Parents Association

Welcome Back-to-School Reception Step & Repeat

CREATIVITY AND THE GREAT A-S OUTDOORS By Kerry-Ann Evans-Thompson, Parents Association President

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.

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 Allen- Stevenson 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.

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!

One of the most significant demands on the PA is the School Store, which is temporarily closed since parents are unable to be in the schoolhouse. Allen-Stevenson’s parents rely on the School Store to help with their uniform needs. With supply chain issues and many retailers unable to meet the needs of our parents, the School Store is the only source for Back-toSchool uniforms and other Allen-Stevenson gear. The School Store Managers scrambled and worked hard to put together an epic Outdoor School Store Sidewalk Sale, which although successful, came with a healthy dose of Mother Nature’s unpredictability – of course, it rained the first day of the sale. We also met other uniform needs with a successful run of our Gently Used Uniform Sale, a favorite among parents, with racks and tables of school uniforms lining the 78th Street sidewalk.

Despite weather hiccups and garbage truck pick-ups, we have learned to pivot when necessary and to simply go with the flow. We realize that when planning, we don’t need to think BIG; we just need to have a rain plan, always. We found that our most successful outdoor events were simple and familiar. For instance, for our most recent “Talks with Mr.Trower,” parents listened to David Trower and Hank Azaria, 6th Grade parent, in conversation on the Townhouse steps. Surrounded by the pumpkins from our “First Annual Great Allen-Stevenson Pumpkin Extravaganza”, Mr. Trower and Mr. Azaria, engaged in conversation that left everyone feeling like they learned a little bit more about Mr. Trower. The sincere and humor-filled conversation gave us a shared and very special and unique Allen-Stevenson moment. It helped us remember what an incredible community we have here at Allen-Stevenson.

We found that we don’t need grand spaces to create helpful, meaningful, and lasting experiences. The limitation of the location and the size of the space actually turned out to be an asset once we dared to think outside the box and get creative.

As winter approaches, the weather will serve not as a deterrent but an exciting challenge - an opportunity to get even more creative and brave. Hot cocoa truck, anyone? Fortiter et Recte takes on a new meaning.

A PA Meeting School Store Sale