Serving as a Room Parent is a meaningful way to be involved with your child’s school experience.  The  parents and guardians that volunteer contribute greatly to successful and fun classroom experiences over the course of the year. 

Each teacher at Lincoln School is typically assisted by two Room Parents.  These parents/guardians serve as a liaison between the teacher and the other parents in the classroom.  The Room Parent role varies slightly depending on the individual needs of each teacher.  The standard responsibilities/expectations are as follows:

 

Teacher Communication and Support

Throughout the year, Room Parents meet with the teacher to discuss specific needs for parent support. 

 

Classroom Needs: These requests may include classroom supplies, field trip chaperones, special event volunteers, party planning, projects, and copy help. 

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School Event Volunteers: Volunteers are also critical to making school-wide events like Field Day, Math-Mania, Health Fair, and Book Fair, among others, run smoothly.  From time to time, Room Parents will need to solicit volunteers on the classroom level to support the success of these terrific Lincoln traditions.

 

Web Communications:  Room Parents will be able to share grade level/classroom specific events, reminders, and information via individual grade level pages on the LSPA website.  This information can be submitted, as needed, to the email on the appropriate grade level page.

 

Fundraising

Direct Appeal: Room Parents are asked to explain the Direct Appeal at curriculum night at the beginning of each school year. Contributions are tax deductible and support a wide variety of needs, from enrichment programming to updated technology purchases, throughout the year.

 

Shop for LincolnBox Tops: At the beginning of the year, Room Parents will have an opportunity to explain various ways that Lincoln families can earn money for the school, shopping as they would otherwise.  Stop & Shop and Amazon will all give a percentage of registered sales back to the school at no additional cost to the shopper.  

 

Wish List: Throughout the year, when classroom supplies are running low (ex. wipes, paper towels, tissues), Room Parents may be asked to reach out to parents in their class for donations.  Occasionally, school-wide requests are made for donations (ex. Winchester Got Lunch, Winter Coat Drive, UNICEF  Trick or Treating collection boxes, & Thanksgiving food baskets), which Room Parents can also support.

 

Foster Community

Room Parents are encouraged to plan 1-2 community building events (September and February/March) for families in their classroom.  Examples may include organizing a class meet-up at the playground, arranging a social evening out for parents, or initiating a potluck dinner hosted by a classroom family.  These out-of-classroom activities (to which the teacher may also be invited) help develop a sense of community throughout the year.

 

Teacher Gifts

As a way of showing appreciation for all our teachers do, Room Parents organize class gifts at various times of the year, which may include holidays, teacher appreciation week, and  the end of the school year.  The Winchester School District has an official policy regarding limits on individual gifts*. 

 

LSPA Meetings

Lincoln School Parent Association (LSPA) meetings are a great way for Room Parents to keep abreast of school happenings.  Room Parents are strongly encouraged to alternate attending monthly meetings and sharing updates with families as appropriate.

 

If you are interested in becoming a Room Parent or have any questions, please contact our Room Parent Coordinators below.  Room Parents are typically assigned by each teacher just after the start of the school year.  The LSPA offers an opportunity to sign-up for this role in your child’s classroom at their first meeting of the year.  You may also make a request to your child’s teacher directly, in order to be considered for the position.

 

Thank you for your interest!

 

Karen Dankers                                                                                                    

Laura Gordon

 

 

*There are state ethics laws that place monetary limits on gifts to public employees. In short, teachers should not receive gifts valued at $50 or more from individuals nor $150 or more from groups. Note donations for classroom use are not subject to these guidelines.  The intention in publishing this is to answer inquires about the policy. The full ethics law is available on this website