime demands to stay connected to the Barrow Street community.

Contact:  Lisa Epperson and Taryn Blank

Time Commitment:  1-4 hours per event

 

  • Wellness Committee – NEW

Committee members educate families and teachers about healthy eating, virus prevention, dental hygiene, sleep tips, and much more!  Committee will create class workshops coordinated with teachers twice a year to talk to children about a specific health and wellness topic.

Contact:  Wendy Amsterdam 

Time Commitment:  1-3 hours per project

 

  • Yearbook Committee

BSNS produces a single school-wide yearbook documenting the children and their activities.  The Committee consists of a representative from each class who will take and gather pictures of their class throughout the year.  In late spring, the classroom representative will submit the best 10-15 photos to the yearbook organizer. 

Contact:  Courtney Henritze and Julie Gallagher

Time Commitment:  2-4 hours over the course of the school year

 

  • Class Parents 

Each classroom has 2 class parents.  These parents help facilitate communication between the teachers and the other parents primarily through weekly emails, build cohesiveness in the classroom, plan teacher appreciation, arrange class parties and participate while encouraging participation schoolwide.  At least one class parent from each class should attend the monthly PA meetings.

Time Commitment:  3-4 hours per month

 

Fundraising

Book Fair

The Parents Association organizes a book fair annually during parent-teacher conferences.  The book fair provides parents with the opportunity to purchase great books while at the same time raising funds for various school projects. The book fair is on the second floor concurrent with the parent/teacher conferences.

Auction

Each spring the Parents Association organizes an auction to raise money for the scholarship fund and other programmatic needs.  This is the sole fundraising event for the school’s scholarship fund and enables Barrow Street to maintain an economically diverse student body. As of now, approximately 10% of our students receive some type of financial support, but we hope to be able to increase that number for next year!

Bake Sale

The Parents Association holds two bake sales (fall and spring) to raise funds for PA activities.  It is organized and run by our parents.  The bake sale is held in the lobby of Greenwich House for the whole community.

Amazon Affiliate Program 

BSNS has an affiliation program with Amazon.com and a portion of all purchases made through the link can raise money for the BSNS PA Fund. This helps to support school events and activities. Click here for a general shopping link where a portion of expenditures go to BSNS PA.