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Spotlight on...The School Parental Engagement ProjectOur committee is focused on working with Govans Elementary Schoolto establish an active, self-sustaining Parent Teacher Organization(PTO). Our goal is to help the parents understand the importance ofbeing involved at the school, helping with homework, communicatingwith the teacher, as well as basics such as the importance of attendingschool and arriving on time. Govans Elementary has pre-K through 5 thgrade with three special education classes. In order to achieve ourgoals, the committee is working with Govans on several projects. Hereare some highlights:Executive Board – Govans has established an executive board for thePTO, which consists of three teachers and three parents. The JuniorLeague of Baltimore attends those meetings to assist and guide theboard toward becoming self sufficient.Back to School Night – At back to school night, our committee spreadthe word to the Govans parents about the PTO organization. Weprovided magnets with the dates/times of our upcoming PTO meetingsand also our JL programs.Junior League Programs – The committee is running three programsover the course of the school year. The first program in Novemberfeatured a pediatrician who gave a short lecture on health relatedissues followed by an extremely successful Q & A with the parents.This program was well attended and received very positive feedbackfrom both the parents and the teachers. In agreement with our goalto involve other community organizations, two local Boy Scout leadersprovided a short program for the older children. In addition, JuniorLeague volunteers provided childcare to the younger children.Treasure Tin – One measurable goal is to have the parent(s) lookin the student’s book bag every day. We are having the teachersrandomly place a treasure tin in one student’s bag each month. Theparent who discovers the tin then turns it in to the teacher to receive agift certificate. Each grade will have one treasure tin.The School Parental Engagement Project is excited about our successthus far in the school year and looks forward to several excitingprograms in the winter/spring. Be on the lookout for fun and excitingvolunteer opportunities in the future. It is a great way to fulfill yourcommunity volunteer hours and to also touch the life of an elementaryschool child!3 . COMMUNIQUE . SPRING 2009
Leo Wanenchak, the musical director of the Larks, hasa dizzying list of commitments – but he can always befound on Tuesday mornings heading up one of JLB’smost venerable community service missions.Keeping-up with Big BirdFrom September to May, whether it is in the practice room at SecondPresbyterian Church or at one of dozens of venues at which the Larksperform – if it is Tuesday morning, you will find Leo Wanenchaktraining, conducting, cajoling, and perhaps even scolding the Larks,the JLB singing group that has been bringing the gift of music to thecommunity for over 50 years.Leo, also known affectionately as “Big Bird,” is a consummateperformer, composer, and arranger. He has appeared in national andinternational venues as a conductor, keyboard artist, vocalist andnarrator and his original works are published by Boosey and Hawkes.Leo stresses skill building and musicianship in his work with the Larks,starting each practice session with warm-ups and “Sol Fa” training – amethod of vocal work that focuses on finding pitches internally ratherthan listening to and mimicking tunes and harmonies from the piano.Although the training can be rigorous at times, “It is not a militarydrill,” says Leo. “It has to be a collaboration - making music is an act ofsurrendering oneself to beauty and community.”But the Larks are not Leo’s only “flock”. In addition to directing for theJLB, a position he has held for 10 years, Leo is the Assistant Conductorof The Baltimore Choral Arts Society (BCAS) and has performed withDave Brubeck, Peter Schickele and Kathy Mattea. As the interimdirector of BCAS, Leo created and conducted Motets, Madrigals andMusicals, and prepared the chorus to appear with the BaltimoreSymphony in Carmina Burana and Beethoven’s 9 th conducted by MarinAlsop, and A Chorus of Hits conducted by Jack Everly.This year, Leo has taken on additional duties as director of UMBC’sCamerata Chorus and musical director of yet another women’s singinggroup, the Canticle Singers.Leo enjoys each of the different communities with which he interacts.“We give ourselves goals and strive to give the best of ourselves in thework we do.”“The Larks represents the best of all worlds,” remarks Leo. “All of thesingers in the group have a strong commitment to and an interest inskills building, creating a supportive community for one another, andbringing music into the lives of others.”As the only male member of the Larks in their 50 year history, “Big Bird”is universally adored by JLB’s singing women. Under his directorshipthe group has grown from 12 singers in 1999 to more than 20 today.“One of the things I love about the Larks is that the ladies are not afraidto get their fingernails dirty.”Leo divides his time between his home-base here in Baltimore, aresidence in California where his partner currently works and lives,and Philadelphia, where he grew up and where his extended family stillresides.A Peabody graduate, Leo has dedicated his life to music education.Twice honored as a National Foundation for Advancement of the ArtsOutstanding Educator, he is a member of the faculty at Peabody’sPreparatory Department teaching piano, organ and musicianship, plushe has been an Elderhostel Lecturer and Piano Department Chair.During the summers, Leo is Academic Dean and Director of ChoralActivities for The Walden School, an intensive musical educationprogram and festival for young people in New Hampshire. Add to that,he has a busy schedule of private piano students.SPRING 2009 . COMMUNIQUE . 4
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