The Agnes Irwin School Parents’ Association
Middle School Parent Coffee
Wednesday, January 11th, 2023 • 8:00 a.m.

The purpose of the Agnes Irwin Parents’ Association is to foster a positive spirit
within the Agnes Irwin community, and to provide financial support for education
facilities, opportunities, and enrichment. The Agnes Irwin Parents’ Association
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.

Welcome - Sally Keidel – Head of School
● School has new Strategic Plan which it has begun to implement. Will keep
parents updated on further implementation.
● Corey Willingham appointed Director of Middle School. Much positive feedback
from parents.

Middle School Updates - Corey Willingham - Director of Middle School
● Shared a Student Council Event last week - Four Square Tournament
○ Four square was often an area of conflict last year but turned it into a
learning opportunity where they taught rules and everyone was included
● Collaborative Conferences
○ Piloted last spring
○ Teachers will prepare students to lead the conversation covering 1)
evidence of learning 2) reflection on progress 3) goal setting
○ Students create digital portfolios on Google Sites
■ One page for each class
■ Teacher supplies course goals
○ Why
■ Good for girls: girls are highly relational learners, adds parents as
advocates for their learning
■ Promotes meta-cognition (thinking about how one thinks)

■ This kind of thinking/reflection aids in lifelong learning
■ Supports Leadership Keys of Agency and Confidence and the qualities
in Portrait of a Graduate
○ Parents’ Role
■ Actively listen: ask questions (during an after), make it a conversation
■ Identify goals and ways to support these
○ Timeline
■ Jan. 20 - plans unveiled to students and digital portfolio work begins
■ February - parents please check in with your daughter regarding
progress
■ March - sign up for conferences through PickATime
■ March 16-17 conferences
● ERB Testing Jan 24-27
○ Covers verbal reasoning, reading comprehension, math
○ Taken over 3 days during Parliament
○ ERB Scores are just one additional data point in decisions about placing
student in leveled course or considering child for external testing.
Classroom performance remains the most important factor.
○ Parents’ role
■ Ensure good night’s sleep and good breakfast
■ Refrain from scheduling medical appointments during this time
■ If child is stressed about testing, help keep things in perspective
○ Results shared in late May
● Important Spring Dates
○ March 3 & 4: Newsies Jr.
○ March 16-17: Collaborative Conferences
○ April 12-13: 5th Grade Overnight Trip
○ May 12: 8th Grade Semi-Formal
○ May 18: 5th Grade Musical Tale
○ May 24: 6th Grade Medieval Day Celebration
○ May 31-June 2: 7th and 8th Grade Final Exams
○ June 2: Last Day of MS Classes
○ June 5: 8th Grade Closing Ceremony & Hershey Park Trip

MS Girls and Friendship Groups - Susan Maroto - MS Counselor
● Have been seeing trends in lunchroom and recess that have been intruding into
the school day
● Large Friendship Groups
○ Can lead to hurt feelings if not everyone invited to a gathering
■ Please ask daughter not to post photos if not everyone was invited or to
talk about the gathering in front of those who were not invited
■ Recommend not sharing location on phone
● Lunch Table - help child be more flexible in interpretation if someone chooses
not to sit at their lunch table
○ School plans to implement assigned seating at lunch tables one or two
times in the spring to switch up seating
● Over-interpretation of non-verbal signs
○ Tip: Ask “how would you prove it in a court of law?” to emphasize that
worries not based on any real facts
● Changing Friend Groups
○ Sometimes girls afraid to leave friend group because of fear of retaliation
○ Tip: Discuss what qualities daughter wants in a friend, red flags,
dealbreakers. Emphasize she has a choice.
● Recommends book Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman
● Check Your Daughter’s Phone
○ If not your daughter, it could be that another student is the recipient of
unkind behavior - alert the school counselor

Parents’ Council
● Nissa O’Mara, Parents’ Council President
○ All or almost all fall events had record attendance
○ Email Nissa or Ann Thorkelson if you have ideas for events you would like
to see
○ Nominations for PC positions for next year opening soon
● Ann Thorkelson, Parents’ Council Events Coordinator
○ Spring Events
■ Feb. 2 - MS/US Staff Appreciation Lunch, request for
donations/volunteers
■ March (exact date TBD) Movie Night at Bryn Mawr Film Institute
■ March 11 - Family Skating Night
■ April 21 - RaisE at 672 Conestoga

● Alice Bullitt, Middle School Coordinator

Environmental/Sustainability Info - Tracy Viola
● Holiday light recycling on-going
● Can also recycle batteries through the year
● Collection outside CAG Office

Breakouts – Facilitated by the Class Parents
● 5th Grade: Tracy Viola, Emily Ho
● 6th Grade: Lesley Coulson, Amy Calabrese
● 7th Grade: Kam Bongiorno, Cole Costa
● 8th Grade: Amy Cooper, Sarah Miller