Meet the Children's Teachers
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INSIDE THE RIVERSIDE CHURCH WEEKDAYRIVERSIDERIVERSIDE SCHOOL NEWSLETTER OCTOBER 2002 LETTER FROM Meet the Children’s Teachers THE DIRECTOR for more than 25 years, room 716, but she is not new to the A Newly Organized teaching threes, fours, school. She joined the room last Parents Association and mainly fives. She December as an assistant teacher continues to instruct when the former lead teacher, We are starting the school year the oldest children in Nancy Kovaleff, took a leave for with many enthusiastic parents the school, the fives, in personal reasons, and her assistant, eager to participate in the Week- room 715. Dong Wei, stepped into the position day School community. Thank you Earlier in her teaching of lead teacher. for filling out the blue question- career, Ms. Taylor Ms. Krumland has also worked at naire when you met with your lived in Uganda for the Bay Area Children’s Discovery child’s teacher for the first time at four years under the Museum, the American Museum of the family conference. If you indi- Teachers College Natural History, and the Cathedral cated an interest in one of our “Teachers for East of Saint John the Divine (as a muse- ongoing projects, such as the Africa” program. Ms. um educator). Interests include library committee, the Children’s Taylor’s first daughter playing the flute; cooking healthy Closet, our newly revamped Web The seventh-floor lead teachers of the fours and (now a teacher in the meals using organic and whole site (which we introduce on page 4 fives are, from left to right, front row: Michelle New York City public foods; swimming; knitting; and of this issue), or another year-long Krumland and Laleña Garcia, and back row: school system) was sewing. project, a parent who has agreed to Elyse Everett, Becky Ryan, and Judy Taylor. born in Kampala, coordinate that effort will contact Uganda. Her second Elyse Everett hails from you. If you put a check next to one This year, like last, the Weekday daughter (a lawyer who plans to Manalapan, New Jersey. She has a (or both!) of our fall events—the School is operating nine class- become an elementary-school edu- bachelor’s degree in human devel- International Potluck Supper and rooms. Each classroom has a lead cator) was born in the U.S. between opment from Cornell and a master’s New York City Schools Night— teacher and a full-time associate or tours in Kampala and Tororo, Ugan- degree in early childhood education chances are you have already assistant teacher (two assistants in da. Her husband is a professor at as well as an advanced certificate played a role in making those room 730), or two co-lead teachers. Teachers College. in elementary administration and events a success. Sixty-one Because the parent body changes She writes: “What I find special policy from the University of Penn- families volunteered to help in roughly two-year cycles, the about our school is the diversity of sylvania. coordinate our activities and newsletter has a custom of profil- the students and staff; the multicul- Ms. Everett is beginning her sec- fundraising events, and many of ing the entire full-time teaching staff tural events; and the church building ond year as lead teacher in room them offered to contribute to about as often. This year, we invited itself, which is a wonderful, inspir- 717, a class of “middle” fours. In several efforts. This outburst of all teachers, new and old, to tell us ing resource for learning.” her five years of teaching experi- enthusiasm is remarkable, and about themselves. Due to space ence, she has worked with twos, gives Amita Gupta and me great constraints, this is the first installment Michelle Krumland was threes, fours, and fives. Before encouragement that our Parents of a two-part article. The second part born in Los Angeles and grew up arriving at Weekday, she taught at Association activities will be will run in the December issue of in the San Francisco Bay Area. Ms. two schools in Philadelphia (the resoundingly successful this year. Inside Riverside. Krumland did her undergraduate Parent-Infant Center and Friends Each classroom now has two work at the University of California Select) and one in Houston, Texas class parents, and their names are Lead Teachers at Santa Cruz, where she earned a (Becker Early Childhood). listed below. I am grateful to every- bachelor’s degree in comparative lit- Her interests include reading, ski- one who volunteered for this Judy Taylor was born and erature with an emphasis in ing, knitting, and spending time responsibility. We had more raised in Shaker Heights, Ohio. She French. Four years ago, she moved with friends and family. volunteers than