Lake Norman
Elementary
Room Parent
Guide
Contacts:
Fara Maltsbarger & Lili Bonomo
farasusan77@yahoo.com
lili.bonomo@att.net
2015/2016
YEAR AT A GLANCE
September
Meet with Teachers
Community Dinner Night
October
Fall Book Fair
Fall Parties
Fall Festival Baskets Due
Sign-up Fall Festival Booths
FALL FESTIVAL
Community Dinner Night
November
Community Dinner night
December
Holiday Luncheon
Holiday House
Winter Parties
Community Dinner Night
January
Soup Day
Community Dinner Night
February
Room Parent Meeting
Community Dinner Night
Winter Bash
March
Spring Book Fair
Community Dinner Night
Boosterthon
April
Community Dinner Night
May
Teacher Appreciation Week
Used Book Sale
June
Field Day
Responsibilities
Dear Room Parents,
Welcome to an exciting new year at LNE. We are glad
that you have chosen to volunteer your time assisting our
Teachers and our PTO, and truly appreciate your
willingness to devote some time and effort in our school.
Without this team of parents, we simply could not
function and pull all of the events that we do for our
children teachers, staff and school together.
Throughout the year , the PTO will be asking for some
volunteers to help cover classrooms / lunchroom duties
for teacher luncheons, work a booth at the fall festival,
create a bulletin board, decorate a door, recruit some
help… and be an event planner for your classroom
activities that the teacher has planned.
I have asked the teachers to be very clear on their
expectations for the year concerning parties and
volunteers. Some of them love the festive wild side and
some like calm. Please make sure you do what the
teacher request even if it means leaving the circus at
home, and just playing Bingo 1 more time.
Throughout the year, the PTO will be asking for some
volunteers to help cover classrooms / lunchroom
duties for teacher luncheons, work a booth at the fall
festival, create a bulletin board, decorate a door,
recruit some help… and be an event planner for your
classroom activities that the teacher has planned.
I have asked the teachers to be very clear on their
expectations for the year concerning parties and
volunteers; I trust that every one of them has taken
the time to clearly communicate their needs.
You will find that I have created a monthly need for
the PTO as well. I hope this helps provide for all of
the information that you will need for your calendars.
Please use this to recruit your volunteers for the
carious events that the PTO needs help staffing. If
you have more volunteers than you need available…
that is an excellent problem to have!! Rest assured
we will a spot for them.
We use Sign-Up Genius for most everything we need
help with, and I highly recommend using them for
your sign-ups as well… it only takes a few minutes to
create a sign-up and reaches your people faster than
those flyers we send out. For example, the food that
is provided today was made available by several
parents that responded to a sign-up genius. In the
matter of 24 hours we had all our needs met and I
know that everyone received a reminder sent by signup genius instead of me calling or sending out another
flyer. If anyone needs help with setting up the first
one, please do not hesitate to ask me, I will be happy
to assist.
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Food in Classrooms:
We are NOT allowed to
make things and bring
them in for the kids to eat.
Everything must be store
bought and have labels on
the packaging.
If you have a Peanut
allergy in your classroom,
we must make sure that
whatever food is brought
in has a “made in a nut
free kitchen” label on
them.
Lowes Foods has product
in their bakery that is Nut
Free.
Some Parents may be
upset about this however
this is the world we live in
now and the homemade
cupcakes and cookies will
have to be enjoyed at home
instead of inside the
school.
I cannot stress enough how
important these things
are!!
PLEASE MAKE SURE
AND CHECK WITH
YOUR TEACHER
ABOUT SPECIFIC
FOOD ALLERGIES
THAT YOU MAY NEED
TO BE AWARE OF IN
YOUR CLASSROOM!!
Room Parent Guidelines
Communication:
 It is imperative that communication is set up between you and the other parents
in your class, as well as your teacher. The teacher will be counting on you to
gather volunteers, collect money, and put together any baskets or schedules for
PTO events.
 I also need your information (phone number and email address) so that I may
relay messages and reminders to you about upcoming PTO events and volunteer
opportunities… (I do not expect you to give and volunteer every time wee ask,
however you may be a wealth of knowledge and could potentially know someone
out of your class that might be interested in out need at the time).
 If you haven’t already met with your teacher and found out what they expect or
desire for the year, please do so. Find out their favorite things and birthdays.
 Create a note to the parents of your class introducing yourself. Give them an idea
of what the plans are for the year and let them know of any volunteer
opportunities that your teacher may have.
 It is against school policy for teachers to give out contact information without
permission, so make sure you have parents fill out their information for the class
directory or just for your eyes only. (See form)
 Please remember that any and all information must be kept confidential and for
classroom purposes only.
Money Collection:
 Room Parents need to be clear on what they are asking for and how much money
they need to cover expenses. I know that not everyone can give, give, and give.
But it is also frustrating to not have a specific amount asked for. Parents would
rather hear “I need 5.00 from each child to provide _________________ for Mrs.
Sparkles Birthday Gift by Aug 1st. Rather than, “Could you please send money
for a gift for Mrs. Sparkle?”
 If parents want to write checks, please have them write the checks to you if it
pertains to a classroom party. If the check pertains to a PTO function, please
have them write it to the PTO and our PTO Treasurer (Jennifer Lawrence) will
reimburse you.
 Birthdays: Please acknowledge your Teachers and Teacher Assistants birthdays;
they try to take care of our children on their birthdays.
 Holidays, make a decision with the other parents in the class if everyone would
like to purchase 1 thing from the whole class or have everyone do their own gift,
or maybe a Themed basket that everyone could either send in money or perhaps
purchase something for the basket.
Teacher Gifts:
 Holiday Parties and Class Celebrations are decided by the Teacher.
 Parents can donate items for the party or the room parent may collect money to
pay for the items needed.
 Room Parents should ask Teachers what they would like in terms of food, games,
activities, and in room volunteers.
Class Parties:
 Be creative with your activities. We are encouraged to provide educational games
or crafts to highlight learning even during party times.
 It is imperative that we know and understand what child has allergies if any in
the classroom and have a plan that includes them with food if there will be food at
the party. For treat bags, make sure that we are not giving candy that a child
maybe allergic to in a treat bag for them to take home with them.
All Food and Candy must be store bought with
labels that can clearly be read for classrooms.
Homemade food will have to be thrown away if
brought in.
Large amounts of food for parties are unnecessary
and often wasted. Kids love the activities at
parties just as much if not more than the sugary
treats that they tend to receive. Please consider
this when planning the parties.
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