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ABC's for Room Moms
WHAT IS A ROOM MOM?
- A room mom is someone who volunteers to assist the teacher. The extent of parental involvement varies from teacher to teacher, so one year you may be very involved, and the next you may find yourself with very little work to do.
- The primary purpose of a room mom is to host the classroom parties.
- Most teachers also rely on parent helpers to cut, make copies, organize work folders, help with centers, assist with field trips, help on cooking days, and organize book orders.
WHAT IS A "HEAD" ROOM MOM?
- She generally works directly with the teacher to organize parent volunteers and relay information to the other room mothers. (See our "Room Mom's Questions for a Teacher" tip)
- On occasion, two head room moms will be selected. One will organize the parties, and the other will organize all the other tasks.
- She typically collects and disburses the money.
- She recruits volunteers for specific events, and assigns the commitments for the coming school year.
- She sends out two letters to parents during the first month or two of school after conferring with the teacher. The first letter should be a "Recruiting" tool, and the second letter should be a " Thanks for Committing To…" tool. This is quite possibly the most time consuming task for a head room mother, but well worth the effort.
WHAT DOES A CLASSROOM PARTY INVOLVE?
- Classroom parties take place during the school day. They are usually one hour in length, and involve games, crafts, snacks, and favors . Each class has its own party, and all the activities should be age appropriate. The parents are the "hosts" of the party, although the teacher will always attend the party.
- The most common parties among pre-school and elementary-aged children are: Halloween/Harvest, Christmas/Holiday, Valentine's Day, and an End of the Year Celebration. Other potential parties for the classroom are: Thanksgiving Feast, St. Patrick's Day, 100th Day of School, Spring/Easter, Cinco De Mayo, Mother's Tea, Dad's Night, Grandparent's Day, and Earth Day. We have some terrific party tips for all of these parties!
- Every teacher has different expectations. Some teachers will give you a party plan, laying out all the details for you to execute. Others will await the party as anxiously as the children to see what fun you have prepared for them!
HOW CAN I BE MOST EFFECTIVE?
- Respect the teacher's wishes. Just because you "Mrs. Smith did it this way last year", don't expect all teachers to be alike in their needs.
- Be as organized as possible at the beginning of the school year, and you will find that all the other parents will sign up to help more, and follow through with the commitments they have made to help.
- Send out recruiting and commitment letters as soon as possible. Seeing a commitment on paper is so helpful.
- Ask one parent to "Chair" each different party. That gives others the chance to be involved, and doesn't put undue burden (financial or time) on one individual.
- For each party, fill out our "Room Party Checklist", and send one copy to each volunteer on the list two weeks prior to the party. The party "chair" can then follow up with a phone call a few days before the party. Never assume that everyone will just show up as planned!
- Organize a binder or folder to gather the class list, parent list, notes from the teacher, filled-out "recruiting" forms, Room Party Checklists, and any other correspondence.
- Practice your delegating skills and most of all, take the time to enjoy seeing your child in his/her classroom!
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A Room Mom's Questions for a Teacher
Each teacher has his/her own preferences as to how they wish to organize their classroom. Above all else, as a room parent, work with the teacher and all your efforts will have the most benefit for your children. We have compiled a list of questions to ask your teacher, and they should minimize your stress and pave the way for a very successful year.
PARTIES:
- Can you provide a classroom list so that all children can be acknowledged? (Important for planning party favors, food & craft planning, and # of helpers to recruit.)
- Do you have a listing of the parents along with phone numbers/email addresses?
- Do any of the children have food allergies or other special needs?
- How do you prefer to be contacted with questions…email, phone, note, in person during lunch or recess?
- Do you have any preferences for the party in terms of structure? For example, some teachers prefer to have one game, one craft, a snack and a book, while others give the room parents free reign.
- Would you prefer that we feed the children at the beginning of the party, or the end?
- Do you have a schedule of parties/dates for the year in which you will involve parents and/or need assistance? (Halloween/Harvest, Thanksgiving Feast, Christmas/Hanukah or Holiday, Valentine's Day, President's Day, St. Patrick's Day, 100th Day of School, Spring/Easter, Cinco De Mayo, Mother's Tea, Dad's Night, Grandparent's Day, Earth Day, End of School Year Celebration – don't panic at the length of this list – most classrooms have an average of 5 "parties" per year)
- What are your thoughts on having pre-school siblings attend the parties?
- Is it okay to set up the room before the parties begin?
- Can we rearrange tables and chairs for the parties?
- What is the time frame for each party?
- Are there any school policies we should be aware of in our planning?
- Is there any PTC/PTO money available for the parties, or should each family donate money or "goods"? Are there any families with financial needs to consider?
MISCELLANEOUS:
- Do you have a schedule of field trips for the year, and the number of parent helpers you will need for each?
- What other "projects" will you have for parents to help with? (Cutting, special projects, making copies, organizing book orders, helping with centers in the classroom, compiling a classroom/individual photo albums, cooking days, etc.)
- When is your birthday?
Who Pays for What?
Each school and classroom has its own "policies" regarding how the classroom parties are financed. Basically, one of the following three procedures is typically used. Your teacher will be able to advise you, but remember to be flexible. In addition, don't feel you need to bear an unnecessary financial burden in order to make your party picture perfect…children are very easily pleased!
Some PTA/PTO organizations allocate portions of their budget to be distributed evenly among all the classes in the school for classroom parties. The money is distributed to the teacher at the beginning of the year. The teacher then decides if he/she will turn all of it over to the head room mother, or if she will determine how much will be spent on each event and give direction prior to each party.
At some schools, the head room mom or teacher sends a memo home at the beginning of the year, asking each student to contribute to a "classroom party fund". The amount of the contribution can range anywhere from $2.00 per student to $10.00 per student. Some parents may still supplement the parties with snacks or favors. Always work with the teacher to determine the amount, as she will be aware of any special financial needs. No child should ever be made to feel embarrassed.
Many classes do not ask for a one-time financial contribution, but rely on the participation of parents at each party. The head room mom appoints a chairperson for each party. The party chairperson then recruits parent volunteers to donate snacks, beverages, favors, decorations, or paper goods, etc. for the party. Some teachers/room moms request that each parent plan to make 2-3 "donations" through the year. The busiest of parents will make time to send items to a party, even if they are unable to attend. |
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