Family Service Program

The Nativity School Families Service Program has the following objectives. 

Please coantact Keith Bennett for additional information.

• Create a structured program that will encourage all families to participate in the enhancement of their children’s growth and education through performing Service Hours. This will enable the students to “develop their full potential spiritually, academically, socially, emotionally, physically and culturally”. (Nativity School Handbook, Mission Statement.) Opportunities to fulfill Service Hours will be available at various times and locations.
• Establish a more equitable distribution of hours served, in order to better share the responsibility and opportunity to serve the school among all Nativity parents. This will allow us to increase the efficiency of our financial and human resources and to foster an environment where the teachers can concentrate on academics in the classroom.
• Assist the school in ways not met otherwise by providing the unique resources, gifts and talents that our families possess.

Requirements:

Each Nativity School family will be required to perform 20 service hours (single parent family – 10 hours, (2 lunches) of which are lunchroom), of which 8 hours (4 lunches) are required to be Lunchroom duty.
OR
A family may opt out of performing service hours by paying a $250.00 fee ($125.00 for single parent families). By choosing this option, you are excused from performing your service hours including the lunchroom duty.
OR
A family may pay a $100.00 fee to opt out of the lunchroom duty. The family would still be responsible for the additional 12 service hours.

PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION

A form/flyer will be sent out to all families before the end of school enabling them to sign up for various committees or tasks. A form for keeping track of your service hours will be provided to each family at the beginning of the school year. Each family will be responsible for recording the service hours they have performed on this form.

• Lunchroom Duty: The dates you performed your lunchroom duty are to be noted on your form. Additionally, you are also to sign in with the lunchroom coordinator. If you “opted out”, found a paid substitute or swapped with another family, you need to note that on your form. (Note: Lunchroom days worked as a paid substitute may not be counted as service hours.)

If you cannot perform your lunchroom duty and do not want to “opt out” of the requirement, you may swap your lunchroom duty hours for another family’s service hours. The family working the lunchroom duty must inform the lunchroom coordinator of the swap so it may be noted.

• Other Service Hours: The number of hours with dates and activities need to be noted on the form.

The form must be turned into the PTO before the end of May. If a family has not performed their required service hours, a check for the fee listed above should accompany the form.  No school records will be released without the submission of the service form or the payment of the fee.  In the event that you have an extenuating circumstance and are unable to meet the required number of hours, please schedule an appointment with the school principal to discuss your situation.

• Download Nativity School Families Service Program Form 2007-2008 (PDF, 156K)

SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES

The time spent assisting in any PTO committee or PTO sponsored event will qualify as service hours. These will generally be the committees listed below, but may include other committees or opportunities as determined by the PTO Executive Board. Also, times spent assisting the school teachers in the classrooms or otherwise in the school as approved by the school administration will qualify as service hours.

Communications

Publish monthly newsletter to keep parents informed of meetings, school business and events. (Includes writing articles for the newsletter and publishing the school directory.)

Communications Chair

B.C. Forrest
703-644-9211

Cultural Enrichment

Plan, organize and coordinate educational speakers, assemblies and field trips.

Cultural Enrichment Chair

B.C. Forrest
703-644-9211

Fundraising

Assist with planning, organizing, publicizing and executing fundraising events. The fundraisers will include, but not are limited to: Sally Foster Gift Wrap, Gertrude Hawk Chocolates, Big G Box Tops, Campbell’s Labels, Giant/Safeway numbers, Auction and Used Uniform Sale. (Includes: tabulate orders, distribute orders, collect & submit box tops & labels, sales after Masses, etc.)

Would you like to volunteer for this committee?  Please contact PTO President Keith Bennett.

Hospitality

Plan and organize refreshments for the PTO meetings, Science Fair and other functions required by the school. Meet and greet new families by being a “host” family to answer questions about the school.

Would you like to volunteer for this committee?  Please contact PTO President Keith Bennett.

Proud Parents

Assist the school through doing minor repairs and maintenance around the school as needed.

Would you like to volunteer for this committee?  Please contact PTO President Keith Bennett.

Room Parents

Organize classroom parties and activities as needed by the teachers. (Includes not only being a room parent, but helping at classroom activities as well.)

Room Parents Chair

Michelle Herrity
703-239-0847

Social

Assist with planning, organizing and executing social events such as: Ice Cream Social, Santa Dinner, Valentine’s Dance and Bingo Night. (Includes: set-up, decorations, clean-up, serve food & drink, etc.)

Would you like to volunteer for this committee?  Please contact PTO President Keith Bennett.

Spirituality

Plan and organize the Lenten Dinner, write spirituality e-mails, coordinate assistance to school families during times or crisis.

Would you like to volunteer for this committee?  Please contact PTO President Keith Bennett.

Technology

Assist the computer teacher and the school administration to provide technical support to the school. (Includes web page development and maintenance, facilitating technical purchases and planning for technical needs.)

Would you like to volunteer for this committee?  Please contact PTO President Keith Bennett.

Volunteer

Provide human resources to the school as needed. (Includes: helping in classrooms, library, art room, music room, computer room and the school office.)

Would you like to volunteer for this committee?  Please contact PTO President Keith Bennett.

Miscellaneous

Assist at the various functions. (i.e. Book Fair, Career Day, Science Fair (judging), Field Day, Hearing & Vision Screening, etc.) Providing assistance with other school or PTO related issues (i.e. Development or Legislative Committees) as approved by the PTO or school administration.

Committee Chairs & PTO Elected Officers

The time spent as a Committee Chairperson or a PTO elected officer (President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer) would count as service hours.