SMS PTA Announces Informative Programming for Parents

We had a chance to catch up with Leah Dembitzer, President of the Scarsdale Middle School PTA last week. She was happy to report that the PTA has plans for in person programming for parents, as they are finally welcome back to the schools.

Mark your calendar for these upcoming events:

(From Leah)

Spring has sprung and Scarsdale Middle School PTA is moving forward with momentum this season with several interesting programs for our parent community.

Digital Citizenship

On Wednesday, March 23, we have Jennifer Cronk, SMS Computer Technology teacher, joining us to present on Digital Parenting, which is related to the Digital Citizenship work she does with students earlier in the year. In the Digital Parenting presentation, Ms. Cronk will highlight some of the most common social media platforms that our middle schoolers might be using, including TikTok and SnapChat and she will also address issues of digital parenting awareness related to these platforms.

Financial Literacy

Our upcoming Wellness Coffee on April 6 features FACS (Food and Consumer Sciences) Teacher, Elyse Tenzer, who will present on Financial Literacy to our parent community. Previous PTA Wellness Coffees this year have focused on Adolescent Nutrition, Covid-19 Vaccine Questions and Executive Function Skills for Students.

Study Skills

On April 19, the SMS PTA DEI Committee and CHILD Chairs have invited Michael Hirsh, SMS Special Education Department Chair and his team to present on Middle School Study Skills. This event will focus primarily on strategies for improving student outcome and achievement at the Middle School. This event is open to all SMS parents as well as our incoming 6th grade parents!

Gender Spectrum

On May 18, the SMS PTA welcomes Scarsdale parent, Susannah Perlyn, to present in-person at SMS. Ms. Perlyn will speak about the challenging but amazing experience of raising a child moving on the gender spectrum. Susannah speaks candidly about this parenting journey and shares photographs and personal stories. Liz Verrastro, from Center Lane LGBTQ+ Youth Education Center, will also be there to share helpful information and to address how we can talk to our kids about gender differences.

SMS PTA is also engaging in community service this spring with two Saturdays planned at Mott Haven Fridge to sort fresh produce and deliver food to local communities in need.

Another PTA program from earlier this year included a special parent workshop during which parents enjoyed an art historical presentation on diverse artist self portraits and then painted their own self-portraits.

SMS PTA is fortunate to have many thoughtful and engaged parent volunteers and faculty partners and we are excited to have presented such a diverse array of parent programs this year.

In addition to our spring PTA programming, SMS PTA would like to highlight the talented student cast and crew of Aladdin Jr., which is being performed this weekend to a sold-out audience as well as all of the students participating in the Speech Contest next week. Thank you to Chorus Teacher, Dan Boniello, for his work on the play and to 8th Grade Social Studies Teachers, Will Maldarelli and Steven Scharf, for organizing and leading the Speech Contest.