AVHSC BY-LAWS
Amended and Restated Constitution and By-laws of the Alta Vista Home and School Club (PDF)
Adopted as of June, 1988, and Amended as of March, 2016
Adopted as of June, 1988, and Amended as of March, 2016
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Home and School Club?
Alta Vista Home & School Club (AVHSC) is a not-for-profit organization whose sole mission is to provide enrichment opportunities for Alta Vista students – supplementing the school’s core curriculum and making the elementary school experience richer for both students and parents. An elected board of parent volunteers, the Alta Vista principal and teacher representatives govern AVHSC. Board members are elected each May. An annual budget is presented to and approved by the membership in attendance at Back-to-School Night in September.
How do I become a member?
All parents and caregivers of Alta Vista students and all staff are automatically members of AVHSC. The success of AVHSC is dependent upon parents, staff and community members to fulfill its mission. Our strong community has made Alta Vista a recognized school and prized asset for so many families.
Why is AVHSC vital to our children’s school?
Public school districts, including our own Union School District, no longer fund many of the programs and activities that Alta Vista parents may have enjoyed during their own elementary school times. Our school benefits from AVHSC’s generous support of these popular school-related programs.
What programs and activities are funded by AVHSC?
Through our fundraising efforts, AVHSC is able to fund a variety of programs and activities to enrich student’s educational experience.
Student programs
What is AVHSC not responsible for?
While AVHSC funds and coordinates a broad range of vital programs, there are some things that are outside the mission of AVHSC, including coordinating and funding after-school activities/classes, making changes to school curriculum, and hiring teachers and support staff. Alta Vista Enrichment Program Guidelines (PDF)
Where does funding for AVHSC come from?
AVHSC is 100% dependent on the generous, tax-deductible donations from Alta Vista parents and community members. Throughout the year, AVHSC sponsors fundraisers to support the approximately $100,000 budget that is required to maintain AVHSC’s enrichment programs. (Please see the Fundraisers link on the AVHSC webpage for more information.) AVHSC receives no funding from Alta Vista Elementary School or Union School District.
What is a Consolidated Class Payment?
A Consolidated Class Payment (CCP) is requested of parents at the beginning of the school year to cover expenses for: classroom supplies, art and science materials, field trips, buses for field trips, weekly readers, class t-shirts, a portion of classroom enrichment, room parent funds, and other classroom activities. Consolidating all funding requests into a single payment at the beginning of the school year ensures that each teacher and each grade can plan accordingly throughout the year, and avoids repeated requests to parents and caregivers.
At the beginning of the school year, parents will be asked to connect with AVHSC using Membership Toolkit (formerly MySchoolAnywhere), through which they can choose their donation level and make their CCP donation. Please see the Get Connected page for more information.
Why do we need fundraisers and CCP?
CCP funds activities and supplies directly related to the classroom and stays with each specific grade level. AVHSC fundraisers are completely separate, and are held to support school-wide enrichment programs.
Is participation in fundraising and CCP programs mandatory?
While fundraisers and CCP are strictly voluntary, Alta Vista Elementary School depends on these contributions to provide the excellent educational experience that distinguishes our school. Over time, 85%-90% of parents and caregivers generously meet the needs of their children’s classroom requirements via CCP contributions.
How do I learn more about AVHSC?
The AVHSC board meets monthly during the school year. Board meetings are held at Alta Vista in the Teachers’ Lounge, and all parents and staff are encouraged to attend. Meeting dates and times are listed on the H&SC calendar, which is on the home page of the AVHSC website.
Members are strongly encouraged to sign-up for email blasts from AVHSC administered through Membership Toolkit. By joining, you will receive news from H&SC and important school announcements.
Our school newsletter, Vista Views, is published every other week during the school year by the principal, staff, AVHSC, and others and is sent via e-mail. It can also be found on the Alta Vista website.
Your child will bring home an envelope every Wednesday that will not only contain class work, but also flyers (generally fundraiser sign-ups and ticket order forms) from AVHSC – so be sure to look for new information.
What volunteer opportunities are available?
AVHSC has plenty of volunteer opportunities for everyone and for all levels of time commitments. Through Membership Toolkit, you will find sign-ups for classroom volunteers, including room parent, clay, Art Vistas, library, Project Cornerstone, Garden Club, Mileage Club, Walk 'n' Roll, Fantasy Faire Coordinator, Read Naturally, and more.
Many teachers also need help with copying and organizing class work and homework packets and may have jobs that can be done at home or on a flexible schedule. Please be sure to check with your child’s teacher for volunteer opportunities. Also, as various field trips approach, parents may be asked to volunteer as chaperones.
Lastly, our fundraisers would not be successful if it were not for our volunteers. Please be on the look out for volunteer sign-ups throughout the year or contact the respective committee chair directly.
Alta Vista Home & School Club (AVHSC) is a not-for-profit organization whose sole mission is to provide enrichment opportunities for Alta Vista students – supplementing the school’s core curriculum and making the elementary school experience richer for both students and parents. An elected board of parent volunteers, the Alta Vista principal and teacher representatives govern AVHSC. Board members are elected each May. An annual budget is presented to and approved by the membership in attendance at Back-to-School Night in September.
