Your main task as a Room Parent is to facilitate communication between the other WG parents of the class, the teacher, and Walnut Grove PTO. Just like at home and outside of school with your family, you will wear multiple hats throughout the year: communicator, planner/organizer, leader, creator, superstar, assistant, entertainer, and more! And it doesn't stop there!
Don't feel like you have to do this all on your own, because you don't and shouldn't have to! We advise that if you are feeling a little overwhelmed with everything or feel like you won't have enough time to dedicate to being a Room Parent, that you discuss with your teacher about having multiple Co-Room Parents to divide the responsibilities! You can also recruit other parents to help with projects and events! Never be afraid to ask for assistance!
Don't feel like you have to do this all on your own, because you don't and shouldn't have to! We advise that if you are feeling a little overwhelmed with everything or feel like you won't have enough time to dedicate to being a Room Parent, that you discuss with your teacher about having multiple Co-Room Parents to divide the responsibilities! You can also recruit other parents to help with projects and events! Never be afraid to ask for assistance!
Responsibilities:
- Meet with the teacher. Keep all lines of communication open! Teachers’ expectations of their Room Parents vary widely from teacher to grade level. Some rely heavily on volunteers to plan and organize all events and parties. Some have specific ideas and will ask parents to coordinate only certain parts. Either way, it’s critical to find out your teacher’s preferred way of doing things early on. It’s a good idea to check in with your teacher periodically to ask whether they need anything. Be proactive!
- Communicate with parents and guardians. You will receive a parent email list from our PTO Room Parent Coordinator. This list is a valuable resource for you as a Room Parent to recruit volunteers and to keep everyone informed. Keep in contact with all parents to inform and update them on class events and projects. And don't forget to ask for help! When asking parents for donations (whether food/drinks or monetary) or to volunteer for events, we recommend you use Sign Up Genius (www.signupgenius.com).
- Party, party, party. Okay, so it's only 2 parties during the school year, but it's still a PARTY! Every school year WG allows a Fall Party at the end of October, and a Valentine's Party. Both are held on dates and times that are approved by WG administration. Some teachers like to have foods/snacks for the class, as well as games/activities and/or crafts. Others like to keep their parties low-key, but fun. Regardless, definitely get in touch with your teacher to find out what they have in mind! Keep in mind that each party is only scheduled for about an hour long. IMPORTANT: Please be mindful in asking parents for food/drinks donations, particularly if there are any food allergies in the class.
- Teacher's Birthday. Celebrate your teacher's birthday with the class! PTO collects the "Favorite Things" forms from every teacher and staff member. These are available under the Resources tab of our website. You can use these lists to share with your parents for the teacher's birthday and holidays!