Get involved at Creekside 🦦

As a Room Parent, you serve as a key connection between the teacher and class families. You'll help communicate the teacher’s needs, organize parent volunteers, and coordinate class events like parties, special projects, and teacher appreciation.

Teamwork is important, and you’ll share the role with another parent to make things easier.

Room Parents play a big part in making Creekside Elementary a supportive, fun, and connected place for all students and families.

📌ROOM PARENT REQUIREMENTS

✔️Attend the Room Parent Information Meeting on AUGUST 11th from 9:15 - 10:15 a.m.

✔️Must be a PTA member–join the PTA for $20/annually.

✔️Must be Tier 3 certified. This is required by the district for all in-school volunteers.

✔️All room parents will sign an agreement and submit to PTA by Friday, August 29.

✔️Willing to relay important school / classroom updates from the teacher and PTA to families.

✔️Collect contact information for families in your class.

✔️Help organize and assist with classroom celebrations.

✔️Must be comfortable asking for money/supplies.

✔️Able to manage funds responsibly.

✔️Attend ONE classroom party. (December or May)

✔️Serve as the lead on 1 Monthly Teacher Lunch: includes communication with lead teacher, collecting class funds and purchasing/delivering the lunch.

✔️Celebrate your Staff Pairing(s): 1 - 2 times per year organize notes or a small treat for your staff pairing within the school. 

✔️Coordinate group gifts or gestures for holidays, birthdays and/or end-of-year.
✔️Encourage parent participation in school fundraisers and events.

✔️Help recruit volunteers from the class for school-wide events. (Especially Otterfest!)

✔️4th Grade Room Parents need to help coordinate at least ONE parent volunteer to setup / cleanup the 5th Grade Graduation in May. 

📝 HOW TO SIGN UP

Room Parent signups are sent out via Sign Up Genius by the principal at the beginning of the school year. Be sure to watch your inbox for this message!

⚠️IMPORTANT:

• You must be Tier 3 certified to volunteer as a Room Parent.
• You may only serve as a Room Parent for one classroom per school year.

👍 NOT A Room Parent? YOU CAN STILL HELP!

Creekside offers many other ways to get involved:

• Workroom Volunteer – Help with copies and materials

• Cafeteria Volunteer – Assist during lunch

• Field Trip Chaperone – Organized by classroom teachers

• PTA Committees & Events – Join us for Otterfest, Glow Dance, Fun Run and more!

• Learn more about volunteering at CSES here.

💡 Tip: Volunteering on a committee is a great option for working parents or those with limited availability.

✅ GET TIER 3 CERTIFIED

To volunteer in any capacity—whether in the classroom, on campus, or at events—you’ll need to be Tier 3 certified. Make sure you complete this process before August

so you’re ready to go at the start of the school year! Click here to learn more.

Room Parent RESPONSIBILITIES

📋 Create a Classroom Contact List

• Introduce yourself and collect contact information at Meet the Teacher night in August.
• If you are still missing contacts, send out an email via your teacher.
• Kinder Room Parents - PTA will help collect information at Parent Night in August.
• Create a contact list.
• Teachers/Staff cannot give out any parent contact information!

⭐ Serve as the Teacher Liaison

• You are an extension of the PTA and are the direct link between your classroom teacher and the other parents in the class.
• Stay in touch with the teacher to see what he or she needs.
• You may be asked to organize a snack schedule, request specific supplies from parents, or recruit volunteers to help in the classroom.

🎉 Help Coordinate Classroom Parties

• Throughout the year, you’ll help the teacher and other parent volunteers coordinate two classroom parties.
• The classroom parties take place in December (Winter Party) and May (End of Year Party).
• Remember, your job is not to DO all the work, but coordinate, communicate, plan, gather supplies/funds and enlist the help of others!
• You will only attend ONE class party!

💙 Celebrate + Appreciate your teacher

Teacher birthdays, Staff Appreciation Week and Holidays are all great times to show some love to your teacher. As the Room Parent, you’ll coordinate these special events.

• Teacher Birthdays | Your job is to let the other parents know when these special days are coming up. You can either organize a class gift or encourage parents/students to make cards and send gifts on their own.
• Staff Appreciation | The PTA does a lot to celebrate and thank our teachers and staff during Staff Appreciation Week in May. You may also want to organize a group gift from the class.
• Holiday Gifts | You are encouraged to organize a class gift for your teacher at the holidays.

🍽️ MONTHLY Teacher LUNCH TIPS

• Boxed Lunch Options:
  Consider ordering from Panera, Chicken Salad Chick, Jimmy Johns or other local restaurants that offer convenient boxed lunches.

• Simplify Choices:
  When collecting orders, it’s helpful to limit selections to 2–3 main items (e.g., choose from two sandwiches or two salads). This keeps the process streamlined and makes ordering easier.

• Save on Sides:
  To stretch the budget, buy a large bag of chips to split or grab sweet tea, cookies, or other desserts from Kroger or Publix instead of adding pricier sides to each meal.

• Keep It Simple:
  This doesn’t need to be a big spread. A sandwich and a drink are more than enough to show our teachers that they’re appreciated.

🏆 BEST PRACTICES

1. Attend the Room Parent Meeting on August 11th!
2. Create a folder with all pertinent information for the year.  Include the class directory, teacher favorites, teacher wish list, school calendar, etc.
3. Set reminders in your phone or calendar when to send out emails/reminders for school events, when to contact the staff leads when planning lunches, etc.
4. Setup a Facebook group if your parents find that easier than email.
5. Contact your teacher to run your ideas by them before planning classroom parties. 
6. Use apps like Sign Up Genius to organize supply needs, class donations or volunteers.
7. Reach out to your teachers monthly or bi-monthly to see if there's anything they need.
8. Manage funds appropriately. If you receive a large amount of donations for a gift in December—save some to put towards a birthday gift, end of year gift, etc. It will require a lesser ask later and we promise your parents will appreciate it!
9. Keep receipts in case parents were to ever question your spending.
10. We understand that being a room parent takes time and dedication, and we're here to support you. Don't hesitate to contact the PTA with any questions or needs. Email atlarge.creeksidepta@gmail.com

📅 IMPORTANT DATES OF RECOGNITION

💻 Room Parent Resources

cREEKSIDE:
STAFF DIRECTORY
TEACHER FAVORITES

planning:
SIGN UP GENIUS
CLASS PARTY PLANNING GUIDE

winter party:
easy + fun winter PARTY IDEAS
REINDEER PARTY IDEAS
SNOWMAN PARTY IDEAS
WINTER PARTY IDEAS
WINTER MINUTE TO WIN IT IDEAS

end of year party:
EASY PREP END OF YEAR | LOWER GRADES
END OF YEAR PARTY IDEAS | UPPER ELEMENTARY