Parents’ Council Meeting
November 11, 2020
Via Zoom
The purpose of The Agnes Irwin School Parents’ Council is to foster a positive spirit withing the Agnes Irwin community and to provide financial support for educational facilities, opportunities, and enrichment. 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.
President’s Welcome – Nissa O’Mara, Parents’ Council President
Welcome, this is the last meeting of 2020
Please submit questions in the zoom chat section, or submit to Ashley Smith
· These questions will be used to help format a communication to the community before Thanksgiving.
Sally Keidel, Head of School
Thank you to the community for working together to follow protocols and for keeping us safe.
· Teachers reported lots of positive feedback from parents during parent/teacher conferences regarding the school’s covid protocol and programming.
Covid tracking
· We use multiple public data sites, county and state wide.
· We have a Covid response team at school that responds with a case or suspected case, and can activate contact tracing prior to Chester County’s tracing.
· Lots of local level information is being utizied.
· Meetings with Dr. Rubin from CHOP, and with Jeanne Casner from the Chester County Department of Health.
· We have become a community model as to what works in the Chester and Delaware Counties.
Community and Covid protocols
· We want to keep learning in person as long as possible. We need community help on this
· Transmissions, statistically, are not happening in schools.
· Make good choices – the small gatherings are causing community spread.
o No sleepovers.
o Masks in carpool.
o These recommendations apply to staff as well.
Post-Thanksgiving virtual learning was an agonizing choice, but supports our healthy return to school.
Athletics will be addressed.
Sally is in constant contact with other heads of school, and they are all working together.
She appreciates our partnership, and feels that school continues to be a joyous place.
Questions – please put any questions in the zoom chat or send to Ashley Smith: asmith@agnesirwin.org.
Divisional Updates
Upper School- Sharon Mankovich, Parents’ Council Upper School Coordinator
Upper School Key Dates/Events:
· 11/2 AIS Athletics Virtual Open House (Grades 5-12) 7-8:30 PM
· 11/2 – 11/6 All school Food Drive to benefit Wayne Food Pantry
· 11/9 All School Card Drive for Frontline Workers – Girls can create cards and drop them off in the boxes near the assigned grade locations
(9th: Under staircase to Athletic Offices – 10th: Mr. Basil’s office – 11th: Near Room 215 – 12th: Moran Gallery)
· 11/9 – 13 Upper School Spirit Week
· 11/11 Parents’ Council Meeting – Virtual from 9-10 AM – last one for 2020!
· 11/11 Junior Parents College Night – Virtual from 7-8:30
· 11/16-11/21 Owlidays at Eagle Village (20% off all week) – See link for details Owlidays Registration
· 11/23 Virtual Flower Arranging Event with Melissa Parker – 7:30 pm start – (See link for details: Thanksgiving Flower Arranging Registration )
· 11/25 – 11/27 Thanksgiving Break – No Classes
· 11/30 In-Service Day- No Classes
· 12/1 Classes Resume
· 12/1 Senior Parents College Night “Hearing the News” – Virtual 7-8:30
· 12/4-12/13 Gingerbread House Cookie and Decorating Context (See link for details: Gingerbread House and Cookie Decorating Information
Spirit Week Details
· Theme Dress Days:
o Monday: Cartoon
o Tuesday: Blue & Gold
o Wednesday: Class Colors
o Thursday: Prom
o Friday: Pajamas
· Events – there will be an event each day of the week during he 12:45-1:45 block. Your class deans will share the sign-up form with you for you to request three events you want to participate in. Please note these are requests. Your class dean will have the ultimate decision in making the teams. All events will take place outside on Carter and Phelps field.
o Monday: Kickball – 30 participants per grade.
o Tuesday: Relay races - 20 participants per grade.
o Wednesday: Dodgeball – 30 participants per grade.
o Thursday: Tug of War – 6 participants per grade.
o Friday
§ 1- Dance Competition – 15 participants per grade. Please note the dance teams will be created as quickly as possible to allow for rehearsal times
§ 2 – Wing eating -3 participants per grade.
§ Poster making – unlimited participants.
o Scoring:
§ For kickball, relay races, dodgeball and tug of war events, winners of the first round will play each other and losers of the first round will play each other in order to determine a first, second, third, and fourth place.
