SPC Co-Chair Molly Brigham

Hi Curley Community-

I wanted to take a moment and reflect on some important and difficult issues that were brought up during the May Parent Council Meeting. I know everyone is super busy, so I appreciate your time and involvement.

After hearing the updates on all of the positive work from the Plant Sale subcommittee, Wake Up the Earth initiative, School Site and Citywide Parent Councils, we began what I hope is just the beginning of an open dialogue about the climate of our school from a parent’s and caregiver’s perspective.

Maybe it’s the changing season, or being motivated by the Curley race equity dialogues, or feeling the new energy from parents this year around fundraising… whatever it is, there is an energy in the air asking for progress – I feel it and the general feedback I have heard over the months and the consensus that came out of the last SPC meeting is: our parent community has so much potential; and it is noteworthy that many people feel like the vibe has room to grow, but at times it can feel cliquey, exclusive, segregated.

We brainstormed around a shift in outreach and came up with a bunch of good potential ideas (that I won’t go into now). But what I will share is one very important theme in the feedback. That theme is: we need to complement our awesome fundraising events with fun family events so we have more opportunities to get to know each other in an organic way.

So that you can walk onto the playground and feel more comfortable talking to others. So that when a flyer comes home in your child’s backpack, it’s inviting you to an event you feel reflects something your family would be interested in going to. So that you know that however/whenever you contribute to supporting your child and the school it feels valued and important. So that you feel an even deeper investment in your child’s public education because of your diverse personal and social connections.

Our children are so fortunate to go to a K-8 school that has great teachers who care about our children, and who are motivated to be thinking about the social climate enough to have a committee that meets regularly in support of it (and makes t-shirts about it!).

We know this: we all have our hearts in the right place. If there was a time in our community to take the reigns on the direction that it is going… that time is now.

Please save the date for a fun family event that is in the planning stages:

The Curley Summer Send Off Potluck: Thursday June 4th 5-8 pm.

This end of the year celebration is for your entire family on the Playing Field. It will include dinner (please bring a dish to share), a photo booth, games, face painting, and other activities that we would love your ideas on.

From 5-7pm there will be fun for the whole family. From 7-8pm childcare will be provided while we take time to reflect on the huge year we’ve had as well as confirm who would be interested in volunteering on the different committees. Spanish interpretation will be provided.

Hopefully we will have gorgeous weather like this weekend and it will be an event not to miss! Nicole Aljoe is captaining this fun event, so please reach out to her if you have fun suggestions or want to help in small ways! nnaljoe@gmail.com.

Happy Mother’s Day and Cheers to all of the positive and strong women in our lives who support us/our families as we continue to grow & learn.

Please continue to be in touch! I love that many of you have telephoned or emailed to voice what’s on your mind.

Molly
617-519-0167
mollykbrigham@gmail.com