The Parents’ Association (PA) is the organization through which parents and guardians volunteer their time at Park to connect, collaborate, and contribute. Parent involvement is a unique characteristic of the Park community and is fundamental to the School’s mission.

At Park, all parents are members of the Parents' Association and are invited to attend PA meetings and participate in discussions and decisions. PA activities can be grouped into three categories: Community Building, Student Enrichment & Grants, and Faculty & Staff Appreciation. The variety of volunteer opportunities makes it possible for parents with different schedules, interests and talents to participate in the life of the School. Whether a one-time or ongoing commitment, every contribution is needed and valued.

Community Building

The PA's #1 mission to help parents connect with the wonderful community at Park! The Parents' Association builds community in many ways including hosting an all-school picnic for all families, and smaller New Parent Dinners designed to welcome and introduce new parents to the School community. The PA also organizes parent socials throughout the year and events like the Community Tree Celebration, Family Bingo Night, and the Family Skating Party. The PA's All School Evening and Parent Roundtables generate discussion on key topics like raising children in the age of social media and managing anxiety. The PA also oversees the acquisition and placement of engraved leaves for each family, faculty and staff member on the Community Tree in the School's front entrance.

Faculty & Staff Appreciation

The Parents' Association organizes monthly breakfasts and birthday cakes for our very deserving faculty and staff. Each spring, the PA celebrates the faculty and staff with a special lunch and extensive raffle.

Student Enrichment & Grants

The Park PA sponsors in-school community service and educational events as well as teacher grants for new classroom initiatives. Examples of PA-funded endeavors include:

Kibo Robotics: enabling students to design and build their own robots
Trout in the Classroom: science teacher Megan Armour and her fourth grade students raised and studied trout, from "eyed egg stage" to "fingerling"
Risers and Acoustic Shells: underwriting part of the cost to enhance student performances in the West Gym, including the community-wide Yule Festival

FundRaising

The PA is 100% parent-funded. Springfest is the primary fundraising event, generating revenues through an online auction, raffle, and ticket sales. Additional funds are raised through Family Bingo Night and the Family Skating Party.

Parents' Association EVENTS

Springfest

Springfest is the Park School community’s annual day of play! Fun for the whole family – activities include carnival rides, carnival games, a petting zoo, face painting, food trucks, and much more. It is also the biggest fundraiser for the PA, with ticket sales, the highly-anticipated raffle and silent auction – raising money for community building, student enrichment and grants, and faculty and staff appreciation. Springfest relies on hundreds of parent volunteers. Whether taking on a larger planning role during the year as a subcommittee chair, or volunteering for a shift day-of, all families are asked to help make the day a success.

Parent Socials and New Parent Dinners

The PA hosts fall gatherings by division to welcome new parents to the School and introduce them to the community. The PA also organizes social gatherings throughout the year for parents to get to know each other and build community, including a school-wide picnic on the Main Field.

Chop-a-thon

Each year, the Park School community comes together to chop vegetables for the Pine Street Inn, Boston's largest shelter for homeless men and women. Families and the PA donate vegetables, which are washed, peeled, chopped and snapped throughout the day. Last year, we delivered 836 pounds of vegetables to Pine Street, contributing to the 2,900 meals served daily.

Bingo Night

A fun night for the whole family! Bingo Night is a much anticipated annual community event, featuring bingo, prizes, pizza, and some of our special guest announcers – including Head of School Scott Young!

Skating Night

The Family Skating Party is a festive annual community builder for the whole family – with pizza and cocoa too!

Cradles to Crayons

The PA's Community Service Committee organizes a school-wide clothing drive each spring to benefit Cradles to Crayons, a local organization serving homeless and low-income children. Pre-K and Kindergarten students and their parents and teachers help sort the clothing and learn about giving back.

Pumpkin Bread Drive

Every November, the PA's Community Service Committee organizes families to bake pumpkin bread for our service partners to distribute to households in need. The Park community delivers hundreds of loaves to the Allston-Brighton Food Pantry and to the Boston Housing Authority (BHA), a key provider of housing options for low and moderate-income residents.