Parents’ Association
Every parent of a Milton Academy Upper School (Classes I–IV) student is a member of the Upper School Parents’ Association (USPA), so if you are a parent, this is your page!
At Milton, the Parents’ Association welcomes new parents, offers opportunities for parents to come together, sponsors an array of student events, and supports the efforts of faculty, staff and administration to make Milton a positive learning environment for our children.
All meetings are open, and they are generally held by Zoom once or twice a month at 7 p.m. EST. Check the calendar below for dates. Each features a member of the faculty, staff or administration, speaking and taking questions on their role at Milton.
Our governing body—the Executive Committee—is comprised of parents, and all USPA events are planned and run by still more parents, volunteering their time. We cordially invite you to become involved, whether you live nearby or on another continent. Find out more, below, and contact us to volunteer!
Parents' Association Meetings Calendar
USPA Meetings 2023–2024
The Upper School Parents’ Association invite parents to join the following Zoom events during the 2023–2024 academic year:
Tuesday, October 10, 2023, from 7–8 p.m.
State of the School Update
Zoom Speaker: Head of School, Dr. Alixe Callen, Upper School Principal, Dr. Monica Benton Palmer,
USPA Board Meeting 8 – 8:30 p.m.
Host: Sarnia Etienne-Dupie
Tuesday, November 14, 2023, from 7–8 p.m.
An Introduction to the College Counseling Process
Zoom Speaker: Dean of College Counseling, Laurén Carter
USPA Board Meeting 8 – 8:30 p.m.
Host: David Goldstone
Tuesday, December 5. 2023, from 7–8 p.m.
Health Panel 2024
Zoom Speakers: Director of Counseling Lisa Morin,
Division of Addiction Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital Amy McCarthy Baluch
USPA Board Meeting 8 – 8:30 p.m.
Host: Sara Toomey
Tuesday, January 9, 2024, from 7–8 p.m.
Leadership Panel 2024
Zoom Speakers: Head of School, Dr. Alixe Callen, Upper School Principal, Dr. Monica Benton Palmer.
USPA Board Meeting 8 – 8:30 p.m.
Host: Sarnia Etienne-Dupie
Tuesday, January 23, 2024, from 7–8 p.m.
Zoom Speaker: Dean of Faculty, José Ruiz
Academic Dean, Heather Sugrue
USPA Board Meeting 8 – 8:30 p.m.
Host: David Goldstone
Tuesday, February 6, 2024, from 7–8 p.m.
Zoom Speaker: Melissa Lawlor, Director of DEIJ,
Host: David Goldstone
Tuesday, February 20, 2024, from 7–8 p.m.
Health Panel
Zoom Speaker: Director of Counseling Lisa Morin
Director of Nursing Peg Reardon, R.N
USPA Board Meeting 8 – 8:30 p.m.
Host: Sara Toomey
Tuesday, April 9, 2024, from 7–8 p.m.
Curriculum Corner: What does injustice have to do with me?
Engaging privileged white students in social justice learning.
Zoom Speaker: Dr. David Nuremberg USPA Board Meeting 8 – 8:30 p.m.
Host: Sarnia Etienne-Dupie
Thursday, April 18, 2024, from 10 am–2 p.m.
Faculty and Staff Appreciation Luncheon
Breakfast, Lunch and Raffle
Tuesday, May 14, 2024, from 7–8:30 p.m.
College Counseling Updates
Zoom Speaker: Dean of College Counseling, Laurén Carter
USPA Board Meeting 8 – 8:30 p.m.
Host: Sarnia Etienne-Dupie
Tuesday, May 21, 2024, from 7–8 p.m.
Parent Programming – The Art of Letting Go
Zoom Speakers: TBA
USPA Board Meeting 8 – 8:30 p.m.
Host: Sarnia Etienne-Dupie
Monday, June 3, 2024, from 6 -8 p.m.
