Parents' Association: Parents' Association Leadership Job Descriptions

 

President Job Description

The primary responsibilities of the President position are to lead the Parents’ Association and serve as its liaison; preside over all PALT and PA meetings; oversee the development of a PA budget, calendar, and annual report; provide long-range planning and vision; and to ensure that all parents have the opportunity and are encouraged to be involved. The President should be committed to the mission of TES, be organized, have good communication skills and be inclusive and welcoming.

 

Leadership of the Parents’ Association

• Establish and execute goals for the year consistent with the Parents’ Association’s purpose and mission with special attention given to issues of diversity and inclusion
• Represent the Parents’ Association at events throughout the year and at monthly Board of Trustees meetings and on the BOT’s designated committees
• Work with the Secretary, Communications Coordinator, administration, development office, leadership team and school publications throughout the year, as needed, to ensure that communication is clear and systematic
• Plan and facilitate a team-building and goal-setting retreat for PALT members before the school year starts
• Lead in a positive and welcoming manner such that all parents have the opportunity and are encouraged to be involved

PALT and PA Meetings

• Facilitate monthly PALT meetings, set monthly agenda, call for votes and report on issues facing PALT or PA
• Facilitate bi-annual PA meetings, set theme and agenda for PA meetings, call for votes and report on issues facing PALT or PA

Budget, Calendar and Annual Report

• Develop and submit PA budget prior to the start of the academic year
• Manage finances throughout the year
• Work with PA Secretary to develop and communicate the calendar for all PA, PALT and committee events
• Write an annual report which summarizes the PA’s activities and accomplishments for the year

 

President-Elect Job Description

 The primary responsibilities of the President-Elect position are to oversee the fundraising components of the PA; facilitate parent education programming associated with the bi-annual PA meetings; and to learn the role and responsibilities of the PA President.

 

Fundraising

• Chair school-wide fundraising initiatives not associated with specific committees
• Oversee fundraising initiatives within the PA committees: School Spirit, Clothes Closet and Book Fair.

 Parent Education

• Develop the themes of the bi-annual PA meetings. The themes should focus on bringing valuable information associated with Trinity to our parent community.
• Oversee the work of the Parent Education Committee to ensure that topics of interest to parents are represented in the yearly samplings of offerings.
• Work with the President, Vice President and the Events Committee to ensure successful PA events.

 

Leadership of the Parents’ Association

• Perform the duties of the President if (s)he is absent.
• Attend the PALT retreat and monthly PALT meetings. Work yearlong to further Trinity’s mission and identified PALT goals.
• Plan for year as President: Learn the job, set goals, form a nominating committee to select, recruit and fill positions on the following year’s PALT, room parents and committee chairs.

 

Vice President and Vice President-Elect Job Description

 The primary responsibility of the Vice President position is to recruit, staff and manage the committees of the Parents’ Association while building community and marketing the Parents’ Association. The Vice President-Elect’s responsibilities are the same and the term is a minimum of two years – one year as VP-Elect and one year as VP. The Vice Presidents should be organized, have some computer skills and some marketing abilities and enjoy working with people.

 

Committees

• Attend the PALT retreat and then work yearlong to further Trinity’s mission and the identified PALT goals
• Work with the PALT annually to update PA committees and their roles and responsibilities
• Educate committee chairs as to their role within the Parents’ Association
• Recruit a chair for each committee; ideally, each committee would also have a co-chair for purposes of succession and continuity
• Create, distribute, publicize, process and organize a “Willingness to Serve” Form annually 
• Notify committee chairs of the “Willingness to Serve” responses
• Hold meetings for committee chairs as needed for communication and planning purposes, and to set expectations
• Communicate with each committee chair monthly and prior to the PALT meetings to make sure the committees are working properly and communicate their updates, events or needs at the monthly PALT meetings
• Encourage committee chairs to publicize their events and needs in Good News and The Trinity Voice via Communications Coordinator
• Recognize and appreciate the committee chairs throughout the year
• Facilitate smooth end-of-year transition to incoming committee chairs in spring

Community Building

• Build community through various volunteer opportunities
• Work to maintain the inclusiveness of the PALT and the PA
• Collaborate with the President, President-Elect and Events personnel to contribute to the success of all PA events

Marketing and Publicity

• Work with the Communications Coordinator and Events personnel to market and publicize all PA events with appropriate signage, mailings, invitations and sandwich board. Provide nametags for PALT meetings and major events.
• Publicize the PA (e.g., Committee Cheers column, volunteer needs) in the Good News and The Trinity Voice via Communications Coordinator.

Miscellaneous

Work with Volunteer Coordinator and Business Manager on the Child Protection Policy

Secretary Job Description

The primary responsibilities of the Secretary position are to organize, communicate and archive the business of the Parents’ Association and its leadership team as well as to maintain the PALT calendar. The Secretary should exhibit good attention to detail, be a good communicator and be very organized.

 

Parents’ Association and PALT Meetings

• Attend the PALT retreat and then work yearlong to further Trinity’s mission and the identified PALT goals
• Prepare the agenda with the PA President
• Email the agenda and minutes at least a week prior to the regularly-scheduled meetings
• Attend and take minutes at each meeting
• Distribute the minutes via email for revision by the Thursday following the meeting and then posting on the TES Web site
• Bring the previous minutes for approval if they have not been approved by email
• Maintain Secretary’s notebook with copies of minutes and any other necessary information

 

Treasurer Job Description

The primary responsibilities of the Treasurer position are to organize, communicate and archive the financial components of the Parents’ Association. The Treasurer should have some basic bookkeeping experience, exhibit good attention to detail, be a good communicator and be very organized.

