Welcome to St. Mary’s Mothers’ Guild
Welcome! We have prepared this booklet for your information, hoping that it will give you some insight into our endeavors and encourage you to take an active part in aiding St. Mary’s School in providing your child with the best education possible. The Mothers’ Guild is the parent organization for St. Mary’s School. We encourage both mothers and fathers to be involved. All parents of children attending the school are members of the Mothers’ Guild. St. Mary’s Mothers’ Guild was founded in 1942 by Father John Loughlin, Pastor. It is a service organization, which has its roots firmly, planted in Catholic heritage and tradition.
We sincerely hope that after reading this booklet you will want to get involved. We look forward to meeting you and enjoying your friendship and company.
Executive Board
The officers and board members make up the Executive Board, which meets once a month to discuss events, fundraising, make suggestions and give support in whatever way is needed for our school. If you have any ideas or questions, please feel free to contact us.
Membership Dues
Any parent or guardian of a student at St. Mary’s School is a member of the Mothers’ Guild. To be a voting member of the Mothers’ Guild, members must pay dues. This will entitle either, but not both, parent or guardian to vote, i.e. one family, one vote. We strongly encourage each family to become a voting member of the Mothers’ Guild. The Financial Secretary collects dues and issues membership cards to dues paying members. The dues help defray the cost of running the Mothers’ Guild and provide for added extras for the children. A Guild Listing/student directory is also available to members who have paid dues.
Fundraising
The Mothers’ Guild provides funding for many school activities. Throughout the school year we have various fundraisers that enable us to enhance our children’s education. Members working together for a common goal comprise the spirit of the Mothers’ Guild – we all need this spirit of cooperation. Participation in the various activities is also a great deal of fun and a way of making friendships that last throughout the years as many former members can attest. Whatever time and talent you can contribute would be greatly appreciated. Every student benefits from the services provided by the Mothers’ Guild, therefore it is strongly encouraged that every family participates in fundraising and volunteering. Please do not hesitate to call any chairperson to volunteer.
1. Fall Fundraiser
Our initial and largest fundraiser of the year is held in September. The chairperson provides brochures from which orders are taken for merchandise. We do not encourage the children selling door to door. Rather, we hope you will show the brochures to relatives, friends and coworkers. The order forms are then returned to the school. When the filled orders are received, they are picked up at a school during the scheduled times. As the years go by, this fundraiser becomes more successful and important. In order to ensure delivery before the holidays, the brochures usually go home the first week of school. We encourage all families to participate in this initial fundraiser.
2. Craft Fair
Our craft fair is always a huge success. With the help of several subcommittees the Craft Fair Coordinator(s) organize and run the fair. We provide booths for outside vendors to come in and sell their homemade products. In addition to the outside vendors, the Mothers’ Guild has several tables/sections of our own. We run a kitchen, which in the past has served a huge lunch crowd. Other tables we have are a large raffle table, a bake booth, 50/50 table and Santa’s Workshop. The 8th Grade usually sponsors a table of their own during the fair. This event requires many volunteers to run successfully. The Craft Fair is held early November.
3. Pancake Breakfast
Through the continued efforts of our chairpersons and the generous donations of our members and members of the local community, the Mothers’ Guild holds this annual event. Your support and attendance are requested to help make this event a continued success. Bring your family, friends and neighbors to enjoy a delicious breakfast and show your support for our school. This event is typically held on Palm Sunday.
4. Spring Fundraiser
Our Spring Fundraiser is currently a Gertrude Hawks Candy Sale. This sale is held similar to the Fall Fundraiser. Brochures are sent home and then the completed orders are returned to school. When the filled orders are delivered, a scheduled time is arranged for order pick-up. The spring fundraiser is coordinated so that delivery of the candy is just before Palm Sunday.
5. 26 - Week Raffle
This year we will be holding a 26-week raffle. Tickets will be sold for $25 each. Each week, beginning in December, a winner will be drawn at random. Weekly prizes are $25. Throughout the year there will be three larger prizes one for $100, one for $250 and a third for $500. Winners will be posted in the bulletin and will receive a check from the Mothers’ Guild. The winning name is then returned to the pot for next week’s drawing. Every ticket is eligible to win each drawing. We hope every family will participate in this raffle. 6. Breakfast with Santa and Christmas Cookie Walk
New in 2006. Each family is asked to donate a dozen cookies to be sold after the Sunday masses. Parishoners and others will be able to fill a "bakery style" box of cookies and pay by the pound. In addition, we will be running a breakfast and photograph with Santa at the same time for the children. Breakfast must be pre-ordered to allow for a smooth flow of traffic.
7. Fashion Show
New in 2006. Spring Fashions from local retailers are showcased by school families and some parishioners as models.
