From the FREEP

Parent Involvement at SRV

by Deborah Fineberg, parent, board member and PCO co-chair

When I came to an admissions Open House at SRV four years ago, one of the first things I asked a current parent was how the school felt about parents being on campus. I was a little concerned about the "parents come no further than the parking lot" policies I saw in place at other schools. I was assured that the school welcomed all kinds of parent involvement. This made me happy, my son came to school here, and that was that.

As my child's kindergarten year progressed, though, I'll admit I was a bit puzzled by how the whole involvement thing worked at Rose Valley. It seemed that everyone else had been around forever, knew what to do, and just did it. Apple Day? May Fair? Everything seemed governed by traditions I didn't yet grasp. I hadn't a clue how to help out. And frankly, as a parent who works and goes to school, unless someone grabbed me by the shoulders and said, "Here, do this," there wasn't much chance I was going to figure it out by myself.

To my great good fortune, I had a kindergartner, which meant that I had Annie to say, "Here, do this." I also had a terrific new-family mentor who would call me and say, "Such-and-such event is coming up, here's what parents usually do." I found myself tending steaming vats of wax during candle-making week, helping the kindergarten create a project to auction off at Arts Ball, going on field trips and selling tee shirts at May Fair. I worked in the library, raked mulch on Putter Days and went on more field trips. Soon I was teaching a mini-course with Annie, and the next thing I knew I was working on the PCO and had become a board member. (Be careful what you wish for!)

Seriously, getting involved at SRV may seem daunting if you're new to the school, and if you've been around a while and haven't been very involved you may think we're doing fine without you. But I'd like to welcome you all to find a way to help out in whatever way your time and interests permit. We need you.

So, how do you begin? Thought you'd never ask. Here are some possibilities:

  • Talk to your class parent. (Don't know who your class parent is? Then talking to him or her will be your second step...) Much of the class parent's job is letting you know when help is needed by your child's teacher, so they are a great place to start.
  • Talk to Maria Rice, the Volunteer Coordinator for the school. (She's often in the kitchen, but don't worry if you can't find her. Eventually, she will find you...)
  • Talk to me or to Jona Harvey (PCO cruise directors).
  • If you're a new parent, Lise Reno will be glad to point you in the right direction.

The most important question, of course, is why should you bother? When I think of the things I have done at school, I can only think of one really compelling (and totally selfish) reason to get involved: you'll get back more than you give.

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20 School Lane : Rose Valley, PA 19063 : 610.566.1088 : office@theschoolinrosevalley.org