 

Parents’ Association and PALT Meetings

• Attend the PALT retreat and then work yearlong to further Trinity’s mission and the identified PALT goals
• Develop a budget (including revenue) goal before the start of the academic year and submit it to the Head of School and then to PA at fall meeting
• Maintain accurate records of all income and expenses of the PALT/PA and work closely with the TES Business Manager to reconcile records
• Attend each meeting and give a report updating the financial status of the PA

 

Lower School Coordinator Job Description

Goal: Facilitate communication among PALT, classroom, parents, and administration through role in PALT, and overseeing Room Parents. Build a community of well-informed and connected families. Establish consistency for the role of Room Parent.

 

The primary responsibility of the Lower School Coordinator (K-1 and 2-5) is to serve as the liaison between the Room Parents, Parents’ Association and the administration. The coordinator should have good planning and communication skills as well as a child or children in the Lower School.

 

Liaison between Room Parents, Administration and the PA

• Deliver a Room Parents Training Session during the first full week of school
• Educate Room Parents as to their role within the Parents’ Association
• Communicate with Room Parents at least monthly and facilitate communication between Room Parents and other groups (such as Service Learning and Gardening) as necessary
• Work with Room Parents to initiate and coordinate opportunities for fellowship and community development for parents as well as involving new families (those joining mid-year)
• Oversee budget for grade events to ensure adherence
• Recognize and appreciate Room Parents throughout the year, and at year-end
• Coordinate with the administration to make sure that all events are on the master calendar
• Attend PALT retreat and then work yearlong to further Trinity’s mission and the identified PALT goals
• Work with the PALT to identify and recruit room parents in each class (choosing at least one room parent in each of K and 1st grade who has been at the school for at least one year in order to lend additional experience and guidance)
• Serve as members of the PALT and represent Room Parents at the monthly PALT meetings and bring forth their input, ideas and concerns; report pertinent information for your grade cluster at monthly PALT meetings
• Recruit periodic volunteers for PA needs including fall and spring PA events
• Conduct a mid-year meeting in January and a wrap-up meeting in May with Room Parents

 

Special Events

• Initiate and plan the following events:

                1.  Lower School Social in conjunction with other Lower School Coordinators and the PALT

                2.  End-of-School event for each grade before the last day of school

 

Middle School Coordinator Job Description

 Goal: Facilitate communication among PALT, parents and administration through role in PALT and oversight of Grade Representatives. Build a community of well-informed and connected families. Serve as parent liaison for middle school events.

The primary responsibility of the Middle School Coordinator is to serve as the liaison between the Grade Representatives, administration and the Parents’ Association. This coordinator should have good planning and communication skills, as well as a child or children in the Middle School.

 

Liaison between Grade Representatives, Administration – Cluster Coordinator and the PA

• Recruit Grade Representatives for sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade
• Communicate with Grade Representatives in order to go over their job roles and responsibilities and to prepare them to run their grade-level back-to-school events and to educate Grade Representatives as to their role within the Parents’ Association
• Communicate with Grade Representatives at least monthly and facilitate communication among Grade Representatives, parents and other groups
• Work with Grade Representatives to initiate and coordinate opportunities for fellowship and relationship development for parents 
• Recognize and appreciate Grade Representatives throughout the year
• Welcome and orient families joining mid-year via coordination with Grade Representatives
• Coordinate with the administration to make sure that all events are on the master calendar
• Attend the PALT retreat and then work yearlong to further Trinity’s mission and the identified PALT goals
• Serve as a member of the PALT and represent Grade Representatives at the monthly PALT meetings and bring forth their input, ideas and concerns
• Work as needed with the PALT to plan Wildcat Roundup
• Recruit periodic volunteers for PA needs
• Facilitate parent involvement in Graduation events
• Coordinate the used book sale with cluster coordinator, communicate to parents and organize collection and sale

Special Events

• Initiate and plan the following events:

                1.  Back-to-School event for Middle School before the first day of school (as desired)

                2.  Middle School Social

                3.  End-of-School event for Middle School before the last day of school

                4.  Graduation

                5. Baccalaureate (seventh-grade)

                6. Post-Commencement Reception (sixth-grade)

                7. Used Book Sale

 

Communications Coordinator Job Description

 The primary responsibilities of the Communications Coordinator are to coordinate with the President and PALT members to craft communications to parent community in a consistent voice, provide publicity for school events and programs and interface with the Advancement and Communications Department. The Communications Coordinator should be a good spoken and written communicator, and have some knowledge of computers and marketing. 

 

Parents’ Association and PALT Meetings

• Attend the PALT retreat and monthly PALT meetings; work yearlong to further Trinity’s mission and the identified PA and PALT goals via communication to parents
• Be “eyes and ears” in the Trinity community, looking for what can be shared to better inform parents

Communications

• Periodically review Web site to ensure that PA information is up-to-date and worded such that it furthers Trinity’s mission and PA and PALT goals
• Serve on future school committees (such as “Forms Committee”) as PA representative to give feedback on information flowing to parents
• Identify channels for communication to parents, strategizing on most effective method for each segment (example, Middle School)
• Create highlights from PALT minutes to feature in Good News with link to minutes on Web site
• Work with Advancement and Communications Office to ensure that PA event dates are featured in the Good News sidebar
• Work with Communications Department to determine when Parents’ Association events and messages are sent using AlertNow.
• Serve as resource for PA President and Grade Level Coordinators to provide written communications for Room Parents or parents as needed

Publicity and Marketing

• Handle publicity for PA committees as needed
• Work with PA Vice Presidents to market volunteer opportunities through Willingness to Serve Form, “Committee Cheers” (Committee thank you in Good News at year end), and requests for volunteers in Good News
• Maintain an up-to-date master calendar as provided by the Advancement and Communications Department

 

 

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