Contact Parent Rules and Responsibilities
Volunteering at School Parties
PTO has been designated with managing the volunteers for the school parties at the
Primary Center and Elementary Schools. There was a point in time when all parents in a
class could attend the parties, however as our school district grew it was no longer feasible
to accommodate everyone. The district saw the need to implement some limitations. The
school allows three parents to attend each party. Since there are limitations on who can
attend, rules were set in place to provide fairness. It is our intent to provide a fair way for
each child to have a chance at having a parent attend a party.
This is currently the only area where limitations have been set. Other PTO volunteer
opportunities exist for the following events:
 March for Mars
 Field Day
 Holiday Shop
 MAE Fall Book Fair
 MAE Spring Book Fair
 Decorating
 Spiritwear
 Science Fair
 Market Day
 Premiums
 Yearbook
Check with your classroom teacher for additional volunteer opportunities.
What is a Contact Parent?
A contact parent is a willing parent/guardian able to attend one of the three elementary
school parties throughout the year. The parties include: Fall Festival (held in October),
Holiday Party (held in December) and Valentines Party (held in February). Three contact
parents are chosen for each class. One of the three contact parents will be the head contact
parent for the class.
Contact Parent Responsibilities
Work with each contact parent to:
 Select one party to plan and attend.
 Determine a meeting date, time and place for the party parent selection meeting.
 Determine party parents based on the classroom volunteer sheets.
Work with each party parent to:
 Determine a meeting date, time and place for the planning meeting.
 Communicate party planning meeting date, time and place with entire class one
month prior to the party.
 Use the classroom volunteer sheet to manage needed party donations.
 Attend and actively participate in the party planning meeting.
 Attend the party.
Determining Contact Parents
 All contact parents are to be chosen the day of the contact parent meeting. No names
will be taken after the meeting unless there were not enough volunteers. In this
case, a letter will sent home asking for additional volunteers.
 If a parent has been a contact parent before but not for this particular child, then that
parent is considered to have not been one previously.
 If more than three parents are interested in being contact parents for a class, then
names will be drawn from a hat. Assuming: all have been contact parents previously
or they all haven’t been contact parents previously.
 You can only be a contact parent for more than one child if no one else comes
forward.
What is a Head Contact Parent?
The head contact parent is the main liaison and communicator between the teacher, PTO
and parents regarding school parties. They have the same responsibility as a contact parent
in addition to the following:
Head Contact Parent Responsibilities
 Introduction of contact parents to the teacher. Inquire about any allergies or special
needs in the class.
 Introduction of contact parents to the class providing them with contact information
for each contact parent.
 Communicate party parent selection meeting date, time and place with entire class.
 Communicate all selected class party volunteers and alternates with the entire class.
 Manage the volunteer sheets.
 Memos that may be sent out can include but are not limited to: contact and volunteer
form, volunteer announcement memo, party planning meeting memo, classroom gift
memo, contact form and any PTO communication regarding volunteering (book fair,
holiday shop, field day, march for mars, and box tops).
 Give all party and alternate names selected to attend to the PTO chairperson in
charge of contact parents.
 Communicate to the class regarding parties, class gifts, and volunteering efforts.
 Communicate frequently with your PTO chairperson any and all changes regarding
party parent volunteers.
Determining Head Contact Parents
 Chosen based on interest.
 If more than one contact parent would like to be the head contact parent names
must be fairly drawn.
What is a Party Parent?
A party parent is a willing parent/guardian able to attend one of the three elementary
school parties throughout the year. Two party parents are chosen for each party. With two
party parents chosen for each of three parties, a total of six party parents are chosen for
each class.
Party Parent Responsibilities
 Work with the contact parent and other party parent to schedule a meeting date,
time and place for the planning meeting.
 Attend and actively participate in the party planning meeting.
 Attend and participate in running the party.
 If you are unable to attend and the alternate is called up then the alternate will
attend. Once an alternate is called up it is permanent.
Determining Party Parents
 Each contact parent must select one party.
 Use the classroom contact and volunteer sheet to see who wants to attend a party.
 When you have more than two interested parents in a party, then names must be
fairly drawn.
 All party parent names must be given to the PTO chairperson when determined.
