Logging into the Veracross Parent Portal will allow you access to the Veracross Calendars. Your Household Calendar will display important events and dates that specifically affect members of your household. You have the ability to subscribe to each of these calendar feeds and have the dates imported directly into your online calendar system (Google, iCal, or Outlook). Try it out and know that you can always unsubscribe!
If you capture a great Park moment, share it with us! Send photos to Communications@parkschool.net. Also remember to follow us on social media! Park is active on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
All School News
Cultural film and discussion series — UNITED SKATES(1 HR 29 MIN)
February 21 at 7 p.m. For years, roller skating rinks have been a constant for African-American communities across the U.S., serving as a meeting ground, a place to have fun and an incubator of iconic hip-hop talents like Queen Latifah and N.W.A.
As America’s last standing roller rinks are threatened with closure, a community joins forces in a racially charged environment to save the underground African-American subculture of roller skating, which has been overlooked by the mainstream for generations – yet has given rise to some of the world's greatest musical talents.
Annual Family Basket Bingo
Park’s 13th Annual Family Basket Bingo Saturday, February 29, 1 p.m.
Great baskets, raffles, door prizes, and more! Doors open at noon, and the first game starts at 1 p.m. Food will be available for purchase. This family-friendly event is a favorite among Park families and sells out year after year.
The fourth grade is hoping to pack more bags for their Viva House delivery this week week (on February 21), but the pantries are quite bare. Their greatest needs are tomato sauce, beans, cereal, and canned green vegetables. As you do your grocery shopping this week, please consider a donation to Viva House. Thank you so much! Donations can be dropped off in the boxes in the Lower School lobby or Middle School Commons.
Parent Diversity Affinity Group Open House
We are excited to host the Park Parent Affinity Group Open House Part I & II. The open house will take place March 5 and May 12 from 6–7 p.m. in the Middle School Commons. We encourage you to participate on both days. Park Parent Affinity groups are designed to facilitate the following:
Discussions that support Park’s diversity, equity, and inclusion goals and priorities
Providing a space to identify issues relevant to and through the lens of group participants
Building capacity for cross group dialogue and more inclusive spaces
Connecting issues relevant to the group to the larger community
The affinity groups are not intended to imply that all members share the same experience. Rather, the groups provide the opportunity for reflection, dialogue, support, and build the capacity for more inclusive spaces.
Park's Winter exhibition, Ancestors and Influencers, is now open. Ancestors and Influencers includes the work of our students alongside the work of artists Rachel Bone, Warren King, and Sylvie van Helden. Rachel and Sylvie live and work in Baltimore. Warren is our 2020 Diana Lee Fox '75 Resident Artist.
Register now for BRAIN sPARK 2020!
Sunday, March 8 • 4-8 p.m.
BRAIN sPARK is a uniquely Park program showcasing the talents and diversity of our community — it’s our own “TED Talk” kind of event. You won’t want to miss this electrifying evening of presentations, conversations, and hands-on experiences designed to engage you in mind, body, and spirit. We have over 70 presenters lined up — all from the Park community — in over 50 sessions covering politics, science, law, art, cooking, business, literature, sports, and more!
Speaking of BRAIN sPARK ...This exciting event brings a variety of inspiring speakers to The Park School for one incredible day, Sunday, March 8. We still need volunteers to help! Please consider volunteering a few hours that weekend. Visit the Signup Genius to see when we need help. Thank you!
Park Camps Registration Now Open
This summer, children ages 3 ½–15 are invited to join us for dynamic experiences in the tradition of The Park School of Baltimore. Sessions for 2020 begin June 15 offering special one- and two-week Activity Camps such as Sports and Games, Minecraft, Nature and Tinkering, and Park Leadership Development camps. Park’s day camps — Cubs, Bears, and Bruins — and STEAM Focus and Gaming Programs complete the summer experience from June 22 to July 31.
Good for you. Good for your school. Sign up for Hungry Harvest farm fresh produce delivery and you’re not only helping reduce food waste (along with the water waste and greenhouse gas emissions used to grow it), you’re also supporting The Park School of Baltimore. Every week, Hungry Harvest will donate a percentage of purchases to support our school! Join them on their mission to fight food waste and give back to your community in the process. For new and returning customers: CLICK HERE, after you pick your produce go to Marketplace, click Give Back, scroll down and click on Park School of Baltimore fundraiser.
Re-enrollment
The re-enrollment contract and deposit was due February 1. You can begin the process by CLICKING HERE. If you have any questions about the process, don't hesitate to reach out! Help can be found here:
Login, access: Veracross Support Portals@parkschool.net
Calendars
Just a reminder that you can subscribe to your Veracross household calendar and have all of your Park events sync with your online calendar. If you're not doing this already, think about trying it this year!
