Townsend Harris alumna Jodie Lasoff has been the parent coordinator at Townsend Harris High School since 2021. As parent coordinator, she has created something THHS has not had before: an official social media presence.
Thus far, Ms. Lasoff has successfully created the official Townsend Harris Instagram and Twitter accounts, along with Facebook and TikTok accounts.
Ms. Lasoff said that through her experience serving as the parent association president in her children’s elementary school she saw how social media was effective when keeping in touch with parents.
“I used [Facebook] a lot to communicate with my parents,” she said. “[I would] show pictures of things we were doing and events that were going on, and [use social media to organize] where their money was going from all the bake sales.”
College and Guidance Secretary Angelica Cumberbatch said, “When I met Ms. Lasoff and she took over that position, I realized very quickly that she was the right person for the job. She is extremely dedicated and goes above and beyond. If she doesn’t know the answer, she will go and find it for you. She’s friendly not only to staff and students but also to incoming students.”
Ms. Lasoff’s social media skills gained publicity when she helped students and families during the COVID-19 pandemic by creating a step-by-step infographic of what to do if you caught COVID. Within the NYC DOE social media community, the infographic went viral. People from multiple schools beyond THHS found the infographic helpful. She said, “The point was that no one knew what to do with COVID, and when all of that happened, it was both fun and exciting to watch [the infographic] getting retweeted and shared.”
Regarding the popularity and support of her infographic, she said, “The idea [of] going back to the Ephebic Oath, I made a vow to leave my city greater than I found it, and I did something that impacted not just students at Townsend Harris but possibly students throughout New York City [and] that felt really good.”
Guidance Counselor Sara Skoda spoke of her experience working alongside Ms. Lasoff. She said, “[Ms. Lasoff] provides a lot of support to our families. [She provides] not only information but sometimes emotional support as well. She’s great at providing resources and getting information out there. She collects everything and sends it out. She is great to work with, and overall, as a person, she is lovely.”
Attendance Coordinator Yvette Reyes shared similar sentiments: “Working with Ms. Lasoff has been a pleasure. She’s kind, she’s smart, [and] she’s given up ample time. She’s a great addition to the team.”