Services
Listed below are some of the services provided by the Mothers’ Guild. As you can see, we are an important part of St. Mary’s School. What better way to participate in your child’s education than to volunteer for these activities. The faculty greatly appreciates our help and time. We cannot accomplish everything without help from every school family.
1. Playground and Lunch Duty
Fathers, mothers and other adult family members volunteer to come in once a week to supervise the children at lunchtime. The Lunch Duty Chairperson coordinates all volunteers and scheduling. During nice weather, the classes play outside on the playground. In case of inclement weather, the children remain in the classroom where there is an assortment of games and toys to use. Estimated time is ˝ hr per class.
2. Room Parents
Each class has Room Parents who work closely with the teacher, as needed. They run the class Christmas Party and are responsible for coordinating the class in hosting either a Mothers’ Guild meeting or special event, i.e. graduation or communion. Room Parents are also responsible for the emergency phone chain for their class.
3. Field Day
Each spring the Mothers’ Guild and the gym teacher organize Field Day. The children play such things as softball, relay games, and run obstacle courses. Lunch and funding are provided by the Guild. The classes are divided into small groups with a parent as a group leader. It is truly a fun day and one in which everyone is encouraged to participate. Without the Mothers’ Guild and numerous volunteers, this event would not be possible.
4. Field Trips
Each spring every class goes on an educational field trip. The children look forward to these trips and come home very excited and pleased with the experience. It is a valuable and enriching learning experience outside the classroom. The Mothers’ Guild has been solely responsible for funding the bus transportation, which has run approximately $5,000 per year. Unless we work together to raise the necessary money, this exciting learning experience will not be available to the students at such a reasonable price. The Mothers’ Guild funds the transportation for one class trip a year per grade.
5. Christmas Parties
Every December, before the Christmas recess, each class has a Christmas party. While the Room Parents and teachers coordinate the party, the Mothers’ Guild provides money for lunch. The children are excused from wearing their uniforms and Santa visits grades K-2.
6. Scholarships and Awards
Each year the Mothers’ Guild sponsors the Mothers’ Guild of St. Mary’s School Award and the Mothers’ Guild Monsignor Brennan Memorial Award. The first is awarded to the boy and girl who are selected by their classmates for outstanding leadership, character, scholarship and services. Both awards are presented at the 8th Grade Graduation, to a boy and girl from that class.
7. Uniform Exchange
St. Mary’s has its own Uniform Exchange. These are uniforms that our parents have donated when their children have outgrown them. The clothes are kept in the Mothers’ Guild Closet at school. You need not donate clothes to receive some from the Exchange. Considering the way children grow, this service is very useful, and we encourage all to take advantage of it. Items tobe exchanged may be dropped off at the school office.
8. Sunshine and Get Well/Emergency Care
This committee makes every effort to acknowledge out of the ordinary things happening in our school families’ lives: births, deaths, illnesses. It is also available to any family in our school facing a crisis situation and is in need of an extra hand. Never hesitate to notify the chairperson to send a card or organize help if the occasion arises.
Social Gatherings/Services
Not only do we work together, but we also relax together. We try to have several functions that afford us this opportunity. Since we all work so hard together, it is nice to be able to attend these functions and relax. Your suggestions for social activities and fundraisers are always welcome. Let us hear your new ideas.
1. Installation Dinner
The election of officers is held at our May Mothers’ Guild meeting. The installation dinner is planned in June at a local restaurant. It is a fitting end to the school year and an excellent way to show our thanks and appreciation to both our new and outgoing Officers and Executive Board.
2. Other Activities
The Mothers’ Guild also organizes activities outside school for the students and their families such as marching in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
Mothers’ Guild Meetings
One Monday of most months, we have a Mothers’ Guild meeting in the school gym. The meeting begins with refreshments at 7:00p.m. A list of dates is distributed at the beginning of the school year. The following is an outline of what you can expect at these meetings:
1. Refreshments are served – each meeting is hosted by a different class 2. Meeting is opened with a prayer 3. Mrs. La Rose reports on school activities 4. Minutes of the last meeting are read by the Secretary 5. Treasurer’s report is given 6. Financial Secretary reports on membership 7. President discusses events and activities coming up 8. Chairpersons report on status of their events 9. Open discussion 10. At some meetings a speaker may present a program 11. Meeting is closed with a prayer
We hope this booklet has been helpful to you. We encourage you to come to the Mothers’ Guild meetings, get involved and help make our children’s year in school a happy one. All of the children in the school benefit from your help. We have a thriving school service organization. Please take a minute to ask yourself what you can do to contribute. Our success depends upon everyone’s involvement.
We look forward to meeting you and hopefully having you share your skills, talents, services and time with your children and our school.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact any of our Officers and Board Members. New ideas are always welcome.
Updated July 1, 2007 |