INDIAN HILL PTOContact Room Parent

Training

Friday, August 15, 2014

Mona Helmy, ES DirectorMandy Longbottom, PS Director

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Agenda• Introductions – PTO Board• PTO Membership & Kroger Cards• PS & ES PTO “Boards”• Classroom Parties• Room Parent Structure• Contact Room Parent Responsibilities• Class Fees• Assistant Room Parent Responsibilities

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Introductions – PTO BoardPresident: Toni Nevins

Vice President: Beverly Bansil

Treasurer: Joel Dunahoe

Capital Grants: Nancy Aichholz

Communications Chair: Rebekah Travis

Communications Secretary: Dana Bridge

Membership Chair: Cathy Levalley-Norwell

High School Director: Kristin Mukai

Middle School Director: Holly Oakes

Elementary School Director: Mona Helmy

Primary School Director: Mandy Longbottom

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Empowering the IHPTOJoin IH PTO, your membership dues directly fund IH PTO programs:

When you join IHPTO (ihpto.com), you’ll receive, as

a token of appreciation, a Member Benefit Card!!

Contact Cathy LeValley-Norwell, clevalley@fuse.net

with any questions!

• author visits• speakers/assemblies• field trips• capital gifts• fine arts• academic recognition

• building enhancement • parent coalition• Pioneer Days• Spring Fling• Canteen• Holiday Market Spotlight• ..…and so much more!

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Register Your Kroger Card• Spread the word!

• Kroger has made it easy for IH PTO to earn money, just by using your Kroger Plus Card! There is nothing to do, but register your Plus card once! No more reloading a gift card!

• Encourage your family, grandparents, and friends to enroll and/or re-enroll their Kroger Plus card to support IH PTO (NPO #80244)

• Go to www.ihpto.com

• Contact Cathy LeValley-Norwell, clevalley@fuse.net with any questions!

Empowering the IHPTO

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PS & ES PTO “Boards”

PRIMARY SCHOOL

Director: Mandy Longbottom

Program Chair: Jaime Goldstein

Kindergarten Rep: Ellen Moschella

1st Grade Rep: Arrianna Sacks

2nd Grade Rep: Shellie Leder

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Director: Mona Helmy

Program Chair: Suzanne Beck

3rd Grade Rep: Tami Lanham

4th Grade Rep: Chris Vigran

5th Grade Rep: Kara Mangan

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Room Parent Structure• One Contact Room Parent per class

• Relays communications from the PTO to the class

• Coordinates volunteer needs for the class

• Three Assistant Room Parents per class• Hosts one of the four parties• Assist room parent as needed

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Classroom Parties

There are four parties:• Halloween• Winter• Valentine’s Day• End-of-Year

Food – one food item and one beverage per party

Must be preapproved by teacher!

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Contact Room Parents• Guiding Principles:

– Communication– Fairness– Inclusion– Positivity

YOU are an “ambassador” for the classroom, the grade, the school & the district

For new families, you might be one of the first school “representatives” they interact with

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Contact Room ParentsKey Responsibilities:

1. Attend Contact Room Parent Training – done!

2. Contact Teacher• Introduce yourself• Understand the teacher’s expectations for parent

involvement (dates and times, # parents needed, …)– Parties– Field Trips– Classroom volunteers

• Provide her with “Getting to Know You” sheet • Request five minutes at Meet the Teacher Night to

introduce yourself and get volunteers

3. Contact Assistant Room Parents• Introduce yourself• Find out which classroom party they want to host

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Contact Room Parents

Key Responsibilities (cont’d):4. Attend Meet the Teacher Night

• Introduce yourself and three Assistant Room Parents

• Explain teacher’s needs and gather volunteers

• Distribute Volunteer Opportunities Form & PTO Membership Form

• Collect names, phone numbers and email address for class roster

• Collect Class Fees (envelope provided in your CRP folder)

• Discuss PTO Membership & Kroger cards

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Meet the Teacher NightsPRIMARY SCHOOL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Each grade is on a different night:•Kindergarten: Sept 3rd

•1st Grade: August 24th •2nd Grade: August 26th

All three grades are the same night:•August 20th

Format and timing the same:•Principal Nichols and other introductions in Auditorium 6:00 – 6:20 p.m.•Time in classroom with teacher 6:20 – 7:30 p.m.

Parents can choose between 2 time slots:•5:00 – 6:00 p.m. pre-session by invitation•6:00-6:40 pm Session one•6:45-7:25 pm Session two

More details in your folders

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Contact Room Parents

Key Responsibilities (cont’d):

5. Follow-Up After Meet the Teacher Night• Create class roster and email to class and teacher• Email teacher and parents volunteer assignments

6. Send Reminders• ~ 1 month prior to each of the four classroom parties,

contact the teacher & Assistant Room Parent in charge of the party to:– Confirm date and time of party– Reiterate list of volunteers– Remind them of reimbursement policy– Make sure they gain preapproval of food item from

teacher

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Contact Room Parents

Key Responsibilities (cont’d):

6. Send Reminders (con’td)

• Several weeks before each field trip, contact the chaperones to confirm they can still attend and provide additional information as needed (e.g. appropriate attire, …)

7. Periodic Correspondence

• Introduce new children and families to the class

• Email the class highlighting upcoming school or district events

• Forward emails from PTO officers or class reps requesting volunteers or promoting upcoming events

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Class Fees

• Purpose: pay for food/drink, party supplies or activities

• Nominal Amount (typically $5)

– 4th grade collects $10 ($5 goes to Pioneer Days)

– 5th grade collects $15 ($10 for 5th Grade Celebration)

• If asking for additional funds for teacher or classroom

gift, keep the amount reasonable (under $20)!

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Class Fees• Keep track of monies (white envelope) as any

left over at the end of the year can be used at discretion of class parents:– Pizza at End-of-Year party– Classroom gift

• Use reimbursement form to submit expenses

• If asking for additional funds for teacher or classroom gift, keep the amount reasonable (under $20)!

• Tax exempt

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Thank you for volunteering!

Contact us with questions:

Mona monabisa@hotmail.com

Mandy msl@fuse.net