Category: PFLASA

Happy April! This week’s meeting had a couple reminders but centered on two things. Quick reminder that we have two more Master Classes in April geared towards Junior Parents. And we have a new Freshman parent Happy Hour. You can purchase tickets in the PFLASA store.

First, there was much discussion of the New Parent Coffee. For those of you who are new here, the Coffee has changed quite a bit over the last few years. It used to be an event where parents of accepted students came and asked Raptor parents questions trying to decide if LASA was a good fit for their child. But between ice storms and advent of ranked choice in applications that is no longer true. To help parents decide if LASA is a good fit and to explain LASA’s requirements, PFLASA now has the Find Your Fit Parent Panels during the testing sessions. This year with additional compression of the schedule, the Coffee was hosted with Choice Sheet Day. Parents came to the library to ask questions which are now much more logistics or schedule related. Accepted students went to the elective fair. I’m currently gathering information from staff, volunteers, and attendees (if any of you were there) on whether this is the model for next year. Regardless of whether that is the case, we need shadows for the New Parent Coffee and the Find Your Fit Panels next year.

These are two different positions, but they are both low time commitments that make a huge difference in welcoming our incoming Raptor parents and building community. Both events will have Senior parent Chairs so we need to keep that institutional knowledge. Yes, I’m recruiting for an events in January and for (probably) next March but life is busy here. The Coffee requires part of one Saturday and the Find Your Fit event requires two Saturdays. Reach out for more details.

Second, we discussed that the Tutoring Committee also needs help. We have a chair and a shadow, but this massive undertaking could use several more parents to help. A few more parents would alleviate a lot of work on a few people and make the program sustainable. There are positions where you never need to come to the school. The Committee is composed of two different roles and they both need help. First, there’s a lot high-level planning in creating schedules and availability surveys, recruiting tutors, and updating communication. This would largely be by email or phone and does not require being at the school or a strict schedule. But we also need people who can send emails quickly. When a tutor cancels, we need to get the word out as quickly as possible to avoid frustrated students but again no need to go to the school. If you are a parent who’s around after school Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays. A few minutes a week could really help! I hear over and over that the Study Groups are one of the best things PFLASA does but this program can’t work without volunteers.

I know I spend a lot of time asking for help (just wait until AP sign ups are out) but I truly believe that any parent who wants to volunteer can find a role. There are small tasks that are enormous help to PFLASA and by extension to LASA. My goal this year was to be more transparent and to bring opportunities to any parents/guardians/grandparents wants to help.

After the meeting we got some updates from Principal Crescenzi including admissions and EOC tests. If you don’t know what an EOC is it stands for ‘End of Course” exams AND you should search your email for very important information regarding upcoming testing. If you have a 9th, 10th or 11th grader this email applies to your kid. I know tests are never fun, but these tests really affect LASA and its grade in ridiculous but also big and important ways. Please encourage your student to take this testing seriously and follow your normal pre-test protocols (sleep, snacks, bribes, whatever your tradition is).

Finally, we have another PFLASA meeting this Friday, April 4th at 8:15 in the portable. We only have four more meetings this year and big things are coming including officer elections and budget presentations. And if you know some newly accepted Raptors who are dying to get more LASA information, there is a delay in joining the Google and FB groups, but they can sign up for the Raptor Report now! As always if you have questions or want to help us email me at president@pflasa.org

Hoping for rain and the energy to get to the next three-day weekend,
Ellen Stewart-Klein
PFLASA President

Nothing to recap as PFLASA went on spring break too! But now we have lots of work ahead so we are sticking with the crazy schedule that is due to spring break. We will meet this Friday 3/28! And next Friday 4/4! PFLASA meets at 8:15 am in the Portable (next to the Tennis Courts).

We still need volunteers for our New Parent Coffee this Saturday 3/29. Sign up at
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0B45A4A722AB9-55593226-newparent#/form/Standard.

And please let us know if you use the directory. We can put that money to better use if it’s not helpful:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeAeQiUQdX-pq_7x8JRnAf9Oek6zA-bpIKkGi0hoY63a77QrQ/viewform.

Gird your loins,
Ellen Stewart-Klein
PFLASA President

Spring Break is so close you can almost feel it!! This meeting started with an announcement of a change in the Board for the current year. Our co-treasurer Lisa Hill needs to step down due to the heavy demands of her job. Thank you, Lisa, for your service. And, the Board has voted Lara Wilcox into Lisa’s place. Thank you, Lara!!! It’s really a privilege to serve with these amazing and dedicated volunteers.

The rest of the meeting was brisk with updates on the upcoming Raising Healthy Raptors event, Master Classes and Project Graduation (venue contract signed and tickets on sale!)! Also, our New Parent Coffee where we host the parents of newly accepted Baby Raptors is going to be a bit different this year. Due to scheduling demands it will be held in conjunction with Choice Sheet Day on Saturday, March 29th. The coffee will be in the library while students attend the elective fair! But we still need volunteers to successfully answer parent questions. Sign up to volunteer for the New Parent Coffee.

The rest of the meeting was devoted to answering parent questions before we got an update from Principal Crescenski. With our recent survey on why people attend PFLASA meetings, the thing I hear is that it is a great way to get answers to your questions. It’s true! The PFLASA Board, Chairs, and other attendees are experienced parents who know a lot about how things run. And the after-meeting updates from the administration are very informative. I understand that most people don’t show up to hear us approve minutes and conduct board business, so we try to keep that part short and fast. But in a school that I think is complex, nothing cuts through all the noise like a parent explaining exactly how something works.

One example is Summer PE. Are you stressing about how to fit in those two ½ credits your kid needs to graduate? This is exactly the kind of thing we discuss, and experienced parents can tell you that a quick way to knock this out is the Summer PE classes that LASA offers. In one week, your kid can do the necessary fitness gram testing and other required education to earn one of those ½ credits. LASA offers two weeks of Summer PE (Novice and Advanced) so you can get all the credit needed by attending both. And just in case you worry about whether your kid can handle “Advanced” PE, don’t. Anyone can do both or either session. If you are now wondering when and how to sign up for Summer PE, I don’t have that info. But I can tell you it is supposed to be in the Principal’s Message after Spring Break. And while I’m sure you all delight in reading my recaps most weeks, I know for a fact that it is far more fun to discuss this with all the wonderful, funny, and smart parents at the meetings. And no matter how long I make these posts, I will never answer all the questions.

For those of you staying in town I wish you the beautiful March weather Austinites love. Safe travels for the rest of you.

Happy (Almost) Spring Break,
Ellen Stewart-Klein
PFLASA President