Volunteer Opportunities

How do I volunteer?

Montgomery is a unique place where families work in partnership with the School. We welcome family involvement in a variety of activities, and we want to encourage each family to give as much time as they can offer. Serving as a parent volunteer is vital to enriching your child’s education. You will have an opportunity to get to know the community better and even make new friends. The MSCA organizes events and volunteer activities and attempts to involve all members of the community in a beneficial way. We encourage you to review the list of opportunities below and do any of the following to get involved:

  • Contact one of the MSCA Officers, your Homeroom/Class Parent, a committee head, or the Development Office.
  • Watch the weekly Schoolhouse News for volunteer opportunities and contact the committee head, faculty or staff member directly.
  • Complete the MSCA Volunteer Form and return it to the Development Office.

ONGOING: Admissions Support

New family mentoring.

ONGOING: Annual Fund

Volunteers work with the Development Office to raise philanthropic funds for Montgomery School’s Annual Fund, participating in Phonathons and overseeing or assisting with class participation. Work is concentrated in the Fall.

ONGOING: Art Department Support

Volunteers support the art department faculty on an as needed basis throughout the year.

ONGOING: Community Service Projects

ONGOING: Homeroom Parents/Class Parents

Lower School Homeroom Parents and Middle School Class Parents are determined before the start of the school year. If you are interested, please make sure you fill out your spring volunteer form and return it to the MSCA mailbox or to the President directly. Please see the “Responsibilities of Homeroom Parents” in the for a complete job description.

ONGOING: Fieldtrips, Classroom Activities and Parties

Your homeroom parent will coordinate the activities specific to the classroom. He or she will contact all parents in the homeroom with a specific list of volunteer opportunities and will make a good faith effort to ensure all parents have a chance to participate. Most will use email as a primary form of communication. Although there are limited classroom opportunities for Middle School Parents, parent volunteers support the athletic teams and drama department for various events throughout the year.

ONGOING: Grounds Beautification

Volunteers work to improve the Montgomery School property through seasonal plantings and grounds’ upkeep. Gardening experience is not required. This group plants containers and decorates the outdoors for the various holiday seasons and school events and tends the gardens and containers throughout the year (weed, plant, prune, fertilize etc.).

ONGOING: Library Support

Volunteers support the librarian by putting books back on the shelf, cataloging new books, and assisting students with book selection and check out.. Schedules are flexible and volunteers can sign up to work on a regular or as needed basis.

ONGOING: Lower School Publishing Center

Throughout the year, Lower School students publish writing projects. Volunteers type and assemble the projects into books. Each teacher is assigned a typist. Books are assembled on an as needed basis.

ONGOING: Montgomery Rack

Volunteers maintain inventory at the School’s gently used uniform shop. Montgomery Rack is located in the cottage building next to the Farmhouse. Donations of clean, good quality uniforms, gym clothes, and concert attire are accepted at anytime. The key to the “boutique” is available in the Farmhouse and the honor system is used for purchases.

ONGOING: Montgomery Wear

Volunteers help order and maintain school spirit-wear throughout the year and sell merchandise at various school events.

ONGOING: Organic Garden Committee

The Organic Garden was new to Montgomery in 2007. Volunteers are needed periodically to support the students and faculty in maintaining this garden.

ONGOING: Quilting Project

It has been a Montgomery tradition to transform student’s artwork into quilts. These quilts have generally been auctioned to raise funds the night of the Annual Benefit. Volunteers are needed to help with this project or to create and sew the quilting project for this year.

ONGOING: Teacher’s Center

Located in the Chester County Intermediate Unit in Downingtown, this resource center is used by parent volunteers to create teaching aids as requested by the faculty. Volunteers meet every other Wednesday from 9 until 11:30 AM. The specific dates are listed on the school calendar. You do not have to be able to attend every session. This is a fun way to meet other parents while assisting the teachers.

