Class party basics...

Know that every teacher has different expectations. Some teachers will give you a party plan, laying out all the details for you. Others will await the party as anxiously as the children to see what fun you have prepared for them! ALWAYS check with the teacher FIRST.

• Fill out a Room Party Checklist below for each party to get more organized.
  
• Plan to arrive half an hour before the party is supposed to start.
  
• Make arrangements with the teacher to have the classroom available for set-up 15 minutes before the party starts.
  
• Ask all party volunteers to get there 15 minutes before the start of the party to set up, and finalize plans.
  
• Don't assume that pre-school siblings will be welcome. Check with the teacher first. It's not fair to have someone else watching your child while you work with the students.
  
• Bring everything you will need for each game and craft.
  
• Bring along a large plastic trash bag, and some paper towels for cleanup.
• When planning parties for younger children (under 10), or if you are working with a limited amount of time, think about dividing the activities into "stations". Recruit enough parents/helpers to work at each station, and divide the children into small groups. Have the party guests spend no more than 10-15 minutes at a station, then rotate.
  
• Select a couple of games, a craft, and then read an age appropriate book to the group if you're stumped for time. Always plan two or three extra games or an extra craft just in case you finish faster than you expect.
  
• Always plan to have extra snacks available so that the teacher, school principal, and parent helpers can enjoy them also. Students love to deliver those, if possible!
  
• Don't forget the camera and video camera. It's great to print out pictures for the teacher, the class or parents.
  
• Above all else, be flexible, and have fun!

Thanks to everythingelementary.com for this info!!

A room mom is...

WHAT IS A ROOM MOM?

A room mom is someone who volunteers to assist the teacher. The extent of parental involvement varies from teacher to teacher, so one year you may be very involved, and the next you may find yourself with very little work to do.
The primary purpose of a room mom is to host the classroom parties.
Most teachers also rely on parent helpers to cut, make copies, organize work folders, help with centers, assist with field trips, help on cooking days, and organize book orders.

WHAT IS A "HEAD" ROOM MOM?
She generally works directly with the teacher to organize parent volunteers and relay information to the other room mothers.
On occasion, two head room moms will be selected. One will organize the parties, and the other will organize all the other tasks.
She typically collects and disburses the money.
She recruits volunteers for specific events, and assigns the commitments for the coming school year.
She sends out two letters to parents during the first month or two of school after conferring with the teacher. The first letter should be a "Recruiting" tool, and the second letter should be a " Thanks for Committing To…" tool. This is quite possibly the most time consuming task for a head room mother, but well worth the effort.

HOW CAN I BE MOST EFFECTIVE?
Respect the teacher's wishes. Just because "Mrs. Smith did it this way last year", don't expect all teachers to be alike in their needs.
Be as organized as possible at the beginning of the school year, and you will find that all the other parents will sign up to help more, and follow through with the commitments they have made to help.
Send out recruiting and commitment letters as soon as possible. Seeing a commitment on paper is so helpful.
For each party, fill out a Room Party checklist and send one copy to each volunteer on the list two weeks prior to the party. The party "chair" can then follow up with a phone call a few days before the party. Never assume that everyone will just show up as planned!
Organize a binder or folder to gather the class list, parent list, notes from the teacher, filled-out "recruiting" forms, Room Party Checklists, and any other correspondence.
Practice your delegating skills and most of all, take the time to enjoy seeing your child in his/her classroom!

Thanks to everythingelementary.com for this info!