Parent luncheons allow parents to meet one another.
Parent luncheons are a way for schools to bring parents together with their kids' teachers and learn about ways that they, as parents, can get involved with the school. Luncheons are often hosted by parent volunteers who participate on a school committee or by the teachers themselves. It is important for luncheons to be original so that they make a lasting impression on parents, making them excited about volunteering for the school. Does this Spark an idea?
Brown Bag Luncheon
Give your parent luncheon a school theme to make the parents feel like one of the kids again. Host a brown bag luncheon, where each parent brings his own lunch bag with him, full of the foods he has prepared at home and wants to eat during the meeting. The luncheon should offer parents something for attending, such as beverages or cookies for dessert. Hold the brown bag luncheon in the teacher's classroom during the lunch hour when kids at the playground so there are no disturbances.
Potluck Luncheon
Host a potluck for your parent luncheon. A potluck requires each person who RSVPs to bring a dish to share with the others. Parents must prepare for the right amount of people to know how large to make their dishes. Usually for a potluck the teacher will have a signup sheet for parents to volunteer to buy or bake certain items. For example, if the potluck needs sodas, lemonade and iced tea, one parent may sign up to bring the drinks. Another parent signs up to make the macaroni salad.
Catered Luncheons
A catered luncheon is the easiest type of luncheon to host because it does not require parents to prepare or buy any food. Teachers --- or the parent volunteer committee --- order food from a restaurant that will bring the meal to the school for everyone to eat. Sandwiches make ideal catered luncheon foods because they are easy to eat, do not require utensils and are not messy. Other types of foods, which do require utensils and are messier, are taco bars, Chinese buffets and pasta dishes.
Parent Picnics
If the school allows, host a parent picnic for the luncheon. Reserve an area at the community park, and fire up the grill there to make hot dogs, hamburgers, bring potato salad, corn on the cob and pie for dessert. This idea only works during months that have agreeable weather for dining outdoors. Parents can eat under a ramada or on park tables under shade trees. Put the principal in charge of the grill, and give him a special griller's hat and apron for fun.
Recognition
During a parent luncheon, recognize parents who helped put the luncheon together and give them an award certificate for outstanding effort. It is also appropriate to have award ceremonies for parents who helped the school raise money during the year, donated books to the school library or purchased classroom supplies for the school. These small ceremonies give the luncheon a festive feel and may impress those parents who are not yet involved in the school, but wish to be.
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