Lower School Opportunities

The LS Parent Partnership Co-Chair assists the LS Parent Partnership Chair as needed for all LS Parent Partnership events, meetings, communications, volunteer trainings, and activities. Serves as the lead liaison regarding SignUp.com support and logistics in coordination with the ASPP Volunteer Chair. Typically assumes the responsibilities of the LS Parent Partnership Chair the following year.

Current Co-Chair:  Lindsay Ford

Manage financial records for LSPP, including oversight of grade and class level budgets. Includes working with ASPP Treasurer and OES business office to process reimbursement requests and communicate event budgets, to provide status reports to the LSPP Leadership Team and event chairs, and to assist in the creation of future event budgets.

• Current Treasurer: Xiaoxin Shen

Grade Level Reps (GLR) serve as the key leaders for each grade and room parent for their child's class. GLRs help identify key topics and issues ;supporting parents and communicating as needed with teachers and/or administration. Attend monthly Parent Partnership meetings, GLR team meetings, LS Parent Partnership and other appropriate meetings.

LS Current Grade Reps - PK to 5th

• Pre-K– Kathleen Drinkward
• Kindergarten – Beth Lyon
• Primary – Tara Palansky
• 1st – Erin Drinkward
• 2nd – Abigail Khan
• 3rd – MacKenzie Douglas
• 4th – Joe Leslie-Hurd
• 5th –  Miki MacArthur

Room Parents play a vital role in welcoming all families in their classrooms, serving as a resource for them, and by organizing volunteer opportunities (in cooperation with their homeroom teacher or specialist). Tasks include sending a weekly informational email (template provided) and managing classroom volunteer schedules in SignUp.com. Room Parents will be confirmed & contacted after class lists are distributed in late August.

LS Current Room Parents

Work with LS Admissions to invite participation of existing OES families in Host Family program. Help plan spring Get Connected Family event and summer playdates. 

ollaborate with LS Admissions Associate to invite participation of existing OES families for Host Family program and to connect them with new families. Assist with planning for

Get Connected New Family Social:

Work with LS Admissions Associate to host a spring social event to welcome new and incoming families. Assist in the coordination of event details including volunteer recruitment and helping with event activities; i.e. registration, used uniforms, school store, decorations, set up and clean up. Greet families at the Get Connected New Family Social in May.

Summer Play Dates:

Coordinate and host three summer play dates on the playground at OES for ALL new Lower school families and their host families. 

Collect lost items from baskets around the Lower School, organize items in storage room, and place items out for parents to sift through during Conferences and other key dates bringing LS parents to campus.

• Current Chairs: Melissa Harder and  Jodie Boettcher

Procure snacks for monthly faculty/staff meetings, and arrange delivery to the LS Office. Schedule of dates and snack requests coordinated with the LS Office.

• Current Coordinator: tbd

Chairs sort, organize and maintain the Used Uniform Closet. The used uniform closet provides a way for families to donate uniforms in good repair that their children have outgrown or no longer need.

• Current Chairs: Melissa Harder and  Jodie Boettcher

Manage SignUp.com in the Lower School, working closely with the All School Volunteer Coordinator, LS PAL Chair, Co-Chair and LS Event Chairs. This job is easily done from home. 

• Current Manager: Shubha Venkatesh

Oversee all outreach, training and system management regarding LS volunteer opportunities in the SignUp system. Responsibilities include:

• Train room parents and event chairs, teaching them how to create, populate and manage volunteer job postings.
• Prepare SignUp for the upcoming school year, ensuring events and classroom activities are in place with the appropriate descriptions, dates, times and contact details.
• Provide ongoing support to LS PAL Chair and Co-Chair, LS Room Parents and Event Chairs. Update SignUp each Spring/Summer removing and updating leadership volunteers, revising event and classroom activity descriptions, as needed.

• Two-year commitment is ideal.

Work with a team of parents to organize an outdoor Fall Festival at OES for lower school children and parents. Takes place on a Saturday afternoon, and features entertainment, outdoor games, a pie baking contest, snacks and socializing. Families are invited to bring a picnic dinner. Fun for all! Typically co-chair(s) assume chair responsibilities the following year.

• Current Chairs: Stephanie Huiskamp

Saturday afternoon of outdoor fun for LS families, plus live entertainment and a picnic. Help run activity stations, pie contest and set/clean up.

• Contact: Stephanie Huiskamp

Work with LS P.E. Department to help support three popular event planned by the P.E. Coaches. 

• Timing: Walk for Fun & Fitness (September), Family Fun Night (March), 2nd-5th Grade Field Day (June)
• Current Chair: tbd

Work with PE coaches and lead volunteer recruitment for 3 events: Walk for Fun, Family Fun Night and Field Day. Publicize events through LS Express and Sunday room parent updates. Utilize SignUp to organize volunteers for the following duties:

1. Walk for Fun: sign student lap cards, offer words of encouragement and/or join students for a lap or two around the track. Occurs by grade throughout the school day.
2. Family Fun Night: Supervise game stations such as volleyball, pillow polo, basketball, etc. After school event, 4-6pm.
3. Field Day: Help run games on the field for 2nd-5th grade classes (PreK-1st Field day is run by 5th graders). Takes place during school.

A favorite LS year-end event where kids play wacky games on the field, and often get soaking wet. Work with PE department to recruit volunteers to help run game stations for the 2nd-5th grades (PreK-1 field day run by 5th graders).

• Contact: tbd 

A family celebration of PE and staying active. Help run a variety of activities including rock climbing, corn hole, kickball, pickleball, soccer, speed stacking, volleyball, yoga, badminton and touch football. Typically held in March.

• Contact: tbd

Discovery Day is an opportunity for primary, first and second grade students to explore something new through a variety of experiential workshops facilitated by parents, staff and local professionals. Chairs help recruit & support workshop leaders, arrange logistics, and lead a team of parent volunteers with the day-of child wrangling.

• Current Chairs: Dani Turner

Discovery Day is an opportunity for primary, first and second students to explore something new through a variety of experiential workshops facilitated by parents, staff and local professionals. Draw on your personal interests to create a hands-on 40-minute workshop/activity. We have plenty of suggestions from years past to get you started. Leaders will be supported on Discovery Day by parent volunteers.

• Contact: Dani Turner

Assist in the planning and execution of the Discovery Day workshops. Committee members help pair student participants with workshops/schedules, help procure workshop materials (as needed), secure the after workshop popsicles, and help with child wrangling.

• Contact: Dani Turner

Volunteers fold, and sort donated Lower School uniforms and stock and maintain the uniform shelves in the Used Uniform Closet.

• Contact: Melissa Harder and  Jodie Boettcher

Works with Athletics Department and classroom teacher on this annual walk/run around the track. Typically takes place in September or October, and occurs during the school day. Committee volunteers cheer on the students, sign student lap cards, offer words of encouragement and/or join students for a lap or two around the track. Occurs by grade throughout the school day.

• Contact: tbd 

Lead organization of annual celebration of community partnership and giving. Collaborate with Kristen Haferbecker, All School Community Engagement Coordinator to manage logistics, communicate with families, recruit volunteers and oversee sorting of gifts. Giving Chapel chairs are typically 5th grade parents, co-chairs are 4th grade parents who assume chair responsibilities the following year. 

• Current Chairs: Amy Remick and  Sarah Ellis (current 5th grade parents)
• Current co-chairs: Zoe Overbeck (rising 4th grade parents)