“The essence of volunteerism is not giving part of a surplus one doesn’t need, but giving part of one’s self. Such giving is more than a duty of the heart, but a way people help themselves by satisfying the deeper spiritual needs that represent the best that is in us.”
- Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, in Christopher New Notes (1993)
Parent involvement in a child’s education is a major factor in determining the success of the child. Parent involvement contributes to carious positive outcomes, such as better school attendance, improved homework completion rates, increased standardized scores, decreased violence and substance abuse, and higher graduation rates for your child. In addition to these benefits, parent involvement is critical for the success of the school. Through fundraising efforts and performing services in and around our campus, we can attain more resources and services for our children, keep tuition costs affordable, and add to the quality of your child’s spiritual formation and education.
You entrust your children to our school and have made the necessary sacrifices to ensure that you as a parent provide the best education for your child. Your actions show that you are truly invested in playing an active role in the education of your child and the importance it will have on your child’s success.
During the past two years, the Cathedral School Board has held extensive discussions on volunteerism and parent involvement. We note that parent participation has decidedly increased in recent history. As a result, we have been able to establish a first-rate computer lab while completing a renovation of our library and substantially adding to the library holdings. These are just two of the many projects that have been successfully accomplished thanks to your support.
However, much more work remains in order to enrich your child’s learning experience. We believe this issue is so important that the School Board in conjunction with School Administration has devised a policy to mandate 100% parental involvement in volunteer activities and projects that directly affect your child’s learning and development during the upcoming school year. We believe your contribution of at least 30 hours (15 hours for single parent families) of service will contribute in the progress of your child’s education, while ensuring the future of Cathedral School of Saint Mary.
Most of all, remember that the work you do at your child’s school will enrich the classroom, the whole school, and the entire community by providing students with positive interaction, support and encouragement. You will help to build skills, confidence and self-esteem in students that will last well beyond their school days.