08-09 Central School Room Parent Program

Welcome to the Central School Room Parent Program! For the seventh year, the Central School is sponsoring a Room Parent Program. The Room Parent Program identifies one parent volunteer who communicates information between the teacher and the parents of the classroom students. This program has been very successful in years past due to the participation of so many families. The Room Parent position itself is very rewarding, but the success of the program depends on the families committed to contributing and donating to the classroom!

Download these guidelines in a MS Word format.

Beth Hoitt – Preschool Coordinator - 508-378-2890
Kim Bouffard – Grades 1-3 Coordinator
LoriAnne Orofino – Kindergarten Coordinator

Some examples of the responsibilities of a Room Parent:

• Ask parents to donate needed classroom supplies (tissues, glue sticks, hand wipes for example)
• Coordinate the holiday and end of year gift programs for the teacher and the aide(s)
• Contact parents to send in items for special occasions and holiday parties
• Involve parents in teacher appreciation projects

A Room Parent may be asked to do some or all of these tasks. Most of the job is telephoning or emailing other parents about what is needed in the classroom. The Room Parent may also be asked to come into the classroom once or twice during the year.

A Room Parent Program Registration Form is sent home in the first day of school packets. Parents have the opportunity to volunteer as a Room Parent or to support the Room Parent program. Please consider volunteering as either the Room Parent or as a contributing member of the classroom.

This school year we have three Room Parent Coordinators: Beth Hoitt, Kim Bouffard and LoriAnne Orofino.

Beth Hoitt is continuing as a Coordinator and has three children, Alyssa in Grade 2, Alex in Grade 1 and Amanda in Preschool.

Kim Bouffard was a Room Parent last year and has two girls, Julia in Grade 1 and Rachel in Preschool at Busybee.

LoriAnne Orofino was also a room Parent last year and has a daughter Ava in Kindergarten, a son Spencer in Preschool and a baby girl named Ainsley

The events coordinated by the Room Parent are for services that directly relate with classroom initiatives and directly impact classroom events and activities.

Your first assignment as a Room Parent:

Send a letter home to all the parents, to all the parents, introducing yourself. Along with your name, include your phone number and email address. See the form letter included in this packet as well as the two sample letters that were used last year. Sending this letter to each parent will let him or her know who you are and that you will be contacting him or her throughout the year. We will also email you the form letters that you will be using for the Room Parent Program. If you use Microsoft Word, you can simply modify the letters to suit your needs. You will be responsible for making your own copies of these letters for your classroom parents. If you don’t have access to a copy machine, please see Jill or Eileen.

Other Room Parent responsibilities will be:

Classroom Wish List: In your binder there are two copies of a wish list of needed classroom supplies that you can give to the teacher. Please keep one copy of this letter for yourself. When your teacher uses his/her copy, then you can send in another one. Of course, the classroom teacher may contact you directly about needed classroom supplies and may not want to use this form.

Make a list of each parent’s promised donation.  We have included a “Donation List” if you wish to use it.  Please do not call these parents again until you have called all of the other parents on your list. Ask the parents to label items they send to the classroom.  You could send a note to the teacher saying what parents have agreed to send in what items. Then the teacher can notify you if he/she doesn’t receive a needed item.

If you feel that you need to contact more classroom parents than just the ones on your list, you can send a letter home to all of the parents. In your letter you can ask if the parents would like to donate an item for the classroom that the teacher has requested.  This is a good idea if your teacher is looking for quite a few classroom donations, or if you don’t have many names on your classroom list. 

Special Occasion and Holiday Parties: The teacher sets the policy for his/her particular class. Discuss this with the teacher, and let him/her know that you would be happy to contact the parents to arrange for any items that may be needed for a classroom party or event. Halloween is usually the first classroom party. Please contact the teacher a few weeks before Halloween to see if he/she would like your help with this event.

Holiday & End-of-year Gift Programs: It has been our experience that many parents prefer to participate in a group effort to recognize the teacher and classroom aide during these times of the year. As a service and convenience to our families you will be asked to send out a letter to all of the parents to collect contributions toward gift certificates for the teacher and the classroom aide. There will be more information about this at our November Room Parent meeting.

Teacher Appreciation Projects:The first full week of May is Teacher Appreciation Week. We will have Teacher Appreciation projects going on this week, and you will be asked to go into the classroom once during this week. If you were unable to do this, please contact a parent in the classroom who you think would be willing to help, or contact your grade level Room Parent Coordinator. We will have more information about this at the April Room Parent meeting.

Please remember that:

The teachers would like you to schedule any meetings you have with them in advance, either by calling them or by sending in a note with your child. All the teachers very much appreciate your time and effort, and they are looking forward to meeting you and working with you.

Communication is crucial to the success of the Room Parent Program. Keep in contact with your teacher and let him/her know you are available.  There may be things the teacher will call on you to help with, or he/she may need you to make phone calls for donations for class projects.  Check with the teacher before you do anything and follow up often.

You shouldn’t do or provide everything yourself.  It is very important that you give other parents an opportunity to be involved.  It is vital that no parent feels left out of an opportunity to benefit the classroom.

Any letters you wish to send home to the parents must have the teacher’s approval.  Please send a letter to the teacher explaining that you are sending correspondence home to all of the classroom parents. A sample of this letter to the teacher can be found in this binder.

The names, telephone numbers and email addresses of your parents are strictly confidential. They are to be used only for the Room Parent Program. Please do not share them with anyone.

The Room Parent Coordinators can assist you with ideas and letters for upcoming events. Our names and phone numbers are on the front letter in this packet. Please call or email either one of us with questions or concerns. We are here to help you.
Most classrooms seem to be in need of hand soap, tissues and paper towels.  Let your teacher know that he/she should contact you when the supply is running low so you can solicit for donations from your parents.

The Central School really wants this program to be a positive experience for you and for the children in the classroom.