Parent Association

Welcome to Meridian's Parent Association! As a Meridian parent, you're a member of the Parent Association. Our mission is to facilitate parent volunteer activities for the betterment of the school and its community. The PA promotes parent involvement in the school community by supporting teachers and staff along with organizing school activities and programs. It facilitates communication among parents, teachers and school administrators to explore issues of mutual interest, sponsors speakers on educational topics, and provides a structure for assisting the school with certain fundraising and social functions.

Parent Association Activities

The Parent Association sponsors the Special Events listed below. These events enrich, entertain and enlighten all of the members of the Meridian community, and they provide a great opportunity for parents to get to know each other. The Parent Association provides excellent networking opportunities for parents, as well as a forum for learning more about Meridian. Parent Association meetings and get-togethers are a wonderful mix of business and fun! Many parents use their Parent Association network to brainstorm child-rearing challenges -- from lunches and lost coats to homework and social skills.

Parent Association Forums

All parents are invited to attend Parent Association Forums that cover topics of interest to parents. Members of the administrative staff, including Head of School Ron Waldman, also attend the Parent Association meetings, and are always available for questions and answers.

Parent Association Events 2009-2010

The events listed below are either coordinated or supported by the Meridian School Parent Association. In addition, the PA will host informative gatherings or forums during the year to address topics of interest to the parent community.

Parent Association Executive Committee

Back: Laura Osterbrock, Rebecca Butler, Bonnie Tilghman, Gary Peterman. Front: Jason Dorland, Cathy Petito Boyce, Lisa Dietrich, Barb French. Not pictured: Lisa Schwarz, Holly Johnson.

The Parent Association Executive Committee meets monthly to plan Parent Association events, set the calendar, and monitor the budget. For general questions or more information about the Parent Association, please email us at parents@meridianschool.edu.

Working together – and with the administration – to manage the PA’s overall operations and budget are:

• President, Cathy Petito Boyce
• Vice President, Gary Peterman
• Treasurer, Barbara French
• Communications Coordinator, Laura Osterbrock

The President of the PA also has a non-voting seat on The Meridian School Board of Trustees.

Parent Association Room Reps are Parent Volunteers

Representing your child’s classroom as a volunteer Parent Association Room Rep is a great way to be directly involved with your child’s Meridian experience. For each of the roles described below, we need one parent volunteer per classroom. If any of these opportunities sound interesting, please contact the respective PAEC Team Leader for more information or to sign up.

Classroom Activities Coordinator: Assists teacher in recruiting parents for classroom activities.
Classroom Activities Team Leader, Lisa Dietrich

Classroom Community Building Representative: Organizes classroom or grade level social events (such as potlucks, picnics, parent dinners, hikes, etc.).
Classroom Community Building Team Leader, Bonnie Tilghman

Community Service Classroom Representative: Coordinates parent volunteers from all grade levels in planning community service events.
Community Service Team Leader, Rebecca Butler

Grade-Level Event Classroom Representative: Works with their counterpart in the other grade-level class to organize their designated grade-level PA Event.
Grade-Level Event Team Leader, Lisa Dietrich

Teacher Appreciation Classroom Representative: Organizes teacher appreciation plans for the holiday season, birthday/special days and teacher appreciation day.
Teacher Appreciation Team Leader, Lisa Schwarz

Auction Representative: Organizes classroom auction project and class offering (party, basket of goods, etc). Encourages parents to volunteer, procure items for, and attend the auction.
Auction Chair, Holly Johnson

The Meridian PA also sponsors several all-school events (e.g., Movie Night and Skating; which are coordinated by the Event Coordinator, Jason Dorland) and a Fall Carnival. Although we do not have a specified classroom representative, as we get closer to that event, parents may be asked to participate.
Fall Carnival Chair, Janet Strand Selby

Summary of PA Roles

Meridian School PA Executive Committee

Responsibilities for all PAEC members:

• Attend PAEC Meetings
• Submit monthly report to PA President with updates on current activities, spending, issues
• Be present at 1st morning coffee to recruit volunteers for rep positions
• Attend PA sponsored events when possible and assist as needed
• Assist PAEC members during busy times
• Monitor the pulse of classroom parents and report to PA president

Classroom Activities/Grade-Level Event Team Leader

Liaison between teachers, parents and PA and coordinate parent support of classroom and school events.

