Greetings to all and welcome to our new families! On behalf of the entire Bronx Science Parents’ Association Board, we wish you well. Where did the summer go? We know it isn’t over yet but it is passing quickly and we are preparing for the return to school and a year full of fun and fulfilling experiences for all of the members of the Bronx Science community. We hope you and your families are enjoying the summer and will continue to do so through Labor Day!
We’d like to introduce ourselves and our new Board members and share information about critical volunteer needs and the first few events of the school year. We will write to you again at the end of the month to provide more information.
But before we do that, we would like to put out an appeal to our new and returning families to anyone who can support the PA by volunteering some of their time to some of our committees. We are particularly eager to engage our incoming freshmen and new sophomore parents/guardians as volunteers!
Volunteers Needed!
Our greatest need is for Hospitality Committee volunteers. This wonderful group provides food service at our PA meetings, the school’s monthly Principal’s meetings, staff breakfasts and luncheons, Open Houses, orientations and more. This is a vital committee which benefits, in particular, from members who live near to the school (although that is not required). It also provides a great way to get involved and meet other parents. We have recruited two wonderful co-chairs but are looking for 1-2 additional co-chairs and more members to help with different events.
For more information and/or to sign up to volunteer, please contact Co-President Lisa Li at xia.li@bxsciencepa.org.
We are also eager to add members to our Webmaster Team that manages our PA website. This team works remotely to post items and information on our website and we would love to expand it as several members’ children graduated in 2024. While technology experience is preferred it is not required as we can train you! For more information and/or to sign up to volunteer, please contact Co-President Arthur Wong at arthur.wong@bxsciencepa.org.
The Merchandise Committee is also looking for members to support its work. We have two new fabulous co-chairs and are looking for more volunteers to support their work and volunteer at some of the events during which we sell our fabulous merchandise! This is a really fun committee and again, no experience is necessary! For more information and/or to sign up to volunteer, please contact Vice President Ernie Sander at ernie.sander@bxsciencepa.org.
The Technology Committee is looking for co-chairs and volunteer members! Throughout the year, we hold monthly PA meetings which are either in person or fully remote. There is a technology component to each meeting as well as at certain events that we support. We would be grateful for any support, particularly from parents/guardians with a technology background although that is not required! For more information and/or to sign up to volunteer, please contact Co-President Arthur Wong at arthur.wong@bxsciencepa.org.
Our weekly newsletter is a critical and valuable resource for our parents/guardians and we are hoping to add to our Newsletter and Translation Teams this year. These teams operate remotely in concert with the co-presidents who author the newsletter. The team members work on layout, graphics, photos and videos for the newsletter and the translation team translates the document into written Chinese. Translation into other languages could be possible only if we have volunteers. For more information and/or to sign up, please contact the PA Co-Presidents at president@bxsciencepa.org.
We hold two elections each year, one in the fall and one in the spring and we are looking for more volunteers for the Nominating Committee which sponsors and runs the elections. No prior experience is required! For more information and/or to sign up, please contact the PA Co-Presidents at president@bxsciencepa.org.
The Gala Committee plans and executes a wonderful community-building and fundraising event each spring! If you have a background in event planning, enjoy throwing a party, or have a background in fundraising, we need you! Our 2024 Spring Gala was a sold-out success, and we are looking for additional committee members to help plan our most highly anticipated event of the year. This role can be flexible! Please contact Chairperson Gabrielle Koelbel at auctionchair@bxsciencepa.org.
NOTE: If you have other skills or talents and want to explore ways you can help our community, please fill out this Volunteer Form.
To our incoming parents and guardians, there will be an opportunity for you to join our PA Executive Board and the School Leadership Team (SLT) this fall. Look for more information in the September newsletter about our fall election.
Upcoming Events!
Please save the dates for the first of our upcoming events, including a back-to-school outdoor social on Saturday, September 7, from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm, for all Bronx Science families! This event will be held at Ellington in the Park (lower level), W. 105th Street in Riverside Park, Manhattan. This annual tradition provides a fantastic opportunity for us to connect in person, so bring your family, a ball or Frisbee and come join great company and enjoy fabulous Hudson River views! Let’s celebrate the start of the school year, welcome our new families and have a chance to reconvene as a community after the summer break!
Please note: This is not an official PA-sponsored event, but food and drinks are available for purchase at the outdoor venue. RSVP to president@bxsciencepa.org is helpful, but not required.
Wednesday, September 11: The PA is delighted to host a reception following the Incoming Parent Orientation at school. The orientation begins at 5:30 PM in the auditorium, with the reception immediately following in the gymnasium. We invite our 9th and new 10th grade parents to come grab a bite, mingle, and buy some Bronx Science swag! Parents and guardians of 10th, 11th and 12th grade students are encouraged to volunteer at the event. Please click here to sign up as a volunteer at this event: Sign Up Link.
Thursday, September 19, 7:00 PM: Our first PA meeting will be held in person at Bronx Science, and we invite you to come meet the administration and connect with other parents. Please join us for dinner at 6:30 PM prior to the meeting. Following regular business at this first meeting, we will break out into meaningful sessions covering topics of importance by grade. Dates for future PA meetings can be found here.
Sunday, September 22, 7:00 AM – 2:30 PM: Project Accepted, an annual event hosted by the Bronx Science Foundation gives seniors the opportunity to practice their interview skills with Bronx Science Alumni. There will be workshops on college essays and supplements. Students often cite this as one of their favorite events of the year! Please click here to volunteer: Sign Up Link.
Meet our new board members and to view the 2024-2025 PA meeting calendar.
We look forward to meeting many of you at Ellington in Park on September 7!
Enjoy the rest of your summer and see you soon.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Allen-Cheng, Arthur Wong and Lisa Li
PA Presidents
president@bxsciencepa.org
