Our board is also clarifying the role of the Head Room Parent. In addition to traditional role of planning the class parties, we want the volunteers to understand up front that they will be expected also to be the primary liaison between the teacher and other class parents, to set up a telephone phone chain for their class, and to recruit class volunteers for school-wide or PTO projects as needed. We want to set everyone's expectations now, before they sign up. Last year we had a room parent complain because she was asked by the Staff Appreciation committee to help organize a gift for the teacher. Apparently this mom only wanted to plan parties. We hope that by clearly defining the (expanded) role of the Head Room parent, volunteers will know what they're getting into.

Typically, we have a HEAD Head Room Parent - someone who is the overseer of the program, who calls one kickoff meeting a year, and who distributes an idea packet for party planning. In addition to each class's Head Room Parent, we encourage other parents to sign up to help as needed.

As far as class party money goes, we ask each parent to contribute $5 per child for the year's parties. Each Head Room parent manages the class's money. The PTO itself does not reimburse for class party expenses nor subsidize class accounts.

Our room mothers also help with all the holiday parties, assist teachers and actually acts as heads of their classrooms.

Our room mothers are our links to the other parents. We use our mothers as phone chains within the school. If we need to relay important reminders, etc. we use our room mothers to contact the other parents in their group. Parents are more receptive to other parents than to PTO board members (I think they forget we're parents too).

This year we are also trying to get our room mothers more involved. We have two moms that we have actually appointed Chairpeople of the Roommothers.

I am a second year PTO president. I have changed and reorganized several aspects of our PTO, but have done nothing with the very old system of Room Mothers in our Elementary school. It has been done the same for years and I am looking for some new or fresh ideas for them.
In the past our PTO has selected two mothers from each classroom to serve as Room Mothers (one for the Fall party and one for the Valentine party). We have also donated $30 to each classroom for the the two parties combined. The parties are the only responsibilites or "jobs" the Room Mothers have.
I would like to see them become more involved in other ways and to find other fun projects that we could use our Room Moms for. How does your school handle Room Mothers and class parties? What are the "jobs" of your Room Mothers? Let me know some of your great ideas! Thanks!