Responsibilities:

• Act as liaison between teachers and PA
• Recruit volunteers for PA Representatives (fill in the grid)
• Train and oversee Classroom activities coordinators and Classroom event reps
• Maintain notebooks for each grade-level event (coordinators for each event update each year and return to chair)
• Meet with teacher at beginning of school year to explain role of classroom activities coordinators
• Touch bases with teachers later in year re: their use of coordinators
• Attend PA Board Meetings
• Assist PAEC members during busy times
• Monitor the pulse of classroom parents and report to PA president

Classroom Activities Coordinators

Assist teacher throughout year and recruit parents for school activities as needed.

Responsibilities:

• Assist teacher, school, and PA with recruitment of parent volunteers from classroom when needed, including Wednesday Lunch coverage, Fall Festival, Track & Field day, Music Performances, and other events as needed
• Meet with teacher to discuss volunteer recruitment needs
• Monitor the “pulseâ€� of classroom parents and report to PA Chair

Grade-Level Event Classroom Representatives

• Coordinate grade-level hosted events as identified in the calendar.

  Back to School Picnic	September	5th grade
  Open House	December	1st grade
  Special Friends/Grandparents Day	March	2nd grade
  New Family Reception	May	K
  Staff Appreciation Luncheon	May	3rd grade
  Graduation	June	4th grade

• For each grade-level event:
  • Contact staff person/PAEC member responsible for event,
  • Review event notebook (including allotted budget), and conduct initial event planning
  • Recruit parent volunteers from classroom
  • Submit expense reimbursement forms w/receipts to Treasurer (or, as needed, encourage other volunteers to submit reimbursement forms)
  • Write an event summary for the notebook (include detailed budget info including any donations etc).
  • Return notebook to PA Chair.

Community Building Team Leader

Coordinate and supervise successful transition of new families into the Meridian community. Encourage community-building events for all grade levels.

Responsibilities:

• Recruit hosts for fall potlucks (in spring, recruit hosts for following fall)
• Assist in transitioning new families into school community and supporting them throughout their first year
• Train and oversee Community Building Representatives
• Maintain notebook(s) with event details, attendance, budget, comments on success or ideas for improvement. Community Bldg Reps to provide reports of each event for notebook
• Help promote PA sponsored events
• Attend PAEC Meetings
• Assist PAEC members during busy times
• Monitor the pulse of classroom parents and report to PA president

Community Building Representatives

Organize classroom or grade level social events to build community.

Responsibilities:

• Help coordinate Fall parent potluck and sign-up help
• Plan another event or two for your class later in year
• Submit report with event details, attendance, budget, comment on success or ideas for improvement for notebook held by Chair
• Monitor the pulse of classroom parents and report to Community Building Chair

PA Events Coordinator

Organize PA sponsored all-school events to build community spirit. Help coordinate receptions for Spring Music Performances.

Responsibilities:

• Plan each event
  • Current calendar of all-school events:

    1st Morning Coffee	September
    New Parent Welcome	September
    Ice Skating Party	December
    Movie Night	January

  • Music Performance Receptions held in May.
• Secure volunteers as needed
• Maintain notebook for events including event description, detailed budget (include donations, etc), attendance, recap
• Submit expense reimbursement forms w/receipts to Treasurer
• Work with Community Building reps for help in promoting event at grade level
• For Music Performance Receptions: Help coordinate refreshments and supplies for grade-level receptions. Volunteers to help with staffing each reception recruited by Classroom Activities Coordinators from specific grade levels involved in each performance.
• Attend PAEC Meetings
• Assist PAEC members during busy times
• Monitor the pulse of classroom parents and report to PA president

Staff Appreciation Team Leader

Coordinate staff appreciation efforts throughout the year.

Responsibilities:

• Train and oversee Staff Appreciation reps at classroom level
• Provide electronic information packets for reps
• Maintain electronic 'My Favorite Things' database for teachers and coordinate the GIFTS (great items for teachers and staff) program
• Organize and coordinate major appreciation events

  Currently:

  • Winter Appreciation Dinner (prior to Open House)
  • Staff Appreciation week festivities-Spring

• Maintain notebook with event information, including detailed budget info; to also include classroom level rep updates on their events and activities throughout the year.
• Attend PAEC Meetings
• Assist PAEC members during busy times
• Monitor the pulse of classroom parents and report to PA president

Staff Appreciation Representatives

Organize classroom staff appreciation throughout the year and assist with school-wide staff appreciation events.

