Room Parents
Typically two parents in each class assist the teacher in planning and preparing celebrations and activities, solicit and collect materials for special projects, serve as liaison to PTO for the classroom including recruitment of volunteers and coordinating donations for PTO events, clerical classroom work as specified by the teacher and coordination of class gift for teacher and aids during holidays, teacher appreciation week and at end-of-school year. 45 minute evening training session in Fall covers confidentiality in the school setting, roles and responsibilities of room parents and CORI certification. If more than two parents volunteer, names will be selected by lottery.
GIFT POLICY
The guidelines for teacher gifts always brings forth many questions and it is not possible to address ever possible scenario. Here is the policy for Gifts to Public School Teachers and Staff as set forth by the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission
– A teacher may accept a personal gift, or several gifts during the school year, from public school students and/or their parents and guardians, with an aggregated value of up to $150. (i.e $75 at the Holidays/$75 at end of the year or $50/$100..whatever Room Parents decide.)
The personal teacher gift should be identified only as being from the class and the identity of the givers and the individual amounts contributed should not be disclosed. Handled this way, the teacher is not required to disclose this gift to the state ethics commission. A teacher may accept a personal gift from persons who did not participate in the group gift but unlike the group gift, this individual gift (if it has monetary value) must be disclosed.
– On TOP of the personal gift, a teacher may accept a classroom gift or items for the classroom for which there is no dollar limit. The teacher accepts this classroom gift with the understanding that these items become property of the school district.
For example; if Room Parents collect $500 from families to cover a year of teacher’s gifts (approx. $20 per family with 25 Students in Class).
$75 is given to the teacher personally at the holidays
$75 saved for the end of the year personal teacher gift
The remaining $350 is given to the teacher in a Gift Card to an educational supply store – Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Lakeshore Learning, etc… either during the holidays or at the end of the school year or divided between the two.
Hingham families have been generous and thoughtful in past years in their attempts to recognize the efforts of the school staff. We provide these guidelines to assist the teachers and staff in their compliance with the state conflict of interest law (Mass General Laws Ch 268A) and to avoid any embarrassing situations such as a teacher having to return a gift.
If families are interested in giving individual gifts, students should be encouraged to offer alternatives to material items. Surveys of teachers have repeatedly reported that after the class gift cards, the most appreciated gift is the hand written thank-you note.
GIFT POLICY
The guidelines for teacher gifts always brings forth many questions and it is not possible to address ever possible scenario. Here is the policy for Gifts to Public School Teachers and Staff as set forth by the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission
– A teacher may accept a personal gift, or several gifts during the school year, from public school students and/or their parents and guardians, with an aggregated value of up to $150. (i.e $75 at the Holidays/$75 at end of the year or $50/$100..whatever Room Parents decide.)
The personal teacher gift should be identified only as being from the class and the identity of the givers and the individual amounts contributed should not be disclosed. Handled this way, the teacher is not required to disclose this gift to the state ethics commission. A teacher may accept a personal gift from persons who did not participate in the group gift but unlike the group gift, this individual gift (if it has monetary value) must be disclosed.
– On TOP of the personal gift, a teacher may accept a classroom gift or items for the classroom for which there is no dollar limit. The teacher accepts this classroom gift with the understanding that these items become property of the school district.
For example; if Room Parents collect $500 from families to cover a year of teacher’s gifts (approx. $20 per family with 25 Students in Class).
$75 is given to the teacher personally at the holidays
$75 saved for the end of the year personal teacher gift
The remaining $350 is given to the teacher in a Gift Card to an educational supply store – Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Lakeshore Learning, etc… either during the holidays or at the end of the school year or divided between the two.
Hingham families have been generous and thoughtful in past years in their attempts to recognize the efforts of the school staff. We provide these guidelines to assist the teachers and staff in their compliance with the state conflict of interest law (Mass General Laws Ch 268A) and to avoid any embarrassing situations such as a teacher having to return a gift.
If families are interested in giving individual gifts, students should be encouraged to offer alternatives to material items. Surveys of teachers have repeatedly reported that after the class gift cards, the most appreciated gift is the hand written thank-you note.