Home and School Association

HSA

The name of our Association is the Home and School Association of St. Mary’s School, Milford, in the Archdiocese of Hartford, State of Connecticut.

OBJECTIVES:

  1. The HSA is a group of parent volunteers working in conjunction with the school principal and Pastor of Precious Blood Parish
  2. The purpose of the Home and School Association is to provide opportunities for parents to be involved in school activities, create fun and memorable activities for our students, raise money for the school to offset some of the tuition costs, and to provide enhancements such as capital and technology enhancements and enrichment programs.
  3. Provide a means for people outside the school (family members, grandparents, friends, parishioners) to help support the school and promote communication, cooperation, and community among school parents, students, and staff.
  4. Help meet the annual budget objectives by conducting fund raising projects
  5. To provide opportunities for St. Mary’s families to cultivate community by requesting set service (volunteer) hours

HSA QUALIFYING FUNDRAISING EVENTS


  • Fall harvest/ Mother’s Day plant sale         
  • Pie sale                                     
  • Poinsettia sale
  • Christmas tree sales                                      
  • Christmas tree raffle sales                  
  • Pastry sale
  • Raise Right                                     
  • Spiritwear                                 
  • Breakfast with Santa
  • Car Raffle ticket purchase                        
  • Tuition Raffle ticket purchase

Any sponsorships for sprint, basketball tournament, carnival, trunk or treat, or golf tournament


Here's our 2022-2023 HSA Treasurer talking about all that our HSA does!


FUNDRAISING EVENTS


BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION

Box Tops for Education is Going Digital!

Did you know you could help earn money for St. Mary’s just by grocery shopping? 

The new and improved Box Tops mobile app uses state-of-the-art technology to scan your store receipt, find participating products and instantly add Box Tops to your school's earnings online. All you need to do is download the Box Tops app and create an account. Make sure to select St. Mary as your school.  Then you just scan receipts within 14 days and the money will be added to the schools account. If you shop online you can still participate.  You just create an account and then email online receipts to receipts@boxtops4education.com.  Participating online retailer’s include BJ’s, Costco, CVS, Instacart, Peapod, RiteAid, ShopRite from Home, Target.com or Target Pick/Drive-up, Walgreens, Walmart Grocery, Walmart Pay and Walmart.com.

There are still traditional Box Tops clips out there. If you still have traditional Box Tops clips at home that have not expired, send them into school in an envelope/baggie. We'll still earn cash for all clipped Box Tops until they expire. This includes Box Tops codes or Bonus certificates on packages. 

Download the new app here to get started. Thank you for supporting Box Tops for Education.


RAISE RIGHT

CONTACT
Gina


HSA ELIGIBLE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES / Events that the hsa offers for our students and families!


Click on the arrow next to each opportunity to learn more.

Volunteers are needed to collect admission fee in the lobby and assist chairs with other functions

SMS is looking into starting a once a month bingo night. If interested, sign up to receive updates.

Decorate/set up school gym, help run costume contest, serve snacks/beverages, clean up.

Alison Forget - gaugesmom@att.net

The only event that volunteers can earn volunteer hours and fund raise. Ticket sales after mass at both churches, other Milford/Parish events.

Anthony Musacchio - Amusacch@yahoo.com

Setup and cleanup crews. Ticket sales and snack tent staff. Parking attendants.

Selling of trees from the end of Nov until Christmas, weekends and nights.

Steve Durand - stdurand@sbcglobal.net

Volunteers needed to organize/set up a "Christmas store" for students to shop at, assist students with their shopping, sell gift products, wrap gifts, and serve as cashier.
Nicole Santos - santos.nicolerdh@gmail.com

Prepare the plants the night before and assist the students the day of the sale.

Kathleen Moran - kmoran@smsmilford.com

Decorate/set up school gym, help run evening activities, serve snacks/beverages, clean up.

El Marrone - eluongo26@gmail.com

Assist with the preparation of the event and activities throughout the tournament.

Ryan Coyle - rcoyle10@hotmail.com

Host SMS grandparents following Sprint. Setup, serve and cleanup.

Helps to promote and foster a friendly, welcoming and caring community within our school. Examples include new family welcome calls, assisting with events such as the new family social, back to school nights, etc.