Class I Parents Cocktail Reception (after Prom Departure)
Details of Board Positions and Their Associated Volunteer Committees
Executive Committee
President
- Develop meeting agenda, invite speakers, and chair monthly USPA meetings
- Work with staff liaison to coordinate parent/student events throughout the year
- Act as the USPA’s liaison with the Head of School and Upper School Principal
- Work with VP to recruit next year’s Board members
- Work with committee chairs and class reps to plan events throughout the year
Vice President
- Two-year commitment (one year as VP, second year as President)
- Attend monthly USPA meetings
- Act as the USPA’s co-liaison with the school
- Work with the President to recruit next year’s Board members
Treasurer
- Two-year commitment
- Attend monthly USPA meetings
- Work with President to develop an annual operating budget
- Manage USPA account and coordinate payment of invoices
- Report finances to USPA officers
- Liaison with the Business Office
Secretary
- Attend monthly meetings of the USPA
- Update the Milton USPA Website
- Write and update Centre Connection Parents Newsletter five times per year
- Record and distribute meeting minutes
- Minutes are an important channel for the school administration, along with the PA, to disseminate information to the Milton parent community
- Key initiatives and strategies of the school administration are discussed, as well as details and specific deadlines and requirements for upcoming events on campus
Committee Chairs
Faculty & Staff Appreciation Luncheon Chair
- Plan annual Faculty & Staff Appreciation Luncheon, which includes:
- Recruit parents to work on the Faculty & Staff Appreciation Committee
- Solicit donations of food and funds from parents, via SignUp Genius
- Assist committee members in recruiting volunteers, via SignUp Genius, to work the day of the event
- Note: Appreciation event is in mid-February; work begins in October, but is concentrated in January and February
- Complete Event Report
Student Activities Coordinator
- Head the Student Activities Committee
- Attend monthly USPA meetings either in person or by conference call
- Coordinate Donut Days, Exam Treats, and Barn Babies
- Complete Event Report
Spring Fling Chair
- Plan annual Spring Fling for the student body, which includes:
- Book food vendors
- Plan activities and games
- Recruit volunteers to work the day of the event
- Complete Event Report
Class Representatives – (one boarding and one day for each class)
- Write a welcome letter to parents, to be sent out by school
- Attend monthly USPA meetings either in person or by conference call
- USPA liaison with parents for all USPA events
- Host the annual class dinner over parents’ weekend
- Organize and host a class social in the spring
- Complete Event Report for each event
New Parent Welcoming Committee
- Gather names of new families looking for host families
- Gather names of host families looking to host new families
- Match new families to host families
Liaisons
Communications Liaison
- Attend monthly USPA meetings either in person or by conference call
- Coordinate with President to disseminate accurate, timely information on activities and events pertinent to parents
- Update USPA Social Media Sites – FaceBook and Instagram
- Write and update Centre Connection information five times per year
PIN Reps
- Attend monthly USPA meetings and report on last PIN meeting
- Attend six PIN meetings and lectures to take notes for above reporting
- Encourage awareness of and use of the PIN web page
- Coordinate with Milton’s Director of Community Service to take advantage of available grants and service awards
2023–2024 Parents’ Association
Forms: Click here to download the Event Reimbursement form. Click here to fill out the USPA Event Description form.
Executive Committee:
Sarnia Etienne-Dupie, President
David Goldstone, Sara Toomey Co-Vice Presidents
Rui Zhang, Treasurer
David Goldstone, Secretary
Parents’ Association Committees:
These volunteer committees have intermittent responsibilities supporting specific PA activities.
- Faculty & Staff Appreciation Luncheon Chair: Sarnia Dupie
- Food Chair: Sarnia Etienne-Dupie
- Décor Chair: Mary Witkowski
- Gift Chair: Autumn Andrade-de León
- Raffle Chair: Lauretta Lewis-Medley
- Student Activities Chair: Vera Rubeiz
- Eby-Pineda-Dorcena
- Daniel Serafini
- Spring Fling Chair: Lauretta Lewis-Medley
- Boarding Parent Chair: Caroline Bell-Ritchie
Class Representatives:
Class I: Raynya Simmons,(day) Tiffany You (day), and Juliet Park, (boarding) Darlene Cadet, (boarding)
Class II: David Goldstone (day), Lihong Su, (boarding)
Class III: Shikha Malhotra (day), Michael Munsey (day), and Lihong Su, (boarding)
Class IV: Shikha Malhotra (day), Julie Steucken (day),
The parents’ newsletter, Centre Connection, is published five times each year to help inform parents about what’s happening on campus.
New Parent Welcoming Committee:
Melissa Lawlor
Shikha Malhotra
PIN Representatives:
Heather Smith
The Parents’ Independent School Network (PIN) is a volunteer-run, parent organization that brings representatives from 68 New England schools together for the exchange of information on non-academic issues of mutual concern and interest. Two divisions ensure age appropriate topics: Lower School and Upper School. Each division holds six meetings throughout the year, with a guest speaker or head of school presenting on salient topics.
PIN Web page: Log in to your myMilton account to find the information you will need to access the PIN Web page. Each year, member schools can apply for grants or awards to recognize community service that their students have performed. Along with PIN history and mission information, parents can access past lectures, school survey results by topic, and minutes from past meetings on the secure school section of the PIN webpage. Please explore this webpage and its wealth of information on subjects such as managing stress, gap year, bullying, teaching leadership, sports health, managing the college process, and much more.
Other Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteer to drive for the community engagement program. Throughout the year, the community engagement program needs driving help to get student volunteers to their service sites. If you have time during the school day, after school, or on a Saturday to drive students to and/or from their destinations, contact Andrea Geyling.
