by Julie D. Andrews
If it takes a village to raise a healthy and successful child, then, judging by the large parent and politician turnout at the P.S.6 auction on Saturday, students there are in luck.
More than 400 tickets were sold to the “P.S.6 in Paradise” silent auction that took place Saturday from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. at Church of St. Ignatius Loyola’s Wallace Hall, 980 Park Avenue (between 83rd & 84th streets).
“P.S.6 is one of the great schools in my district,” said New York State Senator Liz Krueger (D). “You can feel the energy in this room and the commitment parents and teachers have made. It’s excellent to have this level of parental involvement and support,” said Krueger. “This is why parents and teachers fight to get into P.S.6.”
Coordination of every last nit-picky planning detail – from booking the steel drum band Steel Source, to approaching local restaurants about donating food and getting them set up at the event, and decorating the hall – was the result of an outpouring of parent volunteerism.
Decorating Committee Volunteers Margaret Alverson and Sherrye Flynn arrived at 9:00 a.m. and worked with others all day to transform the barren hall into a colorful, tropical oasis using parent-donated turquoise and royal blue fabric.
“P.S.6 is a wonderful school and we feel lucky to have our kids here,” said Alverson, mother of two students, a kindergartner and a second-grader, at the school. Flynn’s daughter attends the second grade.
Among the myriad auction items was a guitar autographed by Dave Matthews (no price listed). And, there were a slew of tickets – to Saturday Night Live; Letterman; The Daily Show; Conan O’Brien; Mets, Knicks and Yankees games; The View (no prices listed), and more up for the bid. A permanent make-up application from Moi Ryder ($1,000) and a 14K gold diamond heart necklace ($2,200) were also available.
A group of teachers from the school joined together to bid on a getaway package including airfare for four and a stay at a West Vail, CO. chalet ($6,000).
The hot-bid items for the parent set, though, were the “student masterpieces.” Tiles hand-painted by students were used to fashion useful household items such as mirrors, serving trays, tote bags, and aprons.
The fundraising goal was $150,000. The money will go toward hiring assistant teachers for grades kindergarten, first, second, and third to improve on the 28-student-per-teacher ratio of city schools. The funds will also pay for a performing arts programs, an after school programs for children in need of tutoring, teacher training, library resources not provided by the department of education, and intervention programs that help students stay on track.
“The school is interested in the parents’ vision for it,” said Gina O’Keefe, fundraising co-chair whose son attends second grade, and daughter, kindergarten, at P.S.6. “We want to be even-handed, focused, and make sure that the money raised here tonight is spent to help all students and represents what the parents want to see happen,” she said.
Among the politicians in attendance were Assemblyman Jonathan Bing (D) and Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer (D).
“This neighborhood and education are very important to me,” said Bing who is himself a native Upper East Sider, having grown up at E. 83rd Street and Park Avenue. “It’s an honor to represent P.S.6 and I am glad to have been able to recently provide $15,000 support for science upgrade and library renovation projects.”
Even school employees came to show their support. Carol Nesby, a school aid at P.S.6 for more than two years, arrived from her home in the Bronx to attend the auction.
“It’s very beautiful,” said Nesby. “With this Calypso music, it’s a little more wild and exciting than last year. The band is great.”
In Nesby’s free time, she’s working to earn her teaching certification. “It was tough, but I did well,” said Nesby about what it was like to complete the first of three required tests. Nesby’s daughters, a freshman daughter and a fourth-grader daughter, commute with her to attend Upper East Side schools. Although she admits to feeling burnt out at times, in the end, said Nesby, she knows that these are the best schools for her daughters to attend.
Nearly 900 students are enrolled in grades kindergarten though fifth at Lillie Devereaux Blake School (P.S.6), which was named after a spirited suffragette and reformer known for her strong will and progressive thought. Founded in 1896 when Blake’s daughter was named first principal at the school administration helm, P.S.6 remains a center of Upper East Side learning and educational activism.
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