Hello!

Hello Room Parents, 

I have nothing new to report to you today. I think we are all on track. I'm checking into a few things for a few of you still and waiting to hear back from Mr. Smith on those as well as snack. Thanks so much for all your ongoing efforts. 

I will be in touch about raffle basket boxes in the classrooms as well. I happened to have a box so I'm doing one for my class this week. If you have one on hand. Wrap it with wrapping paper and affix a sign for parents to drop items off there. 

Talk to you all soon. 

Latrice

Weekly email

Hello everyone! 

I think we're all getting a good handle on prepping for the first party. We had our second grade meeting and it was great to hear everyones ideas, talk it all through, then divide up buying items. A reminder to all Grade level coordinator: Please keep track of spending! Especially since each room parent probably has something to buy. You will submit your receipts once you've purchased your items. The budget is $2 per student per party. The reason I'm saying keep track is if you're purchasing as a grade level, then in the end when it comes to raffle baskets you'll want to know what's left over to divide up between each class. That money you can use towards your classrooms basket. 

Example:

four second grade classrooms (119 students total)

We spend $1.50 per student per party- $535.50 

Budget was $2.00 per student per party- $714.00

Left over- $ 178.50

amount per class towards raffle basket-$44.63

to me $44.63 is a lot! I could possible get three things for my basket with that. Do we all get that? 

Attached is the new expense form. Please use it to submit to the treasurer. If you've already used the old form it's ok. 

Snack: Being finalized this week. Mr. Smith will give us the ok and I'll let you all know what it is. I have had a few parents asking about the water situation. We advice against purchasing bottles on your own for your class. We would like to keep this consistent throughout the school. Also a pitcher with open cups is not going to work either. Teachers don't want open drinks of any kind in the classrooms. We will be sure to note in the school email as well as tell teachers to let parents know in their emails that the kids can bring covered water bottles on party days. The water fountains are also available. I promise you the parties are going to be so fun that they won't think about water. 

If you can please forward me your party agendas ASAP so we can double check activities and game choices with grade level head teachers. 

Thanks so much! 

Latrice Murphy

630-303-2373

Emails and class lists

Hello Room Parents, 

Just a quick email to talk about getting students names and emails of parents. I think a few may have taken the information in the wrong way. Teachers really aren't supposed to share this info. There are families that just don't want their information shared.  They also will not give you a class list with first and last names due to privacy and it being personal information. That's why students go by numbers in the classroom. 

If you need information passed on to parents please let your teacher know and either email them the info to attach to an email they will send or print it out, make copies and have it sent through backpack mail. the only emails you should have are those of parents who have signed up to be party volunteers. You do not need students names to plan the parties. 

If you have any further questions are concerns about this please email me or call me. 

Thanks

Latrice Murphy

630-303-2373

Monday Email

Hello all! I hope your Monday is going well. 

I've been getting quite a few emails about forms going out through backpack mail asking for party volunteers. I hope parents are getting back to you. Lots of our new parents from Nancy young don't know that we hold a Winter party instead of a Fall party so please contact those parents on your list that I gave you and let them know that they are in fact on the volunteer list, but the first party isn't until December 20th. Also some parents feel like they are doing double the work since they've received the sign up sheet again and have already signed up. If at all possible please only send forms to parents that haven't signed up. You may need to ask your classroom teacher for a class list with the students numbers and do that part ahead of time. I know it's easier to send to everyone, but parents seem a little concerned about that. 

Do we all have our introduction letters out to the class? If not you need to do that this week either through backpack mail and introduce yourselves or attach it to an email to your classroom teacher and have them forward it to the parents. Let me know if you need to Word Document for that introduction letter again. 

Have Grade level coordinators set up their first party planning meeting? I have only heard from first grade and gotten a few emails wondering who the grade level coordinators are and when you would be meeting. Please email your grades room parents to set up a date and time and let me know when that will be as well. 

Attached to Monday's email you will find the raffle basket list just in case you need it again and also the raffle basket letter that you can modify to send out to your classroom. Please change it accordingly and take advantage of knowing what you need early. I suggest making a short list of possible items they can donate and be sure to let them know that this is the only time we ask for parent donations. You can also let them know that there will be a box in each classroom that they can drop donations off in.  They can also donate money and have you do all the shopping. I find that the best route to go. 

Thanks for all that you do! 

Latrice

Welcome!

Hello there Room Parents! I'm excited to start this new idea with the blog. This will be a way for us to share ideas through comments, find ideas for parties and more. You'll notice a list of pages along the side bar (K-5) Under those tabs is where I will continuously post party ideas, links and messages specific to your grade.

If you haven't already done so please make sure you have signed and returned your volunteer pledge to the office. Mrs. Dorsey will place it in the PTA filing cabinet for the year. You only have to fill this out once and you're good to volunteer at other events or areas for the school. Your parent volunteer will need to fill this out as well so as soon as they are up on the school website they will be able to print it out and return it to school through backpack mail.

Also if you have not gotten a Room parent orientation packet from me for some reason please let me know in the comments and I'll send that through backpack to you. Make sure to leave your name, classroom and child's name for me.

Next week I'll begin to load those pages with links and party ideas for you. Hopefully this will ease the stress of the planning part and make it a bit more fun.

Grade Level coordinators please let me know when you have reached out to your grade room parents and what time you've all decided on for your first meeting. I will try to attend if possible. I love to see what everyone is planning and will be there to answer any questions if you need me to.

Thanks again for all the help and for volunteering. It's going to be fun!

Latrice