Parent/Guardian Community

OSMS Parent/Guardian Community

Vibrant & Active

Parent/guardian involvement and volunteerism help to build and maintain a vibrant and active community at OSMS, creating a warm, cooperative atmosphere. Parent/guardian volunteerism also sets a positive role model for our students and helps build relationships among our families. Families volunteer 10 hours per year in many roles, including contributing in the classroom, assisting with one-time events, helping out on an as-needed basis with various projects, or serving on the Board of Directors. 

Throughout the year, OSMS hosts activities to keep everyone informed and involved.
  • Parent/Guardian Education Opportunities are offered several times a year, covering various topics related to the Montessori philosophy, classroom materials, and parenting.
  • Parent/Guardian Observations and Teacher Conferences help to foster a strong bond between home and school.
  • Family Event Activities are planned throughout the year to provide opportunities for families to get together outside of school time. 

OSMS Board Committees

Development
The Development Committee is a standing Board Committee that assists in establishing and carrying out a development plan to promote and support OSMS’s mission and vision.  The Committee’s responsibilities include: 
  • Periodically reviewing policies and plans relating to the development of long-term financial resources for OSMS.
  • Working in conjunction with the Head of School to make recommendations to the Board regarding the establishment of policies and plans for the development of financial resources, including capital campaigns, fundraising for annual operating support, gift acceptance and disposition, grants, planned giving or special events.
  • Participating in the planning, organizing and hosting of fundraising activities that are consistent with OSMS’s mission and vision.
  • Coordinating the creation and dissemination of the OSMS Fund Letter in December of each academic year.
  • Working in conjunction with the OSMS staff to ensure that a comprehensive data collection methodology is in place to record donor and potential donor information and to generate acknowledgement letters in accordance with IRS guidelines immediately upon receipt of any gift.
  • Serving as advisors to the Head of School with respect to development planning and identification of development opportunities. 
Goals and Objectives
  • OSMS Fund 
  • Family Fundraising Events
  • Coordinate with Community Events in order to increase resources for fundraising events.
  • Assist in the establishment of a functioning database of donors and potential donors to maximize distribution of OSMS Fund letter and invitations to fundraising events. 
  • Assist Head of School in identifying potential significant donors and fundraising activities outside our parent community. 

OSMS Community Committees

Community Events
The Community Events Committee organizes several community events over the course of the school year. Past events have included a Halloween Trunk or Treat, movie nights, and an annual teacher appreciation event. The committee welcomes new members as well as volunteers to help plan and execute events. 
Edible Landscape
The Edible Landscape Committee develops and maintains the edible landscape in front of our school. The committee coordinates with the Head of School and Curriculum Coordinator to cultivate the connection between our students and the natural world, and to develop our outdoor space and integrate it into our curriculum. The committee welcomes new members as well as non-committee volunteers to help out in the garden.

Other Ways to Help Out

Classroom Volunteers
There are many opportunities for parents/guardians to volunteer for their child’s classroom. Each Montessori Lead Teacher will post classroom volunteer opportunities outside of their classroom or announce volunteer needs via email as needed. Our teachers welcome parent/guardian participation in the classroom. Examples of classroom volunteering: 
  • Laundry – Bring home dirty classroom laundry on Friday (towels, washcloths, etc.) and return it cleaned on Monday morning.
  • Library – Select appropriate books for the classroom (consult with lead teacher for suggestions and topic) and check them out of your local library.
  • Classroom Cleaning – Perform light cleaning in the classroom after dismissal as directed by the lead teacher.
  • Food Preparation – Bring food on Monday for children to practice Practical Life skills (consult with lead teacher for suggestions).
  • Flowers – Bring a bouquet of flowers on Monday for children to arrange.
  • Playdough – Bring a homemade batch of playdough for the classroom (recipe provided by lead teacher).
  • Push Pin / Tracing – Bring a template and paper home and trace the template onto the paper for classroom push pin works.
  • Share Yourself – Come into the classroom and give a group lesson about something that is important to you. This could range from a health and safety lesson (physicians, firefighters, law enforcement) to food preparation (how to roll sushi, make crepes, etc.) to sharing about your family’s travels overseas or to a national park.
  • Field Trip Chaperoning - We often request that parents and guardians act as chaperones on field trips. This is a service to the Ocean State Montessori School and a responsibility that should be considered carefully. Teachers try to give all parents an opportunity to chaperone on a field trip.  
On-Call Assistance
From time to time the OSMS may need help with specific tasks, ranging from IT assistance to painting a classroom and everything in-between. If a member of our community has a skill that would be helpful to our school, we encourage them to let us know about it. When a situation or circumstance arises in which we need help with something related to the parent's skill, we will contact them. This is a great way to be involved in the community and fulfill volunteer hours without sitting on a committee.
Special Events
Throughout the year the OSMS hosts a variety of special events. Over the years these have included the annual Open House, Grandfriends Day, Winter Program, Book Fairs, etc. Many of these events provide parents/guardians with an opportunity to assist the school by volunteering with set-up, clean up and lending a hand during events. 
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