When the River School was founded in 1995, its founders, T Beller and Gail Chase-Bien, recognized that parent participation was a key component in student success in school. Since the beginning, parent participation has been a major reason for the school's growth and success that culminated in receiving the California Distinguished School Award in 2003.
In addition, parents become an integral resource used to provide a quality education to our students while reducing operating costs. Each family makes a commitment to contribute a minimum of 50 hours a year to the school by volunteering in one or more areas of the school's operation. Five of those hours are to be spent in contact with the students. Being with the students helps families experience and understand the unique philosophy of the school.
There are many opportunities for parents and family members to volunteer at our school and fulfill their hours. Volunteers work in the school office, in the classroom, go on field trips, in the Student Store and at recess. Volunteers coordinate and work on fundraisers. Families work on school beautification by assisting with landscaping projects, building projects and clean up of the school grounds. We ask families to work on the annual fundraiser, which is the biggest event to raise money for our elective program.
The Parent Advisory Committee, a standing committee of the Charter Council, River School's governing board, manages the participation program. Each grade elects three parents to serve on the PAC who also support parents in finding jobs. At the start of the school year, during orientations, PAC members have volunteer job descriptions and sign-up sheets available for parents to choose an area in which to work. After specific area chairs/coordinators are determined, volunteer parents are informed of their position and lists and schedules are made for the volunteers to help them complete their responsibilities. Volunteers are asked to communicate with their PAC representative for questions and assistance.
Volunteers will and work closely with the Parent Advisory Committee and the River School office staff. Volunteers log in their participation hours in each grade's binder at the parent station in the office. Activities eligible as participation hours are as follows: