As first period ends, students flood out of the classroom, eagerly awaiting a welcome break from classes. They rush outside to the fresh scent of donuts, warm breakfast tacos and chicken nuggets. Behind the tables, a group of smiling volunteers dish out food to the hungry crowd, continuing one St. Mark’s beloved traditions – the monotony breaker.
Events like these would not be possible without the Parents Association (PA), which does lots of work behind the scenes. The PA plays a vital role in fostering a strong environment, acting as a bridge between parents, students, faculty and staff.
Current PA Parliamentarian and former PA president Cindy Hanson emphasizes this sense of purpose. Whether through organizing events or volunteering in various capacities, the PA fosters connections that strengthen the school’s culture.
“Our purpose is to create a community with other parents, with families, with students and with faculty and staff,” Hanson said.
With this mission in mind, the PA brings parents, students and faculty together through a variety of monthly meetings and initiatives.
“The PA executive committee meets every month,” Hanson said. “We start out by Mr. Dini coming in, and he kind of gives us a status of the school, everything that’s going on for the month and that’s looking out ahead for the upcoming month.”
These meetings ensure that the PA is well-informed and can plan effectively for the range of events and activities that make up school life.
“Each of the members of the executive committee is a liaison with different parts of the PA so every member gives their report on what they want to report on for the PA,” Hanson said.
PA committees play a key role in event planning, from large-scale gatherings like Lion Pride Night, Celebrate Community and Fun Day, to monotony breakers during the school day.
Beyond events, they also focus on day-to-day support, with opportunities to volunteer in the cafeteria, student store, library and also outside the school day.
“There’s also a lot of volunteer positions that aren’t directly with the students,” Hanson said. “You can host a parent party, be a grade rep, or do breakfast for faculty and staff. There are a lot of faculty and staff appreciation opportunities.”
Hanson views the PA’s role as a meaningful way to contribute to the school community.
“We consider it a privilege to be able to volunteer and help give back to the school,” Hanson said. “And then we see you guys and how excited you are about monotony breakers and things like that, and that makes us really happy and appreciated.”
