12 minute read
Parent Association
Build Our Community
| Support Our School
| Educate Our Parents
Just as Ensworth’s exceptional faculty strives for our children to have healthy, balanced lives, the Parent Association works hard to foster healthy, balanced lives for our Ensworth families. We do this by building a sense of community amongst our families, offering insightful and timely parent education, and providing opportunities for service in support of our beloved school.
Michele Borba, author of Unselfie, joined us in January and shared proven and teachable habits to nurture empathy in our own children. In addition to these nationally acclaimed speakers, our Parent Education Committee offered small classes on “mindfulness” and “positive tools for parenting.” A Singapore math video series and two phenomenal book clubs, “Parenting with Purpose” and “Fiction with Friends” provide additional opportunities for learning, fellowship and fun. Supporting Our School. T he PA h a s mor e t h a n 4 0 0 p a r ent volu nteers suppor ti n g En swor t h i n my r ia d ways ever y day. O u r pa rent volunteers shower love on our faculty and staff, run the lost & founds, shelve books Building Our Community. In the crazy, hectic, overscheduled times in which we live, it is more important than ever to come together as a community and connect. When I ask other parents what makes our school so special, they invariably say it is the sense of belonging they experience at Ensworth. The PA is instrumental in building this warm and inclusive community. Every year, our entire Ensworth community celebrates the joy of being Tigers at three fun-filled events: Pancake Breakfast, Tiger Night 2020, and S up er S at u r d ay. We a l s o c ome together in fellow parents’ homes for delicious meals and conversation at grade level and multi-grade parent gatherings. The friendships a nd personal relationships forged at these gatherings lay the foundation for our connected parent community. Educating Our Parents. Our children aren’t the only ones learning at Ensworth! With a focus on kindness and empathy, the PA kicked off the year with an inspiring presentation by Leon Logothetis of The Kindness Diaries, a Netflix series about kindness and the power of human connection. Leon told us “the kindest thing we can ever do is to simply see someone else” and challenged us to “go forth and be kind!” Following Leon’s charge, Dr.
in the library, help with admissions, coordinate parent education, plan Super Saturday and Tiger Night, staff concessions, and spread sunshine to Ensworth families, faculty and staff. PA volunteers raise revenue through Tiger Night and other fundraising ventures, allowing us to make a gift to the school and fulfill our pledge to the Capital Campaign for the construction of the new lower school building. The funds also support faculty professional development, parent education classes, g uest spea kers, parent gatherings, class parties for our children, Senior Grad Night, the Freshman Homecoming dinner, and so much more.
With over three months lef t in the school yea r, there a re sti l l many more fabulous opportunities to get involved and build va luable relationships that will last a lifetime. We hope to see you at our upcoming parent education events, and of course, Super Saturday!
Barbara Smith 2019-2020 President of Parent Association
Visit the Ensworth Blog to read the full interviews: ensworth.com/blog
Jessica Baba:
Where did you grow up and what brought you to Nashville? I was born and raised in the Los Angeles area. I lived and worked in the Bay Area and Washington, D.C. (including a stint at NCIS) during my undergrad years and graduated from law school in San Diego. I moved to Nashville because I was tired of the beach and mild winters. Actually, I moved because Damon (Mr. Jessica Baba) was moving back home after we graduated from law school and I thought I’d try it out. Fast forward (how many years later?!), and I’m still here!
Why did you choose Ensworth for your son Paxton? We did extensive research on the schools here. We even attended the high school open houses (and got a lot of strange looks when people fou nd out ou r “ prosp e c t ive student ” was f ive yea rs old). In the end, Ensworth was the clear leader in its dedication to innovative education. We loved that the school as a whole always looks forward and is constantly searching for ways to improve, no matter how large or small. Another important factor was the strength of community— from the ver y beginning, we saw the support system, from the admissions process to the current parents that offered to answer questions, as well as faculty/admin responsiveness.
