Service Opportunities

The class representatives work in conjunction with the Parents’ Association and serve as liaisons between their class and the PA. In addition, representatives act as an information source for class-specific information and work to build community within their grade. There are two or three representatives per class.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• A two-year commitment
• Attend the Class Representative Kick-Off Meeting in the summer
• Attend and assist at family events in the fall
• Attend Parents’ Association meetings, approximately six per year (at least one representative to attend and provide a class update)
• Communicate class-specific information
• Organize class gift for the Auction
• Encourage families to support the school through giving and at school events throughout the year
• Work with the Service Committee to recruit volunteers for grade specific service projects
• Organize two parent/family socials off-campus, or ask for a volunteer within the class to host an event. Notify a PA board officer when a date is confirmed.
• Submit a review of the year - include best practices, a list of people who volunteered, and any suggestions for next year

Newton Country Day School relies on voluntary support from alumnae, parents, and friends each year to reach our fundraising goals. The Annual Fund helps to support many programs including tuition assistance, faculty professional development, academics, athletics, the arts, and technology resources and support. This flexible, unrestricted support enables the school to create a setting in which each girl has the opportunity to develop the courage and confidence to realize St. Madeleine Sophie Barat's vision of transforming the world. All resources of the school service of our girls.

Responsibilities include:

• Supporting the Parent Annual Fund with your personal Annual Fund gift
• Acting as an advocate and ambassador for fundraising efforts at Newton Country Day 
• Soliciting a list of current parents through notes, calls, and emails in the fall, winter, and spring
• Lending your name to select fundraising materials (i.e. listed as committee member in letters)
• Identifying families who have the ability to support Newton Country Day in a significant way
• Making introductions to potential donors from corporations or foundations
• Assisting to identify opportunities to heighten the position of fundraising at Newton Country Day 

In late April, parents come together to show the faculty and staff their appreciation by holding a drop-in breakfast in the Blue Room. Faculty and staff members can sit and relax, or grab a coffee and snack to go. A committee provides decorations and coordinates food donation and staffing.

• Meet with the Development Office in March
• Work with the Development Office to create and send an invitation to faculty and staff
• Arrange food donations and contact catering to supplement menu
• Provide music playlist/wireless speaker
• Work with Parents’ Association Volunteer Coordinator to post a Sign Up Genius with all of the donations needed, as well as volunteer servers and raffle donations
• Submit a review of the year - include best practices, a list of people who volunteered, and any suggestions for next year
• Write thank you notes to volunteers

Homecoming is a two-day event for students, families, friends, and alumnae of NCDS. Upper School games are on Friday afternoon/evening and Middle School games are on Saturday morning.

Homecoming Committee consists of four families, ideally from different classes, with one representing the Middle School and one representing the Upper School. The Committee is responsible for coordinating activities and food with the Development Office, Facilities, and Catering Department. Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Meet approximately four times with the Development Office: once in the spring, once or twice in August/September prior to Homecoming, and once after Homecoming to review the event.
• Organize and purchase arts and crafts, tablecloths, spirit items, and other items not arranged for by the school. Coordinate activities, volunteers and food. The Development Office hires the games, popcorn machine, and Curious Creatures, and arranges for food and drinks provided by the dining staff. Committee arranges for food trucks.
• Prepare job assignments for Parents’ Association Volunteer Coordinator to be posted through the Sign-Up Genius and follow through to ensure coverage of activities.
• Coordinate volunteer job outreach to the community through parent emails, etc.
• Coverage provided by at least two committee members throughout the event to assist volunteers and ensure smooth operations.
• Send list of all volunteers to the Development Office
• Submit a review of the year – include best practices and any suggestions for next year.
• Send thank you emails to volunteers

The Mother/Special Person-Daughter Liturgy and Brunch is an opportunity for mothers and daughters to spend quality time together. Mass is typically held at 9:00 a.m. at Trinity Chapel on the BC Newton Campus, followed by a brunch. Volunteers organize the event which includes:

• Coordinate menu and pricing with venue
• Invitations - work with the Development Office
• Table centerpieces
• Set up and staffing
• Service component Raffle
• Submit a review of the year - include best practices, a list of people who volunteered, and any suggestions for next year
• Send thank you email to volunteers

Parents of Independent Schools Network (PIN) meet throughout the year to discuss a variety of topics pertaining to independent schools. Representatives attend meetings at area schools and bring information back to the Parents’ Association meeting. Each year there are two representatives from both the Upper and Middle School.

One or two parent representatives from each school attend four to six meetings each year. These PIN Reps serve as the conduit among the diverse school communities. At PIN meetings, Reps share information relating to non-academic issues, listening to speakers and panels and participating in discussion groups.

The primary goals of PIN are:

• Improve the quality of non-academic life at our member schools through the exchange of information
• Actively encourage representatives to work closely with their schools’ parent organizations

To achieve our goals, we at PIN:

●  Present and discuss topics of mutual concern

●  Share ideas and practices which have benefited member schools and their students

●  Sponsor educational events and provide useful information for our community

●  Support and foster PIN member schools’ community service programs

●  Encourage each representative to disseminate ideas and information learned from the PIN meetings

Member schools pay dues for membership in one or both of our two divisions. These dues cover the administrative costs of running PIN.

The views and opinions expressed by our member schools, speakers and providers do not necessarily reflect those of PIN, Inc.

Access PIN login information here. Visit the PIN website here.

The School Store co-chairs sign up for a two year commitment. Their responsibilities include:

• Meet with various vendors to select merchandise for the school store in advance of the sales. This may require meetings with vendors in the spring, summer, and fall
• Price the merchandise
• Print signage and price lists
• Order bags and supplies for check-out
• Contact the Parents Association’s Volunteer Coordinator to create a Sign-Up Genius schedule of volunteers for particular sales.
• Train volunteers for their specific roles and check-out process
• Volunteers assist as needed with inventory, set-up, sales, table volunteers, cashiers, and breakdown of merchandise when school store is open to students
• Send a list of volunteers to the Development Office
• Keep track of expenses and sales Submit accounting and inventory report to the Development Office at the end of the academic year
• Submit a review of the year - include best practices and any suggestions for next year
• Send thank you email to all volunteers

Tentative School Store schedule:

• Homecoming
• November Holiday Shop / Family Conferences
• Spring / TBD

The Parents' Association Service Committee supports school service initiatives.

• Volunteer to drive or chaperone students to various program sites
• Initiate various smaller projects each year such as a clothing drive

The major fall initiative is the Thanksgiving Basket Project which delivers 100 Thanksgiving dinners to Project Care and Concern at the Harbor Point Community in Dorchester. NCDS parents participate through assignments posted on the Sign-Up Genius website. Volunteers distribute, collect bins, and deliver filled bins during Thanksgiving week.

The committee chairs are also responsible for:

• Keeping records of all service projects throughout the year
• Submitting a review of the year - include best practices, a list of people who volunteered, and any suggestions for next year

The Très Bien Auction is the signature community-building and fundraising event sponsored by the Parents’ Association to support Newton Country Day School. This is a large-scale event that requires months to plan and execute. Many volunteers are needed to make this event a success.

Contact the Development Office is you are interested in volunteering.