Agnes Irwin Parents’ Council 7th/8th Grade Parent Coffee
January 22, 2020
I. Welcome – Sharon Mankovich, AIS Parents’ Council Middle School Coordinator
II. Upcoming School Events, 2nd Half Focus and News
Camille Seals, Assistant Head of School
- Main role is to support diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at the school.
- Parent SEED Program
o 2nd year running
o National program that aims to have parents feel a part of a multi-cultural diverse
community
o If any parents are interested in being a part of this, please reach out to Camille.
September is when the next wave of this initiative will begin.
- Here on behalf of Wendy, we appreciate all of the parents, and all of their support.
Cintra Horn, Middle School Director
- Schedule/Discovery Blocks
o Exciting year so far for teacher collaboration
o We have seen subjects come together that usually wouldn’t.
For example, English and history worked together, and Latin and science
o Doing special programming that won’t fall in regular academic schedule.
o Next Wednesday is a presentation on vaping
- Parent Teacher Conferences: Jan 30-31 -Please sign up.
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service went very well on Monday. Great attendance.
- ERB testing is this week
o Just a snapshot of what students know at that time. Not used for placement, just used for
information.
o Parents should get results in April
o Results are used to look at the class as a whole and at our programming compared to
other schools. For example, we can look at the math scores as a whole, and how they
have changed in the past five years, so we can assess how our 3-year old match
curriculum is doing, have the scores gone up, etc.
o If you don’t have past results and want them to see your daughter’s scoring history, please
reach out to Cintra. The school keeps them.
- Middle School Musical: March 6-7 (The Music Man)
- 7th Grade Field Trip: March 12 – 13 to Washington, DC
- Head of School Transition
o Sally Keidel, the new Head of School, starts officially in July
o Parents will have a chance to meet her this spring. Transition committee working on that.
Corey Willingham, 7th and 8th grade Dean
- 7th Grade Field Trip Details:
o Washington DC - 3/12 and 3/13
o Girls and chaperones will stay in a hotel in Alexandria this year, which is a little closer to
the city and provides more time to see the sights
o Permission slips should be coming out early next week
o Door open during Parent/Teacher conferences if you have questions.
o Trip includes: National Portrait Gallery, White House Visitors Center, Shear Madness show
at the Kennedy Center, the Library of Congress, a look at architecture of the Capital, and
the National Museum of the Native American
- 7th/8th Grade Final Exams: End of May
o 7th grade parents – this is your daughter’s first time sitting for a big test like this.
▪ Low stakes opportunity for students to show us what they know. They are not
cumulative exams.
▪ Exams will only count towards 10% of the final grade
o Chance for upper middle schoolers to sit for a longer test in a big room with lots of
classmates to see what that is like
o Exams are in Science, History, Math, Spanish or French and Latin (no English – most will
have papers due prior to that time)
o Teachers will hold review sessions the week prior to final exams (they will have at least 3
class periods for each subject during which they will have review sessions)
o Girls are expected to be at school for the full day
o Up to two exams per day
▪ There are no regular classes during the day
▪ There will be other activities outside of exams for the girls to fill their time; study
hall, access to gym to move around, clean out lockers, 8th graders will rehearse for
graduation
o Tips for parents:
▪ Make sure the girls get a good night sleep
▪ It is dress down and they should dress comfortably
▪ Students will have time to meet with teachers ahead
▪ Students can go in during a one-hour period on June 3rd after school ends to find
out their final exam grades (just drop them off and it can take 15 – 20 minutes)
▪ If you have questions, please reach out to Dean Willingham
o Any students needing accommodations for test taking will have them.
- 8th grade celebration/moving up ceremony
o June 2nd at 10:30 AM in the Buck
o Attire: girls are asked to come in something nice – dress or dress equivalent (skirt or nice
pants)
▪ Girls will be seated in front of the audience on risers in Buck, something to
consider with length of dresses/skirts
▪ Any color clothing is fine, white not necessary
▪ Shoes they can walk in. If heels perhaps practice ahead of time
▪ They go to Hershey Park immediately after
o Full details will be provided closer to the date
- 8th Grade Curriculum Night: February 5th 7-8:30 PM in the SLC
o 8th graders transitioning to 9th
o Chance for current and newly admitted students and parents to come and hear about
upper school curriculum
o Upper School Dean of Students Sarah Leonard will be there, along with the various
department chairs and a student panel
o Good to learn what is expected of them
o Parents and their 8th graders are encouraged to attend
Courtney Lubbe, Upper School Athletic Director
- Wellness:
o 7th and 8th grade will learn about vaping and alcohol. The depth and breadth of wellness
topics expands as they get older and more mature.
▪ 7th grade then moves on to small unit on drugs and decision-making skills.
▪ 8th will move to a more in depth look at drugs, i.e. illegal vs legal, CBD, etc.
- Winter Sports: End on 1/30
o Between 1/30- and 3/9 there is a break and the girls following options:
▪ Girls involved with the musical will go to rehearsals
▪ All 5th and 6th graders will go to study hall
▪ 7th/8th grade students
• Can go to study hall
• Can take a new strength and conditioning class offered by Coach Emily
Janis (Upper School Field Hockey Coach, Trainer, Oversees fitness center).
They MUST sign-up. An email went out to them.
o 7th Grade – Can go Mondays and Wednesdays
o 8th Grade can go on Tuesdays and Thursdays
o It is both age and developmentally appropriate
o Other days they will go to study hall
o Strength and conditioning are included in the main curriculum for
Upper School, so this is good preparation
- Spring Sports: Begin 3/9
o First day is an introduction to coaches
o Sports consist of softball, lacrosse, and a running club (new) in addition to the PE options
of dance, fitness and 8th grade learn to row program in the lower level row tanks
▪ Running Club: Cross Country running happens in the fall, so this is new
addition/option to spring sports, which is very light comparatively to fall and
winter rosters of sports options.
