June 18, 2010
A Great Job, One and All!
Last fall, as newly elected HSA co-presidents, we enthusiastically set out to achieve three goals:
- Launch a school-wide strategic planning process.
- Improve communications.
- Increase partnerships with local organizations that would enrich our children’s learning experiences.
We are proud of what the HSA has achieved in all three of these areas.
Strategic Planning Process
With the school administration and the LSRT, the HSA co-sponsored the first strategic planning effort in many years at Murch. Action plans for each of our established three goals will be finalized over the coming weeks. The strategic plan will be used as a framework for allocating the resources that have been generously contributed by our Murch families to the HSA.
Communications
The HSA communications team worked tirelessly this year to improve the flow of information between the school and our families. The Murch Mustang Express, our new e-newsletter, is rich with timely, relevant and interesting content. Our completely revamped website, murchschool.org, is a vibrant, up-to-date source of useful information, including articles written by students on the Student Blog, our 21st-century version of a student newspaper. Over the summer, be sure to check the website for user-friendly forms and information pertaining to the new school year. We have also shifted most of our communiques from hard copy flyers to email notices in order to address your concerns about the volume of paper and sustainability.
Partnerships
The HSA created a partnership fund this year that supported several performances at Murch throughout the school year. Another major achievement in 2009-10 has been the development of the GROW program, in conjunction with Equinox Restaurant. The HSA does not take credit for initiating this fabulous gardening program, except to note its financial support. Once up and running this spring, GROW did become a program of the HSA, and we will continue to sustain it.
In addition, 2009-10 was an incredibly busy and satisfying year for the HSA. Fundraising was more successful than ever, thanks to the amazing efforts of dozens of volunteers and to the financial generosity of our Murch families. The HSA also undertook several new initiatives, including formalizing the Safety Patrol, hiring lunch/recess aides, financially supporting field trips, and providing training for Murch’s peer mediation program, to name a few. A more detailed retrospective of the year will be provided this summer in an HSA annual report, which will be on the school website.
Certainly the most satisfying aspect of this year has been working with Murch parents and staff. We would like to thank everyone who has lent a hand, shared an idea, or given time to Murch. Your dedication to our community is truly inspiring.
Finally, we’re grateful to the 2009-10 HSA Executive Board members for their exceptional service. Always thoughtful and professional, they made our jobs easy.
We’re looking forward to yet another year, working together, with all of you.
All the best for a safe and relaxing summer,
--Alison Howard and Karin Perkins
Archives
- May 27, 2010 - Second to Last Letter
- May 24, 2010 - HSA Executive Board Vacancies for 2010-11 School Year
- May 14, 2010 - Teacher Appreciation Week – A Big Success
- March 2009 - Hail Ye, Comet! Plus, A Record Auction and New Flea Market
- Feb 2009 - Lots of Ideas
- Feb 2009 - Welcome to the New Murch Online
- Jan 2009 - Behind the Scenes
- Dec 2009 - Seasons Greetings
- Nov 2009 - Thanksgiving Holiday
- Oct 31, 2009 - Happy Halloween
- Sept 28, 2009 - Off to a great start!
- Sept 25, 2009 - Reminder--turn in Directory forms
- Sept 11, 2009 - SOS Campaign
- Sept 4, 2009 - Largest Fundraiser of the Year
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