Introduction
Throughout the years of TLA’s existence, a significant number of parents have committed untold work hours and financial contributions to allow a variety of programs and benefits to exist for our students. This has always been on a voluntary basis and has not only been of material benefit to the school, but also has served to increase the sense of community between parents, staff, and supporters. This parental support has been of great benefit to the school and we have now introduced a Parent Participation Project to allow all families to become involved in this way.
The Commitment
With the starting of the upcoming seismic upgrade, we continue to look forward to involving all our TLA parents in taking ownership of various projects for the funding of this project and betterment of the TLA community.
There will be 3 options to get involved in the various projects in 2024/25:
- Financial support (Contributing $800.00 per year) – Please include your cheque $800 payable to TLA, dated September 3, 2024.
- Project participation (Contributing minimum 40 hours of work per year in total) – Although we will be tracking hours, parents are responsible for ensuring that their own 40 hours of work are completed (minimum 20 hours by Feb 15, 2025, and the remaining hours by Jun 15, 2025) without reminders from the coordinators. For families new to TLA in 2024/25, out of your 40 hours, you will need to complete a minimum of 20 hours in the areas of General Repairs, Maintenance, Gardening, Cleaning, and Yard Supervision. Please provide 2 undated cheques of $400.
- In accordance with the CISVA schools, if you or your spouse is a principal or teacher at TLA or at a CISVA school, you are exempt from this PPP requirement; part-time teachers will complete PPP requirements according to their FTE.
We invite our parents to a higher level of generosity and teamwork as we work together to educate our children in Faith, Truth, and Virtue.
Performance of Duties
Parents are expected to cooperate fully in completing shifts as scheduled. In agreeing to work specific shifts, parents commit to the following:
- To arrive at the Participation activity in a timely fashion and to work according to the agreed shift schedule
- To accurately record their hours on the sign-in sheet at the TLA office for Yard Supervision or email the team lead on an agreed upon frequency for all other projects and to keep their own detailed record of hours worked
- In the event they cannot work a particular shift, to arrange for a suitable replacement with other parents.
- Parent involvement in the school is one of the primary purposes of the Parent Participation Program. It is therefore the expectation and preference that a parent will be the designated individual to complete any given Participation shift. Both parents may work in one Participation activity, with the permission of the Team Leader. The Team Leader will take into consideration the issue of fairness concerning the number of applicants and the number of positions available for a given activity.
- Adult (18+) family members other than parents may perform regular Parent Participation duties, or substitute for a parent, with the permission of the Team Leader. School-age children are not eligible to perform Parent Participation duties, nor may they accompany a parent who is performing these duties at the school.
Project Hours Report
Upon signing up to contribute a minimum of 20 hours by Feb 15, 2025, and the remaining hours by Jun 15, 2025, each family will receive a report that is used by TLA Accounting for keeping track of the hours.
Minimum Hours
The frequency and duration of participation shifts will vary, depending on the requirements of the task or project. In fulfilling the minimum requirements of the program, both parents and administrators must understand the following:
- Not all projects will provide the minimum 40 hours of work. Parents are responsible for ensuring that their program commitment is met.
- The primary purpose of scheduling work sessions will be to complete an activity that benefits the school. It may be difficult to structure shifts so that parents work the 40 hours exactly; it may happen that parents work more than the minimum hours required.
Parent Participation Coordinators and Team Leaders
The Parent Participation Coordinators are invited to serve annually by the TLA staff, and they are responsible for the overall administration of the program. Team Leaders will, in turn, be invited to serve by the coordinators, and will be in charge of various project areas:
Supervision (e.g., before and after school, lunch recess, field trips)
General Repairs/Maintenance Team (e.g., painting, handyman, cleaning, gardening)
Fundraising Team (e.g., Walk-a-thon, Grad, hot lunches, online fundraisers)
School Programs and Events Team (e.g. Grad, Speech Arts, sports teams)
Responsibilities of the Coordinators and Team Leaders will include:
- Assigning parents to Participation categories in a fair and equitable manner
- Communicating with parents
- Enforcing the policy and overall compliance with the program
- Dispute resolution and investigating issues and concerns of parents and administrators, and working to resolve any conflicts that arise among participants of the program
- Tracking and Recording Hours
In some cases, shifts may be canceled due to unforeseen school closures, snow days, etc. Missed hours due to a shift cancellation will not be credited. Participants must take personal responsibility to sign up for these missed hours.
In order to ensure compliance with the program, all Participation hours will be recorded. The Team Lead will be responsible for ensuring that a sign-in sheet is signed by all parents who work a particular shift. Under normal circumstances, parents will not be credited with Participation hours for working a partial shift. The intention to do a partial shift must be made known beforehand to the team leader in order to adequately make preparations.
Failure to Work a Scheduled Shift
Any parent who fails to work a Participation shift for which they have signed up, shall reimburse the school $20.00 for every missed hour of that scheduled shift. This may be accomplished by the cashing of the supply of cheques held at the office, or by payment by other means at the school office. This procedure is to discourage no shows for projects that have been planned in advance, and could very well need to be rescheduled as a result of non-attendance.
Incomplete Participation Hours
Any family that has not completed half of the required minimum Participation hours by February 15, and the rest of the required minimum Participation hours by June 15, shall be responsible for a payment equaling the number of missed hours at $20.00 per hour.
If a family withdraws its children prior to the end of the year, or who decides to leave the active program midyear, they will have their cheques for any un–worked hours cashed immediately. Parent Participation Program cheques are not refundable, but in the case where a family leaves the school prematurely, a donation receipt may be issued for the balance of the account upon request.
Definitions
- The terms “Family” and “Parent(s)” are used in this policy to indicate the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) of a student(s) enrolled in the school. This would normally be the individuals who have signed the registration form.
- Both “TLA” and the “school” are used throughout this policy to refer to “TRADITIONAL LEARNING ACADEMY.”
- “Participation Coordinator” or “Coordinator” refers to the Parent Participation Coordinator, as invited to serve by the staff of TLA.
- School Year: The school year is the fiscal year July 1st through June 30th.
