Hello!
I am Erin Pavlica and have lived on Charles between Griggs and Syndicate for
the past 11 years. My husband, Jon, and I have 2 children and one on the way,
Kieran (6) and Avery (4). My husband is a photographer and bicycle mechanic
extraordinaire. I am now a proud stay-at-home-mama who is very active in
making the Midway more sustainable, self-sufficient, and connected. I helped
start the Midway Green Spirit Garden on Pierce Butler, near Hamline, 9 years
ago and am currently the treasurer of the garden. Along with a group of 5
others, we wrote a grant, received funds, and installed an orchard last Spring!
Please...come walk through our beautiful garden! I am also involved with the
Hamline Midway Environmental Group, the Community Building Committee (Who
organized the Spring Festival.), the Central Corridor Friendly Streets
Initiative (Who is holding a series of block parties along Charles to get
public opinion on traffic calming. We formed out of a response to the city's
plan to make Charles a bike boulevard.), I serve on the board for the Energy
Cents Coalition), and I co-host block club leadership. I am also the small and
sassy woman yelling at people to slow down on my block! :)
My eldest Kieran has been at Galtier since Pre-K and will be entering 1st Grade
while Avery will be starting Pre-K this Fall. I have always been a huge
supporter of neighbourhood schools so I decided to invest our future into
Galtier. Plus, I have always thought too much of our school budget (13%) was
spent on busing children across town. I have been preaching the wonderful work
of the teachers there for years and have a working relationship with the new
principal to help shape what Galtier will look like as the Strong Schools,
Strong Communities plan comes into place. If I have it in me, I plan on
starting up the PTA again this Fall. It saddens me that so many of my
neighbours write Galtier off because of their test scores. I personally
believe test scores don't tell how smart a kid is! Since Galtier will no
longer be eligible for city wide busing over the next few years, the
demographic of the school will change. I just hope its diversity won't. I
love how multicultural Kieran's classrooms have been!
I am always down for meeting new people in the 'hood. If you are ever out
walking with your kids, please stop by our house. Look for the red-heads, who
are in and out playing all day long!
Cheers, ERin