CLASS PARENTS
2023/2024 School Year
 

Being a Class Parent is a FUN and EASY way to get involved with your child’s classroom. There are two Class Parent volunteers per class and one Grade Representative (who is also a Class Parent). Their key roles are to collaboratively plan classroom celebrations and serve as a liaison to the PTO.

If you are interested, please read the Class Parent Roles and Responsibilities below, review the key dates below, and fill out this form. 

 

KEY DATES

  • Fill out the form by Sunday Sept. 10, to volunteer.

  • Wednesday, Sept. 13: Class Parent assignments confirmed via email.

  • Monday, Sept. 18: Class Parent Introductory Meeting via Zoom (details TBD)

  • Wednesday Sept. 20: Back to School Night (Class Parents can introduce themselves to the other parents)

Have questions? Please contact Jocelyn Kolkin or Adrienne Sweeney

Class Parent Roles and Responsibilities

Thank you for your interest in this important role. As a Class Parent, you will meet your child’s classmates, experience your child’s interactions with their teacher/peers and share in the special times that take place in your child’s class. It is a wonderful opportunity to contribute to your child’s classroom and build a closer relationship with the school and PTO.

 

Each grade will have two Class Parents per class.  Please connect with your partner(s) and together send an email to your teacher introducing yourselves and asking what jobs/expectations she/he has for the Class Parents throughout the year. 

 

This year we will also have one Grade Representative who is also a Class Parent. They will take the lead on facilitating communication across classes and grades to have great collaboration around class parties.  

 

Key Responsibilities: 

 

  1. COMMUNICATION.  Class Parents will be asked to forward emails from the teacher and PTO throughout the year and communicate any important information to fellow parents via email. Since not every parent reads the Midland Express, it is important for Class Parents to make sure parents from their class receive all necessary information. 

 

Please encourage all parents to login to the new PTO website and become a 2023/2024 member. (We need parents to register to get complete class lists and a student directory.) 

 

  1. NEW STUDENTS.  You’ll receive an e-mail from the Welcoming Committee when a new student joins your class. We ask that you reach out and welcome the new family to the class.  Be sure to share their contact information with the whole class (with their permission) and be sure to add them to your class parent e-mail distribution list.

 

  1. CLASS PARTIES AND CELEBRATIONS.  Class Parents will assist the teacher with providing games and activities. Please communicate directly with your classroom teacher and grade representative around these dates (typically Halloween, Holiday, Valentine's Day, and Year-End Class parties). 

 

  1. GRADE-WIDE SPECIAL EVENTS. With guidance from the teachers, the Class Parents can also coordinate and assist with grade-specific special events such as school plays, concerts and other celebrations with the help of other parent volunteers.  Please check with your teacher for more information about these events.

 

  1. CLASS FUNDS. Class Parents are responsible for collecting money at the beginning of the year for class parties. Class funds are completely optional and at the discretion of parents. 

 

  1. TEACHER HOLIDAY, END-OF-YEAR GIFTS AND STAFF APPRECIATION.  Holiday gifts are optional and at the discretion of parents.  As a Class Parent, you will be asked for guidance on holiday gifts, which are typically given from the individual student. The PTO will coordinate Staff Appreciation and End of Year gifting to ensure all teachers, aides and administrators are included. This year, we will streamline the process and collect those funds directly towards the end of the year, instead of having the Class Parents collect and transfer those funds. 

 

Please be aware of the Rye City School District gift policy (see below) which prohibits teachers from receiving gifts of more than $75 in value per student per year. Please remind all parents that participation in the class gift is completely optional. That being said, any card with a class gift must be signed either "from the class" or from all children, regardless of whether they choose to contribute (per district policy). 

 

  1. PTO MEETINGS. The PTO requires at least one Class Parent from each class to attend the regular PTO meetings.  Please find dates on our PTO website by clicking here.



Thank you for your interest! Please feel free to email Jocelyn Kolkin (jykolkin@gmail.com) and Adrienne Sweeney (amsweeney8@gmail.com) with any questions.  

 

After Volunteers Confirmed, Next Steps: 

  • Meet and introduce yourself to your class parent partner.  
  • Select a Communication Lead Class Parent to lead all communication with the classroom teacher and the other parents.   Please send an email to the teacher introducing yourselves and requesting a meeting to go over what jobs/expectations the teacher has for the Class Parents throughout the year.  
  • Select a Finance Class Parent who will collect funds from parents and track spending throughout the year.

THE RYE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

RYE, NEW YORK

1810

GIFTS TO SCHOOL PERSONNEL

In the event an individual wishes to express appreciation or gratitude to a Rye City School Districtemployee, the District encourages and welcomes personal letters or notes as the preferred form of such expression of appreciation. Sending a copy of such a letter or note to Central Administration is also welcomed and encouraged. This policy does not prohibit students from presenting token and inexpensive gifts, i.e., the proverbial “apple for the teacher,” to faculty, staff, administrators or coaches. However, please note that School District employees are prohibited by state law from accepting any gift having a value of $75 or more, per student per year. Any gift from a group (e.g., a class, class section,team, club, or any other activity group) must be made in the name of the group as a whole or in the names of all members of the group, regardless of, and without any delineation concerning, who within the group actually contributed or how much. Donations in honor of a School District employee may be made directly to the District (see District policy 1800 for guidelines concerning gifts to the District) as well as to the Rye Education Fund, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation. In accordance with the commitment of the School District and the School District’s employees to adhere to the highest ethical standards in education, School District employees are prohibited from accepting any gift, regardless of value, if the gift is intended or it could be inferred that the gift is intended to influence or reward the employee in the performance of his or her official duties.

References: Rye City School District Board of Education Policy 1800 and 2160 NYS, Article 18 of the General Municipal Laws, Section 805-a (1)(a) Adoption Date: June 26, 2012 Effective Date: July 1, 2012