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CLASS PARENTS

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Class parents are an integral part in helping our school function more effectively by ensuring that every family is aware of all goings-on at P.S. 116, from important academic information to class parties to school-wide community events.  We thank you for volunteering your time and resources. 

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The primary goal of class parents is to make sure every family is connected to the P.S. 116 community. The role of the class parent is to support and build community within the classroom, as well as to serve as a communication liaison between the classroom families, the classroom teacher, the Parent and Teacher Association (PTA) and the School Leadership Team (SLT). Serving as a class parent is an excellent opportunity to connect to your child’s class and to be involved in both the classroom and student/family community. 

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Typical Responsibilities of the Class Parent Include:

  • Internal Class Directory: Support your classroom teacher(s) in creating an internal class directory to be used by families in the class and to be used by class parents to share information from PTA and SLT. This internal directory is separate from the P.S. 116 Directory.  All class families should be asked to provide some form of contact information for the internal directory. If you have a non-English speaking family, let Parent Coordinator Vicky Ritter know, as translation services may be available.

  • PTA Meetings: Class parents should attend every PTA meeting to stay informed on school/grade/class happenings so that they can relay such information to class families.

  • PTA and SLT communications: Forward emails from the PTA and SLT representatives to your class families to keep them informed.

  • Classroom Events: Class parents will need to coordinate with the classroom teacher(s) to determine the need for specific in-classroom activities and/or communications, including:

    • Assisting with classroom curriculum-driven events and parties, such as publishing celebrations (e.g. coordinating food); and holiday celebrations

    • Publicizing/assisting with grade specific projects, events, and trips; such as class trips and special PTA driven projects

 

How to Handle Money:

  • Please be aware that the solicitation or collection of any class dues or suggested donations is strictly prohibited. Monetary collections for specific items and/or events such as class trips, parties, or a teacher gift, must be collected at that time.

  • Please read the NYC Department of Education Gift-Giving Guidelines (Chancellor’s Regulation C-110) It is important that we do not put our teachers in a compromised situation by gifting them more than they are allowed to receive: “Regarding holiday and end-of-the year gifts, the NYC DOE’s Conflict of Interest guidelines is as follows:  If contributions are collected from an entire class to put toward a gift, the names of all children must be acknowledged in an accompanying card, whether or not the family contributed; additionally, no family may be made to feel excluded because they chose not to participate.  Finally, parents/guardians may not be asked to contribute more than a small amount of money toward a class gift (up to $10).”

 

Need Help?

 

If you have any questions, please contact your PTA liaison:

Grades PK-1: Kristen Donnino, Parent-at-Large  

Grades 2-5:  Chriscelyn Tussy, Parent-at-Large

 

Or you may also direct any questions about the role and expectations of class parents to Parent Coordinator, Vicky Ritter, vritter@ps116.org.

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Hello Everyone -

 

As the holiday season approaches, it's a great time to remind everyone of the policies around gift giving:

  • Class parents are able to organize a collection for holiday gifts up to $10 per family per teacher.  As a class parent, you may ask families for more than $10 if you are providing gifts for more than 1 teacher (e.g. Some classes have 2 teachers, Some have a TA; Some classes choose to give to Specialty Teachers, etc.)

  • Any group gift must be from the entire class, regardless of who contributed.  Parents are not required to participate and it should be made clear that donations are optional. 

  • When seeking donations, class parents are advised to share a list of teachers and amounts with all parents in your class, as well as the amounts you plan to give, so it is clear to all parents where their contributions are going.  

  • NOTE:  It may be helpful for you to know that if you are interested in getting gift cards, you may purchase then without fees at your bank, Amazon and stores (e.g., Starbucks, Target etc.

As a reference, here's the DOE Chancellor's guidelines on gift giving and here's the PS 116 Class Parents page with additional context.

 

Thank you so much!

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