Room Parent Corner

Mont’Kiara International School Parent Association

Position: Elementary School Class Parent (Room Parent)

Purpose/Summary:

As Class Parent, you play a vital role in coordinating your class needs and promoting a positive, collaborative and supportive relationship between the school and parent community. We appreciate you giving of your time and talents to support your classroom teacher when requested, and to make the parents in your class feel part of and encourage them to be active in, our school community.

Roles and Responsibilities

·       Welcome new families in the class and attend newcomer coffee mornings as relevant

·       Work with teacher to create and maintain a current class list

·       Organize class social functions

·       Organize collection and administer the class kitty (fund) or identify a class treasurer

·       Keep the teacher in the communication loop with all correspondence

·       Offer to help the teacher to organize classroom volunteers when needed, for field trips or other activities, especially Halloween and Fun Fair

·       Recruit parent volunteers for classroom celebrations that the teacher would like assistance with including year end class party

·       Organize gifts for your Class Teacher/Teacher’s Assistant (typically Birthdays, Christmas, Teacher Appreciation Day, End of Year)

·       Attend the ES Parent meetings as well as PA General Meetings wherever possible

·       Assist the Parent Association where requested

·       Direct parents with individual or specific concerns to the appropriate school personnel and protocols

Class Lists, Communication and Privacy of Information

You will receive a class list of names and email addresses of the family in your class from your class teacher. You can use this to generate your own list.

Privacy is an important issue with class lists. When asking for contact details, please ask for parents’ permission to include their details in the Class List. The contact details are to be treated with respect and only for the intended purpose of sending out PA-related emails for advertising PA events or functions, and sending out emails relevant to class activities or functions.

It is not to be used for the distribution of any unsolicited marketing material promoting any parent’s business or external organizations. Please ensure parents are aware of this every time you share contact information.

Please include the following disclaimer on your Class List:

ALL RECIPIENTS PLEASE NOTE: All communication from M’KIS Class Parents to individuals are strictly meant for the individuals of this Class only, and all private information including email addresses of recipients are solely for the use of individuals in the Class, for social interactions of children and parents. All emails should be sent using the BCC function for privacy and to limit the incidence of spam. Email addresses are not to be used for any marketing purposes.

If you are having trouble getting a response from some class members, then you should email a copy of the Class List in its incomplete state, keep the student’s name but remove all other information for that family. This will sometimes prompt people to respond when they realize they are not on the list. It is acceptable to follow up responses several times but if the parents do not wish information included that must be respected, simply the student’s name should remain on the list.

When you have completed the Class List, email it to your class. Please use the BCC field or create a ‘Group’ so that addresses are not visible. This helps to avoid spam and viruses.

During the school year, please stay in touch with your teacher to take note of new starters in the class. Please contact new families as soon as possible to establish yourself as the connection between them and the class. It would be appreciated if you could attend the next PA Newcomer Coffee Morning with any new parents in your class to provide support to those families. Please also update the Class List and recirculate.

Class Kitty, Social Functions and Class Celebrations

Class Kitty

Throughout the year you will require class money to purchase gifts or celebrate events such as:

-        Teacher’s & Teacher’s Assistant’s Presents (Birthdays, Christmas, Teacher Appreciation Day, Year End)

-        ES Halloween Carnival

-        Agreed class cultural celebrations

-        Year End Class Party

You should collect a lump sum at the start of the year, explaining the use of the class kitty to all but especially any new parents when you send out the request. It is suggested to ask for RM 80-100 per child.  The class contribution is not compulsory and should parents not wish to contribute that must be respected. This must remain confidential and the student must still be included in all celebrations and gift giving.

You/the class treasurer are responsible and accountable for the use of class funds for class related activities. Please make sure you have the support of your class in the decisions and keep receipts. A spreadsheet should be kept including all purchases and the RM balance, and be emailed to the parents in your class at Year End.

The function of the kitty is primarily to buy gifts for the Teacher and Teacher’s Assistants, and support select ES/class cultural celebrations, not to buy gifts for the children. As a class contribution has been made at the start of the year, most families do not then buy an individual gift for the teaching staff so it is expected that gifts will reflect the appreciation of the whole class appropriately without being exorbitant.

A rough guide of cost breakdown follows, of course this is a guide only, to be agreed with the parents in your class, and common sense should always apply:

-        Teacher’s and Teacher’s Assistant Birthday Present                       RM 100-200 each   

-        ES Halloween PA Event Cost Contribution                           RM 50

-        ES Halloween class costs (decorations/game/treats)                     RM 100-150

-        Teacher’s and Teacher’s Assistant Christmas Present         RM 100-200 each

-        Teacher Appreciation Day                                                     RM100 – 200 each

-        Teacher’s and Teacher’s Assistant End of Year Present      RM 100-200 each

-        Class cultural celebrations (assume 4-6)                              RM 50-100 each

If there are any surplus funds left at the end of the school year, after the main gifts have been purchased, then that money can be used toward food or supplies for the Class End of Year Party.

Class Social Functions

It is suggested that you arrange a social function at least once per term. These could include a coffee morning, lunch, picnic, dinner, barbeque or drinks. It is a good idea to vary the type and times of functions so that all parents can have an opportunity to attend. Social functions should be at the expense of the parents attending, and not draw on the class kitty.

Class Celebrations

Class celebrations need to be discussed by the class parent with the Class Teacher. Timing of these events will be at the discretion of the Teacher. A coffee morning early on in the school year is a good idea at which to discuss the class kitty amount and collection with parents, as well as to review the class celebration calendar and recruit volunteers for these. Volunteers for class cultural celebrations should liaise with the Teacher directly to organize these.

Children’s birthday celebrations and farewells to departing families are the responsibility of the family involved, and they should liaise with the Teacher directly. Any expenses are to be the sole responsibility of the child’s parent, class kitty funds are not to be used.

Individual or specific parent concerns

Please direct any parents who express concern regarding the functioning of the class or a child’s progress to the appropriate school personnel:

1.     All questions and concerns are to be addressed by the parent concerned to the Classroom Teacher first.

2.     Teacher and Guidance Counselor if not solved at level one, or Curriculum Coordinator if a curriculum related topic.

3.     Teacher and Principal if not solved at levels one and two.

Thank you for volunteering in this important service role, have fun and all the best!

Please feel free to contact the ES Parent Rep, Carrie Hack, with any queries or issues you may experience in your role: carriehack@gmail.com.