Room Parent Resource


Room parents are an invaluable resource at Oak Knoll. In this role, you are an important enabler of many of the activities, events, and programs that make our school such a special place! Your help is greatly appreciated by the Oak Knoll community.

The following resources have been collected to help inform and provide room 
parents with tools that can help you work more efficiently and effectively 
throughout the school year.

If you have questions or suggestions regarding these materials or the room parent program, please contact Mary Spieser (maryspeiser@gmail.com), Mary Karen Lundh (mklundh@yahoo.com), or Janelle McCombs (janellemccombs@yahoo.com).
Over time, we hope to expand the Resource Center with YOUR ideas and more best practices for running great classroom parties, fun grade level events, and other successful activities. So, please send us information and ideas that might be useful to other room parents.

Thank you again for being a room parent this year!

About Being a Room Parent

The primary role of a room parent is to provide support and assistance to the teacher.  Each team of room parents should talk with the teacher about how he/she would like to work with room parents and parent volunteers, and what specific other classroom help they would like.  Then, using that information, the room parent team can develop a plan for the year that directly addresses the teacher’s unique needs and preferences.


Important Dates for 2011-2012 Room Parents
September 1- 
Back to School Night - 
September 6 - Copies of Library, Art & Noteworthy Art forms to PTO Box in office
September 9 - Send classroom family contact sheet to parents and report plastic ware inventory to GLC/GLL


About Being a Room Parent for the School Year
Room Parent Role
Schedule of Room Parent Activities by Month

Other Tools/ Links to Help You in the Role
Agenda for Initial Meeting between Teacher and Room Parents
Teacher Gift Guidelines
Nutritional Guidelines for Class Parties


Preparing for Back to School Night (BTSN)
Checklist for Preparing for BTSN
In Class Volunteer Sign-Up Form - any subject
Agenda and Talking Points for Brief BTSN Presentation
Information About Volunteer Sign-Ups
Family Information Sheets
Instructions for Family Information Sheets
Class party Sign-Up 
Field Trip Sign-Up Sheet
Field Day Sign-Up Sheet
Noteworthy Art Sign-Up Sheet
Volunteer Sign-Up Log



Grade Level Coordinators

Grade level coordinators play an important role in ensuring the continued success of the room parent program and facilitating good communication within each grade at Oak Knoll.

About Being a Grade Level Coordinator for the School Year

Grade Level Coordinator Role
Guidelines for Grade Level Events
Guidelines for Field Day Celebrations


Grade Level Coordinators 2011-2012
Name Role Email Address
Mary Karen Lundh Co-Chair mklundh@yahoo.com
Janelle McCombs Co-Chair janelleLmccombs@gmail.com
Mary Speiser Co-Chair maryspeiser@gmail.com
Lisa Douglass GLC - K lisadouglass@gmail.com
Ashely Honerkamp GLC - K ahonerkamp@comcast.net
Gina Skinner GLC - 1st rcskinner@sbcglobal.net
Amy Thornborrow GLC - 1st amy.thornborrow@gmail.com
Pam Nootbaar GLC - 2nd pam@kennolyn.com
Julie Nelson GLC - 2nd the5nelsons@mac.com
Melissa Engelkeimer GLC - 3rd melissa010603@yahoo.com
Elizabeth Lorenz GLC - 3rd elizabeth_lorenz@yahoo.com
Meredith Walsey GLC - 4th mjwalsey@gmail.com
Erica Galles GLC - 4th ericagalles@yahoo.com
Mary Murphy GLC - 5th mary@nortechventures.com
Maria Mills GLC - 5th mtouyamills@aol.com
Jennifer Jeffries GLL MultiAge - 3, 4, 5 jfjeff@comcast.net
1895 Oak Knoll Lane, Menlo Park, California  94025 (650) 854-4433
webmaster@oakknollschool.com