Parent Participation

Fall Mailer 2019 Prospective Donor Form

Click here to enter names

Current Opportunities

Other opportunities – one-time or ongoing (contact Julia if interested):

  • Write articles for the Banner:  Staff interviews, great places to go with children, etc.
  • Class photo coordinator
  • Photographer/videographer (multiple opportunities)
  • Buddies to New Parents, Room Parent
  • Parent Ed evening or Potluck host
  • Parent library coordinator
  • Children’s library coordinator
  • Offer your specific talents!
  • Sometimes opportunities open up in the classroom but in general volunteering in the classroom is available.

2. Requirement

  • 12 hours per year per parent (24 hours for 2-parent family).  The school year runs from September through August.  Parent hours are prorated for families starting or leaving mid-year.

3.  Recordkeeping:

  • As you earn hours, write them in the binder by the sign-in books.  The Parent Participation Coordinator periodically checks hours entered and reminds you if you are falling behind.

4.  Parent Committees:

5.  Buyout

  • Parent hours can be paid off at the rate of $20/hour.
  • Donations to BlueSkies such as for the Fall Mailer, staff holiday bonus, etc. can be counted toward a buyout.

BlueSkies Parent Jobs

General Expectations:

  1. People who take jobs with an “expected response time” must be able to commit to quick turnaround; “respond within” means to get the job done in that time frame. Of course there will be occasional conflicts, but if a parent is frequently unable to meet the stated response time we will ask them to relinquish the job and pass it to someone with a little more flexibility in his/her schedule.
  2. Parent hours can be claimed for the job time rounded up to the quarter hour. A few jobs will automatically complete your 12 parent hours – they have a ** next to them.
  3. Some of these jobs require a trip to the store for hardware, plants, etc.; that time is not included in the estimated duration but can certainly be included as parent hours. If you take a job and can do the shopping you are welcome to buy parts and get reimbursed; give receipts to Phyllis within a month to be reimbursed.
  4. Most jobs can be done while the children are here buy many can also be done on weekends or evenings if that’s more convenient. Toys or small equipment that needs repair can be taken home, and we can arrange access to yards on the weekend.

Parent Hours are tracked on the honor system – you are the one who needs to write your hours down in the Parent Participation binder.

Year-round Jobs

Expected Response Time & Duration

Who to Talk to: Details
Committee membership or support jobs 1.5 hours per meeting Actual time for committee word done outside of meeting time (planning events, etc.) Spencer, Liisa, Claire or Parent Committee chairs
Attend education meetings 1 hour per meeting Parent Ed Events & House Meetings
Contribute food to a BlueSkies event 1 hour per dish Watch for requests
Cash gifts to BlueSkies 1 hour per $30 donated Some options:

  • Staff gift in December
  • Scholarships (tax deductible)
  • Class Gift (tax deductible)
**Join the Board of Directors Full year’s hours for family Liisa or Claire; Board recruits members in spring for following fall; membership is a 3 year term
Miscellaneous jobs for BlueSkies Actual time spent Liisa, Claire, or Spencer

  • Make us an offer!
  • Respond to a request for specific skills such as sewing or building
Maintain Hedco planter boxes 1 hour per month Claire
Clip, trim, replant as needed
Maintain Nursery School planter boxes 1 hour per month Claire
Clip, trim, replant as needed
Tend Parent Library 1 hour every 2 months Monaire
Organize and remind parents of books due
Tend Children’s Library 1 hour once a month Claire
Organize books on shelves
**Scrubber Done monthly on your schedule.
This will take 1 – 1.5 hours		 Spencer or Liisa

  • Once a month, vacuum/blow dust out from under the commericial refrigerator in the upstairs kitchen
  • Once a month, clean the grease from the exhaust fan in the upstairs kitchen

Both of these jobs require a bit of mechanical work in awkward positions (dis-assembly and re-assembly) as well as cleaning.
Light Tuber Respond within 1-2 days. Most jobs will take 10-15 minutes including fetching bulbs and ladder Spencer or Liisa

  • Manage inventory; let office know when to order (or purchase and get reimbursed) a case of 4 foot T-8 bulbs
  • Be comfortable changing fluorescent tubes on a tall ladder in high-ceilinged rooms
  • When a new case is purchased, take used bulbs to the toxic waste drop-off
Screw fence slats 1 – 2 hours Liisa
on picket fence where wisteria is separating it
Stuff fall mailers 3 day turnaround required; 10 people needed for 2 hours each Julia
October or November
Power wash cement porches 3 hours twice a year Spencer
Sell raffle tickets 1 hour per 4 books Julia
Solicit donations for the Auction Time spent soliciting Julia

  • A list of past donors is available for follow-up
  • Your contacts may be used as well
Donate an item to the auction 1 hour for $20 of value Julia
Set up for the Auction Time spent Julia
Clean up after the Auction 2 hours per hour of work Julia
Bring a guest to the Auction 1 hour
Power wash front walk and sidewalk – especially in plum season 2 hours Spencer
Organize a work day to deliver and add new sand 8 hours including organizing Claire
recruit 15 people with wheelbarrows and shovels; school orders sand to be delivered. Get snacks and plan child care.
Organize a tree and bush trimming work day 6 hours Claire or Liisa
Recruit 6 people with clippers and chain saw; clean up and get trimmings in green waste
Organize a workday to replenish wood chips and dirt 6 hours Claire or Liisa
Recruit 4 people with wheelbarrows; buy bags of dirt and wood chips
Stain and varnish 4 children’s chairs 4 hours Claire
Clean and organize the parents closet 2 hours Julia
Repair trikes, scooters or small play equipment as needed 1 hour per broken vehicle Claire
Outdoor lighting 2 hours in October Spencer

  • Every fall check all exterior lighting prior to return to standard time, replace bulbs as needed
Gatekeeper Respond within 1 – 2 days. Most jobs will take 5 – 30 minutes Spencer

  • Fix gate latches that aren’t working well
  • Replace gate latches that are broken
  • Attache fence slats that come off
Hanger Respond within 1 week. Most jobs will take 5 – 15 minutes Spencer

  • Know how to find a stud or use a toggle bolt to hang pictures, mirrors, towel dispensers, etc.
**Plumber’s Friend Respond within 1 day for children’s toilets, 3 for adult. Most jobs will take 5 – 15 minutes plus shopping Spencer

  • Repair typical toilet problems – broken chains, flush handles, flappers, seats
  • Fix leaky sink faucets
  • Replace broken under-counter soap dispensers
  • Unclog clogs
Hammerhead Respond within 1 week unless it is a safety issue. Most jobs will take 5 minutes – 1 hour Spencer

  • Fix or replace broken fence slates, climber parts, wooden toys (can be taken home)
Guttersnipe Done every fall and then as needed. This will take several hours in the fall, and just 5 – 10 minutes for specific clogs Spencer

  • Clean out roof gutters on all buildings
  • Clean out specific downspouts if they get clogged throughout the rainy season
Artiste Respond within 2 weeks. Jobs will take 20 – 60 minutes including finding pain and cleaning up Claire

  • Become familiar with color schemes and paint supplies; replenish or alert Co-Director when necessary
  • Refinish small equipment and toys
  • Touch up paint on gates, fences, classrooms, doors, yard equipment

Auction Donation Form