By Jeff Roland

Banfield Elementary Principal

One of the greatest events we sponsor annually is the Fall Family Fun Night at Banfield Elementary School. The event is not a fundraiser, nor an educational session, or even a political meeting. No one is going to hit you up for donations or to volunteer during the school year. The Family Fun Night is great because it is simply that; a fun night for families who are attending Banfield.

After being away for the summer, the Banfield Parent Teacher Committee, along with Banfield staff, host an evening where families can simply come and enjoy an evening out at their neighborhood school. There are no mandatory sessions parents have to attend when they come. Families can come, enjoy a meal, sit and converse with old friends and new acquaintances while their kids have the run of the playground and fields along with an inflatable over-sized slide/obstacle course and a jump house as special attractions. Parents are invited to come and spend as much or as little time as their schedules allow. The evening is reserved for families to come to school in an informal setting, talk with your student’s new teacher, meet a few of the new families in your student’s classroom, and just relax.

This annual event has grown in popularity over the years. During last year’s fun night, staff served over 700 plates of food in two-and-a-half hours. Parents have also gotten into the spirit of the evening by bringing lawn chairs for themselves, and Nerf balls and sidewalk chalk for their kids to use if the lines get too long at the inflatables. So there is always plenty for students to do and time for parents to relax and enjoy (hopefully) a grand early fall evening.

I cordially invite all Banfield families (and extended families) to the Fun Night. Please mark your calendars for Tuesday, Sept. 29, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. You can go directly to the playground/fields on the east side of the school and find a great place to sit and enjoy the evening. We will have tables and chairs set-up outside on the blacktop to use during supper. And the best news of all, it is a free event open to all of our Banfield families. I sincerely hope that your children and you can make this event. It is a wonderful “school community” way to start the new school year.