Jennifer Gerwien - jcolman@optonline.net

Assist with the distribution of pies on day of pickup.

Alyson Durand - alysondurand@icloud.com

Prepare the plants the night before and assist the students the day of the sale.

Mickel Montano- Pacelli - mickelmontano@gmail.com
Katie Cunningham - marykcunning@yahoo.com

Assist in classroom during school

Missy Dubin - mdubin@smsmilford.com

Setup and sell books to grade on the school gym stage.

kciuci@msn.com


Our families love their school swag! Volunteers are needed to sell spirit wear at in-person events throughout the year to complement our new online store.

Sue Foley and Ashley Daley - jagsspiritwear@gmail.com

Assist with the distribution of items on day of pickup.

Kathleen Moran - kmoran@smsmilford.com

Organize and assist with activities for the students.
Sharon Wolfe - sharonwolfe@mac.com

Decorate/set up school gym, help run costume contest, serve snacks/beverages, clean up.

Toni Sowitcky - britbears1@yahoo.com


VOLUNTEERING & FUNDRAISING OBLIGATIONS


Family Assessment: In order to keep tuition reasonable, each SMS family is required to both volunteer and fundraise. The assessment program explained below will take effect for the 2021-2022 school year. The requirements are similar to the previous program, it will be changing from a points based system to a system that will track hours volunteered and dollars earned. This is meant to make it easier for families to understand and track. Each family will be required to volunteer a minimum of 25 hours and generate $600 in fundraising each academic year (per family, not per student). The most efficient way of reaching the assessment goal is to follow the preferred 25 hours/ $600 fundraising. Options listed below explain various other ways of reaching the assessment requirements, however, those options may require either more hours or more fundraising to reach the goal (vs. the recommended 25hrs/$600).

Fulfilling Your Family Assessment:

  1. Volunteer Hours: Volunteer hours can be earned through a variety of activities at the school. For example, you can earn hours by volunteering to work at any of the SMS HSA sponsored events like the Christmas Tree Sale, the Carnival, etc. There will be many announcements throughout the year seeking volunteers for various events. If you are a room parent or chairperson of an event, your hours are automatically met. Note: Family friends and relatives may also volunteer, earning hours for your family.
  2. Fundraising Dollars: The fundraising obligation can be fulfilled through a variety of fundraisers offered throughout the year. You will earn credit towards your assessment goal based on how much you sell for each event. The amount earned towards assessment may vary by event, so please be sure to check with the chair of each event for clarification of what will be applied towards your fundraising goal. For example, if you sell $150 in pies for the pie fundraiser, a $150 credit will go towards your $600 goal, however only 5% of grocery card sales will go towards assessment. Check for details with each event chair.

Other Options for Fulfilling Your Family Assessment:

  • Families willing to volunteer many hours, but prefer not to raise funds: After volunteering 25 hours, any additional volunteer hours will accumulate at a rate of $10 per hour and may be applied to your fundraising obligation for that year.
  • Families with little time to volunteer, but prefer to fundraise: After you achieve the $600 credit through any fundraising activity, additional funds may be applied, at the rate of $10 per hour towards your 25 hour volunteer obligation for that year.
  • Families that do not wish to volunteer or fundraise have the option of paying $600 upfront to the HSA, fulfilling their obligation for the year.

If You Do Not Fulfill Your Family Assessment? Families that do not fulfill their Assessment will be charged $10 for each volunteer hour and $1 for any portion of the fundraising obligation owed. For example, during the school year, if your family accrued 20 volunteer hours and earned $400 in fundraising credits, your family is short $250 to fulfill your assessment obligation. As a result, your family will be charged the balance of $250. Unpaid balances may incur interest charges.

*Assessment obligations may be subject to change from year to year based on fundraising profits.

*Families must be up to date on tuition payments and assessment obligations to hold any chair or co-chair positions or to be considered for a room parent position.

*Families must be up to date on tuition payments and assessment obligations to hold any chair or co-chair positions or to be considered for a room parent position.

