Guidelines for Head Room Parents (2020-2021)

Thank you so much for volunteering to be a Head Room Parent!!!  Please make sure to
 

As a classroom parent volunteer, complete both your Background Check form and the district’s Chaperone Training prior
to volunteering in the classroom if you haven’t previously done so. You can reach out to
the secretary in the office for assistance with this.

Please contact your teacher directly to determine what needs or preferences they have
for your involvement throughout the year. Each teacher has different needs. Overall,
you are responsible for working with the teacher and other room parent volunteers to
accomplish the following:

 Yearbook Pictures – The room parents are responsible for following up with the
parents in the class to solicit pictures for the year book. Pictures can be from any school
events such as field trips or parties. There will be a portal through Lifetouch that you
will simply have parents upload the pictures to. This is a job that can be completely
delegated by communicating to the other parents in the class. We certainly need to
have these pictures so that your child’s classroom is well represented in the Yearbook!
Feel free to utilize the pictures posted on Seesaw and DoJo which often capture the kids
throughout the year and can be downloaded and uploaded to the Lifetouch portal.
 

Class Parties - Each Class will have a Halloween and Christmas Party this year.Party Organization – Each class will have a Halloween and Christmas Party this year.

- Money – You are allotted $50.00 for this year’s parties from the PTO. The 

Reimbursement form can be downloaded from HERE.
Generally, most of the money will be spent on the party crafts, as other parents
are more likely to help out by bringing in snacks and games. Normally, parents
are happy to send in food and party supplies without needing reimbursement.
For tax purposes, the PTO Treasurer has requested that you be reimbursed for
party purchases after she receives your party receipts. Please contact Shanna Novosel,
PTO Treasurer, at FTIS.JESPTO@gmail.com You may be able to submit a
receipt via email if the picture is clear and shows top to bottom.

- Make sure to ask the other parents to help with the pre-party preparations and
for volunteers the day of the party. Work with your teacher to determine the
day and time, and if they have specific ideas or requests for the parties. Parties
usually last around one hour and consist of stations. You can plan the activities
yourself or delegate the stations to other parent volunteers for their creative
ideas.

- Snacks – To save money, it is helpful to ask for other parents to bring the
snacks. Don’t forget paper goods as well. The PTO will not be providing
these this year. Please be sure to ask the teacher if there are any specific
allergies in the classroom!

​

- Games – Prepare for a fun age-appropriate activity or game for the
children. It is a good idea to have back-up games or activities (coloring
sheets, bingo, etc.) because the games usually go quicker than expected.

- Crafts – The children enjoy making seasonal keepsake items they can
take home to their families. Some great places to look for ideas include
familyfun.com, Pinterest and Oriental Trading.

 
Teacher Gifts – Although, not a requirement at Johnson, Head Room Parents typically
ask other class parents if they would like to donate towards teacher gifts (Christmas and
End of Year).  Because these gifts are solely voluntary, do not put a monetary value
expectation. Do not track who donates or specify dollar amounts given, and sign the
card from the class as a whole. Do not use the party money to purchase the teacher’s
gift. Do not give alcohol as a teacher gift because it not permitted on school grounds.
Please keep in mind that some children may give their own gifts and/or may choose to
not make a donation. Teachers usually love gift cards.

Hullabaloo Baskets – Work with the Hullaballoo auction chairs to pick a great theme
for your classroom basket for the silent auction and to coordinate due dates. The chairs
will provide you with a sample letter to request donations. Email the other class parents
for themed basket donations or money that you can use to buy items for the basket.
Make sure to include an itemized list of basket components when you submit the
completed basket to the Hullabaloo auction chairs.

 
Thank you so much for volunteering!!!  Please make sure to call on the other parent
volunteers to make this a successful year. You do not have to do all this alone. Parents
like you really do make a difference, and we greatly appreciate all you do to make
Johnson a wonderful place to learn and grow!

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me (Monica Menninger) at
menninger.monica@gmail.com

Monica Menninger
Johnson PTO President