Room Parent Info 2012-2013
Thank you for volunteering to be a Room Parent for your child's
classroom. This is a unique opportunity to be a part of your
child’s school experience.
Room Parents work with the
classroom teacher to facilitate and coordinate extra classroom
activities.
Communication is key to being an effective Room Parent:
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Communicate with the teacher to understand his/her needs.
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Communicate with the parents so they can volunteer to
help meet those needs.
Encourage all parents to be involved in our Tinc Road
School community.
Thank you for your willingness to partner with your child's
teacher this year. You may contact the Room Parent Coordinator
for any help or with concerns:
Coordinator:
Telephone:
Email:
Angela Aaron
973 668 5927
angelaaaron@optonline.net
Coordinator:
Telephone:
Email:
Michele Coyle
973 598 1550
QTPYE28@aol.com
Tinc Road School
24 Tinc Road
Flanders, NJ 07836
973 927 2203 Ext 4 Office
973 927 2203 Ext 1 Attendance
973 927 2203 Ext 5 Nurse
GUIDELINES FOR ALL CLASSROOM VOLUNTEERS
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Information or observations about individual children are
to be kept strictly confidential. It is an important
obligation to protect each student’s right to privacy.
Discuss any specific problems or questions that arise
only with that student’s teacher.
It is the Lead Room Parent’s responsibility to schedule a
meeting with the teacher. Conversely, any group of room
parents should use the Lead Room Parent as the liaison
with the teacher.
No correspondence may be sent out without the
teacher’s or principal’s prior approval.
When you call parents for volunteer help, go through the
class list in rotation. Try to offer opportunities to all
parents equally.

If you are expected to volunteer, but cannot be present,
please arrange a substitute. If you cannot find someone
to fill your position, please notify your child's teacher and
the Lead Room Parent in advance.

Please make arrangements for your pre-school children.
Younger children should not be brought to school during
classroom volunteer time.

A Room Parent’s role does not encompass answering
personnel or academic questions. Please refer these
subjects to the teacher or principal.
LEAD ROOM PARENT RESPONSIBILITIES
Fall:
Set up a meeting with your teacher to discuss needs
for the classroom.

Lead Parent will set up a schedule of parties with other
room parents and teacher

Discuss dates and times for parties (planner attached).

Determine needs for party snacks, beverages, paper
products, party favors, craft supplies, allergies, etc.

Determine if the teacher wants assistance with any other
classroom activities.
During your meeting, give your teacher the opportunity to tell you
how he/she works best with a Room Parent. Some teachers
have very specific plans they wish to implement; others
appreciate a Room Parent to take the initiative and plan activities
within certain given guidelines.
Shortly after meeting with the teacher:

Meet with any remaining room parents to review teacher’s
needs.

Draft a letter to parents to introduce yourselves and provide
information on volunteer activities coming up (sample
attached).

Have the teacher approve letters prior to distribution.
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Once approved, make copies of letter and place in the
teacher’s mailbox for distribution to the children in class.
LEAD ROOM PARENT - ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
ROOM PARENT COORDINATOR RESPONSIBILITIES
Responsibilities to be delegated:
Be available to answer questions from Room Parents (provide
telephone number and/or email address to all Room Parents).
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Please notify teacher in advance which volunteers are
coming in for a specific event or activity.
Class Parties - Contact parents to fill all volunteer/supply
needs. Send a reminder letter to parents one week prior to
event indicating what they have signed up for as a
reminder for them.
Assign a room parent to take pictures of students during
class parties or class activities for the yearbook.
September:

o
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Room Parents may be requested to attend field trips and/or
field day
Teacher Gifts (Suggestion) – Twice a year (Winter Holidays
and End of the Year), the Lead Room Parent will send
home letters to give parents an opportunity to contribute to
group teacher gifts. It is the Lead Room Parent’s
responsibility to collect money and keep accounting of the
room’s total. It is the Lead Room Parent’s responsibility to
purchase any gifts.
Contact new parents as they move in. Introduce yourself
as the Lead Room Parent and as a contact for classroom
information, opportunities to participate in the class, etc.
Send home Classroom Welcome Letter.
When volunteer sheets return, collate Room Parent
volunteer names.
Prepare final list of Room Parents and phone
numbers for distribution.
Schedule Room Parent Meeting for early Fall
o Book room for meeting
o
Notify volunteers of their position by e-mail
and advise of meeting date
o
Prepare copies for hand-out at meeting (Room
Parent Handbook and attachments).
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Help moderate Room Parent Meeting
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If no one volunteers in advance to be the Lead Room
Parent, the room parents should decide among
themselves who the lead will be and then notify the Room
Parent Coordinator who the group has selected as Lead.
A Lead Room Parent must be selected.
Room Parent Handbook