I've been trying to find a way for me to make a difference in my children's school. When they were in preschool I served on the Board of Directors and put my hours in that way. But I was having trouble figuring out my place in the elementary school.

I can't volunteer in the classrooms because my 2 year old is with me all the time. I do help with parties, but that is so minor. I wanted to find something more. I attended a Parents Club meeting, but I was not impressed. There were three people there all dividing the work between themselves with no thought given as to how to recruit new members. Definitely not the kind of thing I want to get involved in! The thought of joining the school board didn't feel right either.

Well, I finally found what I have been looking for. I joined a foundation which raises money for things in the school that the state does not provide funding for (primarily music, art and library). The other night we had a meeting and the principal informed us that we are in jeopardy of losing our music program for next year. We have been discussing how to allocate funds, so we were able to commit to funding the music for the classrooms next year. (The orchestra is still in jeopardy, but we have other hopes on ways to save that). It felt great to be able to lift that weight off his shoulders.

Anyway, my long-windedness is because I am curious where the rest of you have found your places in your child's school. Do you volunteer in the classes or library? Are you on the PTA? I have a feeling some of you probably contribute in ways I never even thought about! I'd love to hear about what you do or have done in the past!

By Karen55 on Thursday, February 27, 2003 - 10:50 am:

Melanie, first of all, I'd like to say that I think what you are doing is invaluable to the school and the kids. Those are programs which the kids desperately need, and IMO, cutting them really hurts the kids. We've had similar issues in our area in the last couple of years.

I've always had to work full time, with the exception of one precious year, when Jeff was in 1st grade and Jen was in K. I volunteered in the classrooms, not only for my kids' teachers, but occasionally for other teachers who didn't have any parent volunteers. I did cafeteria duty (hated that! LOL) and playground duty. I also chaperoned field trips. I went to school board meetings regularly when my kids were younger, and I was even instrumental in getting a couple of minor changes through, just because I was the *squeaky wheel*. Obviously, when I had to go back to work, I wasn't able to do all of this.
The one thing I did in Jen's K class, that meant the most to me, was help with the reading program. I took the kids individually and worked with them learning to read. That year, for some reason which is still not clear to me, the school system switched from phonics to whole language. My kids had been taught phonics from day one, at home and in preschool and that's what they saw on Sesame Street, etc. Whole language was a different concept and it was left up to the teacher as to how much she would incorporate phonics into the whole language approach. I've always been a firm believer in teaching phonics and I think I made a difference in at least some of these kids progress in learning to read. The one thing I did that year that I absolutely loved, was once at midyear, and once at the end of the year, I taped each child *reading* a story book. The tapes went home to the parents at the end of the school year. It was so amazing to me to hear the difference those few months made in how much the kids had learned. Granted, it was just Kindergarten, and much of the book, I'm sure was just memory. But by the end of that school year, they had a grasp on phonics and whole language and were well on their way to reading well. I still have the tape of Jen reading "Brown Bear". :-)

By Trina on Thursday, February 27, 2003 - 11:41 am:

GOOD for you for finding your niche!

I'm fairly active at DS's elementary school, and will be more so next year when both DS and DD are there. I'm a Room Parent and volunteer in DS's class and the school library on a regular weekly basis. I also do Lunch Bunch, which is lunch room duty, and love it! Oh, I can't forget being the "Guest Reader" once a month. Most of it I do while DD is in preschool MWF mornings, but DD tags along for some things and does fine. I chaperone all field trips and help out at all the school fairs and special functions. Last year I led a nature hike which celebrated Earth Day. I've helped the Art teacher prepare for an Art show, and many other misc. things. As a former teacher I'm comfortable in the school setting and LOVE being with the kids. I'm a PTO member, and do help out, but I hate attending the meetings. They're boring and too political for me! LOL! I love being in the classroom working with the kids. I think it's even more fun now as a parent because I don't have the responsibilities of a teacher.

By Jann on Thursday, February 27, 2003 - 12:09 pm:

Have always been pretty active in our elementary school - room mother, worked in classroom or library, served on the PTA in various capacities. It's a little harder in middle school and high school. I work on alot of the Parent's or Booster club committees.

