Latin Parents are the Best!

Last Saturday was a beautiful autumnal day to celebrate our Fall Festival with families and faculty members. From the squeals of delight, smiling faces, extended conversations and the amount of food consumed, I think it is safe to say that a great time was had by those who attended. Thank you to the parents who popped popcorn, assisted with grilling, baked pastries or supervised different activities and sporting events. This was our second year of offering flu shots and our first time conducting onsite voter registration. From the silly to the serious, we could not have done this without the leadership of the Parent-Faculty Association and a team of passionate parent volunteers.

Whether they attend PFA meetings, chaperone field trips, mentor students or provide access to internships and community service opportunities or bakes their favorite dish for a Parent-Teacher Conference Day, Washington Latin is graced with highly involved parents. Among the efforts to which many contribute time and energy is our annual Latin Pride campaign which also kicked off this past Saturday. This fundraiser, on which the school depends, to fund the PFA and close the gap in general operating expenses was founded by volunteers and continues to be powered by volunteers.

When I speak to Washington Latin parents, I am struck by two things: their gratitude for the hard work of the teachers and their interest in making this school the best it can be for all children, not just their own. We know that as a public charter school, it is more challenging to organize parents because we pull from all eight wards of the city, so it is not always easy to get to campus. This makes it even more challenging for parents who put the extra time in to attend meetings, to sew costumes for our theater productions, or offer up their homes for performances by our choir and jazz band.

When a parent volunteer emails or calls you in the next few days, we urge you to share what makes you proud of Washington Latin. And thank you for your ongoing contributions – as a volunteer and a financial supporter – to our success.

Valete!