Home and School Association

FUNDRAISING EVENTS

HSA ELIGIBLE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES / Events that the hsa offers for our students and families!

VOLUNTEERING & FUNDRAISING OBLIGATIONS

Family Assessment:

In order to keep tuition costs down, each SMS family is required to both volunteer and fundraise. 25 hours of volunteering and $350 in fundraising (per family) is the current recommended way to meet your goals. However, a combination of hours and dollars can be used to meet your goals. See below for more details and other possible options.

Fulfilling Your Family Assessment:

1. Volunteer Hours: Volunteer hours can be earned through a variety of activities at the school. For example, you can earn hours by volunteering to work at any of the SMS HSA sponsored events like the Christmas Tree Sale, Carnival, basketball tournament, etc. There will be many announcements throughout the year seeking volunteers for various events. If you are a room parent or the sole chairperson of an event, your hours are automatically met (hours only, you are still required to meet your fundraising goals). Cochairs may be required to split the hours, depending on the event. Note: Friends and relatives may also volunteer, earning hours for your family. Please be sure that they sign in with your child’s name so credit be applied to the correct family.
   
2. Fundraising Dollars: The fundraising obligation can be fulfilled through a variety of fundraisers offered throughout the year. You will earn credit towards your assessment goal based on how much you sell for each event. The amount earned towards assessment averages 50% of sales, but that may vary by event, so please be sure to check with the chair of each event for clarification of what will be applied towards your fundraising goal. For example, if you sell $150 in pies for the pie fundraiser, a $75 credit will go towards your $350 goal, however a smaller percentage of Raise Right sales will go towards assessment. Check for details with each event chair.

Other Options for Fulfilling Your Family Assessment:

• Families who are willing to volunteer, but prefer not to fundraise may accumulate dollars at a rate of $10 per hour. Meaning you can volunteer 60 hours and meet your full obligation. 
• Families with little time to volunteer who prefer to fundraise can fundraise $600 to meet your full requirement.
• Any combination of hours/ fundraising that equal a total of 60 vs $600 is acceptable. (For example: 10 hours and $500, 40 hours and $200)
• Families that do not wish to volunteer or fundraise at all have the option of paying $600 upfront to the HSA, fulfilling their obligation for the year.

If You Do Not Fulfill Your Family Assessment? Families that do not fulfill their full assessment obligation will be charged the difference up to $600. For example, if you volunteer 10 hours and fundraise $100, you will owe a balance of $400. You will receive a bill during the summer and your assessment balance will be due prior to the start of the new school year.

*Assessment obligations may be subject to change from year to year based on fundraising profits.

*Families must be up to date on tuition payments and assessment obligations to hold any chair or co-chair positions or to be considered for a room parent position.

RESPECT FOR SCHOOL POLICIES:

The HSA shall respect and support the established school policies as set forth by the School Principal and in the School Handbook

MEMBERSHIP:

Membership shall consist of fathers, mothers, and guardians of the students of St. Mary’s School. In order to serve in any capacity on the SMS HSA board, one must meet the following criteria:

1. Family must be current with all tuition and assessment payments
2. Family should be in St. Mary’s for at least 1 year
3. Family must be involved in volunteering for or chairing an event

BOARD POSITIONS:

The Home and School Association Executive Board (HSA) is comprised of its Executive Officers and the Principal/Assistant Principal. There shall be no more than nine (9) Executive board members and the school Principal

• Co- Chairpersons of the HSA Executive Board: Responsible for supporting and managing the HSA Executive Officers, running school-wide parent meetings, overseeing volunteer-driven programs and acting as a liaison between the HSA and SMS School Board, SMS Director of Marketing and Enrollment Management and St. Mary Church.
• Assessments Chairpersons: Responsible for tracking and monitoring family assessment obligations through their fundraising and volunteer activities. 
• Treasurer: Responsible for managing the HSA budget, assisting individual chairs with deposits and expense reimbursement and tracking year-to-year fundraising performance of the HSA.
• Secretary: Responsible for HSA Board meeting agendas and minutes, HSA calendar of events and managing school-wide HSA communications.
• SMS Principal: Will advise the HSA Board on the school’s involvement in fundraisers and volunteer supported programs as well as the needs of the school.
• Fundraising Event Chair: Responsible for supporting and managing the chairs for each of the HSA fundraisers, recruiting event chairs, and assisting individual fundraiser chairs.
• Room Parent Coordinator: Responsible for the recruitment and coordination of room parents for all grades
• Hospitality Committee: Works with the school office to provide coordination, hosting, and volunteers for SMS based activities unrelated to fundraising
• Executive Board Member(s): Responsible for supporting and assisting with other board positions as needed aa well as assisting individual event chairs with obtaining volunteer and school support for fundraisers, recruiting event chairs and communicating with parents regarding upcoming events.

MEETINGS:

HSA Board meetings will take place on the 3rd Monday of each month.  The HSA will conduct at least 2 general meetings with the SMS family community in order to provide an open forum for families to ask questions, express concerns or get updated as to what is happening within SMS

AMENDMENTS:

These by-laws will be reviewed and updated as needed. Amendments to the by-laws must be approved a majority vote of a quorum of Home and School Association Executive Board Members

BOARD OPENINGS AND VACANCIES:

Open board positions will be announced to the SMS community.  School members wishing to apply for the position should respond via email to the board secretary and include relevant information (work background, child(s) grade, etc.) Applicants must meet the criteria mentioned in the members section of the by-laws.  Remaining board members will vote on all applicants, with a majority prevailing

VOTING:

Voting by the Executive Board will take place during the regular monthly meetings. If such a decision is required before the next meeting, the vote is to be presented to all members via email communication with all members being given the opportunity to present their opinion on the matter before the final vote is tallied. The HSA Executive Board shall seek consensus in all its undertakings. Where this is not possible, a vote may be taken with the simple majority prevailing. The Principal and/or Pastor have the authority to overrule the decisions of the Executive Board. This should only occur in rare instances and a written explanation should be provided, if requested. Voting on the use of HSA monies raised includes but is not limited to community-building events, school supplies, capital improvements, technology and/or software systems, classroom gifts, staff gifts, gifts for graduating students. The Executive Board may vote on requests submitted by the school administration, SMS families, and from the board itself. Items presented to the board for voting in reference to monetary spending must be presented in writing a minimum of 30 days in advance of purchase.

FAMILY ASSESSMENT:

St. Mary’s Families sign a contractual obligation denoting their acceptance of the assessment program (see attachment 1, Volunteering and Fundraising Obligations). The Executive Board will work with the SMS school office to provide mid-year updates and end of year statements to all families. The Executive Board will also provide a list, both in writing and available on St. Mary’s website as to which events qualify as HSA volunteer and fundraising opportunities. (Attachments 2- HSA Eligible Volunteer Opportunities & 3- HSA Qualifying Fundraising Events)

Opportunities and event information will also be sent home via students and weekly emails. Assigning volunteer related hours to Non-HSA related activities must be approved by the board via a majority vote and may not be assigned without the boards consent