Parent Association
The mission of Carolina Day School's Parent Association is to work to support and advance the mission of Carolina Day School. Parent Association recognizes the reciprocal relationship among students, their families, the school, and the community at large. Parents contribute to each of these constituencies by sharing their time, talents, resources, and knowledge.
Parent Association is a conduit for communication, supports parent education programs, and provides volunteer support in many aspects of school life. All parents and guardians of current students are members of Parent Association and are invited and encouraged to attend PA meetings and coffees. Your suggestions and feedback do get heard and are what makes Parent Association and Carolina Day School better year after year.
Parent Association members serve the school in three principal ways:
Building Community
A community that is warm and inviting is part of what makes the CDS experience memorable for the school’s students and their families. Each year, hundreds of hard-working and enthusiastic parent volunteers come together to enrich our community and build enduring relationships.
Whether you have limited availability or are someone who is able to give more time – there are numerous volunteer opportunities from which to choose. We welcome your participation at any level and appreciate your commitment to helping CDS be the best it can possibly be.
Fostering School Spirit
The Parent Association plans and supports many celebrations throughout the year to help foster school spirit. Examples include faculty/staff appreciation luncheons, teacher appreciation gifts, activities that support Wildcat athletics, Homecoming, and the annual uniform clothing Swap & Shop.
Communication
The Parent Association President—elected annually by parents— serves as an ex-officio member of the CDS Board of Trustees.
Parent Association leaders are also elected by the parent body and organize various meetings throughout the school year to facilitate communication between parents and the school.
Parent Association members help to organize and encourage participation in informative "PA Presents" discussions to promote the academic, social and emotional well being of our children. See the upcoming schedule of topics below.
Parent Association Presents...
The Parent Association (PA) is pleased to offer PA Presents, a series of all-school presentations and forums for all CDS parents and guardians. PA Presents provide opportunities to learn about and discuss topics relevant to every parent in every division. Stay tuned for upcoming events.
Special Events
ANNUAL CDS CLOTHING SWAP & shop
At the end of the school year, Parent Association organizes the Annual CDS Clothing Shop & Swap. Parents have the option to sell gently-used CDS uniforms, athletic wear, PE shoes, CDS outerwear, and costumes for credit or donate items with no intent to receive credit. On the day of the event, parents can shop for gently-used items at great prices! Funds are used to buy items that directly benefit the students. Join this enthusiastic group of parents in setting up, sorting, cashiering, or breaking down the event on the last day. For more information, contact the PA Clothing Swap committee chair(s).
ANNUAL CDS BOOK FAIR
Each November the entire community is invited to the CDS Book Fair to buy books in support of Carolina Day School. The Book Fair is the main source of funding for the library's book clubs, guest speakers and authors, and for Caldecott and Newbery Awards. An ideal pre-holiday event, the Book Fair provides reading selections for all ages and tastes. The event is organized and run by parent volunteers both new to the CDS community and those who have enjoyed working for this event in past years. Join this enthusiastic group of parents in setting up, cashiering, or breaking down the event on the last day.
Ongoing Opportunities
PARENT AMBASSADORS
The Admissions Office is excited to involve our parent community in the work of recruiting great students and their families to CDS. Help give tours of the lower school, volunteer at Open House events, contact applicant families to answer questions about various school programs, and more. (Please note: a brief training session is required for certain volunteer roles.)
FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY
The Lower/Middle School library relies on the kindness of volunteers to help shelve books and conduct periodic inventories. Look for volunteer opportunities posted throughout the year in divisional newsletters. Friends of the Library also organizes special projects, like book drives and the Annual Book Fair. Contact the PA Friends of the Library Committee Chair(s) for more information.
faculty & staff appreciation
One of the primary focuses of the PA is around CDS faculty and staff appreciation. A few times a year, under the leadership of the PA, parents organize and provide all faculty and staff with special on-campus lunches, messages of appreciation, and gifts of appreciation. These gestures of kindness go a long way, building community, spreading gratitude, and recognizing the amazing job our faculty and teachers do on behalf of our students and school. Plus, the Faculty Appreciation efforts build relationships and camaraderie among the participating parents! Contact the PA Faculty & Staff Appreciation chair for more information.
Contact Us
To find out more about our Parent Association, contact PA President Margaret Gibbs or Community Engagement Manager, Katina Turner.