A Fall Harvest Reflection

By Heather Burkey, PA President

Six years ago, my husband and I attended our first Fall Harvest at EPS.  Our daughter had just started sixth grade and we were bumping through filling out forms, attending meetings, and getting to know many new families and teachers. We received the invitation to the parents-only Fall Harvest evening appetizers and drinks. I didn’t know what to expect.  We heard it wasn’t an auction. We heard the faculty and staff came to the event. I wondered how many parents would even show up. Overall, I can’t say I was excited to go. The event was just another thing I needed to attend on an already busy schedule. Maybe that is too honest, but I remember it so clearly.

And then we went to the Fall Harvest. We walked in and right away, I could tell this was not what I had expected. There were no formal tables to sit at. Our name tags had color-coded dots to help us find other parents with kids in the same grade. For those of us challenged with initiating conversations, we had a starting point with the fellow ‘red-dot’ parents. There were teachers and staff everywhere. And they had drinks in their hands (okay, not all of them), laughing and milling about with parents. The staff and faculty were funny and interesting, and apparently actually like talking to parents. On top of everything, the food served was definitely not your cheese-and-crackers affair. Many delicious hot appetizers filled buffet tables, with wine and beer matched to the menu. As the evening wrapped up, the lights had to go on and music had to be stopped to get everyone to go home. Even teachers and staff stayed until the bitter end. Dave and I left the event feeling as if we just had a really fun date night with a really great community.

I look forward to seeing many of you tonight at the 12^th Annual Fall Festival from 6pm-9pm at the newly-renovated Levinger-Poole Commons for lots of good food and company. I give the event five out of five stars – you don’t want to miss it!