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Letter from Donna ... |
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Dear Parents,
On Thursday, Lyn Mikel Brown spoke to teachers in the afternoon and parents in the evening about the media’s negative impact on our daughters and ways in which we can capitalize on their strengths through the creation of safe spaces, or “hardiness zones.” In listening to Dr. Brown I was struck, yet again, by the hard work of parenting a daughter in this day and age. How does one battle the negative stereotypes that companies want girls to believe they are meant to be? How do we put back in place the boundary between childhood and adolescence that these images have worn away? More difficult, how do we accomplish these goals when some of the parents of our children’s friends don’t seem to understand the significance of the battle—for it is a battle—in the way we think we do?
I don’t have the answers. I do think, however, that Dr. Brown is on to something when she says hardiness zones need to be safe and supportive spaces for girls to share their voices and turn the anger they feel about media portrayals into positive actions. As well, these hardiness zones need to be contexts where girls can experience the challenge of bringing change to the system in their own ways. We as parents can be most instrumental in taking advantage of the teachable moments with our young ones. We can wonder, within our daughters’ hearing, how the heck Amanda Bynes, Lindsay Lohan, Miley Cyrus and Christina Aguilera all went from looking like normal girls when they were first famous to now being provocatively half dressed on the covers of magazines, and most importantly, we can let our daughters know that they don’t have to do the same thing to be recognized for their talents and strengths. We can question aloud on Super Bowl Sunday why most of the women on the commercials are wearing clothes that look to be really uncomfortable, and whether any female we know would jump all over a man simply because he was wearing a particular brand of cologne? Mothers and fathers can thoughtfully question what their Lower Schoolers are learning from shows that are targeted to them but feature teen characters with teen problems, such as iCarly and Hannah Montana. We can begin to speak in ways that provide our daughters another way of thinking about the media. We can recognize the courage our daughters exhibit when they decide to question the status quo of the stereotypes, and we can let them know that their voices matter.
We can educate ourselves. The website www.hardygirlshealthywomen.org is a place to start, as is checking out the Powered By Girl site, also searchable on Facebook. These resources are geared mostly towards teens, but the information is a good jumping-off point for thinking about how to begin creating hardiness zones for your young daughter. Most importantly, we can be there for each other as parents, remembering that we are all in this together, and that our daughters are depending on us.
Have a great weekend,
Donna |
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Looking Ahead... |
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Art Actually
We are planning an outreach event to attract new families and their daughters to our campus. Art Actually is an art workshop for 3, 4, and 5 year-old girls and their parents. This event will be held on Saturday, January 29th from 10:00-11:00 A.M. in the Lower School art room. AIS art teacher Trish Siembora and PreKindergarten teacher Claire Lewis will conduct this fun and interactive workshop. Please mention this event to families and friends, as this will be a fun morning and there is no fee. RSVP bmassaro@agnesirwin.org
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Parents' Council News |
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Winterfest: Save the Date: March 12, 2011
Aronimink Golf Club
You can easily get to this page via the Quicklinks tab. This site now includes the Program Book Contracts, Auction Donation Forms, and the Gambling Chip Pre-Order form. Remember that the deadline for photos to be included in the Program Book is January 31, 2011. If you have any questions regarding this book contact Vanessa Penaherrera and vandy116@yahoo.com.
Family Skating Night
 Save the Date: February 12, 2011 8:00-10:00 P.M.
The entire Agnes Irwin Community is invited to a private night of skating at The Philadelphia Skating Club and Humane Society in Ardmore, PA. Parents Council has arranged for free skating and skate rental. RSVP by February 9th to Cathy Ferguson at cferguson@agnesirwin.org.
Parents’ Council Meeting
Save the Date: February 10, 2011
Lower School Staff Appreciation Lunch
Save the Date: February 17, 2011
Liz Kania has generously offered to Chair this event. She is currently looking for volunteers to cook, set up, break down, and supervise girls while the teachers enjoy their lunch. Please contact her atelizkania@comcast.net if you are interested in volunteering for this wonderful event. |
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Announcements |
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4th Grade Parent Middle School Tours
On Monday, January 24, and Wednesday, January 26 from 8:30-9:30 A.M., parents of current 4th graders are invited to tour the Middle School and chat with Lynne Myavec, Director of Middle School. Tours with start in the MS/US Front Lobby. Hope to see you there!
Martin Luther King Day in the Lower School was a huge success! We had about 80 students and their families here making placemats, bowls, and art work for the Empty Bowls Dinner, assembling bead kits for children who are in the hospital, making friendship bracelets and cards for soldiers in Afghanistan – and generally having a good time. Many thanks to our volunteers! We had parents and Upper School students leading workshops and 5th grade Girl Scouts assisting. What a wonderful community day!
Kindergarten Parents
We still need volunteers for K technology classes on Wednesday mornings. Sarah Kinder will hold another “training” on Tuesday, Jan. 25 at 8:00 A.M.– it only takes about 15 minutes. If you can’t make it, you can still help - just come early on the morning of your stint and I’ll show you the ropes. Volunteering is a commitment of one hour – Wed. 8:30 to 9:30 A.M. – and you decide which Wednesday works for you. Volunteers assist with printing, saving, and being an extra pair of hands as the girls try new skills. To volunteer or ask questions, please contact Sarah Kinder (skinder@agnesirwin.org) |
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