Hollywood School PTA  

At the Founders Day dinner on February 7, 2008, Kathy Barcal delivered the annual Historian’s Report.

HOLLYWOOD SCHOOL HISTORIAN’S REPORT

February, 2007 to January 2008

Recently, Marge Braun, a 49-year Hollywood resident and former PTA President and I gave a presentation at the Brookfield Historical Society about Hollywood School and the Community House. It is through research and conversations with Marge Braun and Mike Kayse that I learned more about this building and its’ history. When you are walking throughout the school, stop to take a look at a few things on the walls. The ceramic tile mural around the drinking fountain between Kindergarten and Fourth Grade was made by a class from the 1960’s (Mike Kayse was in that class.)and while walking back look up at the cloth mural made in 1999 by the entire student body of Hollywood School. Don’t take your child’s school for granted. Lastly, in our school library there is a book called, The History of Brookfield. Be sure to check it out as there is some valuable information about our Hollywood School and Community. We sure have come a long way since the opening of our school in 1929!

Before we attended Founder’s Day on Feb. 8^th, our children were participating with actors from Child’s Play Touring Theatre. The children worked very hard for a month, writing, singing, memorizing lines and rehearsing for their performance on Feb. 1^st. The theme of their performance was “Kids in Charge.” Our children turned into actors and actresses to put together a very memorable evening for themselves and their parents. Thanks to our entire Cultural Arts Committee for bringing Child’s Play to Hollywood School. After last year’s Founder’s Day, the year seemed to just take off! At the end of February, we held our annual Adult Quiz night at the Hollywood Community House. Many adults put on our thinking caps and tested their trivia knowledge. The event was an incredible success and everyone had a fantastic time!

The month of March kicked off with our PTA meeting and nomination of officers for the 2007-2008 school year. We also kicked the month off with our annual flower sale which is always a success for PTA. If you have ever seen the flowers and plants that are available, you would surely agree! The month of March also brings our well attended Family Science Day. This is a free event for our children and their families to attend to participate in hands on experiments. This event is a great way for parents to be a part of their children’s academic experience through PTA. The chair people, Karyn Duffy and Greg Fleischman along with their committee always bring great experiments to our school for everyone to attempt. This was Karyn’s and Greg’s last year chairing and they have done a great job through the years.

April 5^th brought our Election of Officers. The Officers elected for the 2007-2008 school year were: Laura Tracy, President, Kathy Barcal, 1^st Vice President, Lisa Buffo, 2^nd Vice President, Denise Notz, Treasurer, Jennifer Perry, Recording Secretary and Kierith Kurth, Corresponding Secretary. On April 27^th our gym was turned into a scene from Saturday Night Fever! Disco fever was the theme of our annual sock hop chaired by Mary Volpe and her awesome committee of parent volunteers. There was a surprise guest that came to visit from Saturday Night Fever, John Travolta! The kids enjoyed getting their pictures taken with our own version of John Travolta!

The month of May was a busy one for Hollywood School! We had our Teacher and Staff Appreciation week May 7^th through 11^th. The week ended with our Teacher and Staff Appreciation Luncheon hosted by the Fifth Grade class with assistance from our parent volunteer Olga Andrulis. The theme was “Hats Off” to our teachers and staff for all that they do for our children each day. During this week we had our monthly PTA meeting and our new PTA Officers were installed for the next school year. On May 24^th we all enjoyed a sunny fun filled day of activities at our Annual Field Day. Our theme this year was, Boot Camp. The children and parents ran races, bounced in a jumpy house and had a special visit from our military friends. Our chairperson, Laura Tracy and her committee did a fabulous job organizing this all day event. This is the day that the children have a hot dog lunch and receive their year books. During lunch the yearbooks are signed by their friends, faculty and staff and parents. We always end the day with a very exciting game of kickball between our Fifth graders and the parents, staff and faculty of Hollywood School. We are a very competitive group when it comes to kickball! Last year our fifth graders took a day trip to Springfield with the other schools in our district. Everyone had a fun and learning experience in Springfield! We ended the school year with our Awards Assembly on June 5^th followed by the last day of school and Fifth Grade clap out on June 8^th. Ahhh….summer vacation!

