WHAT FALLS ON THE SHOULDERS OF A CLASS REPRESENTATIVE

In some classes or may be the majority of classes, the Class Representatives is carrying more and more of the year’s tasks by themselves, due to parents work commitments, single parents who are the sole bread winners and the challenge of involving the sponsored children’s parents. School fundraising is a huge task in the year and some class reps carry an enormous load when these activities arise, not to mention what is required from them already.

Due to my experience as a class rep, I propose for individual parents to take ownership of certain activities in the year instead of it all falling into the lap of one person. Taking ownership of activities must happen at the beginning of the year, so it is clear who is holding that activity and there is plenty of time to prepare for it. A class representative is still required as a communication link between the Teacher and parents, Management, Fundraising Co-ordinators and managing the year’s tasks, but being free of some of the more time consuming activities.

Here is a list activities which is required during the course of the year.

The class rep must be made aware that the position is from the beginning of the year to the beginning of the following year, when this task is handed over.

1. Understand the teacher’s way of working. It is important that the class rep be sensitive to the teacher and what the teacher is working to achieve.  It is a very good idea that the class rep does regular “checks” with the teacher about what is required – the rep can initiate the conversation. 
2. Class Representative Meetings. A class rep. from each class, including the Kindergarten, is to attend a Class Representative Meeting once a term to discuss the various activities for that term, school fundraising and possible end of term fair and to start the preparation for these activities in advance. 
3. Communication. Being the communicating link between the Teacher and the Parents
1. Creating and starting up a telephone tree
2. Creating a bakers day schedule
3. Occasional letter writing
4. Must keep their ear to the ground and inform the teacher of anything “moving” in the parent body that teachers can address. This is an attempt to pre-empt thoughts before they become issues
5. Help in setting up agendas for parent/teacher meetings will be very helpful
6. Notifying parents of meetings, although this should be discussed at the previous meeting and a date for the next terms meeting set/remind parents of next meeting 
7. Taking minutes and sending them out
4. Treasury­­. The class funds need to be managed/an account of money to be kept.
5. Delegation. The class rep. needs to delegate tasks amongst the parent body.  These tasks may include the following;
1. Photocopying 
2. Organise parents for work parties 
3. Shopping for art and craft supplies 
4. Arranging outings
1. How many for the year and when
2. Sufficient lifts to and fro
3. Indemnity forms
4. Parents to participate
5. Doing the necessary investigation regards certain exploration
5. Tidying and painting of classroom 
6. Class Camp
1. Venue
2. Map on how to get their
3. Lifts their and back
4. Parents required to help on the camp
5. Catering at the camp
6. Creating menu and buying food
7. What do the children need to bring along
8. Cost of camp
1. Cost per day
2. Cost of food
3. Cost of petrol 
7. End of year Play
1. Arrange venue
2. Who is taking responsibility for co-ordinating entire function
3. Are lifts required for play practices
4. Costumes, is one person taking sole responsibility or are all the parents taking responsibility for their child’s costume?
5. Is make-up required and who will offer their creative skill of applying make-up?
6. Are refreshments required, who is providing, are you selling?
7. Is a float required?
8. Class fundraising during the year
1. When does this occur?
2. Who is co-ordinating the fundraising?
3. What does it require?
4. Are there a number of possibilities and can different parents take on co-ordinating one of the events and getting the necessary assistance of the group?
9. School fundraising events
1. Eco day
2. Car boot sale
3. Noordhoek Country Fair
4. Adopt-a-Plant
5. All of the above need co-ordinators, communicating through the class reps to the classes for assistance in;
1. Creating sponsor forms
2. Buying produce
3. Asking for donations
4. Taking of shifts
5. Supplying tables, cookers etc.
6. Tuck shop. All children benefit from this service
1. Gisela Schmidt co-ordinates ordering food and ice-bites
2. She should not be the sole person selling
3. Each class needs to take responsibility, by filling in the tuck shop roster.  This will involve the Kindergarten parents serving between 12h15 until 13h00 and parents in junior primary to hold tuck shop from 13h00 until 13h45 or there about.  If you have a child in the senior and junior primary you can still assist with this activity.  If all parents take a couple of days in the year, this will make an enormous difference to Gisela.
7. End of term fairs.
1. Assist the Teacher when this is necessary
2. What is required for the various fairs?

If we all work together then no one person will feel burdened with this task!