February 20 - K1& K2 Park Connects Dinner and Discussion February 21 - Cultural Diversity Film & Discussion Series: United Skates February 29 - Children's Concert February 29 - Family Bingo March 4 - Park Connects Dinner & Discussion for Grades 1 & 2 March 5 - Parent Affinity Group Open House March 6 - LOWER SCHOOL CLOSED for Parent Conferences March 8 - BRAIN sPARK March 10 - Families of Color Gathering March 12 - LOWER SCHOOL CLOSED for Parent Conferences March 16 - SCHOOL CLOSED for Spring Break March 25 - Classes Resume
Middle School News
Find out about Middle Grades Partnership!
Sometimes great opportunities can be found just in your own backyard! Are you a middle school academically promising, curious student who is interested in learning and making new friendships with students from another school over the summer and throughout your middle school years? MGP may be for you! Middle Grades Partnership (MGP) is a no-cost, summer enrichment program for current 6-8th graders, offering a rigorous academic program for promising Baltimore City public and private middle school students and spanning their middle school years. MGP brings together students, teachers, and leaders from both school communities to collaboratively break down barriers in education and our communities by sharing in common experiences and building relationships with peers. The partnership between Park School of Baltimore and Belair-Edison School (formerly called Afya Public Charter School) has been thriving for the last 8 years and we look forward to carrying on a strong tradition of student-directed learning and collaboration. Students enter MGP after finishing their 6th grade year, and will learn and create together throughout the summers and school years of middle school. For more information on the program, CLICK HERE.
Education Workshop for Grade 8 Parents and Guardians
Letting Loose Without Letting Go on Tuesday, March 3, from 6:30–8:30 p.m. in the Middle School Commons. As Middle School comes to an end, we will use the data from last year's Independent School Health Check survey to identify the most important issues and skills for a successful transition to high school while continuing to foster independence, healthy decision making and maintaining effective communication between teens and adults in their lives.
Facilitators: School Counselors Krista Dhruv and Porscha Henson.
Thanks to all who made ELW possible! Check out photos from the week HERE.
Upcoming Important Dates
February 21 - Cultural Diversity Film & Discussion Series: United Skates February 21 - MS Student Social Mixer February 29 - Family Bingo March 3 - Park Connects Parent Workshop for 8th Grade March 5 - Parent Affinity Group Open House March 8 - BRAIN sPARK March 10 - Families of Color Gathering March 25 - Classes Resume
Upper School News
Park Connects Grade 9 Parent Dinner and Discussion #2!
Join us, Thursday, February 27 from 6:30–8 P.M. in the Middle School Commons for a 9th Grade Dinner and Discussion. This will only run if we have a minimum number of registrants!
Don’t miss this SECOND opportunity to get together with other Park parents in your grade. Connect with old friends and make new connections. Join the conversation — come talk about topics that are important to you, and to all of us!
College Counseling Event for 10th Grade Students and Their Families
Please note the new date for the 10th grade College Counseling program. College Counseling Preview for Sophomores and their Families will be held from 7-8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1 in the Meyerhoff Theater. The College Counseling team invites sophomores and their families for a preview of the college process.
Seniors (from the announcements)
Senior Ads
Senior ads are taken out by family and friends to celebrate a senior's accomplishments. Ads are available in a variety of sizes, from full page to 12th page. The prices and dimensions are listed on the senior ad website. The Brownie staff can help you with your ad, or you can simply submit your finished ad to us. The deadline for Brownie Ads is February 14. Instructions can be found HERE.
ATTENDANCE: If students are sick or late to school, or must leave for an appointment, please contact the school by 8:30 a.m. — usattendance@parkschool.net or 410-339-4175. Any time students come or go from campus between 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., they must sign in/sign out at the Upper School front desk.
EARLY DISMISSAL: Students who feel ill during the school day are to visit the Health Suite in order to be seen by a medical professional and dismissed early as determined. Students are asked not to call home and dismiss themselves.
Upcoming Important Dates:
February 21 - Cultural Diversity Film & Discussion Series: United Skates February 21 - Goldsoundz February 27 - 9th Grade Park Connects Dinner and Discussion February 29 - Family Bingo March 5 - Parent Affinity Group Open House March 5 - 11th Grade Parent & Student Meeting March 8 - BRAIN sPARK March 10 - Families of Color Gathering March 25 - Classes Resume
Park parents host a listserv on Google Groups, an easy-to-use format that provides a great way for the community to stay in touch. For instructions on how to join or change your subscription settings, click the link below.
