this top paragraph was added fall 2021 - wording from Nicole Fernandez' room parent letter:
remove or edit before making the page visible!

2020-2021 Laurel Room Parent Super Heroes!

While we won’t have as many opportunities to see each other on campus this school year, that doesn’t change just how much we all share in common.

The goal of our PTA and our Laurel Room Parents is to help bring our community together — our families, teachers, and staff — everyone who makes our school so special. We will continue our mission to do so no matter where the year takes us!

We are a 100% volunteer-run. Simply put, we couldn’t do what we do without the time and talent of our parents. We rely on everyone to get involved in whatever capacity they can. In return for your participation you stand to make new friends, share some laughs, and get a glimpse of the magic that happens behind the scenes at Laurel. We hear time and time again that our volunteers gain so much more than they give.

This year our volunteer opportunities will look a bit different. We will be finding creative new ways to cheer on our wonderful teachers and staff with At-Home Learning in place. We will be looking for opportunities for us to come together virtually. In the past, room parents helped facilitate classroom parties and so much more. The PTA is currently working on new ideas to support our amazing Laurel staff. Our teachers will need our encouragement and appreciation now more than ever.

2020-2021 Room Parent Job Description:
- Send communication as directed by the teacher and the room parent coordinator.
- Class celebrations: As a room parent, you may offer to help your teacher organize class celebrations. Typically the teachers chooses when and for which occasions parties will be held (virtually) Room parents are not expected to host zoom parties.
- Keep parents ‘in the know’ of schedule of events for weeks like “Teacher Appreciation” (Schedule and ideas will be sent by PTA and Room Parent Coordinator) 
Room parents are integral to the communication between teachers and parents. Each classroom has one or two room parents who work closely with the teacher to assist with class communications and reminders, coordinate classroom parties and gifts, and help with supply needs. Room parents communicate with parents primarily via email, although sometimes a phone call is necessary. The information below the following letter should be all you need to have a successful year as a Laurel Room Parent. Thank you for volunteering your time!
Room Parent Coordinator:
Nicole Fernandez

Responsibilities

Beginning of Year
  • Attend the Room Parent Welcome meeting on August 30, 2019 at 8:30am in Room 23.
  • Work with your teacher, ensure you have contact information for all parents. Your teacher should have collected most of this information, however, you may send home this Contact Form if needed.
  • Develop an online email group and be sure to include the teacher.
  • Have your teacher complete the All About Worksheet for you to use when purchasing teacher gifts.
  • Find out if students in your classroom have food allergies and communicate these to parents (without naming specific students) to ensure treats provided during the year meet your classroom's needs.
Throughout the School Year (Specifics below)
  • Email and/or prepare written communications upon teacher’s request. 
  • Personalize and forwarded PTA communication to parents as requested.
  • Collect money for and purchase gifts for your teacher's birthday, the Winter holiday, and end of the year. 
  • Coordinate classroom parties with your teacher. 
  • Assist the teacher in obtaining supplies needed for the classroom.
  • Coordinate and send reminders for Teacher Appreciation Week.

Class Communications

Other than the teacher, room parents are the main point of contact between your classroom's parents and the teacher.  You should plan to send home many reminder emails, informing your students' parents of upcoming events both inside the classroom and for the school, volunteer opportunities, and upcoming deadlines for items due.  Emails need to be sent home in a timely manner as many of them are time sensitive.  Plan to send emails up to a week before the deadline, with continuing reminders as the event get closer.  Be sure to inform your teacher before sending any communications and include them on all messages.  You should plan to send emails for the following types of events:
  • Art in Action dates & times
  • Field trip Information
  • General school events & due dates
  • Classroom events & due dates
  • Bell schedule changes

Classroom Gift Donations

Consider asking for a single donation from your families at the beginning of the year to cover all three teacher gifts.  Ask each family to donate $20 before the first event (either your teacher's birthday or the Winter holiday).  Hold onto the money and use it throughout the year - 1/3 of each donation would be used toward a birthday gift, 1/3 toward a Winter holiday gift, and 1/3 toward an end of year gift.  We have found it is usually easier to approach parents for money once at the beginning of the year than to ask for donations on separate occasions. However, please remember that not all families can or want to donate all at once ,so you should give the option of making either the entire $20 donation at the beginning or just a small donation before each event. If they choose to donate only a small amount before each event, you can offer to follow up with them for the remaining monies when the next event comes around. You can send an email home or print these notes, which can be cut into six small notes, glued to envelopes and sent home with the students:

Teacher Gifts

It is common to give teachers gifts or otherwise do something special for them on their birthday, at the Winter holiday, and at the end of the year. Families appreciate the option to contribute to a group gift, as this keeps the cost down for all, and ensures the teacher receives a gift they truly want (from their All About Worksheet).  Room parents are responsible for collecting the monies for the teacher gift, purchasing the gift (usually off of the teacher's All About Worksheet), and then presenting it to the teacher during the event.  We suggest sending an email to your families with a suggested donation amount (usually $20 for the year) and remember to follow up with what you actually purchased as a gift.  Please be sensitive that not everyone can or wants to participate.

Classroom Parties

As a room parent, you may offer to help your teacher organize class parties.  Typically the teacher chooses when and for which occasions parties will be held.  He/She may also have ideas about the food and drink to be served and the activities to be organized for the party.  Once these ideas have been discussed with your teacher, you may be asked to find volunteers to donate food, supplies, or their time to the party. Here is a  Sign Up Sheet you can modify to work for your party.  Plan to send an email home to notify your parents about these volunteer opportunities.

The San Mateo- Foster City School District is committed to promoting nutrition and healthy eating in the academic environment so please consider this when planning classroom parties. Suggestions and ideas for healthy celebrations can be found at https://smfc-ca.schoolloop.com/Wellness

Classroom Supplies

Periodically your teacher may need help securing classroom supplies from parents.  He/She may have a special need or just a request for general supplies.  Working with your teacher, you should communicate this supply need to your classroom parents and request that either the actual items needed be donated or assist in collecting money and purchasing the items needed.

Teacher Appreciation Week

Every May, the Laurel PTA hosts Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week.  During this week, the PTA and other school groups donate  items to make our teachers feel special.  In past years, teachers have received massages, specialty coffees ,and more.  In addition to the donations made by the PTA, students are also asked to contribute to Teacher Appreciation Week with personal touches that communicate how much they are appreciated.  Room parents should send email reminders to parents before a student contribution is due and help the teacher organize the items.  More details will be passed along to you from the Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week committee sometime in April.

FORMS

Contact Form: send home to get missing contact information. English & Spanish versions included.
All About Worksheet: ask your teacher to complete this form to help you purchase gifts throughout the year.
Class Gift Donation Memos (English) and Class Gift Donation Memos (Spanish): these are small notes which can be cut down and glued to envelopes to send home with your students. This version requests a donation for the three class gifts.
Classroom Party Sign Up Sheet: customize this party sign up sheet for your classroom parties.
QUESTIONS? Email [email protected]