Calendar finalized, fall party changes approved

Principal Brian LeCrone and PTA President Barb Peterson announced this week that parents approved the schedule for classroom parties and family fun nights for the 2010-11 school year.

In a telephone survey and e-mail voting in June, 61 percent of parents supported the calendar suggested by Mr. LeCrone and the Executive Board.

The calendar became the subject of a fair amount of discussion among parents who objected to the most notable change in the calendar: replacing the annual costume parade and classroom Halloween party with a back-to-school party in late September and incorporating a costume party into the Fall Family Fun Night in October.

In their note announcing approval of the calendar, Mr. LeCrone and Mrs. Peterson further explained the reason for the change:

Hello Brookdale Families,
We want to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have provided feedback about the proposed PTA events schedule. The responses we have received have been passionate and insightful regardless of the stance. In keeping with board policy, the PTA Executive Board met on Thursday, June 17th to discuss the results of the survey for the event proposal as well as the written/verbal feedback you provided. The survey indicated that of the 123 families who responded, 75 families (61%) are in favor of the proposal and 48 families (39%) are not in favor of the proposal. After reviewing all of the input, we have decided to adopt the proposed schedule as is. Certainly, the most significant amount of conversation has centered on the decision to move the Fall Classroom Party to September 24th and eliminate the Fall Costume Parade from school hours. A great deal of thought has been invested in these decisions and they are based on the following:

• There are safety issues associated with the parade.


• We will preserve classroom instructional time by eliminating the parade from school hours.


• Not all families recognize Halloween (and the associated costumes) as a child-friendly event.


• Not all families have the means to acquire a costume for use at school.

Many of you have raised concerns about other school activities as they relate to some of the concerns outlined above. The PTA Executive Board does not want to minimize your concerns and we will be more than willing to address them during the school year. The Costume Parade, however, is the only joint Brookdale PTA-School event that collectively presents safety risks, negatively impacts instructional time and is exclusive to some students. Thus, we felt compelled to make the change.
The PTA Executive Board and Brookdale staff members understand the importance of tradition and celebration. With that in mind, you will notice that the proposal continues to offer students three classroom celebrations during the year and we will explore the possibility of implementing a replacement activity for the Costume Parade that does not pose the same concerns. Hopefully, we will be able to establish a new tradition that is equally engaging and fun.
Thank you again for your attention to this matter and enjoy the remainder of your summer.
Sincerely,
Brian H. LeCrone
Principal

Barb Peterson
PTA President

Calendar voting continues through Monday

Many parents have been discussing the proposed changes to the classroom party schedule for 2010-11 -- most notably the proposed replacement of the Halloween party and costume parade with a Back to School Party in late September coupled with a costume party at the Fall Family Fun Night in October. (For details, see "Changes proposed for classroom parties" entry below.)
Parents had the chance to vote on the proposal via automated telephone call on Monday, but those who missed the call are invited to vote before Monday, June 14, by contacting Principal LeCrone.
Here is a message from Mr. LeCrone, e-mailed this afternoon:

Hello everyone,

I know that there has been quite a bit of conversation regarding the PTA events schedule proposal for the 2010-2011 school year. Many of you have contacted me directly to share your thoughts. Hopefully you were able to participate in the Connect-Ed phone survey sent on Monday, June 7th, however, if you missed that opportunity to weigh in, please contact me by the end of the day on Monday, June 14th. I have attached the original letter sent in May to this correspondence and I ask that you either email or call me with your preference. Please know that I value all of your input and plan on bringing it back to the next PTA Executive Board meeting that is tentatively scheduled to take place in the next two weeks. At that time, we will review all the results, make a final determination about the schedule of events and then convey the decision back to the community. As always, please do not hesitate to contact me with your questions or concerns. I hope you are enjoying the summer!

Brian

Brian H. LeCrone

Principal

Brookdale Elementary School

(630)428-6800

brian_lecrone@ipsd.org

Budget approved for 2010-11 school year

The PTA’s new budget received the formal thumbs up after members suggested and approved two tweaks to the proposed spending plan.
The adjustments add $650 to the PTA’s total projected expenses, allowing $500 more for assemblies and $150 more for teachers meals during spring and fall conferences than had been allotted in the proposed budget.
The changes mean the PTA expects to spend a total of $61,520 in the coming school year while generating $62,065 through fundraisers. With a margin of just $545, members and the executive board expressed interest in considering ways to increase income in 2010-11.
For a complete look at the budget as approved, visit our PTA Budget page.

Changes proposed for classroom parties

Expect your phone to ring at 7 p.m. on Monday, June 7. When you pick up, Mr. LeCrone will ask you to vote on the calendar for PTA events – such as classroom parties and evening family events – for the 2010-11 school year.
Most years, a yes vote endorses the status quo and schedules a fall costume party around Halloween, a winter party in December and a friendship party in February.
This year, the Executive Board and the principal are proposing something different: A back-to-school party during the school day on Friday, Sept. 24, would replace the traditional Halloween party and costume parade. A costume party would become part of the Fall Family Fun Night from 7 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 29.
The reasons behind the proposed change are two-fold, Mr. LeCrone said.
First, students changing into costumes and parading around the block takes about an hour in addition to the hour for the party, he said.
“I’ve looked, but I still have yet to find a tie between the curriculum and having a costume parade,” Mr. LeCrone said. “It just doesn’t seem to fit with current practices.”
Several years ago, the District 204 school board considered instituting a district-wide rule about Halloween parties and costume parades. At the time, some officials cited concerns that some children may feel left out if they choose not to participate for cultural or financial reasons.
Ultimately, district officials left the decision in the hands of building principals. Many District 204 schools have moved away from costume parties and parades during the school day.
Second, safety is a concern when students parade off school grounds and school security becomes a challenge when the parade is moved indoors because of inclement weather, Mr. LeCrone said.
“It’s mass chaos in inclement weather, deciding who comes in,” he said.
Additionally, parents and other visitors who may have taken the day off from work are disappointed when the parade moves indoors, he said. Last Halloween, some adults insisted on entering the building to see the parade despite rules allowing only the party helpers inside. When adults don't adhere to the sign-in procedures, students are at risk because administrators don't know who is in the school.
Moving the costume party to an evening, family event puts children in the care of their parents when people are entering the building, PTA President Barb Peterson said.
The proposed change has raised objections among some Brookdale parents who would prefer to retain the costume parade. The parade is a community tradition as well as a school event, they say, and students should have the chance to enjoy something fun and memorable like the parade.
Under the proposed schedule, the remaining parties and Spring Fling would continue in their current forms.
Here’s a look at the suggested calendar:
Friday, Sept. 24: 2:30-3:15 p.m. Back to School Party
Friday, Oct. 29: 7-9 p.m. Fall Family Fun Night and Costume Party
Tuesday, Dec. 21: 2:30-3:15 p.m. Winter Room Party
Monday, Feb. 14, to Friday, Feb. 18: Friendship Week
Friday, Feb. 18: 2:30-3:15 p.m. Friendship Party
Friday, April 29: 7-9 p.m. Spring Fling
If you would like to share written comments in support of your choice, please email Mr. LeCrone at brian_lecrone@ipsd.org.