• 3-4 days at school then 1-2 days at Villanova on track. This is new so we
are evaluating as we go. 15 girls are signed up so far.
• Open to 6th graders as well
o Students can try out a sport. The tryout period longer in spring because of the 7
th gradetrip to DC.
o If your daughter is interested, make sure that she signs up!
- Pre-Season and Upper School Sports: Perspective for 8th grade parents
o 8th grade parents.... As you look ahead to upper school, and as you plan your summers and
trips on breaks, if your daughter wants to do fall sport, there is a mandatory two-week
preseason. This is customary among high schools nationwide. This year it begins later
than usual: 8/24 (later this year because Labor Day falls late). Anyone that wants to try
out and play fall sports must attend preseason in its entirety. Anyone that misses, all or
part of preseason, is ineligible to try out for/play fall sports.
▪ Length of preseason each day depends on the sport.
▪ Also, some sports have different practice schedules, and can practice over breaks
and days we don’t have school.
Naveen Mahmoud ‘07, Head - 150th Anniversary Celebration Planning
• Alumnae Events: 20 events in 9 cities across the country throughout this year. We are currently
at the halfway point. This is a special community to be a part of in any capacity
• Upcoming Events:
• All School – Acts of Kindness
o Challenge to the entire school community at the beginning of the academic year
o Students have to do 150 acts of kindness over the course of the year
o We have looped in a service-learning opportunity in conjunction with this
o Between now and March 13th
- All classes will be asked to participate collecting items
for Cradles to Crayons.
o March 14th we are doing a final event for Cradles to Crayons, unfortunately it is the
same day as the SAT, which we know will create some conflict for some student.
• First Weekend in May - Final event for the 150th Anniversary
o Friday, May 1st – 5-7 PM: Making “Her-story”- A conversation with Tory Burch and
Billie Jean King
▪ This is a free event for our community, any person in our community can
reserve up to 4 tickets
▪ Every single individual, current students included, will need a ticket for
admission to this event. Students are highly encouraged to attend. Not
required, but really encouraged.
▪ The students have not been counted in the seats, so please reserve for them
▪ If you have a large family – parents can reserve four tickets and the students
can reserve up to four tickets
▪ Parents, students, faculty, and staff will be able to reserve their tickets a week
in advance of the public.
▪ There are some sporting events same time that we are trying to work around.
The lacrosse game that Saturday is part of the weekend.
▪ Please email Ais150@agnesirwin.org with any questions.
o Saturday, May 2nd: Celebrate the Decades
▪ Large tent party on the Lower School field
▪ Event is for parents, alumnae, faculty and staff. Only adults 21 years of age
and up may attend. No students are permitted
▪ $50 per person, but that is all inclusive. There will be food and an open bar
plus entertainment/dancing
▪ Faculty and staff, past and present, will be there.
• April (date TBD) Faculty and Staff Event
o Parents are asked to write letters to faculty and staff, which will be hung as
decorations for everyone to see at the event. More information to come on this.
III. AIS Parents’ Council News and Events
Erin Hinckle, Parents’ Council Events
- Middle School/ Upper School Staff Appreciation Lunch: Wednesday, February 12th
- Volunteers needed for easy food preparation, serving/staffing lunch, set up and clean up. Keep an
eye out for Sign-Up Genius. If you are unable to attend, you can also sign-up to send in items or
make a monetary contribution.
- Spring Market: April 15th and 16th @ 672 Conestoga
o Amazing vendors/shops all in one space – unique items NOT from stores on Lancaster Ave
o April 15th – Open 12pm - 9pm
▪ Open for family shopping with the girls from 3:30 – 6
▪ 6-9PM is an adult shopping/cocktail party
o April 16th
- Open 10am - 3pm
▪ Open to the public – Bring grandma, a friend or invite others
▪ Great opportunity for graduation gifts, Mother’s Day gifts, things for summer
Alison Hastings – Chair, RaisE on the Road
- Invitation went out electronically (check email)
- Parent Councils’ big event of the year
- Venue: Terrain in Devon
- Food stations, passed hors d’oeuvres, open bar (no sit down, which will enable all to move freely)
- Music/entertainment
- Incredible auction will take place along with the “Paddle Raise” to benefit the 2nd year of the
Parents’ Councils 3-year “Advancing STEAM” initiative
o Focus is to advance Agnes Irwin’s capabilities, programming, tools and space beyond
traditional STEM/STEAM to utilize design thinking, move from concept to actual creation
and expand exposure to hands-on elements of architecture, engineering, fiber design and
more. This is not just for girls interested in science. It has application for everything from
art and engineering to business and medicine.
o Even if parents are not attending RaisE, they can contribute to this initiative through the
event page
- Beautiful, smaller space so there will be a limited number of tickets available. So, make sure to
get tickets soon before it really sells out
Sara Glaser, President of Parents’ Council
- Nominations for 2020-2021 Parents’ Council positions are now open!
- All class parent roles, event chairs along with positions such as Lower, Middle and Upper School
Coordinators are open along with many others.
- Please feel free to nominate yourself. And if you nominate a friend, please let them know.
- Check out the Parents’ Council site on AIS-On for more information. Feel free to reach out to
parents in the current positions to ask questions.
IV. Class Breakouts – Facilitated by the PC Class Parents
• 7th Grade: Bindi Johnson, Kim Wolitarsky
• 8th Grade: Nora Brady, Meredith Antik
