The Agnes Irwin School Parents’ Council
Lower School Parent Coffee
Friday, January 22, 2021
The purpose of the Agnes Irwin Parents’ Council is to foster a positive spirit withing the Agnes Irwin community, and to provide financial support for education facilities, opportunities, and enrichment. The Agnes Irwin Parents’ Council communicates with the school’s administration to ensure that all activities and financial contributions support the school’s mission and create the best possible environment for all Agnes Irwin students to grow and thrive.
The meeting was held virtually using Zoom.
I. Welcome, Opening Remarks – Elizabeth Elizardi, Head of Lower School
Thank you for attending.
II. Lower School Update
Wonderful Moments:
· During an Anti-Bias Building Blocks lesson, girls spontaneously broke out into song about anti-bias.
o Reflects teaching methods and that the message and lessons are reaching the girls.
· Inauguration
o Was not streamed.
o Held a lower school assembly.
o Girls spoke about what they hope and dream for our country, very uplifting for everyone.
· Kim Walker was honored as January Educator of the Month on the Ozobot Robotics blog.
o Article about Kim and her work to integrate Ozobot into the lower school curriculum.
§ https://ozobot.com/blog/january-educator-of-the-month-director-of-technology-integration-and-innovation-kim-walker
January Reminders
· MAP Testing is next week, the week of 1/25.
o Grades K-4 will participate.
o This is the first MAP testing for K, they did not participate in the fall.
o Parents: at home please do not emphasize the MAP testing, discuss it as another activity for them to do at school, and that it is for them to just show what they know. Please decrease the anxiety about it. We are working on that same message at school.
o Final wave of MAP testing will be in the spring.
o At the end of the year parents receive a summary report showing the testing cycle, and your daughter’s growth.
o The school looks at this data both on the class level, and at an individual level.
§ At the individual level the results help us to see growth, or if we need to put interventions in place.
· Report cards are coming out next week, by Feb. 1st at the latest.
o Teachers are finishing comments this weekend, and next week will be a review period for each report card.
o Conferences are not until March, if you have any questions about your daughter’s report card please reach out to the teacher, please do not wait until conferences.
· Math Investigations – new math curriculum.
o Teachers are undergoing training for this new program.
§ Self-paced professional development in January.
§ 3-hour training on February 12th.
o A parent information session will be held, most likely in March. We will share information about the curriculum, why we chose it, and how parents can support their daughter(s) at home.
o Lower Merion uses this curriculum.
o Elizabeth Elizardi has already implemented this curriculum at another school and is familiar with not only the curriculum itself, but how to best get it started.
o It is a very hands-on curriculum, will fit in with our entire education profile well.
o Piloting this program after spring break.
§ We will only be covering one unit this school year – Geometry.
Upcoming Events
Black History Month
· Being organized by Kim Beamon-Morton and Noelle Harmon (new to us this year, the K and 1st grade science teacher).
· They interviewed some students and faculty with an essential question.
· Learning activities will include not only historical information but also fun events like dance and movement.
· Decided this year to move away from looking at and learning about the traditional figures that are usually highlighted during this month, but to look at young entrepreneurs closer to the girls age to inspire them to tap into their own entrepreneurship and opportunities for themselves.
Valentine’s Week
· Planning a warm and fuzzy week to celebrate the love all around us.
· More information to come on daily events.
· February 11th will be a bake sale.
o Will copy the format used in the fall, which was successful.
o Class parents will reach out to five or six parents per grade to provide a dozen treats of some sort.
· Valentine’s
o Just the card itself.
o No candy, stickers, pencils, or other prizes/treats/toys.
o Teachers will send out information about this as well prior to the holiday.
March – Women’s History Month
· Hosting our third annual Women in STEAM month.
o Coordinated by Julie Haines and Noelle Harmon.
o More information coming in today’s division letter.
o Looking for women who are involved in the STEAM field to record short videos and send them back to Julie and Noelle, who will curate the videos and integrate them into the daily routine of the girls’ day.
o Bulletin board will be made featuring the women participants, along with a QR code that the girls can scan and watch the short video affiliated with that individual.
Spring Events
· Notable Women – 4th grade.
o This is our new version of Women In Wax.
o Similar to Women In Wax, the girls are reading about, selecting notable women to research.
o Instead of the girls then pretending to be a figure in a wax museum, they can put a more authentic and personalized presentation for their selected woman.
§ Girls can choose how to present – whether it be a PowerPoint presentation, or something similar to a TED talk. It is up to the girls.
· Invention Convention – Kindergarten
o Just started our planning this week.
· Kirk’s Run – 2nd grade
o Everyone is excited to get the 2nd graders down to the creek for study.
o Boots have been ordered, had to go with blue instead of yellow since yellow were backordered. The blue is a very AIS color blue, and they will be equally as adorable.
· Mayfair
o We are currently brainstorming how to re-envision Mayfair
· Moving Up Day
o We are also currently thinking about Moving Up Day.
o Trying o reimagine it and figure out logistics on how to safely hold this on campus and keep it safe for everyone.
· Summer at AIS
o Camp is on for this summer!
o Live summer camp in person, with virtual options as well.
o Activity, Adventure, and Athletic camps.
o Bethel Mackiewicz is running the program.
o Website up within the week
o Registration starts 2/1/21.
III. Parents’ Council and Events Update
Nissa O’Mara, Parents’ Council President
Thank you all for attending today.
Thank you to everyone who supported our virtual events in the fall.
Upcoming events will continue will be virtual.
· Faculty & Staff Appreciation lunch
o Mid-February
o Sarah MacColl is running it.
o Re-imagining this as well since it is usually a large sit-down group lunch.
o Information coming on how you can help out, or donate to help.
· rAISe
o Our biggest fundraiser of the year
o Usually held in the spring as a large cocktail party, sit down dinner, and auction
o Working on changing this to interactive social events that people can attend virtually.
o Hosting a planning get together on January 26th at 8pm. If you would like to participate in planning rAISe this year, please reach out to Cathy Ferguson (cferguson@agnesirwin.org) and she can send you the link for this planning meeting.
· Spring Market
o Our spring shopping event of the year.
o Working on switching this over to a virtual shopping event this year. More information to come.
Nominations
· If you or anyone you know of is interested in getting involved next school year, please nominate yourself/them.
o Email pcnominations@agnesirwin.org
· There are several positions you can volunteer for – from class parent to chairing an event. You can visit the Parents’ Council tab for more information.
Please follow us on social media:
* Instagram: @AISParentsCouncil (https://www.instagram.com/aisparentscouncil/)
* Facebook: Agnes Irwin Parents' Council https://www.facebook.com/AgnesIrwinParentsCouncil/
