The Parents Association of Collegiate School is a volunteer organization whose mission is to promote communication and understanding between parents and the school. It was founded in the late 1920’s; part of what makes our community unique is this long tradition of interaction among faculty, administration, and families. The list of committees on the following pages describes the many areas in which the PA is active. There is an opportunity for everyone to participate and no time commitment is too small.
Meetings of the PA are held monthly from October to May. All parents are encouraged to attend. Meetings are generally held on the second Wednesday of the month. For the dates and list of speakers, see the “PA Meetings Calendar.” Each meeting addresses some aspect of Collegiate life, with speakers from the faculty, administration, or student body. The Headmaster makes a brief presentation on topical subjects and takes questions from parents. Committee reports are made. Refreshments are available. A newsletter reflecting the content of the meeting is mailed to each family each month.
Positions in the PA are filled by the Nominating Committee, which is headed by the Chair of Class Representatives and consists of a parent from each division of the school and the President of the PA. Parents receive a form in the February mailing inviting them to indicate their areas of interest; these forms are then used by the Nominating Committee. In addition, volunteer forms, which are used by committee chairs to identify volunteers, are mailed to each family at the beginning of the school year.
The President of the PA, the Chair of Class Representatives, the Recording Secretary, the Treasurer, the Chairs of the Annual Fund, and Class Representatives all serve for two years. Other positions are for one year, although the incumbent may request or be asked to continue for an additional year.
The Executive Committee of the PA is composed of the officers indicated on the committee list in the following section of this website,as well as the chairs of major committees. This committee meets at the discretion of the President of the PA and not fewer than four times a year. The Executive Committee acts as a sounding board for the President in establishing policies and procedures for the Parents Association.
Class Representatives serve as liaisons between home and school, providing a channel of information to parents and acting as a conduit of information back to the school. As part of the Parents Association, they organize activities such as class cocktail parties and Parents in Action meetings, coordinate Safety Patrol volunteers, arrange for field trip chaperones, set up the emergency telephone chains, and, in general, support their children’s teachers and the Division Heads as necessary. There are two Class Representatives for each grade from kindergarten to four and, because of greater class size, three Representatives for each grade from five to twelve. Class Representatives meet with their respective Division Head, the chair of Class Representatives, and the President of the PA in the fall, winter and spring. Minutes of these meetings are sent to all parents and are posted in the password protected “Parent Community” section of Collegiate’s website, in a folder called "PA Newsletter".
