I think there will be a lot of ideas on this question. Here's a few more.
1. Mentor/Tutor students
2. Babysit so other parents may go on older children's field trips.
3. See if your school will allow a parent to tend their child's class, for a couple hours, so that the teacher may go to their child's awards day, field trip etc.
4. The usual provide refreshments(not just cakes) for different events, drinks/popcorn balls/carmel apples etc.
5. Work games, Face/hair paint at carnivals/festivals/help set up/order prizes, our teachers used to do all of that until last year.
6. Change the message on the school sign
7. Make Posters/costumes/cut outs/paint items at home
8. In class sort the students papers to send home, help pack back packs, etc.
9. Read to the class
10. Get to know several parents and form a group to take the children of the ones that are working events around, so they can work with piece of mind and their children can participate in the activities, instead of being left at home or brought real late after mom/dad gets home.
11. "Adopt a child" provide their snack/snack money.
12. Do a craft project with the class
13. Take pictures at events for newsletters, annual, sale ad's for the annuals.
14. Help staple the newsletter, sort into class size and distribute.
15. Help gather donations
16. Help write Thank You notes, and send.
17. Clean out toy boxes and send small toys (happy meal toys are great) to school for teachers treasure/rewards chest.
18. Send old puzzles, leftover craft items to school, puzzle pieces make great reindeer pins for Christmas gifts. Save tissue boxes, toilet and paper towel rolls and send in.
19. Video tape awards programs/spelling bees etc, let parents that don't have a video camera give you a tape, make them a copy, without charging.
20. If student or teacher is real sick or in the hospital make a class book and take to them.
21. Go into school and tell faculty and staff you appreciate them, that includes lunchroom personal and custodians, learn their names.
22. Greet other parents that you don't know with a smile and a HI!
23. First day's, if you don't have a boo hoo room, take a moment, even in the parking lot, to reassure upset parents.
24. PTO Officers make sure you thank EVERY volunteer, from those at events to those that send in a bag of forks.
25. Just go into the school and say Hey!! Where would you like me to help today, or ask "can you put a note in the teachers boxes for me? Ask them if there is anything that I can work on at home for them.
26. Keep a check on Para-pro's that might be out, especially if they are going to be out for a while, and offer to help that teacher.
Hope I didn't go over board. lol There's so many things that parents can do. Maybe some of these y'all haven't thought of. I plan to strongly let parents know this year, that volunteering and helping your school isn't just going in and being there working or working events, but sending things in, such as the small toys. That counts a great deal toward helping, not to mention it gets your children's room cleaned out lol.
[ 07-25-2002: Message edited by: PTOmomof5 ]</p>
