About the Parent & Family Group
One of the best aspects of having a child at Alta Vista is becoming a part of the vibrant AVS parent community. AVS parents organize school events, serve as room parents, coordinate Lower School sports, facilitate admissions outreach, shower appreciation on our faculty and staff, spearhead community service projects, and generally help however we can.
All parents and guardians of AVS students are members of the Parent & Family Group. We welcome volunteering in all forms!
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Leadership
The Parent & Family Group Executive Committee (ExComm) coordinates and supports the activities of parent volunteers at AVS. Roles rotate, and there are opportunities to join ExComm each year.
Roles in the PFG ExComm include:
- Parent Group Chairs (LS & MS)
- Secretary
- Treasurer
- Events
- Back to School Picnic Chair
- Winter Parent Social Chair
- Gala Chair
- Camping Chair
- School Support
- Grade Parent Coordinator
- Staff Appreciation Chairs (LS & MS)
- Lower School Sports Coordinator
- Admissions Liaisons (LS & MS)
- Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Chairs (LS & MS)
- SF Community Service Engagement Chairs (LS & MS)
- Volunteer Appreciation Chair
- School Store Coordinators
Grade Parents
Grade parents form the backbone of the AVS community, maintaining connections among parents as well as between parents, faculty, and administrators. There are typically four grade parents per grade.
Grade parents inform fellow parents of opportunities to participate in the life of the school and field and refer parent questions and concerns to the appropriate person. They also communicate opportunities to help in the classroom, on field trips, with school performances and learning expos, and with special class projects.
Admissions Support
The Parent & Family Group Admissions Committee helps represent AVS at school fairs, supports school tours, volunteers at Aviator for a Day and other admissions events, and coordinates ambassadors to help new families transition to AVS.School Store
The AVS School Store is open during the school year!
A small group of parents design new AVS-branded goods from time to time for the AVS community. Sometimes the items are provided for free to promote school spirit, and other times the items are sold to support Parent Group activities. AVS-branded goods are available at our online store and also are sold live at Back to School Night and Graduation.
We hope you'll wear, carry, or “stick on” your AVS branded gear with pride!
Events
The Parent & Family Group hosts events for the AVS community, including family get-togethers, parent-only parties and meetings, camping, and other school functions.
All of these events are run by parent volunteers, sometimes in collaboration with AVS faculty and students.
Staff Appreciation
The faculty and administrators at Alta Vista School share their passion and love of learning with our children every day. We parents love to find ways to show them how much we appreciate their skill, hard work, and care. The AVS Parent & Family Group helps the parent community thank our staff in several ways throughout the year.
We ask that parents refrain from giving any type of monetary gift (e.g. gift cards, money, or store-bought gifts) directly to staff members, although children are more than welcome to give handmade cards or pictures to show their appreciation to faculty and administrators. It is our hope that by giving equal monetary gifts to all of our faculty from the Parent & Family Group, we create a sense of fairness and equality among our faculty and administrators, and no pressure for parents to make monetary gifts.
Some examples of the ways the Parent & Family Group shows appreciation to our teachers:
- Staff Kitchen: We stock the staff kitchens with healthy snacks and drinks
- Holiday Gifts: Each December, the PFG pools parent contributions for holiday gifts for AVS faculty, staff, and administrators. Children are welcome to make cards or pictures, and parents are welcome to write notes of thanks, if they choose to do so
- Birthdays: We celebrate teacher and staff birthdays monthly, typically with cupcakes or a brunch spread
- Life Events: The PFG gives staff members gifts in celebration of life events (e.g., getting married, becoming a parent, completion of master’s or PhD)
- Teacher Appreciation Week: We celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week each year, with events such as happy hours and gelato carts
Community Service
All AVS students engage in community service projects as part of AVS’s service learning curriculum. In addition, the Parent & Family Group SF Community Service Engagement Committee organizes voluntary service opportunities with local organizations such as SF Rec and Parks, Urban Angels, and the SF-Marin Food Bank. These events enable us to contribute to our community in a positive way and build community among our AVS students and families.