Step & Repeat
C R E AT I V I T Y A N D T H E G R E AT A-S OUTDOORS By Kerry-Ann Evans-Thompson, Parents Association President Lamplighter
Allen-Stevenson students and professional community members can be together again at 132 East 78th Street, and the energy and excitement you know well abound! As we delight in this news, we also think about how the Parents Association (PA) has had to adapt and come up with creative and innovative ways to bring the parent community together since parents are not yet able to gather in the school building. We knew we needed to find a place to welcome back and celebrate our resilience as a community, as well as a safe space to have conversations, make connections, build community, and simply have fun.
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Instead of focusing on what we could not do and where we could not be, we decided, why not focus on what we have and where we can be. Thinking out of the box, we chose to utilize the outdoor street space in front of the school building. This summer, Chris Acerbo, Director of Security, managed to secure 78th Street between Park Avenue and Lexington Avenue through NYC’s Open Streets program for AllenStevenson for the entire school year. This program means the street is free from all traffic from 7AM to 4PM each school day, which not only enables our students to have access to a fun outdoor space but also offers the PA the opportunity to utilize this space in enjoyable and creative ways.
Welcome Back-to-School Reception
Suddenly we had new possibilities open up to us. I am excited to share that so far this year we have already hosted many outdoor events. We kicked off the school year with a Welcome Back-to-School Reception filled with giant balloons, a fun Step & Repeat photo experience, and fabulous catering from our very own Sage Caterers – a perfect way to set the tone for the rest of the year. We have PA committee meetings that are both scheduled and spontaneous and successful community-building activities such as our “First Annual Great Allen-Stevenson Pumpkin Extravaganza and Pumpkin Patch,” which saw all our Allen-Stevenson boys pick their very own pumpkins. All the boys left with big smiles on their faces and even bigger pumpkins!
