The Beacon School Leadership Team (SLT) meets monthly during the academic year. During the 2023-2034 Beacon school year, SLT meetings will take place on Wednesdays (see schedule below). You can learn more about the work of the SLT here and on the DOE website.
The 2024-2024 Beacon SLT parent representatives are:
President – Alberta Conteh (2025) • Maud Abeel (2025) • Harry Feder (2024) • Lindsay Manley (2024) • Annie Smith (2026) • Anna Zhuravitsky (2025)
Members of the public are welcome to observe SLT meetings but may not participate.
2023-2024 Beacon SLT meetingschedule
The following meetings are regular meetings unless otherwise noted:
Wednesday, September 20, 2023 – 4pm (Zoom: CLICK HERE)
Thursday, October 5, 2023 – 4pm (Zoom: CLICK HERE)
Wednesday, October 18, 2023 – 4pm (Zoom: CLICK HERE)
Wednesday, November 15, 2023 – 4pm (Zoom: CLICK HERE)
Wednesday, December 20, 2023 – 4pm (Zoom: CLICK HERE)
Wednesday, January 17, 2024 – 4pm (Zoom: CLICK HERE)
Wednesday, February 21, 2024 – 4pm (Zoom: CLICK HERE)
Wednesday, March 20, 2024 – 4pm (Zoom: CLICK HERE)
Wednesday, April 17, 2024 – 4pm (Zoom: CLICK HERE)
Beacon parents and guardians—please see below for some invaluable ways to support our school!
PTA COMMITTEEVOLUNTEERS
Did you know the Beacon PTA has nine parent-run committees that support the Beacon community and our students?
Please attend a committee meeting to learn about all the work they do! All committees rely exclusively on parent volunteers. Some committees are actively seeking volunteers, so please volunteer your time and expertise. No experience is necessary! An overview of ways to get involved:
BUDGET COMMITTEE – The PTA treasurers welcome members of the Beacon community who would like to understand more about the financial side of how our PTA operates and help us review requests for funding from student clubs, teachers and others. We meet once a month to clarify requests before submitting to the Executive Board for review and to the General Membership meeting for a vote. ➡️ Interested in helping? Click here for meeting dates or email beacontreasurer@gmail.com
COMMUNICATIONS – Help us produce and send out our weekly newsletter and the informative one-off emails you receive from the PTA! We welcome contributors who can stay informed on sports, after-school clubs, the arts or other areas of interest at Beacon and write for the newsletter. We also need designers who can help improve this website and our digital communications. We also would appreciate help updating this website, the PTA Facebook page (and other social media platforms) and the PTA calendar. Training will be provided and no experience is necessary. ➡️ Interested in getting involved? Email us at beaconptanewsletter@gmail.com.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION – Our DEI committee supports equity through education and discussion, including a multimedia club and subcommittees in Admissions/Growth, Accountability/Transparency, and Content/Community Development. ➡️ Click here for information on how to get involved – deiatbeacon@gmail.com
SPRING AUCTION – We are planning a festive spring gala and auction, an evening event that will provide a fun in-person way for Beacon parents to socialize and raise money for the PTA general fund to support our amazing school. ➡️ Please volunteer by emailing beaconauctiongala2023@gmail.comand check out our volunteer sign-up sheet here.
HOSPITALITY – Help organize ways to show appreciation to teachers, administrators and staff, such as providing staff lounge treats and seasonal events. ➡️ If you’re interested in helping, please email beaconhospitality44@gmail.com and click here for more information.
MERCHANDISE – We sell Beacon merchandise in the school lobby once a month to raise money for the PTA and encourage school spirit. ➡️ If you’re interested in helping at an upcoming in-school merch sale, please email beaconptamerch@gmail.com
SPECIAL EDUCATION – Identifies issues students with IEPs or 504s have in accessing services, advocates for them, and proposes solutions. We are seeking volunteers for their sub-committees in Education, Communications and College-Related Resources. ➡️ Please email beaconspecialeducation@gmail.com.
