Speyer Parents Association

Speyer has an active and energetic Parents Association, led by a community of families spearheading initiatives to foster positive relationships between parents, faculty, and staff. The PA strives to enrich the Speyer community as a whole by supporting an array of school-wide programs for gifted students and their families, while also supporting faculty and staff.

All parents at Speyer are automatically welcomed as members of the Parents Association. , and there are numerous opportunities for parents to donate their unique expertise and skills. Run entirely by parent volunteers, the PA provides a variety of engaging and enjoyable community-wide activities throughout the year. The Speyer PA is composed of an Executive Committee, Grade Ambassadors and standing committees led by parent volunteers. Committee meetings are open to any interested parent. An Affinity Group Coordinator leads several affinity groups for parents.

If you are interested in learning more, contact pa@speyerschool.org.

PA MeetingS aND WAYS TO BE INVOLVED

PA meetings provide an opportunity for parents to learn about school news and events, hear from school administrators and faculty, and to come together as a community. See the school calendar for meeting dates which will vary based on the 2022-2023 school calendar.

Below is information on Speyer’s PA committees and Parent Affinity Groups— we are always seeking volunteers to work on a range of exciting initiatives!

Organizes social, cultural, and community-building events, including guest speakers, parent coffee hours, and Speyer's annual Family Skating Party.

Partners with our librarian and brings our community together through book fairs and programming connecting students to a diverse range of authors.

Researches, designs, and produces unique, spirit-filled swag that students, parents, faculty, and staff love. The Speyer Spirit Shop also generates much of the PA's Revenue.

Supports interaction among families of various backgrounds and plans events like the annual international potluck. Members work to ensure that the school’s growing community continually embodies the values of friendship, inclusion, openness, and support. The committee works in partnership with school and board leadership to organize inclusive all-school conversations and community events, identify and share resources, and foster a sense of belonging and connectedness.

Organizes and supports events and initiatives that provide Speyer students and families with opportunities to make a difference in our community (both at Speyer and our neighborhood) and our world.

Working with our chess instructors, volunteers help inform parents of chess happenings outside of Speyer, assist families of the Speyer Chess Team at various tournaments, and provide other help as needed.

There are five Parent Affinity Groups: Parents of Girls, Parents of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) Students, Parents of AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) Students, SAPAS (South Asian Parents at Speyer Affinity Group), and Shalom Speyer. Affinity Groups provide a safe and supportive space for parents to share experiences, resources, ideas, and more. Parents strategize solutions to common problems and come up with ideas for positive change.

2023-2024 PA Executive Committee

Maricor Santiago
President

Songyun Kang
Vice President, Lower School

Elizabeth Styron
Vice President, Middle School 

Maria Paskowitz and Liz Oscur-Marcal
Co-Treasurers 

Anne-Michelle Gallero
Communications Committee

Anne Cochran
President Ex Officio

Parent Association Committees
Anastasios Papathanasiou and Astra Bonini
Speyer Cares Committee

TBD
Kaleidoscope Committee

Dana Ogilvie, Isha Gupta, and Kattia Bossola
Library Committee

Kevin Klipstein, Caitlin Trasande,
Conway Irwin, and Sinziana Eckner
Events Committee

Samantha Paull and Danielle Gunlock
Speyer Store

Jenny Yung and Junfeng Yang
Chess Committee

Parent Association Affinity Groups
Danny Maya
Affinity Group Coordinator

Sarah Krohn and Lauren Steltzer
Affinity Group for Parents of Girls

Sheila Springer and Allan Springer
Affinity Group for Parents of BIPOC Students

Kathryn Zhao
Affinity Group for Parents of AAPI Students

Elissa Burnstein
Shalom Speyer

Chandrika Rai
South Asian Parents at Speyer Affinity Group (SAPAS) 

TBD
Dragon Pride