Room Parents

Introduction

• Introduce Yourself: At the start of the year, introduce yourself to the teacher and the parents. Set clear expectations for the year and provide your contact information for easy communication.

1. Teacher Support

• Classroom and Holiday Celebrations: Check in with the teacher to determine which holiday and classroom celebrations the class will participate in and how you can support them. This will vary by teacher and by grade level.
• Restocking Supplies: Periodically check with the teacher to identify any need to restock classroom supplies. We recommend doing it once before Christmas break and once before Spring break. Consider using an Amazon wish list and ask parents to contribute and support however they can.

2. Supporting School Events, HSA Activities, and Fundraisers

• Volunteer Reminders: Remind parents of their volunteer responsibilities for school events such as auctions, golf tournaments, and carnivals.
  • As a reminder, each family is responsible for covering 2 shifts per family for our Annual Carnival.
  • Open House: Room parents are expected to be available for open houses. It is important for incoming families to see parents and students at different grade levels so that varying perspectives and insights can be offered during tours.
• HSA Coordination: The HSA will handle the coordination of a “Getting to Know You” sheet for each teacher. This will serve as a guide for ideas on what your classroom teacher may be interested in when it comes time for holiday or end-of-year gifting.
• Auction Basket and Golf Donation: Each class is responsible for organizing a class auction gift basket and a golf raffle donation. Room Parents will coordinate these efforts. Please note, the class donations for these events do not earn towards your required family fundraising credit. It is important for you to communicate this to the parents of your classroom. You will be contacted by the Co-Chairs of each event to provide guidance on what contributions are needed from your classroom.

3. Communication

• Reminders: Communicate early and often with parents. Use multiple reminders for important deadlines and encourage participation through both paper notices and email.
• Emails: Use email for reminders, volunteer coordination, and updates. Keep emails concise and be considerate. Email templates are available for you to use to make the communication process as easy as possible!

4. Teacher Appreciation and Special Celebrations

• Christmas Gift Collection: For Christmas, 30% of the collected gift contributions will go to the HSA to support staff and non-classroom faculty. The HSA will communicate with you regarding the timing of gift collection. We recommend asking for a set amount per family and offering the option to send in cash or Venmo if you have a personal Venmo. The easier you can make the collection process, the more participation you will have from parents.
• Catholic Schools Week and Teacher Appreciation Week: Coordinate gifts and/or volunteering for Teacher Appreciation Week. Provide snacks or special meals as appropriate for Catholic Schools Week. Coordinate with class parents to organize gifts, notes of appreciation, or classroom support like recess/lunch coverage.
• End-of-Year Gifts: For end-of-year gifts, 30% of contributions will go to the HSA for staff and non-classroom faculty.

*All classrooms must contribute 30% of collections to the HSA for purchasing gifts for support staff and faculty.

5. Classroom and School Volunteer Guidelines

• Virtus Training: Ensure that all volunteers have completed required training and background checks before participating in classroom activities. Online at Virtus.com, select “New Registration,” search Hartford Archdiocese (not our school). There is also a fee of $18.50 payable to the school for background checks.

Helpful Tips

• Share Responsibilities: Divide tasks with other Room Parents to manage workload effectively. Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for additional classroom volunteers for busier times of year!
• Stay Organized: Use calendars, charts, or schedules to track events, deadlines, and volunteer commitments.
• Engage Parents: Encourage maximum participation by reaching out frequently and providing clear instructions.