Parents’ Association Presidency Changes Hands

June 13, 2018

Erin Schneeman served three years as the President of the CDH Parents’ Association. Her youngest child of eight, Kerry, graduated on May 30. We asked Erin a few questions about her experience.

How did you get involved with the Parents’ Association?

I started as a committee volunteer 19 years ago when my oldest daughter entered Cretin-Derham Hall as a 9th grader. Over the years I worked on many of the PA events, including Mother/Daughter, Father/Daughter, Mother/Son, Father/Son, Senior Lock-in, Baccalaureate Mass and Brunch… all so fun to be a part of! When asked to be the President three years ago, it seemed a natural transition and I was honored to be considered. It has been a tremendous experience working with and getting to know so many wonderful CDH parents. Seven CDH graduates later, my youngest of eight is moving on and so am I!

What are some of the advantages of being a CDH parent who is active and involved in the school?

I believe volunteering at your children’s school(s) allows you to be more informed about the events happening on a daily and yearly basis. It gives you greater opportunity to meet wonderful parents and students you might not meet otherwise. Volunteering allows you to contribute to the school in a very tangible and meaningful way, and shows your child that you care about their school and want to help it be the best experience it can be! It is a joy to be involved!

Tell us about a fond memory or accomplishment as president.

My three years as President have been full of successful and beautifully orchestrated events, thanks to the dedicated group of parents making these events run smoothly. If I had to choose, two things stand out:

1) This year we took on the responsibility of running the Silver Belle Ball, an event that has been in existence and run by the SJAAA for almost 70 years! I had an amazing group of women on the committee and it was the ”best dance ever” according to some reviews! It was a grand success and I am very proud of our first year at the helm of such a tradition.

2) I have wanted to “treat” the amazing teachers and staff to something from the Parents' Association that would be meaningful and lasting. Thanks to the tremendous response to my solicitation for help from the CDH community, we have taken on the task of tearing out and remodeling the existing faculty lounge kitchen to make it a functioning, useable space for all. This will be happening in early June and will lead to, hopefully, a remodel of the rest of the faculty lounge—a much-needed and deserved upgrade. Stay tuned!

Why should parents volunteer for the PA early in their son or daughter’s first year?

I think if you are a new parent at CDH, volunteering right in the beginning is a little like your child immediately joining a team—you have friends and teammates as soon as school starts! It’s a great way to meet new parents and get to know the school and what is happening “behind the scenes.” Depending on how many children you end up enrolling at CDH, it may be a short window of opportunity.

As I mentioned earlier, becoming involved in your child’s school shows that you care about their school and want it to be successful. Cretin-Derham Hall, and the Parents' Association in particular, would not be able to accomplish all that we do in the course of the school year without dedicated parents getting involved. Volunteer early on and suddenly the 10th and 11th-grade parents have the experience and can mentor the incoming 9th-grade parents—it’s a wonderful cycle, and only works with lots of participation. I am extremely grateful for all the wonderful folks who worked with me!

Jenny Vinck, mother of Henry ’19 and Samuel ’21, is the incoming president of the CDH Parents’ Association. She took time during the busy transition period to answer some questions.

Why did you decide to take on the role of Parents’ Association President?  

I have been involved in various committees over the past five years. It has been a great way to meet other parents and get to know the school. It’s a great way to get to know Cretin-Derham Hall.

What did you learn from Erin?

Erin has done a great job. She had great ideas and was supportive of the committee chairs. She welcomed feedback and made everyone feel appreciated and welcomed. 

What are you most looking forward to in the 2018-19 school year?  

I’d love to get more parents and guardians involved in the PA, especially tapping into parents of incoming 9th graders and sophomores. The Parents' Association hosts some wonderful events, and the more people involved, the more special the event. We want to continue the traditions of these events and we can only do that with parent involvement.

How do people get involved in the Parents’ Association?

Learn more about the CDH Parents’ Association on the school's website or reach out to me directly at tjvinck@aol.com. I will find a place for everyone!