Why do you share your time and talents volunteering with the PA? I think our PA reflects the vitality of the support system of Ensworth and the school community’s dedication to helping provide the best experience possible for all of our children. The level of parent involvement in any school is a great indicator of the strength of the school’s dedication to helping children reach their fullest potential both inside and outside the classroom. For our family, that means I try to offer my time and energy (what little I have left after the two year old!) as a volunteer because that means being a part—small, but a part, nonetheless—of the school where my son will spend a majority of his educational years.
What is your goal as Chair of the LS/MS New Parent Support Committee? My goal is to facilitate a smooth and pleasant transition into the school year not just for the students, but the parents as well. We want every new family to feel welcome and comfortable right off the bat. It is our hope that the committee can serve as a reliable resource and networking system for all of our new families.
Besides volunteering at Ensworth, in what other ways do you give back to your community? Prior to full-time parenting, I worked on pro bono legal cases, including some for various local non-profits. I also previously served as a K-9 Search a nd Rescue (SA R) ha ndler for a tea m that volunteers for the local SAR squad. We used to air-scent train deep in the woods at various parks throughout Nashville with two German Shepherds, a Belgian M a l i noi s , a nd a L a br a dor Retriever.
As a working mother and tireless volunteer, how do you strive to maintain a healthy and balanced life? I think “strive” is a really good way to put it—I never feel like I’m quite there! I think the most important (and difficult) way I’ve learned to attempt balance in my life is to try to stay in the present. Everything moves at light speed now. Basically, we blink, and our Tiger bag-toting kindergarteners are grown. So, while I do my best to plan and stay on top of *everything* possible, I also stop to smell the roses (in our garden) once in a while. And do crafts. So many crafts.
What is something people would be surprised to know about you? Random facts are my favorite! I’ve baked and decorated cakes for two weddings and officiated one; I love watching drifting and used to help in the pit with Paxton (my brother-in-law drives Pro2); I have twenty-five hens (for eggs only!), and I celebrate Japanese and Persian New Year.
Visit the Ensworth Blog to read the full interviews: ensworth.com/blog
Curtis Shaw Child
Tell us a little bit about your family. We’re an artsy, two-dad family with fraternal twin boys who are interested in sportssports-sports (soccer, basketball, football) and playing guitar. My husband, Desmond Child, is a songwriter/record producer who has contributed a lot to the soundtrack of our lives (www. desmondchild.com) and is always looking for more instagram followers @desmond.child (so follow him!) I’m the primary caregiver with a background in theatre and film-making. Being a parent has been my greatest creative project!
Why did you choose Ensworth for your sons Roman and Nyro? T h e r e i s a b a l a n c e i n t h e w a y t h e s c h o o l i s organized where the students are academica lly cha llenged, but don’t fe el over whel me d by school work. Ensworth is a place where different points of view are welcomed around the table and kids are able to express themselves and have conversations (which is such an awesome skill to learn so early in life.) Ensworth students have fitness everyday, and the many options of sports teams and the rock band all tipped our decision.
As a two-dad family, have you felt welcome at Ensworth? I’ll admit, I was cautious when we joined the school community in ninth grade, coming from a liberal Montessori school, but I can say that our family has been welcomed and it’s a non-issue for our boys to have two dads at school. The Ensworth student and parent communities really do embrace diversity and difference and it has been a great fit for us.
How do you hope to make a difference through volunteering with admissions? I appreciate how hard it can be coming in new and not really knowing people. I want to make sure
everyone feels welcome because my family felt so welcome when we started at Ensworth. We are a two-dad family. Not everyone knows someone like that. For me, my involvement is about standing up and representing. I love talking to parents and making a personal connection with others. When we went through the admissions process at Ensworth with Roman and Nyro, I really felt like Ann West and the Admission folks saw us and understood how we would benefit the school by offering a perspective they hadn’t really had within the community before. I want others to feel the same. I want them to understand that when Ensworth says they welcome diversity and different points of view that it’s really true and not just a talking point.
