A Current Parent

The Parent Association president is responsible for managing the PA in all three divisions. The president works with the PA Executive Committee, which has representation from all divisions, to ensure that PA programs and activities run effectively. The president works from the Board of Trustees’ charge to the PA. Responsibilities of the president include:

• managing the budget;
• communicating and promoting the activities of the Parent Association;
• attending PA meetings and board meetings;
• supporting the fundraising efforts of the school;
• working on community-building programs;
• serving as a communication channel between parents and the school’s administration; and
• supporting the faculty and staff to improve the educational environment for students.

The position is suitable for a volunteer who has good organizational skills, enjoys working with people, and managing volunteers, and can attend, as well as run, meetings. Nominees for this position must be approved by the PA Executive Committee, the Board of Trustees, and the head of school.

The Lower, Middle, and Upper School each have two Parent Association (PA) vice presidents (VPs). Generally, this position is a two-year, rotating commitment. In each division, a new VP starts each year and serves with an experienced, second-year VP.

• manage division organization by leading, coordinating, and setting the agenda for monthly room rep meetings and Brown Bag Lunches;
• prior to each room rep meeting, meet with appropriate division head to go over any parent concerns, as well as announcements or updates from the school to parents/guardians;
• engage in open communication with parents/guardians in the appropriate division; be available to listen to parent concerns and needs; help guide parents through the correct channels when issues arise; take suggestions and concerns to the PA president;
• serve on the PA Executive Committee, which meets monthly to brainstorm new ideas, processes, community-building events, and school-wide issues; be an information conduit between the Executive Team and room reps;
• attend K-12 PA General Meetings, including the Volunteer Fair on the first day of school;
• keep open communication with the room reps in the appropriate division and inform them of any news or updates; be available to mentor and guide room reps through their job;
• with the help of the PA treasurer, manage the budget for the appropriate division; submit in expense reports for out-of-pocket expenses (even if reimbursement is not needed);
• assist the Admissions Office with Open Houses and new family welcome events;
• assist the PA Executive Committee and PA president with other responsibilities, such as serving on another committee or being a representative for a school group;
• support the school in its efforts to create the best possible educational environment in the school; and
• encourage parents/guardians to be active in the life of the school.

Lower School (LS) VP Job Details

In addition to the above, the LS VPs also have the following division-specific responsibilities:

• lead the efforts on Field Day. Work with the school and other parent volunteers to host Field Day, traditionally held on the last day of school.
• attend and volunteer at all LS PA community-building events, including the Hoe Down, Bingo Night, and Family Overnight Adventure (formerly known as Millersylvania); and
• coordinate the refreshments for the LS Fine Arts Evening, held at the end of May.

Nominations for PA vice presidents take place in March. If you are interested in nominating yourself or someone else for this position, please contact the PA president.

Along with the PA president, the treasurer is responsible for managing the annual PA budget. The budget is broken down by class and divisions, each with its own allocated amount at the beginning of the year. The treasurer works directly with the Business Office to monitor budget expenses for accuracy and timely reimbursements. The treasurer provides the PA Executive Committee with monthly reports on the state of the budget. This is a two-year position and is suitable for a volunteer who is familiar with the use of spreadsheets and enjoys working with people.

The PA Secretary is responsible for attending monthly PA Executive Committee meetings and taking minutes. The secretary sends the minutes to the PA president in a timely manner for approval, and after receiving approval, sends the minutes to the entire committee. The secretary sends monthly meeting reminders to the PA Executive Committee and prompts the president on calendar-scheduling needs that arise. The secretary attends additional PA meetings as necessary and takes minutes. This is a two-year position and is suitable for a volunteer who is comfortable using e-mail.

PA Secretary Contact: TBD

The newsletter editor/writer is responsible for collecting submissions for the PA electronic newsletter, editing articles, writing articles, and formatting them in the e-newsletter template. The newsletter editor/ writer would work with the webmaster to coordinate the publishing of information on the PA sections of the Bush website and in the e-newsletter. This position is suitable for someone who enjoys working with people, writing and editing material, and who is organized.

Newsletter Editor/Writer Contact: Jenny Becker, jennyb@beckerdesign.com, (206) 419-6097

This position involves attending PA-sponsored events to take digital photos of the event and participants. If students are photographed, the photographer needs to note the names of the of the students and coordinate with the Bush Communications Office for permissions issues. Photos would be published on the Bush PA website and in the PA newsletter.

This position is suitable for someone who enjoys photography and is comfortable organizing digital images, is detail oriented, and enjoys working with other volunteers.

PA Photographer Contact: Betty Torrell, torrellarchitect@qwestoffice.net, (206) 595-4020.

