Reply to Privates with the best parent volunteerism?

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[quote=Anonymous]We have been in public and private schools, and here is my perspective: It depends on the size of the school and the resources they have at their disposal. I was on the PTA of a public school and we did a lot of planning and logistics because things simply would not get done without parents decorating, being at a booth to sell baked goods or books, chaperoning field trips and/or picking up supplies from Costco etc.

It may also depend on the age of your child. For instance, our middle schooler is in student government at her private school and they create google docs to solicit student input and plan a lot of their own activities or functions. There is also more school staff support, so the requests for volunteers are slightly different than when they were younger.

The other reality is that once you are in an independent school for a few years and largely understand the lay of the land, volunteering may not be as important to you because you know many families and are confident that you can reach Admin, teachers, or support staff if issues arise. You also may not be as anxious about your child's development and generally are more confident about knowing your child and your own parenting style. You also have a network of parents to rely upon.

While you appreciate the fact parents work to put together the Auction etc, you write a check and attend it if it fits into your work or family or social calendar  because you have other board or volunteer commitments as well as relationships you may deem important.

FWIW, I volunteer on occasion at my child's school but do not think it is absolutely critical in middle school and beyond. Give what you can and want to -- time, talent, and/or money.  Showing up for concerts, games, conferences and asking my child about what she is learning and the dynamics at school are more important than volunteering, IMHO. YMMV.

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