Even if you like to throw parties, entertaining two dozen 7-year-olds for at least a half hour without Chuck E. Cheese could be a daunting task.
Cadres of experienced room parents at area elementary schools resort to a tried-and-true strategy: divide and conquer. But with working mothers and food allergy and safety concerns, there have been some changes in the role of the traditional room mother
At Prospect School in Clarendon Hills, room parent Samantha Lindenmeyer said her counterparts in each classroom pick either the Halloween, winter holiday or end-of-the-year party and plan games, a craft and a snack for the entire grade level.
“This is a great way to make sure all the room parents are involved and to make sure everyone in the grade level is having the same great experience,” Lindenmeyer said.
Rahma Hasan, president of the Butler District 53 Parent-Teacher Organization in Oak Brook, said 4th- and 5th-grade room parents also plan the same activities for the entire grade level at Brook Forest School. The big event for 5th-graders is hiring a magician for their holiday party, she said.
Students are asked to contribute $20 to fund room parties this year, up $5 from last year because the school requires parents to buy all the snacks, rather than bake, Hasan said.
“This year we’re being very sensitive to food allergies and cultural beliefs,” said Kristen Bendera, PTO vice president at Brook Forest. “We can take a snapshot of the ingredients and have that on hand with the school secretary in case anything should happen.”
In LaGrange Highlands, Highlands Elementary School doesn’t collect a separate fee for room parties, but give parents an allotment from the parent organization’s general fund, said Debra Bezanis, who assigns three room parents for each classroom from a healthy pool of volunteers.
“Sometimes I have to give parents their second choice,” Bezanis said.
One reason Bezanis said she has no trouble recruiting room parents is the streamlined process for room parties. A committee formed several years ago and planned out crafts and games for each grade level.
“Each grade level has three bins and the party plans and supplies are all set for Halloween, holiday and Valentine’s Day,” she said.
Former Highlands Parent-Teacher Council President Kara Sugarman said having set party plans is less stressful for busy parents and helps avoid duplication.
“This way, if you play ‘pin the nose on the snowman’ in 1st grade, you’re not playing it again in 2nd grade,” Sugarman said.
Parent organizers elsewhere agreed they have no trouble filling room party volunteer slots, despite many parents working.
“Since we have our dates for our parties beforehand, working parents can arrange to take off work,” Lindenmeyer said. “Prospect has a surplus of wonderful parents that are always willing to step up and volunteer.”
Denise Pacioni said The Lane School in Hinsdale has so many willing volunteers, a lottery is conducted on who gets to be a room parent, at least for the younger grades.
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Parents said they volunteer to run or help with room parties because they enjoy being involved in their child’s school.
“It’s a nice way to meet the other parents and get to know the teacher,” said Lynn Mayer a room parent at The Lane. “And it ensures that you can be present at the parties, which my children always like.”
Room parents fill a variety of other functions, organizers said.
At The Lane School, Mayer said room parents line up volunteers to take photos for the school yearbook, art awareness program and pizza lunches. They also plan gifts for teachers and recruit volunteers as requested by the teacher to help with classroom tasks.
Room parents also organize coffees or a night out for all the parents in the class, she said.
At Brook Forest, Hasan said room parents organized snacks to boost students’ spirits during standardized tests in the spring. A kindergarten teacher suggested various themes, such as smart cookies or Smarties candy, she said.
“We had 330 students, so over five days, that was over 1,000 snacks to package,” Hasan said. “We had 10 to 15 parents, and it took us about three hours.”
Shannon Matricaria said room parents at Prospect also are assisting new families this year.
“Each class has one room parent who is designated as a point person for any new families who may have formal or informal questions about activities taking place at the school,” she said.
Kathy Harzich, who coordinates room parent assignments at Madison School in Hinsdale, said fathers also are encouraged to step forward.
“Last year we had one father who volunteered and did a fantastic job,” Harzich said.
Madison 2nd-grade teacher Camille Skordilis said grandparents also come in to volunteer on occasion.
“The kids are so excited when they see their family members coming in to help,” Skordilis said. “Some of the grandmothers come back for each of their grandchildren going through.”
Skordilis said room parents provide invaluable help in taking care of time-consuming tasks.
“For Art Around the World Day, I give them a list of all the different things I need, and they cut things out, put them in Baggies and get all the supplies,” she said. “There are so many things we couldn’t do without the parents. They’re wonderful.”
Twitter: @janemichaels22