Please join us and help us build a supportive community for our kids!
When parents/guardians are involved in their children’s school, research shows benefits to children (improved academics, attendance, attitude and motivation), parents (increased parent-child communication about school, knowledge about school policy and practices, awareness of their child’s learning and tips to support them), and the school (improved relationships between parents, students and the school and a more positive, cooperative and inclusive environment for all).
➡️ If you have questions about any of these volunteer opportunities, please email us at beaconpta1@gmail.com.
The Beacon PTA Treasury team will hold a monthly meeting to review funding requests made to the PTA during the 2023/2024 academic year.
These requests will be reviewed at the meeting and then brought forward to the next Beacon PTA Executive Board monthly meeting and to the monthly general membership meeting, where the requests will be presented to the general membership for a vote, with approved requests subsequently processed.
All current Beacon School parents/guardians and staff are eligible to vote on requests to access funds raised by the PTA as a result of its fundraising activities.
The PTA’s monthly Budget Committee meetings will be held on Zoom during the 2023/2024 school year, and all interested members of the Beacon School community are welcome to attend.
This committee will meet on the last Thursday of every month on the same recurring Zoom link.
Tuesday, September 26, 2023 – 6:00pm Tuesday, October 24, 2023 – 6:00pm Tuesday, November 28, 2023 – 6:00pm Tuesday, December 19, 2023 – 6:00pm **Note – this is the 3rd Tuesday, due to the Winter Break** Tuesday, January 30, 2024 – 6:00pm Tuesday, February 27, 2024 – 6:00pm Tuesday, March 26, 2024 – 6:00pm Tuesday, April 30, 2024 – 6:00pm Tuesday, May 28, 2024 – 6:00pm
All members of the Beacon School community are invited to join the PTA’s Hospitality Committee.
The committee aims to organize appreciation events for the teachers and staff. Activities include bringing in food and treats for the teacher and staff lounge, helping organize the holiday party, buying end-of-year teacher appreciation gifts, and assisting with the year-end sports banquet. *New* this year, we’ll start hosting PTA Coffee Chats once a month where you can come to school and meet other parents, ask general questions and see the inside of school!
The hospitality committee provides an excellent opportunity for parents to visit the school to see daily student life, and interact with the teachers and staff!
Please reach out if you’d like to get involved by emailing beaconhospitality44@gmail.com, and we will send information about what’s coming up and what kind of help would be appreciated.
Also, we are compiling a list of Beacon families (and other members of our school community) who may own or be connected with the food & beverage industry—
Bars
Restaurants
Food vendors,
Other in-kind donations or discounts on food, drinks, venues, or event spaces.
For example, the PTA hosts an annual teacher and staff holiday party and would like to identify a restaurant space in Hell’s Kitchen where 50-100 people could enjoy drinks and hors d’oeuvres after school.
Please contact us if you can help support the Beacon community as we host school events!
All members of the Beacon School community are invited to join the PTA’s Fundraising Committee meetings.
Please join us to share your ideas and enthusiasm for the PTA’s fundraising mission—to support Beacon’s classroom and College Office needs, academic programs, clubs, sports—and so much more!
For the 2023-2024 school year, we have planned to support Beacon in so many ways – from clubs and sports to academic programs, to the College Office, to social-emotional well-being programming and towards our schools Diversity, Equity & Inclusion initiatives – but we can’t do it without you!
Can we count on you to contribute to help us meet our fundraising goals for the year? Click on the links below to donate and see how your funding will be used.
All Beacon parents and guardians are welcome to help organize grade-level or neirghborhood meet-ups and gatherings! Not only does this help build community and social ties, but also helps support our students, too, from in-school potlucks to more casual get-togethers in a local restaurant or pub—or even a small gathering in a Beacon family’s home.
• Beacon’s PTA parent grade representatives organize in-school potlucks so parents and guardians can meet with staff and each other to discuss grade-level matters and socialize.
• Beacon parent and guardian neighborhood reps also organize a range of local gatherings and events—all parents and guardians are welcome!
