Job Description

The role of room parent is vital in organizing various activities and classroom obligations throughout the year. As a room parent, you also act as the communications liaison between the classroom teacher and the parents. The SFX Staff and FSA truly appreciate your commitment to the students, the teachers and the school.

Room Parent Meeting

In the first few weeks of the school year, meetings at the Main Campus and the East Campus are set up for Room Parents.  Please refer to the school calendar for dates and times.

Getting Started

The teachers and the room parents from the grade level must meet together. This helps to keep the activities and snacks consistent across the grade level. At this meeting you should:

• Discuss with the teachers the special events that will be occurring throughout the year that need volunteers: parties, field trips, special projects, end of the year picnics.
• Clarify the dates, times, and lengths of the parties.
• Determine the dates, times, and number of chaperones needed for field trips.
• It is best to solicit alternate chaperones for each field trip in the event a chaperone is ill on the date of the trip.
• Please note that it is not the room parents’ responsibility to reserve buses for the field trips.
• Verify the accuracy of the class list and inform an FSA member of any changes.
• Check for food allergies in your classroom.
• Other events that need volunteers are Holy Thursday (one volunteer per classroom provides white grape juice), Graduation Dinner (7th grade room parents only), Auction Items (parents needed to help students make a classroom project for the auction), Teacher Appreciation Day (two parents per classroom needed to chaperone the class during the lunch hour while the teachers enjoy lunch together in Joyce Hall), Class Photographer (one parent responsible for taking pictures during special events and submitting them to the yearbook committee).

After the meeting is complete please create a volunteer form that will be sent to your classroom parents listing the special events in the classroom and requesting assistance.

Helpful Reminders:

• Please inform parents that due to safety concerns, younger siblings are not allowed to attend the classroom parties.
• Remind parents that all volunteers who are going to be in contact with children in the classroom or on field trips must have completed all four steps in “Protecting God’s Children” before the event for which they have volunteered.
• Room parents send out two documents in the beginning of the year.  One is to solicit volunteers for parties and field trips.  The other is to assign paper goods and treats for classroom parties.
• Please have the teacher approve your classroom letter BEFORE it is sent out.

(click here for sample classroom volunteer letter)

After you have collected all your volunteers, please notify parents of their final assignments. Please have the teacher approve your classroom letter BEFORE it is sent out.

Class Parties

Grades 5 – 8: Parties only at Christmas

Grade 4: Parties to celebrate Christmas and Valentine’s Day

PS – Grade 3: Parties to celebrate Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day

• Each Room Parent must coordinate with the homeroom teacher.
• Teachers have final approval of games, treats, etc. (Party Parents need to check with the teacher one week before party).

Please remember that the teachers know what is allowable in a school setting. First rule of thumb is the safety of the children. Oftentimes, what is OK in a private (home) setting should not be done in a school (i.e. wrapping children in TP at Halloween; in case of a fire or disaster, children should not be put at risk).

Calling Tree

You will need to submit to FSA a calling tree for your class. This involves only the OLDEST & ONLY children in the classroom and will be used for various reasons during the school year, including emergency closings. Please refer to the following documents:

Calling Tree From to be completed by Room Parents

Room Parent Calling Tree Responsibilities

East Campus Calling Tree Procedure

General Policies

As in the past, the FSA Board will solicit family donations for the staff gift fund in May. This program is a favorite of parents who wish to express their gratitude to the entire SFX school staff. St. Francis Xavier School’s Administration does not allow room parents to solicit money from students/parents to purchase gifts anytime during the year.

On Teacher’s Appreciation Day in January, teachers receive a gift certificate provided on behalf of the SFX families (and purchased by FSA) and the school provides a very nice, catered lunch. As mentioned above, we are not permitted to solicit for contributions of funds or gifts. In the past, some classes have also honored their teacher with gifts coordinated by the room parent. Because of the inconsistency, we will no longer have “gifts” coordinated and provided on a class by class basis.

The FSA Board does not have a specific budget for room parent expenses. However, we understand that there may be events where reimbursements are appropriate. Please contact the FSA Treasurer prior to your purchases to discuss any expenses you are contemplating to determine if FSA can accommodate your request. There is a form that must be completed prior to reimbursement. (click here for reimbursement form)

Committees to Keep Updated

There several committees that you may want to contact during the year. Please consult the school directory for the committee chairs for further assistance.

• Yearbook - Collect pictures of classroom activities and submit via Yearbook link.
• Sunshine - Notify a chairperson of any seriously ill child.
• Host Families - New families are assigned a personal contact, which is a family who has been in the school for a few years and are to answer basic, procedural questions.