Participation offers parents an opportunity to share, and possibly rediscover talents, that enhance the curriculum while also allowing an insight into the workings of the school. It does take time, time which turns into a satisfying feeling that you are helping to maintain and improve an important part of not only your child's life but so many other children's lives.
Below is a summary of the participation requirements for elementary and preschool families.
Preschool Participation Requirements
Toddler Requirements
- Classroom Participation: A parent is present at each class session.
- Shed Upkeep: Toddler parents work together to maintain the toddler sheds
- Attend at least 2 of the All-School Meetings or Common Ground Speaker Series
2-Day, 3-Day and 4-day Preschool Requirements
Classroom Level Participation
1. One weekly scheduled workday, per family:
- Parents work one class session per week which includes arriving 1/2 hour early for set-up and staying 1/2 hour later for clean-up and conferencing.
- For a second or third child at Mulberry, scheduled work hours decrease (see below).
- Parents must be available for the scheduled work time each week or find a substitute
2. Classroom meetings:
Approximately every other month, parents meet as a group with the teacher. This time is used to discuss curriculum, classroom issues, etc. The meetings are scheduled after class or in the evening. Attendance is required of the participating parent and strongly recommended for all parents.
3. Field Trips (3 day and 4 day only):
Parents provide transportation for the students to and from field trips. The number of times each family drives depends on the class and is arranged at the beginning of the year. The classes will take from 6-8 field trips per year with driving shared among parents.
School Level Participation
1. One Committee Job, per family
This is a job that each family does for the school. Parents are assigned to a committee after providing 3-5 choices to the Preschool President. Committee work may be condensed into one part of the year or spread out throughout the year and may take up to 40 hours/year. A list of committee jobs can be found at (link)
2. All-School Meetings and Common Ground Speaker Series:
Each family must be represented at the 2 All School Meetings and attend at least 2 events in the Common Ground speaker series. The All School Meetings are the Orientation meeting in September and the State of the School meeting in the spring. Common Ground is a coalition of Bay Area schools that have joined together to provide parent education to their school communities. No children other than infants are permitted at any of these meetings.
3. Mulberry Community Event
Each family works at least one shift, up to 4 hours, at an event. Community events include Harvest Festival, Fun Run, Thanksgiving Feast, Science Fair, Book Fair, Spring Sing/Young Author's Fair and the Sock Hop. Parents are assigned to an event after providing 3 options.
4. Steppin'Out Auction Contribution
Each family donates or solicits one item for the school's annual fundraising event.
Multiple Children at Mulberry
If you have multiple children at Mulberry, the expectation is that you will work full-time in your youngest child's class, and half time in each of your older children's classrooms, enrollment allowing. Parents with two or more children in the same program, siblings or twins, are required to work time-and-a-half. Occasionally, based on classroom make-up and participation buy-outs, a parent of multiple siblings will be asked to work the full participation time in each child's classroom, or to work full-time in the older child's classroom and half-time in the younger child's classroom, depending on the participation needs of the individual classrooms involved.
Elementary Participation Requirements
Classroom Level Participation
- Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten - one shift of 3 hours per week
- 1st Grade-5th Grade - one shift of 3.5 hours per week
- For a second or third child at Mulberry, scheduled work hours decrease (see below).
- Parents must be available for the scheduled work time each week or find a substitute
One Classroom job, per family:
The classroom job may require work outside of the classroom hours or involve preparation for the weekly classroom shift. Examples are: gardening, cooking, yearbook, organizing field trips. Parents have a classroom job in each of their children's classrooms.
Classroom meetings:
Approximately every other month, parents meet as a group with the teacher. This time is used to discuss curriculum, classroom issues, etc. The meetings are scheduled after class or in the evening. Attendance is required of the participating parent and strongly recommended for all parents.
Field Trips:
Parents provide transportation for the students to and from field trips. The number of times each family drives depends on the class and is arranged at the beginning of the year. It ranges from 2-6 times per year.
Parent Education:
All elementary participating parents are required to take the T.E.A.M. (Techniques for Effective Aide Management) class at Mulberry, offered every fall, or an equivalent positive discipline parenting class through various local organizations.
School Level Participation
A Committee Job, per family
This is a job that each family does for the school. Parents are assigned to a committee after providing 3-5 choices to the Elementary President. Committee work may be condensed into one part of the year or spread out throughout the year and may take up to 40 hours/year. A list of committee jobs can be found on our Committee Job Descriptions page, click here to view now.
All-School Meetings and Common Ground Speaker Series:
Each family must be represented at the 2 All School Meetings and attend at least 2 events in the Common Ground speaker series. The All School Meetings are the Orientation meeting in September and the State of the School meeting in the spring. Common Ground is a coalition of Bay Area schools that have joined together to provide parent education to their school communities. No children other than infants are permitted at any of these meetings.
Mulberry Community Event
Each family works at least one shift, up to 4 hours, at an event. Community events include Harvest Festival, Fun Run, Thanksgiving Feast, Science Fair, Book Fair, Spring Sing/Young Author's Fair and the Sock Hop. Parents are assigned to an event after providing 3 options.
Steppin'Out Auction Contribution
Each family donates or solicits one item for the school's annual fundraising event.
Multiple Children at Mulberry
If you have multiple children at Mulberry, the expectation is that you will work full-time in your youngest child's class, and half time in each of your older children's classrooms, enrollment allowing. Parents with two or more children in the same program, siblings or twins, are required to work time-and-a-half. Occasionally, based on classroom make-up and participation buy-outs, a parent of multiple siblings will be asked to work the full participation time in each child's classroom, or to work full-time in the older child's classroom and half-time in the younger child's classroom, depending on the participation needs of the individual classrooms involved.
Elementary Participation Buy-Out
We recognize that for some families, regular participation in the classroom is not possible. For families buying out of participation, the classroom participation and class jobs are waived. Participation in field trip driving, attendance at class meetings, and taking a positive parenting class are still required. Participation is also still required in all four areas of the school section: committee, general meetings, community event and Steppin' Out commitments as described above.
Parents who are buying out pay a higher rate of tuition as follows:
- Jr. Kindergarten and Kindergarten: an additional $120.00 per month.
- First through Fifth Grade: an additional $192.00 per month.