RDS Community and the Parents' Association

RDS Community and the Parents' Association

October 23, 2009

There were no empty parking spaces and Sheffield Avenue was lined with cars. The weather was divine and spirits light. Boys and girls scurried up the climbing wall - some moved faster than an elevator while others cautiously took their time, each pausing long enough to acknowledge their record from the previous year. Students raced out of the jumpee only to get right back in line. Baskets were shot, and balloons were tossed. Parents and guardians mingled, introductions ensued. Children and adults moved freely about with just enough activity to keep everyone engaged but not overwhelmed.  Each hour was marked by a wave of kids with the same soccer jerseys leaving and passing another wave of different colored jerseys arriving.
 
In short, it was the Annual RDS Parents' Association Picnic. And as in the past, it was a wonderful event - a hallmark of our community.
 
Underlying the success of this event is a core RDS value. It's not just that the picnic is fun and the food is good. It's not just that the activities are varied and engaging. It's not just the opportunity to meet new families. Actually, it's all of the above plus something else that binds all this together: we enjoy one another and we value community.
 
Community does not just happen of its own accord, nor can it easily be manufactured. Community, in the case of RDS, emerges from the fabric of each of us and occurs because it is important to us. It is also intentional, and at RDS one of the constants in this arena is the work of the RDS Parents' Association. Over many years, they have worked behind the scenes to ensure and honor community.  The RDSPA is made up solely of volunteers that include those new to RDS and those who have been here almost since the School moved to Sheffield Avenue. The blend is beautiful: tradition with innovation; history in the present; wisdom with creativity. 
 
While the RDSPA Picnic is a longstanding tradition, the RDSPA also makes room for the new. Just last week, Prism showed It's Elementary, a film that addresses anti-gay prejudice and provides caregivers with pragmatic ways to talk with children about gay people. After the screening, 35 RDS parents and guardians had a wonderful discussion about the film, the issues presented, and the challenges therein.  It was another example of community in action.
 
Just around the corner is the annual Book Fair, which kicks off with a singular RDS event: the Book Bug Boogie. During the Book Fair, we reaffirm our commitment to literature, as a school and as families. At the Boogie, we affirm our understanding of middle schoolers and their need to take risks in a safe community, while at the same time relishing the joy, humor, and inspiration they bring to their various performances. 
 
All to say that the RDS Parents' Association is on fire! The activities are participatory, varied, complex, and reflective of the "intimate, diverse community" that is RDS. Heartfelt thanks to all the families that comprise the body and leadership of the RDSPA and all that you do in making "community" much more than a word.
 
Have a great weekend.
 
Mike