GDS Magazine | 41 experiencing homelessness, winterizing the Lower school garden, and much more. Thank you for giving back! Bengal Dash April 14 was a beautiful day to come out and run. We had 210 runners registered for the 5k and 1 mile races. Bengal Town was set up for our little Bengal friends to relax and take a break after their 200 meter kids’dash. Fastest 5k Male runner: Tommy Boles 17:49:3 Fastest 5k Female runner: Kiersten Kohler 23:07:6 Fastest 5k female under 10: Alexandra Tuma 29:02 Fastest 5k male under 10: Andrew Szott 33:39:9 Youngest 5k participant: Ansley Hammouri, 3 years old Not only Bengal Dash is a day of fun, running, and learning healthy habits, it helps raise funds for the Philanthropy Council. The event raised nearly $14,000 through sponsorships and race entries! Lots of gratitude and thanks to our Bengal Dash Chairs, Beth Sanders and Ali Hammouri Teacher Enrichment and Endowment Fund TEEF grants were created in 1982 by a group of parents who wanted to set funds aside to allow teachers to attend receive professional development to further their education. The TEEF committee, consisting of the Executive PA Committee, past winter fundraiser chairs, and two prior TEEF grant recipients had the pleasure to grant $17,118.31 to 13 deserving teachers and staff for professional development opportunities. Congratulations to Ninoshka Bolyston Peter Buxenbaum, Ken Field, Jenna Gilfillan, Melissa Lehman, Tim Martin, Randy Mintz, Sarah Rose Mostafa, Rebecca Parker, Linda Register, Jeremy Shearer, Emilee Transou, and Elizabeth Wilson who received grants. PA Cares Many thanks to our PA Cares chairs, Liza Lee, Allison Bell‘92 and Heidi Gingerich. These dedicated volunteers reached out to GDS families throughout the year in times of celebration, to extend sympathy, or offer support when needed. Please reach out to them whenever you need help. Allocations Allocations is an important part of our Parents’Association. The committee receives detailed proposals requesting items needed by the school. The money raised from last year’s winter fundraiser, the GDS Soiree was put in good use this year. We have allocated the following items: renovation of the Lower School technology lab, Middle School furniture for indoor and outdoor use, art displays for the McMillion Media Center, and replacement tables for our cafeteria. Hospitality It is hard to describe and give thanks to our fabulous teams of hospitality volunteers. Lower School volunteers prepare breakfast for our teachers throughout the year, Middle and Upper School volunteers treat our teachers with luncheons, and our Middle School Social Event team plans fun activities for our 5th - 8th graders. These parents work closely together and encourage other parents to help. Thank you to all of the parents for their ongoing dedication to our school, students, faculty and staff. Special Projects Andrea Hunt gave Box Tops, VIC Card and Amazon Smile a whole different meaning. Last year we had only nine families who had their VIC cards from Harris Teeter linked to donate a percentage back to Greensboro Day School. This year we have more than 100 participants. We learned that you have to re-link your VIC card every year. Please plan to link your card again in the fall to support GDS. Through this project, we raised $1251 with another payment to be received this summer. Parent Advisory Committee Connections between parents and within the divisions are very important to the division directors, parents and teachers. I would like to recognize and thank each parent who takes their time serving on this very important board as well the chairs, Sima Govind, Lower School, Kristin Carignan, Middle School, and Jeanne Whitley, Upper School. Volunteer of the Year Every year our PA Executive Council votes on the volunteer of the year from the nominations received. I am proud to announce Melinda Rucker as this year’s recipient. She is the mother of Gray ’18, Lindsay ’19 and Elizabeth ’20. Melinda is involved in so many different ways at GDS. She has served as a Lower School room parent, on the Lower School hospitality committee, and as a member of PAC who welcome and tour prospective families. She volunteers with the MAD Society, made numerous calls for the Annual Fund, and worked side by side with her husband Jim as the Generations Campaign Chairs to help fund our Middle School. She helped with the Bengal Boutique and the Greensboro Day Soiree and chaired Upper School Hospitality for more than four years. She serves as well as an active member of the Board of Trustees. Melinda received a beautiful vase made by our own Kim Burroughs, and her name will be displayed at the plaque in the McMillion Media Center, Thank you, Melinda for all you do behind the scenes to help the PA and GDS! In Closing As I prepare to head back to Germany for the summer, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Greensboro Day School. Our relationship with the school started in 2002 when we enrolled our daughter Annabelle, who was a lifer. Our son, Moritz enrolled in 2006 and is now a rising senior. Greensboro Day school is not only a school for us, it became our family. Our children grew, became independent learners and we as parents learned a lot, too. Next year will be our last year in Greensboro and at Greensboro Day School. We will cherish our time here and will always be proud Bengals! I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Tommy Webb, who served as the Administrative Liaison to the PA, who helped me with his advice and guidance the whole year. Isabelle Kramme Parents’Association President, 2017-18