ESPECT FOR SCHOOL POLICIES:

The HSA shall respect and support the established school policies as set forth by the School Principal and in the School Handbook

MEMBERSHIP:

Membership shall consist of fathers, mothers, and guardians of the students of St. Mary’s School. In order to serve in any capacity on the SMS HSA board, one must meet the following criteria:

  1. Family must be current with all tuition and assessment payments
  2. Family should be in St. Mary’s for at least 1 year
  3. Family must be involved in volunteering for or chairing an event

BOARD POSITIONS:

The Home and School Association Executive Board (HSA) is comprised of its Executive Officers and the Principal/Assistant Principal. There shall be no more than nine (9) Executive board members and the school Principal

  • Co- Chairpersons of the HSA Executive Board: Responsible for supporting and managing the HSA Executive Officers, running school-wide parent meetings, overseeing volunteer-driven programs and acting as a liaison between the HSA and SMS School Board, SMS Director of Marketing and Enrollment Management and St. Mary Church.
  • Assessments Chairpersons: Responsible for tracking and monitoring family assessment obligations through their fundraising and volunteer activities. 
  • Treasurer: Responsible for managing the HSA budget, assisting individual chairs with deposits and expense reimbursement and tracking year-to-year fundraising performance of the HSA.
  • Secretary: Responsible for HSA Board meeting agendas and minutes, HSA calendar of events and managing school-wide HSA communications.
  • SMS Principal: Will advise the HSA Board on the school’s involvement in fundraisers and volunteer supported programs as well as the needs of the school.
  • Fundraising Event Chair: Responsible for supporting and managing the chairs for each of the HSA fundraisers, recruiting event chairs, and assisting individual fundraiser chairs.
  • Room Parent Coordinator: Responsible for the recruitment and coordination of room parents for all grades
  • Hospitality Committee: Works with the school office to provide coordination, hosting, and volunteers for SMS based activities unrelated to fundraising
  • Executive Board Member(s): Responsible for supporting and assisting with other board positions as needed aa well as assisting individual event chairs with obtaining volunteer and school support for fundraisers, recruiting event chairs and communicating with parents regarding upcoming events.

MEETINGS:

HSA Board meetings will take place on the 3rd Monday of each month.  The HSA will conduct at least 2 general meetings with the SMS family community in order to provide an open forum for families to ask questions, express concerns or get updated as to what is happening within SMS

AMENDMENTS:

These by-laws will be reviewed and updated as needed. Amendments to the by-laws must be approved a majority vote of a quorum of Home and School Association Executive Board Members

BOARD OPENINGS AND VACANCIES:

Open board positions will be announced to the SMS community.  School members wishing to apply for the position should respond via email to the board secretary and include relevant information (work background, child(s) grade, etc.) Applicants must meet the criteria mentioned in the members section of the by-laws.  Remaining board members will vote on all applicants, with a majority prevailing

VOTING:

Voting by the Executive Board will take place during the regular monthly meetings. If such a decision is required before the next meeting, the vote is to be presented to all members via email communication with all members being given the opportunity to present their opinion on the matter before the final vote is tallied. The HSA Executive Board shall seek consensus in all its undertakings. Where this is not possible, a vote may be taken with the simple majority prevailing. The Principal and/or Pastor have the authority to overrule the decisions of the Executive Board. This should only occur in rare instances and a written explanation should be provided, if requested. Voting on the use of HSA monies raised includes but is not limited to community-building events, school supplies, capital improvements, technology and/or software systems, classroom gifts, staff gifts, gifts for graduating students. The Executive Board may vote on requests submitted by the school administration, SMS families, and from the board itself. Items presented to the board for voting in reference to monetary spending must be presented in writing a minimum of 30 days in advance of purchase.

FAMILY ASSESSMENT:

St. Mary’s Families sign a contractual obligation denoting their acceptance of the assessment program (see attachment 1, Volunteering and Fundraising Obligations). The Executive Board will work with the SMS school office to provide mid-year updates and end of year statements to all families. The Executive Board will also provide a list, both in writing and available on St. Mary’s website as to which events qualify as HSA volunteer and fundraising opportunities. (Attachments 2- HSA Eligible Volunteer Opportunities & 3- HSA Qualifying Fundraising Events)

Opportunities and event information will also be sent home via students and weekly emails. Assigning volunteer related hours to Non-HSA related activities must be approved by the board via a majority vote and may not be assigned without the boards consent

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