Thirty Storm King parents from as near as Cornwall, New York, to as far as Lagos, Nigeria and Mexico City came together for the first virtual Parents Association meeting of the school year on Thursday, October 15, at 7 pm. Hosted by Parents Association President Colleen Ryan P’23, the discussion focused on ways parents can support SKS students during this extraordinary time. Head of School Jonathan Lamb and several faculty and staff members also attended the meeting to introduce themselves to new families and answer questions.

To kick off the discussion, each attendee was asked to say a few words about themselves, their student, and their experiences at Storm King. As each parent spoke about their child and the School, the meeting became a lively exchange of dialogue and spontaneous smiles. Many parents provided positive feedback about their child’s experience, their teachers, and what the School has done to keep their children safe and healthy during the pandemic.

Smiles were at their peak when Crystal E. from Lagos, Nigeria, asked to see her mother, who was ‘Zooming’ from her home country. Crystal, wearing her pajamas, spontaneously approached her dorm cohort leader (a faculty member who was on the call) and said “goodnight” before going back to her room.

The rest of the meeting focused on academics, athletics, and after-school activities, as well as a short question and answer session. Mrs. Ryan was very pleased with the turnout and is looking forward to the next virtual Parents Association meeting next month: “It is my goal to find new and creative ways our parents can support our students and our school this year, especially during these unusual times,” she said.

All parents of current Storm King School students are considered members of The Storm King School Parents Association. “The Parents Association will continue to meet virtually each month for the remainder of the year. When we meet again next month, I hope to see even more parents getting involved,” continued Mrs. Ryan.