First up, uber appreciation to our own 5th graders who held a bake sale earlier this month to raise funds for AfterSchool’s long-standing scholarship initiative. How ‘bout them shiny civic apples? Outstanding!
Big broad thank you’s to Melanie Kletter and Larry Mirsky for leading the charge in launching the AfterSchool Family Survey. Please take a few moments to help us improve AfterSchool: http://goo.gl/forms/wTOdgNqTZJLafWJC3. Also to active AfterSchool Advisory Committee members as well as Bradley, James (Bromberg) and evcs’ resident statistician and survey wizard Naumi Feldman for advising me last October in preparation.
Pixelated hugs for photographers and evcs parents Larry Bercow, Julie Harwood, Bill Bourbeau and Jonathan Lefkowitz for capturing some of AfterSchool’s life and spirit. Please scroll down for some good reading under AfterSchool’s Photo Op – Bios section to learn more details about this particular instance of astounding talent coursing through our community.
An enthusiastic tip of the hat to the deep thinkers and big hearted individuals comprising AfterSchool’s staff. In any organization there is room for continuous improvement, a concept staff embraces whenever the opportunity arises. Whether we are:
- auditing protocols, safety measures and compliance features
- growing administrative, accountability and performance measures
- adapting to new and significant operational realities with the introduction of staff meetings, revised fiscal and other policies; tighter AfterCare procedures; PreK/K snack and a few months later – – the PreK/K “program-within-a program.”
- initiating outreach and interfacing with the community by volunteering with the AfterSchool Advisory Committee; exchanging with fellow instructors, evcs teachers and other out-of-school practitioners to stay informed, share resources and ideas, and by opening AfterSchool classes to families and the broader evcs audience
- engaging in initiatives that incorporate and apply newly gained training, professional consultations, relevant benchmarks, research and other scholarly pursuits to our everyday work.
AfterSchool is unique in offering age appropriate courses geared specifically to the littlest folks in our community. Right now we are convening select AfterSchool instructor panels for the purpose of evaluating and reflecting upon all of our coursework, examining student engagement and evaluating related organizational objectives. In summary: we keep asking for more and they keep giving! Please join me in recognizing their great efforts with a sincere expression of appreciation before this year altogether draws to a close.
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As you know, the FINAL DAY OF AFTERSCHOOL is Friday, 6/24 so start planning those playdates since school will still be in session the Monday (regular 2:45 dismissal) and Tuesday (early 11:30am dismissal) following! Or…be on the lookout for further details regarding the following “back -to-basics” alternative childcare suggestions:
[#1] I am asking class parents to solicit parent volunteers willing to host small and manageable 1 – 2 hour playgroups on either the Monday or Tuesday that AfterSchool is closed. You will hear directly from class parents on this topic.
[#2] If anyone’s interested in securing a babysitter open to working with small groups of kids (1-3 or 1-5 kids) on the 27th and/or 28th, I will consider sending out another communication sharing ways to contact private individuals who are willing and available to babysit. So let me know!
THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT – Neither of these initiatives are AfterSchool services.These are merely suggested options you may or may not choose to pursue. None of the potential babysitters will be working in any official capacity for AfterSchool so neither the program nor its employees will be assuming any legal liability or responsibility for your children or any outcome. Nor is the program endorsing certain parents or caregivers. Should you choose to enter into either arrangement or one like it – you will be doing so on your own accord and independent of AfterSchool@evcs. Finally, AfterSchool will not be serving as a “middle man” here and any deadlines relayed down the line will be strictly enforced on my end, most especially since the program will not be in operation on the days in question.
UPCOMING CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS
Here’s another refresher on upcoming calendar dates:
AfterSchool closed: this coming Monday, 5/30!
AfterSchool closed: 6/9
AfterSchool closed: 6/14
-AfterSchool Advisory Committee Meeting (all welcome!) – 6/16 (5:30PM start time, usually room 204)
-Last day of AfterSchool – 06/24
Love and Light,
Camille
P.S. Scroll that finger one time folks to behold the illustrious photographers among us! Multitudes of thanks to them once more…
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AfterSchool | Photo Op: Bio’s
+ + + Larry Bercow began his photography career in his parents New York City basement; developing black and white prints using his mother’s soup bowls as development trays. We are all familiar with his more contemporary work as Larry affectionately shoots evcs’ school pictures via his Cool for School venture but his enviable professional experience spans a diverse range of commercial and creative pursuits. His work has also been featured in numerous art exhibits, recognizable and artistic magazines and commissioned ads and portraits. Check out his gravitas (i.e. portfolio) here: http://www.bercowstudio.com/.
+ + + Julie Harwood has worked on staff at The Oakland Tribune (CA) and at the Berkshire Eagle (MA) newspapers. Her work abroad and stateside emphasizes a photojournalistic approach as she documents the East Village, captures family life, contributes to children’s books (3 so far) and pursues editorial assignments. In her own studio work and growing business she freelances for magazines, shoots for private schools and lends a keen eye to website-related projects and curating her client’s online presence. Go ga-ga here once you peruse her work: www.http://www.jbrownphoto.com/, http://www.juliebrownphotography.com/or check out her instagram @4thstnyc.
+ + + Bill Bourbeau is a seasoned visual effects artist who began applying his professional training and creative perspective to photography at the pivotal moment of becoming dad to evcs’ twins Jackson and Skylar. Check out his arresting compositions here:http://www.vfxdad.com/ or at his BIkes of New York blog: http://bikesofny.tumblr.com/.
+ + + Jonathan Lefkowitz discovered his penchant for urban landscapes and portraiture while studying at NYC’s International Center for Photography where his work was featured in his first exhibit. He has the (dubious) distinction of serving as AfterSchool’s IT repair geek, delivery guy (back breaking packages only, thank you!) and forever-intern.