In a message dated 01/19/2004 1:05:10 PM Eastern Standard Time,
eheisey@columbus.rr.com writes:
Does anyone have parent volunteers to work with? We have a new
organization with over 100 interested parents (k-12). However the
leadership is failing due to family problems. I suggested an online
discussion much like what we have here, emailing each other as a group
in the suggestions of projects as well as opportunities to serve and
scheduling of such. Does anyone already do this?
The group of parent volunteers I used to have in my former school was
invaluable to me. What I want to share with you how I developed it to be successful
and the name I gave the group: APART. This stood for A Parent in ART. We
didn't share online but what worked for me was asking two of the very involved
parents to schedule the help. I delegated all the responsibility to them for
organizing the others-a total of 92 parents. It was they who contacted me
weekly for a list of the classes in which I needed parental help and when I needed
mounting, prep, and bulletin boards done by the parents. Then, they would
contact those on the APART committee.
At the end of the year I would thank everyone who helped with a thank you
note and an invitation. What the paents looked forward to was the APART
Breakfast to which I would invite them. I cooked everything myself, including fresh
crepes and omletes, made to order, and crossants and desserts. Of course,
having once owned a catering business and loving cooking and baking
helped...LOL..but, my point is everyone likes a nice thank you and recognition. This, in
some way, helped the cause and made the involvement like a club for the parents.
Hope this helps.
Susan on Long Island