 All party parents are determined at the party parent selection meeting.
 All parents need to be notified immediately.
 A parent whose child has an allergy will not get preferential treatment over the
other parents wishing to be a contact parent or party parent.
 You do not need to attend the party parent selection meeting to be considered.
However, a volunteer form must be completed.
What is an Alternate?
An alternate is a person who is selected to attend in the absence of a party parent for one of
the school parties.
Alternate Responsibilities
 When possible two alternates are chosen for each party per class.
 When there are not enough alternates they can be reused for all parties. Do not
select party parents as alternates unless there is no other choice.
 An alternate’s license must be scanned to attend the party.
 If a party parent cannot attend the party for any reason another parent or relative
cannot attend in their place. The alternate MUST be used.
Determining Alternates
 Alternates are chosen from the pool of party parent volunteers that were not chosen
as a party parent.
Party Guidelines
License Scanning
 Your license MUST be scanned two weeks prior to the party in order to attend.
 This is a Mars Area School District Policy.
 If your license is not scanned by the two-week date you will forfeit your spot and the
alternate will go in your place.
Who can attend a party?
 One contact parent and two party parents are allowed to attend each party for a
total of three parents at a single party.
 Only one parent per child may attend one of the three parties.
 Another parent or relative cannot attend in your place.
Reasons you can not attend a party
 Your license is not scanned.
 You did not actively help plan the party you were assigned.
 Lack of childcare for younger siblings.
Party Planning Meetings
 All classroom parents must be invited to attend the party planning meeting.
 If you are selected to attend a party, you must participate in the planning of the
party or you may not attend the party.
 You can not send anyone in your place to the planning meeting.
Never allowed at a Party
 Siblings
 Balloons
 Glass containers
 Outside entertainment
 Treat bags with unapproved candy
Party Snacks
 All food items brought into the school for consumption and/or games must be
approved by the school nurse.
 All food items must be approved at the latest two weeks before the party.
 You may contact the school nurse for a list of class allergies.
 Snacks must be from the Mars Area School Districts preapproved list located on the
school district’s website. This list can change be sure to check before every party.
Switching
 Once announced to the class there is no switching.
 You cannot force someone to switch even if that is the only party you can attend.
 Another parent of relative cannot attend in your place.
Planning a Party
A great class party looks like this: craft, games, snack. You can do this in any order. Older
kids like more games and no craft. There are tons of websites with ideas. The Mars PTO
does not provide any funds for classroom parties. If you do not have many parents willing
to donate to the classroom party, then make the necessary modifications. Do not put
yourself in debt by financing the classroom party. Simplify it. You can:
 Skip the craft, Play lots of games.
 Purchase paper products from the dollar store.
 Do not bother with a treat bag.
 Our kids want to have fun. The end.
Class Gifts
 A holiday or year-end class gift can be organized for the teacher.
 You can solicit for class donations but you cannot request a dollar amount.
 Each child’s name must be included on the class gift card whether they donated or
not.
Classroom Communication
 All paper communication needs to be on yellow PTO paper found in the copy room.
 MAE only: All paper communication needs to be approved by the building principal.
 Any memo that goes out needs to go out to the entire class.
 You may ask a teacher for a class list.
 You may ask parents for email addresses and phone numbers. This is voluntary. Not
everyone is willing to share this information.
 You can use email to contact your class or paper. You may need to use both if you do
not have everyone’s email address.
Teacher Communication
 You may ask teachers for a class list. They do not have to provide it.
 Teachers are NEVER to be asked to make copies or get memos approved.
Memos
Classroom parents will need to be notified about different things during the year. For your
convenience PTO has many templates for these documents you can use.
Contact and Volunteer Form– Introduces the contact parents to the class, explains the party
parent selection process (including meeting date, time and place), collects contact
information and solicits for party volunteers and supplies.
Contact Form – Requests parent contact information.
Volunteer Announcement Memo – Announces party parents and alternates.
Party Planning Meeting Memo – Announces party planning meeting.
Classroom Gift Memo– Solicits for holiday or end of year gift.
PTO Communication - PTO may ask for your help for certain things throughout the year. In
the past we have asked for help cutting box tops or book fair volunteers. We will provide
you with and email/memo to distribute.