For a Picture of the Parents Association... Better Use a Wide Angle

IT’S A TUESDAY MORNING, and Jennifer Borak, president of the Eagle Hill Parents Association, is on the phone. She’s animated, zooming from topic to topic, trying to fit in everything there is to say about the “P. A.,” as she calls it. It’s not easy for Borak to create a “picture” of the group — because the P.A. is leaving its mark on the Eagle Hill community in unique, boundless ways.

Borak’s Eagle Hill journey started six years ago. Her son, Spencer Sharkansky, was newly enrolled in the school, so she dropped by for a “new parents coffee.” By chance, she ran into a neighbor and another parent that she hadn’t seen since high school. The energetic Borak was hooked — she’s been volunteering for the P. A. ever since.

“I made friends!” she said, and her volunteerism was meaningful for Spencer, too. “Your kids love it when they see you taking part in events at their school. It makes them feel that their parents are involved, too.”

Led by Borak, the nine-member Parents Association board meets monthly to collaboratively plan activities and events at Eagle Hill, which are all free. Each member takes a turn as lead organizer, and other parents pitch in as volunteers.

According to Borak, “The purpose of the P. A. is to bring the community together. We put on fun, inclusive events that parents can attend with their children. And, we help lead seminars or groups that are just for parents to get support or learn about their kids’ learning differences. It’s all-encompassing.”

Indeed, you’ll find the Parents Association in many corners of Eagle Hill!

They organize boisterous 300-person bingo games with Eagle Hill families and faculty.

On crisp fall mornings, you may have seen them offering steaming mugs of coffee and conversation to Eagle Hill parents after dropoff. It’s informal, Borak says, just so parents can get to know each other.

You’re invited to get involved in the Parents Association! Find the upcoming events in the P. A. newsletter, which is typically sent twice per month on Mondays.

Sometimes the P.A.’s presence is felt but not seen. Its members organize the Upper School Dance, which was held for the second time this year. “It’s a huge hit,” Borak said, and while it’s just for kids, the P.A. is behind the fun. They spend weeks organizing the festivities.

There’s more.

Throughout the year, the P.A. coordinates with Eagle Hill psychologists for twicemonthly parent support groups. There, you’ll find parents leaning in, sharing and listening on topics from summer camps to how to talk to kids about learning differences.

By far, Family Fun Day is the biggest event of the year organized by the Parents Association. Not to be missed by Eagle Hill students and families, it draws close to 400 people. The carnival-like event has games, rides, bounce houses, bungee jumping, prizes, a deejay, music, arts and crafts, and a mouth-watering barbeque. There’s even a bit of virtual reality.

If all that isn’t enough, the P. A. also organizes a book fair, Mom’s Night Out, trivia nights, Dad’s Night Out, outdoor parties with obstacle courses and climbing…whew.

Behind all the fun, Parents Association board members and volunteers sensitively structure the events, mindful of the learning differences of Eagle Hill children.

“It’s just second nature,” Borak said. The parents take care to reinforce what the students are learning in school. They give directions in smaller chunks and don’t make activities too long. “We want to set them up for success and to have a good time, so we know our boundaries,” she added.

The Parents Association aims to warmly invite Eagle Hill parents to participate or volunteer in any way they feel comfortable.

“We can speak freely, we can share, we can get help, and we can also share the excitement and the good times,” Borak says. “We have a sense of community and we’re learning from each other. And new families coming in can gain a wealth of knowledge through the P. A.”

Borak becomes a bit wistful thinking about the day Spencer will move on from Eagle Hill. She values the time she’s had with other parents. “We’re a fun group! The school has been so wonderful to us as a family and to Spencer in his learning. The P.A. was a way I could give back.”

Fun!

Scenes from Parents Association events