You are incredibly involved at Ensworth not only through your efforts volunteering, but also by attending parent gatherings, parent education events, and social events. Why do you feel it is important to be so involved in your sons’ school? There a re so ma ny parents that do so much more than I do, but everybody does what they can. By seizing on opportunities to get engaged at Ensworth, you not only help yourself and the school, but you also meet new people and make new friends. I’ve met some dear friends by diving in and getting involved and attending school events. It’s amazing to see all the opportunities our kids have to express themselves at Ensworth and it’s just enjoyable to observe kids grow into these amazing performers, athletes, and people!
Visit the Ensworth Blog to read the full interview and to learn about Curtis's documentary, "TWO: The Story of Roman and Nyro" at ensworth.com/blog.
Daphne Butler:
Why did you choose to send your four children to Ensworth? Ensworth is a happy place. You see it i n t he facu lt y a nd t he kids. A nd there is something extraordinary here for everyone. How can you argue with that?
You have been a room parent/parent coordinator for too many years to count and have served on just about every Parent Association committee. Why do you share your time and talents for the benefit of Ensworth? Community plays a huge part in ensuring the health of the individual. I think it is really important for a school community to have a strong culture and I choose to volunteer in ways that will impact the culture at Ensworth. I like having a little hand in organizing the parents and making sure everyone feels welcome. That’s a big thing to me. When I served as sixth grade coordinator, I called all of the new families. Through those conversations, I realized that as great a job as the school does communicating with parents, personal connection is the most important piece of making a new family feel welcome. I LOVE the Tiger Buddy program and New Parent Support Committee for this very reason.
What did you learn about Ensworth and yourself when you substitute taught and worked as a Kindergarten intern? I learned that teaching is one of the hardest professions in the world. I am in awe of teachers, and Ensworth is filled to the brim with outstanding ones. I spend a lot of time in Nashville schools, and the caliber of teachers at Ensworth is a standout in my opinion. Plus, the faculty body is a really happy bunch—all clearly happy to be at Ensworth—that in and of itself speaks volumes about the school’s excellence. Through my experience as a seventh grade Spanish sub for Sra. Gould, I realized how much I enjoyed working with teens, in particular middle school aged children. I am now in the process of getting my masters in counseling so I can focus on cognitive behavioral therapy for teens.
B e s i d e s E n s w o r t h , w h a t o t h e r organizations do you support? I am passionate about educational equity in Nashville. Only one in three children in Nashville’s Public Schools is reading on grade level by third grade. I believe this is the product of an ecosystem that has failed to provide high quality education - for decades. This seems unfair to me, so I spend a lot of my time with organizations (like Teach for America) that are dedicated to changing that reality.
What is one thing that parents might not know about you? I am terrified (no doubt for having seen both “Jaws” and “River Monsters”) of swimming in opaque waters!
What inspires you? Altruistic people.
How do you strive to lead a healthy and balanced life? I try to get healthy doses of exercise and laughter every day—those, of course, to offset my entirely unbalanced, disorganized life!
2019-2020 PARENT ASSOCIATION Board Members
Barbara Smith President Elizabeth Gerken President-Elect Britt Horn Immediate Past President Tiffany Armistead Secretary Denise Boosalis Treasurer Mike Haney Treasurer-Elect Jennifer Rasmussen-Sagan Communications Chair Katie Porterfield Communications Chair-Elect Ned Spitzer Fundraising Chair Jim Boosalis
Fundraising Chair-Elect Sharon Pensinger Parent Education Chair Lori Glenn Parent Education Chair-Elect Libba Vickery HS Representative Kirsten Crosby HS Representative-Elect Delia Darst MS Representative Mina Patel MS Representative-Elect Irene Head LS Representative Amanda Graff LS Representative-Elect Anna Talerico Arts Council Chair Pam Humbert Arts Council Chair-Elect Monica Michalec, Camilla Jackson Auction Liaisons Stephanie Sundock HS New Parent Support Chair Jessica Baba
LS/MS New Parent Support Chair Carrie McLaren Volunteer Coordinator Chair Ashley Owen Volunteer Coordinator Chair-Elect Kiabe Supuwood-Allen, Curtis Shaw Child, Julie Gray, Coco Kyriopoulos, Allison Wootson At-Large Representatives
