Parent Organization

 Mission

The St. Richard's School Parent's Organization is a nonprofit, unincorporated association that has the following purposes:

• To engage in activities intended to support faculty, staff, and parents in their efforts to provide an excellent school experience that fosters the intellectual, moral, and personal development of all St. Richard's students.
• To sponsor events that bring together members of the St. Richard's community for social and informative purposes.
  
• To facilitate communication between all members of the greater St. Richard's community.
  
• To provide a forum for discussion of common problems and concerns faced by parents of school-age children.
  
• To conduct and assist in fundraising activities to the exclusive benefit of St. Richard's School.
  Officers.

2009- 2010 Executive Board

The management of the St. Richard's School Parent Organization is vested in the Executive Board; this is composed of all the officers. The Head of School of the school and a faculty representative are ex-officio members of the Executive Board, with privilege of the floor but not a vote.

Funding

A small annual fee is collected from each family.  The fee is included in the tuition assessment.  The Parent Organization also benefits from programs it sponsors, including used uniform and sportswear sales. 

 All-Parent Meetings

The St. Richard's School Parent Organization has three general meetings in a typical school year.  In the 2009-2010 school year, the PO's general meetings will occur on the following dates in the Fortune Room:

• Monday, September 14, 2009
• Wednesday , January 27, 2010
• Monday, March 15, 2010

Executive Board Meetings

The Executive Board meets monthly during the school year, and the meetings are open to any interested parent, faculty, and staff member.  In the 2009-2010 school year, the meetings will occur at 6:00 p.m. on the following dates in the Faculty Lounge of St. Richard's School ( Unless otherwise noted):

• Monday, August 10, 2009
• Monday , September 14, 2009
• Monday, October 12, 2009
• Monday, November 9, 2009
• Monday, January 11, 2010
• Monday, February 8, 2010
• Monday, March 8, 2010
• Monday, April 12, 2010
• Monday, May 10, 2010
     

PO and the Board of Trustees

The PO is a separate entity for the St. Richard's Board of Trustees, which is a policy-making body; however, the president of the PO is an ex-officio member of the Board of Trustees.

Burns Award

The highest honor of the St. Richard's Parent Organization is the Burns Award, which is presented annually in recognition of outstanding service to the school or PO by a volunteer parent. Requests for nominations are promoted using the Day by Day and Friday Folder inserts. The winner is named at the annual school Awards Day ceremonies .

Volunteer Opportunities

The Parent Organization helps the school in many ways.  The PO sponsors events that bring members of the St. Richard's community together for social and informative purposes.  We host fun events for students and participate in fundraising efforts.  Money raised by the parent organization is used to support PO-hosted events and is awarded to teachers and staff through the PO Grant Program.  The activities sponsored by the PO require support from our member parents.  There are a variety of roles that volunteers may play at the school, including assisting with PO sponsored activities.  If you are interested in volunteering or learning more about volunteer opportunities, please contact the president, program secretary or the at-large representatives.  Information about volunteer opportunities will also be made available through the school website and at PO meetings and events.  We welcome and value your participation.

Room Parents:  Many parents volunteer their time as room parents.  The job of a room parent is to assist the classroom teacher.  Teachers all use the assistance of room parents differently, and an interested parent should talk directly with a teacher about their needs before signing up.  Room parents also serve as a conduit of information between the PO and parents.

The PO sponsors many activities during the school year.  These may include:

Fete:  This annual school carnival features games, prizes, food and fun.  All members of the school community are welcome.  The Fete is held in the winter months, when the chance for some indoor fun is most needed.  While the upper school students are engaged in running many of the Fete games, the aid of many parent volunteers is required to present this event.

Teacher Appreciation :
The PO works to let our teachers and staff know how much we appreciate the work they do with our children.  Some of these events include Gift of Time, Holiday luncheon, and Teacher Appreciation Week (held during National Teacher Appreciation Week during the first week of May each year.)

Honors Breakfasts:  Three times a year, the PO sponsors a breakfast for students who obtain honors or high honors during the prior grading term.  Parents and special friends are invited to attend these gatherings.  Students who attain honors will receive an invitation to the breakfasts.  Volunteers help with decoration, food preparation and post-event clean-up.

Back-to-School Social : The back-to-school ice cream social is the traditional kick-off event for the year.  Ice-cream and other treats are provided free of charge.  Students and parents have the chance to reconnect with friends.  Parents can finish their preparations for school by purchasing used uniforms, gym uniforms and school ties.  Handbooks and car tags are also passed out at the event.  Parents may also sign up for volunteer opportunities and learn about after-school activities for their children.

Sock Hop:  This social event is aimed at lower school and early childhood students.  While children enjoy the fun and games, parents can gather in the mix of the gym or in a quieter location outside the gym. 

Teacher Grants:  The PO provides two opportunities a year for teachers and school staff members to apply for grants that will be used to cover items not included in the budget.  These items may include classroom materials, such as books, globes or specialized AV equipment.  Teachers may also use the grants to cover special field trips or bring in speakers or performers tied to classroom curriculum.

 Constitution and By-Laws (.pdf)