By Marymary on Thursday, February 27, 2003 - 03:34 pm:

I am active in our schools SCA (School Community Association)which is responsible for raising and distributing the funds raised aas best as we can with input from the students & parents...at this very moment I am trying to gather support to have our school grounds looked at by the Board of Education and the Health Board...I believe that since we are a rural school we get very little attention, actually none unless we make a loud noise...which is exactly what we are planning to do on this issue (our Principal is a wimp) and we have to go above and beyond to get any action, I also help create and publish our schools yearbook and am at present the Co-webmaster for the schools website which we just launched in Dec. I help with fundraising and whenever I can I accompany the kids on their field trips. Ask the tecahers if there any special class projects coming up that you would be able to help with...sometimes it just takes a couple of the parents in a class to brainstorm and come up with a really good idea....we also plan the "end of school year party" for my DD's class, that's a combination of the efforts of 3 mothers...and the helping hands of many...good luck, glad to see you want to be involved...before we know it they will grown and gone....shhhhh...I shouldn't say that!~

By Kaye on Thursday, February 27, 2003 - 03:57 pm:

I have three kids, so I try to find something I can do for each of them. For my 4 year old, I am his room mom. This means I plan the parties and the volunteers. I make sure that once a week our teacher has a parent volunteer. For my 1st grader I am the publishing mom. 3 times a year all of the kids write/illustrate/ and publish a book. So I type, make cover, sew etc 75 books a year. I have done this for the past 3 years in one of the kids classes. Then for my 3rd grader I grade papers. I go into the classroom twice a month and just grade grade grade. This is just where her teacher really needed help. I have helped before with PTO, it was okay. Last year I was the official tester for my daughters teacher. I have a special ed degree so I am good at administering testing for reading levels etc. So I went in about once a month and tested for 3 hours. It let her spend more time direct teaching, since I could pull kids in the hall. I thought I might miss having my own classroom, but now I see that I get to do the stuff I like this way!

By Melanie on Thursday, February 27, 2003 - 06:11 pm:

Thank you for your responses!! It's fun to see all the different ways to get involved. I am looking forward to doing more of these hands-on kinds of things when Peyton is a bit older!

Karen, I think I may have to get out the video recorder and tape the boys reading! I love that! Thanks for the idea!!

By Melissa on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 05:15 am:

Lexi goes to private school so they have A LOT of field trips,I always go on those and If I can't due to work, Dh goes. I also go to all the parties to help out and they are always having a sign up sheet wanting something brought in so we do that. I didn't sign up for the fund raising group or anything like that b/c they meet at night and that is hard for us.

By Bubbels on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 09:05 am:

At my DK's elementary school, I have been room mom and brownie troop leader, and a friend and I are co-captains for one of the booths at the school fair every year. Throughout the year there are several holiday-related classroom art activities when a few parents are asked to help, and I usually volunteer for these. I have volunteered on picture day to collect the students' envelopes and help them get ready to take their school pic or Santa pic. I also assist our boy scout den leader when he needs help. I volunteer when the room moms ask for help filling the holiday goody bags or in any other way needed. I also work "lunch duty" once a month. My DK's love this. I help the students to open things in the lunches they brought from home, give them permission to go the bathroom, gather them to return to the classroom to put their things away, and then bring them out onto the playground for recess and supervise them while they play. This gives the teachers a nice rest, and they're able to enjoy their own lunch. And I usually try to attend every field trip when parents are allowed to chaperone.

I think it truly helps your child's motivation to do well when they see their parent actively involved in their school. I know it has helped me TREMENDOUSLY to get to know all of the parents in my DKs' classes, and I've made alot of friends I otherwise never would have made!

By Mommyathome on Saturday, March 1, 2003 - 12:16 am:

My oldest is only in preschool but I'm a little sad about her going to kindergarten because I proabably won't be able to help much in her class. I have a 3 yr old and a baby that will be with me all day. I've always wanted to be a room mom or go to help with reading and math etc. Hopefully I can find someway to help!

We live in a VERY small community, and they just made it mandatory for all mother helpers to get background checks before they can help in class. This has turned a lot of parents away that think it's ridiculous or that just don't want to take the time to do the fingerprinting etc. I guess there was some incident that prompted this. Which is fine w/me...better safe than sorry. Hopefully I can find away to help when my DD goes to school. You all have great suggestions!

By Babysitbarb on Saturday, March 1, 2003 - 03:59 pm:

I have been a room mother since my eight grader was in kindergarten. I'm the head room mom for my fourth grader and have been off and on over the years. I help out with as much as I can. I usually go on the field trips and so does my husband now and then. I help at the carnival and anything that is needed of me when I can. I run a daycare out of my home so I can't always help with everything. I'm on a parent commity with the Jr-high school and we do all kinds of things to help out at the school. I don't seem to have as much time to help there but, I help do the planning.I use to be very involved with the PTO but not as much since my girls are older.