A new school year brought new faces at Hollywood School. We were introduced to new faculty, staff and new students at Hollywood School. We have a new third grade and fifth grade teacher and new staff in our specials areas. We welcomed them to Hollywood School! August 28^th 2007 was our first day of school and our Parent Tea. At the Parent Tea we reminisced with old friends and met new friends, too. This year also brought a new school calendar with the first day of school being a full day! We kicked into full gear in the month of September with our first PTA meeting with our new officers. Spirit wear sale kicked off this month along with our always successful Market Day.

October not only brought fall weather, but it brought thoughts of the holidays. Our Gift wrap sale started on Oct. 5^th chaired by Denise Notz, who was very organized and ran a smooth sale. This is one of our most successful fundraisers at Hollywood School. This month we had our Fall Festival in the school parking lot and the Hollywood Community House. This is a great way for everyone to get reacquainted and meet new parents as well. This day is fun not only for the children, but for parents, friends and neighbors as well. We have Fran Guerrieri (&committee) to thank for organizing a great day for everyone. This is one of those events that everyone talks about long after it is over! On October 19^th our gym was converted into a cinema. Families came with their blankets and pillows, munched on popcorn, candy and drinks and enjoyed an evening at the movies. This month ended with our Halloween program on Oct. 31^st. We all enjoyed the entertainment of the “Bubble Guy!” The children also enjoyed showing off their costumes to our neighbors during the Halloween parade.

Our music teacher, Mr. Howes, put together a very memorable Veteran’s Day program to kick off the month of November. We enjoyed our first ever entire week off for Thanksgiving!

Holiday Gift Shoppe was all we could think about at the end of November. Holiday Gift Shoppe was held on Friday, Dec. 13^th. The entire gym was transformed into a gift shoppe for our children to purchase gifts for their families and friends. This put all of us in the holiday spirit. Jennifer Perry and Lisa Buffo shopped all year to make this day merry and bright for our children and all of the wonderful volunteers! Before our winter break, the children along with Mr. Howes performed for all of us at the Holiday Festival held on December 11^th.

We came back from Holiday break refreshed and ready to start another busy new year at Hollywood School. Besides the events already mentioned, the students have enjoyed participating in Wee Deliver, Ecology Club, Hot Lunch/Spirit Days, United We Read, Spanish, Great Books, Kids Art, Scrip, Band, Orchestra and Fifth Grade Games Night, and a new one coordinated by Ms. DeVylder, Chess Club, just to mention a few!

Our Artist in the Classroom, which is coordinated through our Cultural Arts Committee has been up and running for about the last 4 years. During a 45 minute to 1 hour time period, students and a parent volunteer discuss a specific piece of art or artist. During this time the students ask open ended questions about a piece of art. Following discussion, the students then create their own artwork that reflects what they have jut learned. Because of successful grant applications that were written by Vicky DeVylder and the Cultural Arts committee, PTA was able to offer various assemblies, workshops and our Artist in Residence to all of the children at Hollywood School. Without such a successful Cultural Arts committee, our children would not have been able to have had such wonderful cultural experiences. Our Cultural Arts program has come a very long way in the last few years and we are still embarking on new cultural adventures for our children and their families.

Our children and their families are not only giving of their time and donations, they are also willing to help those less fortunate than themselves. Throughout the year they have given to the Food Drive, Animal Shelter, UNICEF and even those within their own community. The Girl Scouts of Hollywood are also a busy group at Hollywood School. They volunteer to decorate the Hollywood Community House, a tree at the Zoo and have participated in many ways within the community.

Enrollment at Hollywood School is 107children. We have 87 families at Hollywood School with 90% participation in PTA.

Respectfully submitted,

Kathy Barcal

Historian 2007 - 2008