Responsibilities:

• Recognize teacher and 1-2 additional staff on key dates (birthday, before winter break, staff appreciation week)
• Collect contributions from classroom families towards gifts
• Submit expense reimbursement forms w/ receipts, as appropriate, to Treasurer
• Provide 1 meal for Staff (Winter dinner prior to Open House)
• Maintain a notebook with details of recognition gifts and events, detailed budget info, etc.; return to PA Chair at end of year.

Service Learning/Community Service Team Leader

Support service learning and coordinate Community Service program.

Responsibilities:

• Coordinate Holiday Giving program
• Coordinate Community Service Day
• Train and oversee Community Service representatives
• Assist with Change for Change drive and sister school support
• Maintain and update resource file for Community Service Projects.
• Maintain notebook of events including detailed budget information
• Submit expense reimbursement forms w/receipts to Treasurer
• Maintain relationships with organizations served by Meridian Students previously.
• Look for links to curriculum and assist teachers in finding projects that might be possible over the course of the school year.
• Foster relationships with those organizations that fit well with the goals of a service learning environment.
• Encourage all school participation (including parents) for both the Holiday Giving Project and the Community Service Day.
• Attend PAEC Meetings
• Assist PAEC members during busy times
• Monitor the pulse of classroom parents and report to PA president

Community Service Representatives

Coordinate grade level participation in Community Service program and events.

Responsibilities:

• Assist in planning and implementing all community service events

  Currently: Holiday Giving, Community Service Day, and Change for Change drive

• Promote event at grade level and encourage all-school family participation
• Recruit parent volunteers to assist as needed

PA Communications Coordinator

Coordinate PA publicity and communications and serve as liaison between Spyglass, website, and PAEC.

Responsibilities:

• Promote PA sponsored events using a variety of media
• Work with the chair of each event and school staff to define audience (school, alumni, neighbors, other schools, general public, etc), publicity needs, timeline, and communications budget for events
• Raise awareness of PA and its role at Meridian and how parents can be involved using Spyglass articles, website, and bulletin boards at school.
• Work to move all PA forms to electronic files
• Coordinate with IT on PA email access to school community
• Publicize PA calendar of events, e.g., via Spyglass, sandwich boards, bulletin boards, flyers, doorknob hangers, etc.
• Maintain detailed record of communications activities throughout the year
• Submit expense reimbursement forms w/receipts to Treasurer
• Attend PAEC Meetings
• Assist PAEC members during busy times
• Monitor the pulse of classroom parents and report to PA president

Treasurer

Create, maintain and report on budget and financial activities of PA

Responsibilities:

• Participate in development of annual budget for PA, including events
  • Total budget for specific school year established in fall of preceding year (e.g., budget for 2008-2009 set in fall 2007)
  • Target budgets for specific PA activities determined prior to start of school year (and may be adjusted as needed throughout the year; also review potential for budget “supplementsâ€� after key revenue-generating events have occurred, i.e., Fall Carnival, ice skating, movie night)
• Provide monthly reports on budget status – at PAEC meetings
• Maintain PA budget spreadsheets
• Ongoing coordination with Meridian Director of Finance regarding documentation of PA finances
• Review expense reports for PA events
• Coordinate with PA event representatives regarding financial aspects of PA events
  • Prepare information sheets for event notebooks regarding allotted budget
  • Follow up with coordinators of revenue-generating events regarding income and expenses
  • Assist with financial aspects of specific events, e.g., coordinating cash boxes for Fall Carnival
• Attend PAEC Meetings
• Assist PAEC members during busy times
• Monitor the pulse of classroom parents and report to PA president

Vice President

Responsibilities:

• Prepare and distribute minutes of PA meetings, maintain historical file of minutes
• Coordinate PA-sponsored forums and Coffee Hours
• Maintain database of forum topics and speakers
• Liaison with other PNAIS school’s PA regarding speaker topics, calendars to mutually support each other’s events
• Assume duties of PA president in his absence
• Attend PAEC Meetings
• Assist PAEC members during busy times
• Monitor the pulse of classroom parents and report to PA president

President

Responsibilities:

• Promote parent involvement in the school community
• Facilitate communication between parents, teachers and administration
• Coordinate parent volunteer activities to support the school
• Act as chair of the PAEC and call and preside over all meetings
• Appoint, oversee and support all other chairs and committees as are required for proper functioning of the board
• Be a member ex-officio of all PA committees
• Prepare monthly meeting agendas
• Liaison between Head of School, Board of Trustees and PAEC
• Assist in creating budget
• Attend PAEC Meetings
• Assist PAEC members during busy times
• Monitor the pulse of the school community and report to the Head of School or Board of Trustees