Sep 5
PACA Resources for Volunteers and Families
Did you know? As of the 2024-25 school year several new resources are available for PACA Volunteers and families. This includes but is not limited to the PACA Handbook, organization Bylaws, budget documents, meeting minutes and more! These materials are available for all parents/guardians on MySchoolApp / Blackbaud (login required). To find these materials, after logging on, select Resources > PACA Resources.
Monthly Gatherings
PACA hosts monthly Connect meetings that all parents and guardians are invited to attend. At these gatherings, you will learn about events and activities that are happening on campus. You will also be encouraged to participate in any events that involve parents and guardians.
2024-25 PACA Connect Meeting Dates
All meetings will be on Wednesday mornings from 8:00-9:00 a.m. in the fireside room of the dining hall on the following dates:
September 11
October 16
November 13
December 11 (Parent Academy Series with guest speaker Dr. Michael Reichert)
January 8
February 12
March 12
April 23
May 14
2024-25 PACA Executive Board
- Ellie Merritt-Zeiger | President
- Carrie Stieg | Vice President
- Gabriela May | Immediate Past President
- Suzanne Tempelhof | Budget Manager
- Aaliyah Arif | Secretary
- Jordan Malhame & Michelle Singh | Lower School Leads
- Kamy Bhalla & Nicole Bundy | Middle School Leads
- Amy Huddleston & Kristin Stevens | Upper School Leads
To contact the Parents' Association of Columbus Academy, please email paca@columbusacademy.org.
Volunteering
As we prepare for another exciting academic year, PACA invites you to express your interest in volunteering as a Room Parent, Grade Parent, PACA Committee member, or team member at the Viking Corner Store. Sharing your interest now helps us plan ahead—it does not commit you to any specific role.
Volunteering through PACA is a great way to share your skills, talents, and perspectives in support of our students and school community. Whether you have time to help out at a single event or would like to be involved more regularly, every level of participation makes a difference. Together, we help create a vibrant, supportive environment that enriches the educational experience for all children.
If you'd like to learn more about the volunteer roles please click here to access the PACA Handbook (note sign-in to MySchoolApp required).
Thank you for considering this opportunity to get involved. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Director of Parent Relations Melissa Clarke Beckett at beckettm@columbusacademy.org.
PACA needs many different types of volunteers for a variety of school activities. Please click on the button above to fill out our volunteer form so you can be connected with the most appropriate people and groups for your interests.
Standing committees where volunteers are regularly needed include (lead parent contacts listed in parentheses):
- Book Fair (Meredith Levine & Laura McDonald)
- Charlie David Dinner (Hilary Griffith & Jann Parish)
- Clothing Exchange Closet (Karen Van Hoff & Jennifer Webb)
- Faculty/Staff Appreciation (Kristen Ricart & Andrea Perlenfein)
- Kids 4 Kids (Kimberly Allison & Ria Forchione)
- LS Year-End Carnival (Crystal Kahwash)
Affinity and Alliance Groups
Columbus Academy has several parent affinity groups that are dedicated to appreciating and celebrating diversity in our community.
- CAPSA (Columbus Academy Parents of South Asia)
Helps to educate the Academy community about cultures, customs and celebrations including Diwali and Holi.
- CPA (Chinese Parents’ Association)
Promotes Chinese parents’ involvement in the school community by supporting and participating and sometimes organizing various social/cultural and educational events.
- ¡HOLA! (Hispanic Outreach for Latino Awareness)
Founded in 2015 to support and celebrate the Latinx community at Columbus Academy.
- MOSAIC (Mobility, Opportunity, Social Equality, Action and Impact for our Children)
Open to parents of students of African descent interested in continuing Columbus Academy's diversity efforts and works to foster a more inclusive school community.
- Parent SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity)
Open to all Academy parents/guardians, SEED serves to support the school’s commitment to making the lives of its families more equitable and inclusive by recognizing, learning and talking about the diversity in our multicultural world. Over the course of seven facilitated morning meetings beginning in September, we will share and listen to the range of questions, viewpoints and opinions formed by personal life experiences. Every voice is welcome at SEED. For further information or to join us, please contact Joyce Simson P’08 at paca@columbusacademy.org.
Parent Academy Series
Each school year, Columbus Academy welcomes virtual and in-person speakers to discuss topics important to the development of both parents and students, and to help faculty gain valuable insight into how they can help our students flourish. All Academy parents/guardians are invited to register and attend these special events throughout the year. Click here to learn more about upcoming events.