About HSA

When: Saturday, September 27, 2025
Where: The Avery Coonley School 

The committee for Family Fun Day plans this annual Avery Coonley School tradition. Family Fun Day has activities for all ages and typically includes a rock-climbing wall, inflatable slide, games, and a DJ. The challenge ropes course will be open too. This event is open to the entire Avery Coonley School community and a great way to kick-off the new school year.

Registration link is shared the ACS News. 

Chairs: Dan Rucci, Sara Tsantilis, Jamie Lubawski

When: Friday, October 24, 2025
Where: The Avery Coonley School — Gym

Proceeds from the annual Book Fair benefit enrichment programs offered to ACS students. Members of this committee plan, organize, and run the fair. Responsibilities include coordinating logistics with our outside vendor, establishing a system for accurately handling and tracking receipts, and recruiting and managing parent volunteers who set up/take down and work shifts at the Fair. There is also a virtual component to the book fair that requires setup. Committee members will work with the administration and teachers – who prepare wish lists for the classrooms and library.  

Current Chairs: Shona McCrindle, Whitney Sharp, Jennifer Huard, Kris Sandrock

When: Friday, October 24, 2025
Where: The Avery Coonley School — Commons

At this annual ACS event our Group 8 students greet, seat, serve, and entertain you for the evening. Following dinner, they collect tips for their service. All the tips collected are used to purchase Group 8 class gift for the school. Tips are cash only, please. This event is open to the whole family — extended family is welcome.

Three seating times are available — 5pm, 6pm or 7pm. Note: Seating in each time slot is limited and the registration form will close when seating has reached capacity.

The registration link will be shared the ACS News. 

Current Chairs: JP Ramirez, Stephanie Lizaso Yeh

When: Friday, December 12, 2025
Where: The Avery Coonley School — Gym
 
Holiday House is planned and organized by this committee. The committee works to secure a diverse group of local vendors that furthers the HSA mission by promoting community both within the school and our broader community.  Responsibilities include coordinating logistics with the vendors  as well as organizing the parent volunteers who set up, staff and disassemble Holiday House and for establishing a system for accurately handling and tracking receipts. Proceeds from the Holiday House benefit enrichment programs offered to ACS students.

Current Chairs: Amanda Perry, Ami Vaidya, Shannon Troost, Camille Shrouder-Henry, Joy Randich

When: Friday, February 20 from 6-8:30pm
Where: Off-campus location, details in the ACS News

This committee plans a fun night out for the ACS community parents. This year's event is a trivia night. This is strictly a social event that allows parents a chance to get to know each other in a fun setting. The committee plans and organizes the night's events including selecting a venue, and activity for the night, and establishing a system for accurately handling and tracking receipts. 

Registration link is shared in the ACS News.

Current Chair: Kristin Pauley, Lita Gillis

When: Thursday, April 9 and Friday, April 10, 2026

This event celebrates our school's rich cultural diversity. Students participate in games, crafts, and activities from cultures around the world. This committee is responsible for recruiting and organizing volunteers to lead these activities. 

Current Chair: Seema Shirsat

When: Friday, April 10, 2026. Dinner runs from 6-7:30pm. Performances begin at 7:30pm,
Where: The Avery Coonley School — Commons and PAC
 
The Heritage Fest Dinner and Performance is open to the whole ACS community. It is an opportunity for students to share aspects of their families and cultures and a fun night of camaraderie and great food! This committee plans a casual family dinner at the end of Heritage Fest. The format of the dinner is determined by the committee members and can be a potluck. The evening also features ethnic performances by our students. In addition to planning the dinner, the committee members also handle performance sign-ups and logistics that include setup and takedown of the event.

Registration is shared in the ACS News (starting February, 26, 2026)

Current Chairs (Dinner): Murat Keceli, Sevnur Komurlu Keceli, Venkat Venkatakrishnan, Kavitha Rao
Current Chairs (Performance): David Wilner, Ritu Dhadwal

When: Saturday, May 2, 2026
Where: The Avery Coonley School — Gym
 
This special event is a unique opportunity for "smalls" in Pre-K3 through Group 5 to accompany a "tall" (parent or other beloved adult) to a dance designed just for them. The fun will take place at our School and is packed with excitement: light snacks to keep you fueled, music to get you moving, and activities that’ll have you smiling. 

Current Chairs: Jamie Dougherty, Will Sickinger

The Artsonia committee coordinates with the art teacher to photograph and upload student artwork. The committee collects signed forms from parents at the beginning of the year and communicates with room parents and the ACS community when artwork is uploaded to the site. This wonderful program allows families to purchase items featuring the students' artwork.

Current Chair: Lan Hong

Dates: Monthly throughout the year
 
The E.A.T.S. committee organizes volunteers to deliver “treats” (e.g., fruits, vegetables, cheese and crackers, baked goods) to the teacher’s lounge on selected dates through the year. This program was developed as one way to show our teachers how much we appreciate their efforts.

The 2025-2026 dates for each Group and details on what is needed can be found on the sign-up sheet shared in the ACS News and on the Parent Portal (under Volunteer Opportunities). 

Current Chairs: Priti Nuthakki, Diana Salviola

Dates: Monday, October 6, 2025, Wednesday, January 7, 2026, and Wednesday, May 27, 2026

The Enrichment committee is responsible for scouting out and finding age appropriate and interesting shows/performances that come to ACS either in-person or virtually. The goal of this committee is to find enrichments that cultivate a sense of community and learning from our littlest learners to our oldest. The committee is in charge of finding the talent, coordinating the dates/times of the event with the performers and school, and introducing the Enrichment on the day of.  

Current Chairs: Lana McKenna, Whitney Sharp, Jamie Dougherty

The Go Green committee works with school administration to plan green initiatives for ACS students and families throughout the year.

Current Chairs: Erin Fiedler, Anisha Shetty, Dina Dadabhoy, Olesya Ignatenko

What is a Memory Book? Unlike the yearbook, which focuses on the whole school, the Memory Book is specific to each group. The Memory Book captures special, unique moments throughout the year in your child's classroom only.

This committee recruits and coordinates volunteer editors from each group. The committee determines the standard platform on which the books will be created and establishes the basic requirements for the books. The committee supports the volunteers editors through training sessions, helping the volunteers take or collect photos and providing feedback on the books as they are created. The committee also sets the book deadlines, promotes the books in the school community, coordinates production of the books with the printer, and helps to deliver the books to parents who have placed orders. 

Ordering Opens in the Fall

Current Chairs: Shawn Aycock, Claire O'Neil, Esther Hargrove

Dates: Friday, November 14, 2025 and Tuesday, March 3, 2026
 
This committee plans and coordinates the sale of lunchtime treats at the end of each trimester. The committee organizes volunteers to help pick up the treats, set up and staff the sales booth, and clean up and close out sales. Proceeds benefit enrichment programs offered to ACS students at Gatherings.

Current Chairs: Helly Shah, Carissa Means