If you are interested in helping to organize parent/guardian-focused events and meet-ups this school year, please reach out and we’ll invite you to our next meeting—and we can share advice, put you in touch with other parents in your neighborhood or student’s grade, and help promote upcoming gatherings, too. (Please submit neighborhood gathering/event ideas here.)
Last but not least, if you’d like to join a Google Group to connect with other Beacon parents in your child’s grade, please drop us an email. Thanks!
Our first 10th grade community event- Wednesday, October 11th 6pm-8pm
This is a parent-only informational potluck to learn more about the sophomore community service commitment (50 hours) required of our students this year.
Mr. Kevin Jacobs, who is the advisor for Community Service, will describe the program and answer questions.
Come, enjoy, and meet some other parents! When: Wednesday, October 11th – 6:00 to 8:00 pm Where: Beacon cafeteria Who: 10th grade parents What to bring:See list below
Parents with last name A-G, please bring a dish or non-alcoholic beverage
Parents with last name H-Z, please bring an appetizer, snack or dessert
PLEASE LABEL ALL FOOD
If you have time to come a little early to set up, or stay a little late to clean up, that would be appreciated.
Our PTA is happy to be selling Beacon-branded merchandise in-person this school year. Show your school spirit and support our amazing school by getting the latest and greatest Beacon swag!
In-school merch sales will take place in the lobby outside the cafeteria on select days throughout the school year (all lunch bands, from 10:30am-1pm). Merch may be purchased by cash and credit/debit cards (but not Apple Pay or other forms of digital payment). See the schedule below for in-school sale dates.
Examples of merch available at our in-school sales includes:
• Beanies $20 • Black “starburst” t-shirt $15 • Royal Blue distressed “Est. 1993” sweatshirt $30 • Garnet “Est. 1993” Hoodie $35 • Classic Beacon sweatshirts $30 • PJ pants $35 • Sweatpants $35 • White or royal blue long sleeve shirts $25 • White “Electric Company”-style t-shirt $15
Also, we have refreshed our e-commerce store for anyone who wishes to order Beacon merch online! Please click here to buy Beacon merch directly from our web store.
And if you’d like to volunteer at an upcoming in-school merch sale, please reach out!
Nicole Miller (2025) & Enrica Wesley (2025) Beacon PTA Co-VPs, Merchandise Email us c/o: beaconptamerch@gmail.com
2023-2024 BEACON MERCH IN-SCHOOL SALES
Friday, September 29, 2023 (all lunch bands)
Friday, October, 27, 2023 – CANCELLED –
Wednesday, November 22, 2023 **Note – this is a Wednesday due to the holiday on Friday
All members of the Beacon School community are invited to join the PTA’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee monthly meetings to help advance DEI at Beacon.
We will also continue our virtual book club this school year by evolving it into a multimedia discussion series; click here for details!
2023-2024 Beacon PTA DEI Committee meeting schedule
[Click “Zoom” to access the meeting Zoom link.
October 4, 2023 (6pm, Zoom) November 1, 2023 (6pm, Zoom) December 6, 2023 (6pm, Zoom) January 3, 2024 (6pm, Zoom) February 6, 2024 (6pm, Zoom) March 5, 2024 (6pm, Zoom) April 2, 2024 (6pm, Zoom) May 7, 2024 (6pm, Zoom) June 4, 2024 (6pm, Zoom)
If your Beacon student has an IEP or 504, we would love to have you share your voice and ideas. We invite you to join us for our kick-off meeting on Thursday, September 14th at 6pm!
All members of the Beacon school community are welcome to attend our first PTA meetings of the new school year! More information is below, and please email us if you have any questions at beaconpta1@gmail.com.
9/11/23 PTA Executive Board Meeting (6pm, click Zoom link below)
9/18/23 PTA Monthly General Membership Meeting (6pm, click Zoom link below)
Please join our first general membership meeting of the school year on September 18th at 6pm ET on Zoom. All Beacon parents, guardians and staff are welcome!