Riff for December 5:

Tonight is a Duke School board meeting and to prepare I read through all the reports in the lengthy packet.  As I read the packet this weekend, the PSO report caught my eye—well, really, it took my breath away.  The report, which is printed below, lists some of the volunteer support offered by the PSO and the list is extensive.  Duke School is so much stronger because of this volunteer work, powered mostly by parents who are carving time from their busy schedules.  Not only am I thankful for this great volunteer effort, I am humbled that so many people care so deeply for the school and for all of its students.  I also want to thank the PSO leadership whose organization and leadership allow volunteers to shine.  It is exciting to be part of such a vibrant community.

Here is the list of PSO events thus far:

• Class liaison and committee chair training was held prior to the first Parent Night.  
• Creation of lunch coverage sign-ups for lower and middle school classrooms and ongoing management of volunteer coordination (approximately 616 positions filled)
• Hosted 3 days of hospitality coffees for the Preschool and K/1 buildings affording parents the opportunity to visit during the first few days of school.
• Supported “Coffees with Directors” for the lower and middle schools.
• Approximately 55 Duke School volunteers participated in NC Big Sweep collecting over 60 bags of trash.
• Approximately 26 Duke School volunteers harvested vegetables and tended gardens with SEEDS, Durham Inner City Gardeners.
• Over 186 volunteer opportunities were filled at Fall Festival.  New events and activities were included this year.  Attendance was strong.
• More than 60 parents attended the first discussion group of Raising a Self-Reliant Child in a Self-Indulgent World.
• Approximately 100 parents attended the lecture by clinical & organizational psychologist and author Robert Evans.   
• 38 parents filled over 60 volunteer roles for the Book Fair.  74 middle school students shared an original work or brought an existing piece of prose to life on stage and more than $2500 was raised for the libraries.
• Breakfasts featuring homemade treats and fresh fruit were provided for teachers during conference days.
• Over 1,000 individual baked goods have been provided for Fall Festival, Teacher Conference Breakfasts & the Book Fair.
• 11 parents delivered approximately 3,050 slices of pizza to lower school students.
• Ongoing collection of Boxtops.  New “collection worksheets” given to the preschool, kindergarten and 1^st grades.  
• Hosted two “Playground Socials” for the kindergarten and 1^st grades.  Over 50 families attended.
• An immeasurable number of parents have volunteered not only to cover lunch duty but have also driven for field work, participated in classroom activities such as cooking, interviews and story reader as well as attended culminating events.