Spring 2023
Participation Agreements
By selecting Christa McAuliffe School for your child, you become part of our community. Your participation will help provide the learning experiences that are the foundation of our educational excellence. The support from all of the families at Christa McAuliffe School is essential to implement our school philosophy and meeting the needs of our students. It is through your participation that we are able to maintain our core educational values and provide a hands-on, whole-child, differentiated curriculum. Participating in your child’s education creates the strong bonds and identity that are the basis of our school community. Research indicates that your involvement is at the core of your child’s educational success and is a gift that you give your child that lasts throughout their lifetime.
Our program rests on a cooperative and trustful spirit, acknowledging that we all have positive intent. We ask that everyone in our community be of the understanding that participation may look different between classes, grade levels, and families. We understand, also, that sometimes circumstances beyond your control may prevent you from fulfilling your participation agreements. We will work with families to allow the continued success of your child and family at McAuliffe.
When you enroll your child, you are agreeing to do your best to carry out the following:
Program Support
| Aiding |
Grades K-5: For one child, aid 2 aiding slots per week (~4 hours). For more than one child, aid 3 aiding slots per week (~6 hours). Your aiding schedule is put together each year by your Class Coordinators (CCs) who send out online forms at the end of July to get information regarding your schedule and availability for weekly aiding. Grades 6-8 Curriculum Support: The commitment is the hourly equivalent of aiding slots, but may or may not be in-class aiding, depending on curriculum needs. All grades: Recess and lunchtime supervision are part of each aiding commitment and determined by each family’s aiding schedule. |
| Day Field Trips |
You are expected to participate in field trips for all classes in which you have children. Grades K-5: Drive or co-pilot on a minimum of 4 to 5, day field trips per child. Grades 6-8: The number of field trips will vary depending on the needs of the class, but will be lower than the expectation for grades K-5. |
| Overnight Field Trips (Grades 3-8) | Students in grades 3-8 go on overnight field trips 1-2 times a year with their teachers and parent chaperones. |
| Class/Schoolwide Job | Be responsible for one classroom or schoolwide job per child. Classroom jobs support the needs of each classroom; examples are gardening coordinator, class photographer, and class pet care. Schoolwide jobs include jobs such as morning traffic attendant, library helper, or playground supervision. Specific schoolwide jobs are available for first-year families. |
| Class Meetings | Attend monthly class meetings where you will learn what is going on in each of your children’s classrooms. Parents of students in grades 6-8 are also asked to attend the Middle School planning meeting in the spring. |
| Schoolwide Meetings | Attend the Parent Faculty Group (PFG) All Community Meeting held in the fall. Parents new to McAuliffe also attend a “New Parent Orientation.” Everyone in the McAuliffe community is encouraged to attend monthly PFG meetings. |
| MAT Training |
Grades K-5: Attend mandatory McAuliffe Aide Training (M.A.T.) during your first year at McAuliffe. This six-week course serves as training for working effectively with children in the classroom. During each three-hour session, experienced teachers and veteran parents lead the group training. Grades 6-8: Attend the 6-week mandatory Teen M.A.T. class in the fall of your first year of Middle School. |
| CUSD Requirements |
TB Testing: State law requires that you have a negative intra-dermal TB test or chest x-ray on file at the school office before working in the classroom or driving on field trips. Fingerprinting: CUSD requires parent aides to be fingerprinted through CUSD. Copy of Driver’s License & Proof of Minimum Car Insurance Coverage: CUSD requires certain auto insurance minimums. Parents must also have a copy of their Driver’s License on file in the Christa McAuliffe Office. |
| Other | Assist as needed with student activities that your child participates in such as the Halloween Carnival, Art Show, Science Day, class plays, Variety Show, Thanksgiving Sharing Feasts, and other activities that come up throughout the year. Communication at McAuliffe relies heavily on classroom and schoolwide e-groups. You are encouraged to be involved and keep up with these. |
Financial Donations
To ensure the high quality of education at Christa McAuliffe School, a suggested minimum donation per student is asked of each family. The table below offers more details on how these contributions are made. Each year, due to rising costs, it is possible that in certain areas there may be an increase.
| Program Donation | The annual donation covers costs not paid for by the Cupertino Union School District. Over 80% of this goes to maintaining additional personnel hours including instructional assistants (IA), IT staff, nursing staff. |
| Class Donation | The Program Donation funds classroom budgets to cover unique parts of our curriculum such as field trips, cooking, and special art and science projects not paid for by the Cupertino Union School District. |
| Overnight Field Trips (Grades 3-8) | Overnight field trips require separate donations. Parents may pay for overnight field trip costs at the beginning of the year, at the time of each field trip, or with an installment payment option. Costs are subject to change. Note: No child will be kept from participating due to lack or incomplete payment. |