By Eileen Oldfield Staff Writer
Roosevelt School luncheon lets nana come to class
Roosevelt School students’ grandparents sat in the school’s art room, waiting to enter the school’s annual Grandparents’ Luncheon. As one group finished its meal, said goodbye to the grandchildren and left the room, one grandparent stopped with a recommendation for next year’s lunch.
| Weston PTA events
draw students’ families for breakfast, luncheon Weston School PTA joined PTAs from around the nation for the National PTA’s “Take Your Family to School Week,” Feb. 8-14. According to the National PTA, the week is an opportunity to connect family members to their children’s school experiences. It is celebrated in February because it is scheduled to lead up to PTA Founders Day (PTA was founded Feb. 17, 1897), as it continues the founders’ vision of building lasting family-school partnerships. The program launched in 2006 has received statements of support from U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, the National Association of Elementary School Principals, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the National School Boards Association, iVillage, All Pro Dad, and the National Fatherhood Initiative. PTA will invite administrators, corporations, and decision makers to support the effort again in the coming year. On Tuesday, 47 parents joined their children before school started in the morning for “Pastries with Parents.” They shared bagels, muffins and a Danish roll before heading off to school, work or back home. That was followed by “Lunch with Loved Ones” on Wednesday with families coming for lunch at the school. Four lunch periods hosted 150 family members in the gym. Those attended saw how the lunchtime at Weston worked from students getting in the lunch line, to the assigned tables with all their friends and classmates. Parents were also able to see and taste their children’s lunches lunch that day was Mozzarella sticks, roll, dipping sauces, Italian sub, seasoned corn, pure fruit juice and milk. ”We had many students with special visitors for lunch on Wednesday . .. we had invited the student’s parents or loved ones to come to school and eat,” Sandra Fisher, PTA president, said. “We called this special day ‘Lunch with Loved Ones’ and it was held during bring your parents to school week .. . I think some were amazed at how our school lunch schedule works.” Kindergarten parent Josephine Fendt and her husband Rich joined their daughter Megan at her lunchtime. ”Any opportunity to go to Weston, I jump at because I love the school so much and Mr. Frank is great principal,” said Ms. Fendt. She also said everything was very organized and there was plenty of time to eat. Ms. Fendt even ate the school lunch of Mozzarella sticks. ”It was a good well balanced lunch. It was a great time and we had a lot of fun. I think it was a great thing to do,” she said. By Mary Ellen Zangara
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”Get more Jell-O next time,” he joked with Parent-Teacher Association President Dayna Camacho.
The Grandparents’ Luncheon launches the school’s “Take Your Family To School Week,” a national event that aims to increase family involvement in local schools. Additional events included Wednesday’s “Muffins with Mom” and today’s (Thursday) “Donuts with Dads” breakfasts. The Roosevelt PTA hosts and caters the events, Ms. Camacho said.
”It gets family members involved with school so they know what’s going on,” Ms. Camacho said. “It encourages involvement.”
”It’s also nice because they socialize,” she added. “They meet other grandparents … It’s nice because sometimes kids are too cool for grandparents.”
Timing the event is crucial as well, since kids tend to avoid family time as they progress through the school.
”This is the stage where it’s still cool to have your family to school,” Ms. Camacho said. “Next year, when they enter sixth-grade, it’s going to be ‘dork-mom, walk behind me.’”
Ms. Camacho cooked the food for the lunch, which included baked ziti, salad, bread, kielbasa and sauerkraut, and sausage and peppers. The PTA serves approximately 73 people during the lunches.
”This is fabulous that they do this to get the grandparents and kids together at lunch time,” Monica Grote, of Bridgewater, said.
”It’s nice that they put so much effort into this.”
Ms. Grote said she enjoyed attending the school’s events, including her grandkids’ plays and wrestling matches.
”I like how you meet the people here, and the way the PTA works to organize the lunch and how they make the grandparents feel important,” Heidy Arana, of Reading Street, said.
”They know me in the (school) office. I’m involved in my grandkids’ life all the time.”
The event allows grandparents with hectic schedules to see what their grandkids do in school, too, particularly when time constraints don’t allow them to get more involved.
”I think it’s wonderful,” Barbara Tacak, of South 16th Avenue, said.
”This is my second time coming. It’s really nice. I was glad he (her grandson) remembered to ask me this year.”