§ The dance competition and wing eating competition will take place on the Phelps field with each grade sectioned off into the four quadrants of the field.
§ At the end of each day, the winning grade will receive 4 points, the second-place grade 3 points, and so on. The total number of points at the end of the week will be tallied to determine an overall winner of the fall spirit week.
Athletics
· Information will be coming soon about winter athletics.
· Please forward any questions you may have to Courtney Lubbe: clubbe@agnesirwin.org.
Middle School – Mimi Greenly, Parents’ Council Middle School Coordinator
Thank you to the Class Parents for all they have done this fall, excellent job in relaying lots of information to our community.
Mme. Bonnamour has had a good transition into the role of 5th and 6th grade Dean.
Middle School can participate in Spirit Week this year for the first time.
Cintra thanks the Middle School community for everyone’s generosity during denim day and the can drive.
Please remember to bring back art kits after virtual extension of Thanksgiving.
Please remember your Thanksgiving Assembly Video.
· The school is putting together a short video for the Thanksgiving assembly of things our community is grateful for this year. Please share a short video (no longer than 30 seconds) completing the sentence: “This year, I’m grateful for…”. Feel free to include your whole family in a group message if you’d like. Please email your videos to communications@agnesirwin.org.
The Center for the Advancement of Girls proudly welcomes Dr. Lisa Damour to discuss Managing Stress, Anxiety, and Parenting Under COVID-19.
· Dr. Damour will explain the psychological science key to understanding how stress and anxiety operate, both under everyday conditions and at times of heightened concern and disruption. Join us to learn more about:
o How to keep pressure and tension from reaching toxic levels.
o How to parent effectively in the current circumstances.
o The most reliable strategies for managing ongoing stress.
· December 9, 6:30-8:00 pm.
Lower School – Allison Cocozza, Parents’ Council Lower School Coordinator
Thank you to Class Parents.
Access to the lower school Thanksgiving Assembly is being worked on.
Spirit Week for Lower School this week, crazy masks and pajama day are the ones left for this week.
Bake Sale – Friday, November 13th
o Please donate individually wrapped baked goods, either store bought or made at home.
Winter Concert
o Murray Savar is working on a virtual winter concert and is looking for video submissions. Please see his email for more information.
Answers from Elizabeth Elizardi regarding parent posted questions:
o The tents outside are being utilized for recess and for classes such as Let’s Care.
o Masks may come off outside if the girls are more than 6 feet apart.
Events Update – Erin Hinckle, Parents’ Council Events Coordinator
Thank you to everyone who participated in the wine tasting. We had over 60 participants.
New events:
· Owlidays next week. 20% at participating stores, tickets currently available. Register here: https://agnirwsc.ejoinme.org/MyEvents/Owlidays2020/tabid/1187957/Default.aspx
· Flower arranging, November 23.
o Deadline to register is 11/16.
o Option to buy the flowers, they will be delivered to your home on the day of.
o Option to watch without purchasing flowers, but you must still register.
· Gingerbread house and Cookie Decorating.
o Contest for best decorated house and cookies.
§ Gingerbread house and cookie contest is online, 12/15-12/17.
o You may purchase a pre-assembled house, as well as cookie dough.
§ Register and purchase your house and/or cookie dough: https://agnirwsc.ejoinme.org/MyEvents/GingerbreadandCookieDecorating/tabid/1188316/Default.aspx
o Gingerbread house and cookies do not need to be purchased through Agnes Irwin to participate in contest.
Sharon Mankovich reminds everyone to check the school policy if you are traveling for the holidays. Also if you are on a travel team, there may be a 2 week quarantine needed.
Next meeting – Class coffees in January
§ Upper School – January 27th, 9:00am
§ 7th and 8th grade – January 20th, 9:00am
§ 5th and 6th – January 12th, 9:00am
Please follow us on social media:
* Instagram: @AISParentsCouncil (https://www.instagram.com/aisparentscouncil/)
* Facebook: Agnes Irwin Parents' Council https://www.facebook.com/AgnesIrwinParentsCouncil/