How do I become a member?
All parents and caregivers of Alta Vista students and all staff are automatically members of AVHSC. The success of AVHSC is dependent upon parents, staff and community members to fulfill its mission. Our strong community has made Alta Vista a recognized school and prized asset for so many families.
Why is AVHSC vital to our children’s school?
Public school districts, including our own Union School District, no longer fund many of the programs and activities that Alta Vista parents may have enjoyed during their own elementary school times. Our school benefits from AVHSC’s generous support of these popular school-related programs.
What programs and activities are funded by AVHSC?
Through our fundraising efforts, AVHSC is able to fund a variety of programs and activities to enrich student’s educational experience.
Student programs
- Web Based Reading Program
- Art Vistas
- Assemblies
- Author Visits
- Clay
- Fifth Grade Science Camp
- Garden/Life Lab
- Glee Club/Primary Sing
- Mileage Club
- Olympic Day
- Organized Student Activities
- Performing Arts/Music
- Physical Education SPARK/Rhythms and Moves Program
- Project Cornerstone
- Science Night
- STEAM
- Student Online Study Program
- Variety Show
- School programs
- Back to School Night
- Directory/Membership
- Father's Workshop
- Grants
- Multi-Cultural Night
- Room Parent Coordinator
- Student Recognition Luncheons
- Student Volunteer Outing
- Technology
- Yearbook
- Faculty-Support programs
- Library Support
- Principal/Secretary's Fund
- Teacher's Fund
- Teachers' Lounge Water
What is AVHSC not responsible for?
While AVHSC funds and coordinates a broad range of vital programs, there are some things that are outside the mission of AVHSC, including coordinating and funding after-school activities/classes, making changes to school curriculum, and hiring teachers and support staff. Alta Vista Enrichment Program Guidelines (PDF)
Where does funding for AVHSC come from?
AVHSC is 100% dependent on the generous, tax-deductible donations from Alta Vista parents and community members. Throughout the year, AVHSC sponsors fundraisers to support the approximately $100,000 budget that is required to maintain AVHSC’s enrichment programs. (Please see the Fundraisers link on the AVHSC webpage for more information.) AVHSC receives no funding from Alta Vista Elementary School or Union School District.
What is a Consolidated Class Payment?
A Consolidated Class Payment (CCP) is requested of parents at the beginning of the school year to cover expenses for: classroom supplies, art and science materials, field trips, buses for field trips, weekly readers, class t-shirts, a portion of classroom enrichment, room parent funds, and other classroom activities. Consolidating all funding requests into a single payment at the beginning of the school year ensures that each teacher and each grade can plan accordingly throughout the year, and avoids repeated requests to parents and caregivers.
At the beginning of the school year, parents will be asked to connect with AVHSC using Membership Toolkit (formerly MySchoolAnywhere), through which they can choose their donation level and make their CCP donation. Please see the Get Connected page for more information.
Why do we need fundraisers and CCP?
CCP funds activities and supplies directly related to the classroom and stays with each specific grade level. AVHSC fundraisers are completely separate, and are held to support school-wide enrichment programs.
Is participation in fundraising and CCP programs mandatory?
While fundraisers and CCP are strictly voluntary, Alta Vista Elementary School depends on these contributions to provide the excellent educational experience that distinguishes our school. Over time, 85%-90% of parents and caregivers generously meet the needs of their children’s classroom requirements via CCP contributions.
How do I learn more about AVHSC?
The AVHSC board meets monthly during the school year. Board meetings are held at Alta Vista in the Teachers’ Lounge, and all parents and staff are encouraged to attend. Meeting dates and times are listed on the H&SC calendar, which is on the home page of the AVHSC website.
Members are strongly encouraged to sign-up for email blasts from AVHSC administered through Membership Toolkit. By joining, you will receive news from H&SC and important school announcements.
Our school newsletter, Vista Views, is published every other week during the school year by the principal, staff, AVHSC, and others and is sent via e-mail. It can also be found on the Alta Vista website.
Your child will bring home an envelope every Wednesday that will not only contain class work, but also flyers (generally fundraiser sign-ups and ticket order forms) from AVHSC – so be sure to look for new information.
What volunteer opportunities are available?
AVHSC has plenty of volunteer opportunities for everyone and for all levels of time commitments. Through Membership Toolkit, you will find sign-ups for classroom volunteers, including room parent, clay, Art Vistas, library, Project Cornerstone, Garden Club, Mileage Club, Walk 'n' Roll, Fantasy Faire Coordinator, Read Naturally, and more.
Many teachers also need help with copying and organizing class work and homework packets and may have jobs that can be done at home or on a flexible schedule. Please be sure to check with your child’s teacher for volunteer opportunities. Also, as various field trips approach, parents may be asked to volunteer as chaperones.
Lastly, our fundraisers would not be successful if it were not for our volunteers. Please be on the look out for volunteer sign-ups throughout the year or contact the respective committee chair directly.
