Three Cheers for the PDSPO

We are entering a special time known as “the end of the year.” It is a time that is abustle with energy and excitement and replete with cul- minating projects, class trips and countless activities and events. May is a veritable whirlwind in which we all get easily and happily caught up. And it is followed by those even more frenetic first few days of June, when students move up and on, ready and eager for the next chapter of their lives, with you, their parents, cheering them.

That’s why I want to take a brief but important moment, before the hullabaloo is upon us, to give three cheers of my own to the PDSPO. Where would we be without you? It is hard to believe it was only four years ago that a small group of parents approached the school’s board of trustees with a big idea. They wanted to form an official parents’ organization with the express intention of supporting the mission of the school while also creating an informal network for families. With the board’s blessing, the group wrote a set of by-laws, devised a governing structure, recruited lots of volunteers for its committees and held elections. And just look at you, the PDSPO, today. The organization has continued to grow in strength and vitality, consciously inclusive and respectful of all in its dealings with parents from throughout the school’s three divisions. The PDSPO is welcoming and vibrant, at the center of our culture and oh-so useful in a myriad of ways.

For starters, I want to thank the PDSPO for organizing the Welcome-Back Family Picnic, the school photos project and the fall Book Fair, as it has so capably done since the group’s inception. This year, the PDSPO added a feather to its cap by becoming “school spirit central” through its T-shirt and baseball-cap sales. In December, it held a Sports Sale to encourage recycling of equipment and clothing and cleverly launched the now-famous chili suppers as a way to encourage attendance at evening events. And speaking of food, I know the faculty, administration and staff were truly grateful for the special “appreciation day” last winter, in which the PDSPO generously provided not only a first-rate breakfast but also professional massages and Reiki. Wow!

You have been instrumental in encouraging parents to contribute to the school’s Annual Fund while serving as the catalyst behind our major fundraiser each spring. This year, as I hope everyone knows by now, the PDSPO truly outdid itself by netting the school over $75,000 from April’s Party with the Arts auction, breaking its own all-time record of $62,000, realized the previous year. Bravo to the auction chairs Ann Enriquez, Sara Gast and Rene Schnider along with the many members of the auction committee, without whom this extraordinary success would not have been possible.

But the year is not quite over. Grandparents’ and Special Friends’ Day is this Friday and once again the PDSPO will be front and center. Don’t miss the final chili supper of 2004 - 2005, preceding the Spring Art and Music Festival on the 19th. Then there’s the used-book sale on June 1 and 2. The PDSPO has sponsored informational sessions, like the recent one on the changes to federal laws governing special needs services, improved communication among parents and consistently supported the work of the school. By giving your time, your money and your heart to PDS, you have made a difference to all of us and to your children. We can never thank you enough for all that you have done and continue to do.

Congratulations to PDSPO chair Cynthia Richards for setting the tone and ambitious agenda for this dynamic group of volunteers this past year. Kudos also to pioneering chairs Laura Graceffa and Bernadette DePaz. The hard work, dedication and spirit of the PDSPO have made us richer in so many ways, not the least of which is by bringing us together so we can know each other better and have fun in the process. It has been a terrific year and the PDSPO has been smack, dab in the middle of making it so. Thank you again.

Sincerely,

Mary Jane Yurchak, Ed.D.
Head of School

Editor's note: Mary Jane Yurchak stepped down as head of Poughkeepsie Day School in July 2005. Elizabeth Vinogradov is serving as acting head of school.