For Parents · Family Work Hours
Parent support, in the most literal sense.
Tuition costs are kept relatively low partly because parents do some of the work we would otherwise pay others to do. Families are responsible for 30 hours per year; part-time families have prorated hours.
30 hours per family, per year
In a sense, parents are paying themselves to do many of the tasks required to maintain a quality school environment. The deciding factor for whether a job qualifies is that it accomplishes a task we would otherwise have to pay someone to do. By supporting the school this way, parents also directly impact their child’s experience and get to know the school a little better.
What counts
What kind of work qualifies?
Our students, staff, and families benefit from the variety of help offered by our diverse group of parents.
Activities that qualify
- Weeding garden beds, spreading playground mulch, and planting flowers
- A presentation for students arranged beforehand with a staff member
- Chaperoning field trips
- Volunteering in the classroom regularly or for special events
- Setting up and/or cleaning up for picnics and similar events
- Helping with annual events like SOAR and Trivia Night
- Participating in the production of the school musical
- Coordinating the submission of Box Tops
- Adopt-a-Room cleaning or one-time arranged cleaning
Activities that do not qualify
- Attending school functions such as picnics, performances, or conferences
- Projects done as a surprise, without prior discussion with staff
- Time spent on TADS
- Reading this web page
- Subscribing to and reading our blog (although careful readers will occasionally find “blue light specials” embedded in posts)
Good to know
Family Work Hours FAQ
How does the school keep track of my hours?
We rely on parents to report hours by emailing the office; staff transfer the hours to the Family Hours Log. Half of each family’s hours must be completed by February 5th each year. At that time, any balance will be billed through TADS at $20 an hour.
Please sign up only for jobs you can fully commit to. If something comes up, remove your name and let us know the job is open again. Jobs may be reassigned if not completed in the needed timeframe. You can also propose your own idea; just confirm it qualifies before you spend the time.
Are all Family Work Hours equal?
In general, an hour is an hour. However, some jobs are more grueling or require a harder-to-find skill, and we have been known to give bonus hours. Scrub down a bathroom used by 20–30 students once a month and you get double hours (with triple appreciation from staff). Cut out card stock squares on your couch and you get regular hours (and we still really appreciate you!).
Is there anything else I should know?
Opportunities can become limited at the end of the school year; it might just come down to scrubbing bathrooms. Family Work Hours fulfill real needs of the school, so jobs depend on what we need at the time. The responsibility to fulfill hours ultimately rests with parents.
Who can do work hours?
Anyone can complete hours on your behalf: friends, grandparents, and more. Just make sure you email the office to record your hours.
Contact the office with any additional questions about the Family Work Hours Program.
A lifelong love of learning begins at McGuffey.
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McGuffey Montessori School5128 Westgate Drive, Oxford, OH 45056 · (513) 523-7742
A privately run Montessori school educating students from preschool through Grade 8 since 1983.