slots, making for holds a bachelor’s degree in Eng- to New York City and obtained a She writes: “I love teaching and a difficult set of decisions. Even lish from Denison University and a master’s degree in museum educa- spending time with children. I am if you will not be serving the master’s degree in early childhood tion from Bank Street College. really excited about the school year.” school in this capacity, you are education from Teachers College. This is Ms. Krumland’s first year She has been at the Weekday School as lead teacher of the young fours in continues on page 5 continues on page 2 1 LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR continued from page 1 Ongoing Schools begin our cycle of social and fundraising activities. From time to time, they may also organize NYC Schools Night October 9 informal social events for the families in each class so that everyone can NYC Schools Night will take place on Wednesday, October 9th from 6- get to know each other better. 7:30pm in room 630 here at the Weekday School. All families are welcome Prepare to be contacted by your to attend, but parents who are preparing to apply this fall for children who class parents and by event coordi- will be leaving for ongoing schools at the end of this school year may be espe- nators. Whether you’ve got one hour cially interested. or several hours a week to spare, Parents of Weekday children who have gone on to various public and they will do their best to find a way independent schools will be on hand to answer questions about their personal for you to participate. All school experiences. In a change from last year, each parent will sit at a desk parents are expected to contribute clearly marked with the name of the school their child attends. Refreshments to our major fundraising efforts: will be served. Another informational schools night will be held in the spring –Jan Miller– the Holiday Bazaar and the Spring for parents preparing to go through the application process next year. It will Benefit and Auction. Remember feature a presentation by ongoing schools consultant Robin Aronow, who dis- encouraged to provide leadership in that there are many ways to help: cusses both public and independent schools. the Parents Association. by joining the setup or cleanup Following is a list of public and independent New York City schools that The class parents will form the crew, by creating decorations or Weekday School children have attended in the past few years: first circle of parent coordination, making handmade (and hand- Public Schools the Parent Council, which will meet baked) items to sell at the Holiday Independent Schools monthly with me to discuss matters Bazaar, by donating other goods, The Abraham Lincoln School The Anderson Program at P.S. 9 of interest and/or concern in the services, or funds, and most impor- Bank Street School for Children Hunter College Elementary classrooms. These folks will act as tantly, by attending. Birch Wathen Lenox School P.S. 87 liaisons between the second circle I look forward to working hand in Brearley School P.S. 199 of parent coordination, the event hand with the new Parents Associa- Calhoun School P.S. 166 G&T coordinators, and the parents as we tion. It should be a great year. Cathedral School P.S. 163 G&T The Chapin School P.S. 9 G&T CLASS PARENTS, 2002-2003 Collegiate School P.S. 75 Columbia Grammar & Prep P.S. 77: Lower Lab School Room 614 Lucia Skwarek and Susan Zak Convent of the Sacred Heart P.S. 6 Room 615 Sarah Woods and Heidi Seroy Dalton School P.S. 333: Manhattan School for Ethical Culture Children Room 616 Susan Jacobson and Sherri Gorelick/Don Mikkelsen The Fieldston School P.S. 212: Midtown West School Room 617 Cory deArmas-Kendall and Amy Lipman Horace Mann Lower School Special Music School of America Room 715 Jocelyn Stewart and Susan Strauss Manhattan Country School Room 716 Marie Roker and Peter Hagen The Riverdale Country School St. Bernard’s Room 717 Christel Force and Michele Curry St. Hilda’s & St. Hugh’s Room 721 Beverly Watkins-Goodman and Elise Lederer Spence School Room 730 Jane Aronson and Joy Fairbanks (Tu, Th) Trevor Day School India Baird and Patty Nasey (Wed, Fri) Trinity School The Newsletter of The Weekday School Inside Riverside at The Riverside Church Director Jan Miller Admissions & Assistant Director Amita Gupta Newsletter Editor Erica Keirstead Layout Photography Robin Grunder Mark Broadie Printed by Riverside Printing Service 239 W 105th St, New York, NY 10025 212.222.5374 Everyone had fun at the Weekday School picnic, greeting old and new friends. 2 a chance to get to know each child creation of both children and teach- personally, and then they can begin ers (and often, parents too).