A Mother’s Dedication to Education Parents’ Association President and Trustee Barbara Kyrillos By Jared Scott Tesler
Bishop’s Profile | Barbara Kyrillos 16
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“It’s the collective variety of our backgrounds, talents and skills that make Bishop’s such a dynamic learning environment.”
arbara Kyrillos has always had a very full plate. A retired financial analyst and mother of four (Alexandra ’11, Christina ’12, Carl ’15 and Ben ’21), Barbara has been donating her time and talent to the education sector for many years. It all started at an Admissions Open House at The Bishop’s School, where her friends’ children were enrolled at the time. Barbara and her husband, Jean-Claude, a medical device and health information technology executive, watched in awe as members of the School community performed improvisational theater and a science demonstration for prospective families. “We were particularly impressed with the faculty members, who were extremely well qualified and very passionate about teaching. We admired how well the faculty interacted with the students. The students were poised, confident and comfortable taking risks in front of a large audience,” Barbara recalls. “At that point, we realized that Bishop’s is a very special place.” Despite a demanding work schedule and limited spare time, once her children began attending Bishop’s, Barbara wanted to become involved in their education. So, while Alexandra and Christina participated in the School’s Performing Arts Program, she assisted with the many evening and weekend performances and concerts staged throughout the school year. “One of the great things about volunteering at Bishop’s,” Barbara notes, “is that there are opportunities for any schedule.” What followed was a multitude of roles—president of the Performing Arts Circle, Bish Bowl volunteer, and co-chair of the Admissions Open House, the
Admissions Welcome Barbecue and the Ambassador Program—all leading up to her current post as president of the Parents’ Association (PA). The PA president is also a member of the board of trustees, and in her term, Barbara is serving on the board’s advancement committee and the finance and investment committee. The PA’s 400 volunteers are deeply committed to engaging and supporting the School community, and the PA plans and organizes more than 50 annual events, including the auction, the Christmas Tree Lighting, faculty/staff appreciation, Grandparents’ Day and Parents’ Night of Classes, each underpinned by this year’s theme, “We Are Bishop’s.” Among other tasks, Barbara leads monthly executive board and general meetings, appoints committee chairpersons and contributes to Bishop’s parent newsletter, News You Can Use. During the 2019-2020 academic year, as past president and parliamentarian, she will onboard her successor and nominate members of the executive board for the following year. “Bishop’s parents are diverse, intelligent, interesting, and passionate about the importance and value of education,” Barbara says. “‘We Are Bishop’s’ is a poignant reminder that the strength of our community comes from all of us. It’s the collective variety of our backgrounds, talents and skills that make Bishop’s such a dynamic learning environment.” Barbara’s involvement in the parent community informs her participation on the board of trustees. “My years of volunteering at Bishop’s, as well as my background in finance, assist in my role as a trustee,” she says.