What is the Parents' Organization?

The Parents' Organization exists to promote activities to raise funds and encourage volunteers for the immediate improvement of the classrooms and campuses and to provide educational and friend-making programs for the families at School of the Woods. Each parent is automatically a member of the Parents' Organization and each has the right to attend meetings and participate in the decisions of the Parents' Organization.

The Parents' Organization does not impose a membership fee. It funds its activities with donations from the parents and with admission fees for selected events.

The Parents' Organization has five main goals, as set forth in its written Mission Statement.

The Parents' Organization accomplishes these goals through social events, fundraisers, educational presentations and volunteer participation at the school. Officers, committee chairs and other interested members meet on the first Wednesday morning / evening of each month at the Wirt Road campus to plan and organize these activities. The meetings are open to all parents.

Each of the five main goals of the organization is listed below, along with a list of typical annual activities:

1. Support Teachers & Classes
   • Classroom representatives support class parties, field trips and school-wide social events, including organizing parents to garden, drive, serve as parent listeners, cook in class, pet-sit, donate materials for auction baskets, donate food & paper goods, and staff booths at the Chili Cook-off and Spring Picnic
   • Provides monthly birthday cakes, gifts to teachers for birthdays & winter holidays and lunch for conference days and in-service workdays
   
   
2. Provide Educational Programs
   • Hosts Montessori Education Programs,such as, the Montessori Journey and the 4-Part Strand on Montessori Education, with the teaching staff
   • Arranges for speakers to discuss contemporary educational or parenting topics and how they are revelant to the curriculum at School of the Woods
   
   
3. Promote Social Interaction
   • Hosts the September Welcome Coffee
   • Sponsors the Back-to-School Social for Adults
   • Organizes the Chili Cookoff
   • Organizes the Spring Picnic
   • Hosts the May Thank You Breakfast
   
   
4. Aid in Immediate Improvements to the School
   • Donates to all classrooms to support seasonal activities &/or end of year celebrations.
   • Donates to all classrooms from Gift Wrap Fundraiser. These funds are used to purchase classroom materials.
   
   
5. Facilitate Communication
   • Organizes Parent Education events
   • Sponsors presentations by the Head of School at morning Parents' Orgainization meetings
   • Hosts two evening Parent Organization Meetings, with varied presentations
   • Contributes to the monthly newsletter
   • Provides assistance to families with personal emergencies through the Care Committee
   • Publicizes each of the above events with posters, flyers, and email announcements

School of the Woods Parents' Organization
Officers & Committee Heads 2010 - 2011

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Officers
President	Cindy Oldham
Vice-President and Parliamentarian	Kristin Wright
Treasurer	Diane Koonce-Fisher
Recording Secretary	Katherine Bodron
Corresponding Secretary	Bridget Tomlinson
Committees
Back to School Social	Janna Charlton
Care Committee	Barbara Bends
Charleston Wraps Fundraiser	Kristin Wright
Chili Cook-Off	Margie Udden
Classroom Representative Coordinator	Katherine Bodron
Flower Power	Rochelle Lootens
Hospitality   Teacher Breakfast	Jennifer Walz
Welcome & Thank You Coffees	Katherine Bodron
Newsletter	Eloise Rochelle
Spring Picnic
Staff Appreciation	Denise Welling
Parent Organization Minutes
April 2009 Minutes
October 2009 Minutes