Each grade in the Upper School has a head room representative (room rep) as well as two alternates. The head room rep facilitates communication with the Upper School vice presidents. Otherwise, all room reps share an equal responsibility in their jobs.

US Room Rep Job Description

• Attend US Room Rep meetings, parent coffees, and Brown Bag lunches
• Communicate to teachers and parents/guardians in your grade about the actions and activities of the PA
• Volunteer at one or more PA community-building events
• help coordinate the following events: (or others) 
  • US fall family potluck
  • parent gatherings
  • Mom’s/Dad’s Night Out
  • grade-level coffees
  • school-day-off events
  • end-of-year event
• Complete expense reports (whether or not you wish to be reimbursed)
• Attend the K-12 general meetings
• Support PA-Sponsored events (Parent Education Lectures, Book Fair, Open Mic, plays)
• Coordinate snacks for Curriculum Night and grade-level parent nights
• Provide snacks for US faculty during finals
• Read the US Daily Bulletin online to stay informed
• Manage the grade-level budget ($300 per year)

If you are interested in volunteering as an US room rep, please contact the Upper School PA vice presidents.

US Vice-President Contacts: Nichelle Hilton, momof5girls@hotmail.com, (206) 412-1605 and Mary O’Leary, maryjoleary8@gmail.com, (206) 777-5726

Each grade in the Middle School has a head room representative (room rep) as well as two alternates. The head room rep facilitates communication with the Middle School vice presidents. Otherwise, all room reps share an equal responsibility in their jobs.

MS Room Rep Job Description

• Attend MS room rep meetings, Parent Coffees, and Brown Bag Lunches;
• Communicate to teachers and parents/guardians in your grade about the actions and activities of the PA
• Volunteer at one or more PA community-building events
• Help coordinate the following events: (or others)
  • back-to-school potluck
  • two-parent gatherings
  • mom’s night out
  • grade-level coffees
  • school-day-off events
  • end-of-year events
• Complete expense reports (whether or not you wish to be reimbursed)
• Attend the K-12 general meetings
• Support PA-Sponsored events (parent education lectures, Book Fair, Open Mic, plays)
• Coordinate snacks for Curriculum Night
• Help recruit volunteers as dance chaperones and provide snacks for one dance
• Provide snacks for MS faculty meetings
• Plan the fall Back-to-School Potluck Picnic
• Manage the grade-level budget ($300 per year)

If you are interested in volunteering as a MS room rep, please contact the MS PA vice presidents.

Middle School Vice President Contacts: Kelly Fahlman, kellyfahlman@msn.com, (206) 406-4510 and Kathleen Moody, kathleen@sedlik.com, (206) 295-2345

Each grade has three or four room reps, one of which serves as “head room rep.” The head room rep facilitates communication with teachers and the Lower School vice presidents. Otherwise, all room reps share an equal responsibility in their jobs.

LS Room Rep Job Description

• Attend Lower School room rep meetings (approximately five each school year) and the three Brown Bag Lunches hosted by the LS Parent Association
• Communicate to teachers and parents/guardians in your grade about the actions and activities of the LS PA; consider yourself the grade “diplomat”
• Volunteer at one or more LS PA community-building events or delegate this responsibility to a parent/guardian in your grade events include the Hoe Down, Bingo Night, Field Day, and Family Overnight Adventure (formerly known as Millersylvania)
• Attend K-12 PA General Meetings, including the Volunteer Fair on the first day of school
• Coordinate the following events for your grade:
  • Back-to-School Family Potluck/ Picnic
  • two parent-only gatherings, typically one in the fall and one in the spring
  • Mom’s and/or Dad’s Night Out
  • parent coffees
• Volunteer to help with:
  • class parties, in coordination with teachers
  • recruit parent volunteers as field trip chaperones
  • Field Day (last day of school)
• Submit expense reports for out-of-pocket expenses (even if you do not wish to be reimbursed)
• Recruit one volunteer per grade to be on the Field Day Planning Committee
• Recruit one volunteer per grade to be a Faculty Staff Appreciation coordinator
• Support the teachers in your grade in their efforts to create the best possible educational environment in the school
• Coordinate the end-of-year teacher gift—traditionally something made by the students
• Maintain open communication with the LS vice presidents, contacting them with any questions or concerns you or fellow parents/guardians have

In addition to above, the head room reps:

• Serve as the key channel of communication for parents/guardians in each grade regarding school or class events and parent concerns and suggestions
• Manage the grade-level budget ($310 per year); eligible expenses include postage, parent events, and picnic rentals. This money may not be used for teacher gifts

If you are interested in volunteering as an US room rep, please contact the Lower School PA vice presidents.

LS Vice President Contacts: Lavinia Touchton, lhtouchton@gmail.com or (206) 909-1367