SEPTEMBER: W. Perry Gresh Memorial Golf Classic

This fundraising event for the benefit of the School is held at Stonewall Golf Club in Elverson, PA. In addition to supporting the event through various sponsorship opportunities, volunteers are needed to help on the day of the event.

SEPTEMBER: First Middle School Dance

Each September, the MSCA sponsors the first dance of the year. Volunteers arrange snacks and beverages and decorate for the event.

FALL: Parent Social Hosts

The Montgomery School tradition of “Socials” provides an opportunity for parents of Montgomery students in the same grade to meet and mingle in a casual, home setting. The social is an adult gathering of old friends and new parents from Montgomery School. The host family is responsible for providing a home setting for the event only; the attendees support the get-together by providing the food and beverages. Some host families choose to host a “dessert and coffee” evening, while others elect to host a “cocktails and hors d’oeuvres” event; the tone of the social is set by the host family. We request that the event be scheduled sometime before the Thanksgiving Holiday.

FALL: Sally Foster Fundraiser

This annual deluxe gift-wrap sale raises money for the benefit of Montgomery School. Volunteers are needed to coordinate orders and sort the delivery.

OCTOBER: Fall Fun Day and Halloween Parade

On Halloween, students enjoy hayrides, pumpkin picking and snacks on campus. Volunteers arrange snacks and assist faculty with the day’s activities.

NOVEMBER: Book Fair

The MSCA’s biggest fundraiser offers the sale of a wide variety of books. The four-day event kicks off at on a Sunday afternoon in November with book sales and specially selected merchandise from local vendors, and continues into the following week. A fabulous café with treats and drinks is available throughout the event.

DECEMBER: Middle School Deck the Halls

This Montgomery tradition provides the Middle School students a chance to have fun decorating Bell Hall for the Holiday Season. Volunteers are needed to organize and supervise a craft for the 6th and 7th grade students and to help hang the items in Bell Hall. The 8th grade students decorate the windows under the supervision of the art department.

FEBRUARY-MARCH: Middle School Musical

Volunteers support the musical director, the choreographer and the Middle School Head as needed to assure a smooth-running production. Volunteers also coordinate periodic snacks for students, the concession stand and the cast party.

APRIL: Annual Benefit

This dinner, dance and auction has been Montgomery School's biggest fundraising event in the past because of volunteerism and the generosity of the entire Montgomery Community. Come help us celebrate our school and raise funds to cover yearly operating costs. The work begins in the Fall. Are you creative behind the scenes? Are you good at organizing and numbers? Do you like to reach out to the community? Whatever your talents are, we need you! Watch your hard work culminate into an amazing evening in April.

SPRING: Grandparents and Specials Friends' Day

Each spring, the students invite grandparents or special friends to spend a half-day on campus.
Volunteers are needed to decorate the dining room with children’s artwork, prepare mementos, and assist with registration. The work will be concentrated in the spring.
Volunteers also assist the faculty with SIMPLE costumes, scenery, and props for the musical production performed on Grandparents' Day. The “stars” of the production are the 2nd grade with the 1st grade and kindergarten in supporting roles. Accordingly we encourage parents with children in grades K-2 to coordinate this effort with the music department. The timing of the work will be in March/April.

MAY: Greek & Roman Games

Each spring, students in kindergarten through 8th grade come together for a lively day of games and camaraderie. Volunteers are needed to welcome parents and alumni, serve snacks and sell Montgomery Wear.

JUNE: Faculty and Administration Thank You Luncheon

The day AFTER the Lower School Moving Up Ceremony, the MSCA provides a lunch for the faculty and staff. Volunteers are needed to help make the event special for the teachers

Contact Us!

If you are interested in siging up to volunteer, or just want a little more information before you take the plunge, please feel free to contact any one of us. We look forward to hearing from, and working with, you soon.

Kristen Stevens , Director of Development
Kelly Becker, Development Officer
Elizabeth Erickson, MSCA President

 

MSCA Files & Forms

Volunteer Opportunities
2012 Benefit Forms

Please visit our online Benefit Payment pages here.