JOIN A COMMITTEE

Committees are groups of parents working together to create fun events and enriching programs for the whole school. Whatever you're passionate about ~ running, Halloween, dance, or astronomy ~ it's a chance to meet parents around the school and share your interests with other families. Dream up big ideas and extend your impact beyond just your classroom.

For 2026-2027, the committees are organized around shared HWISPA goals and similar types of events. We hope this will make it easier for organizers and volunteers with similar interests and scopes of work to coordinate with each other and get support. Events happen on specific dates throughout the year. Programs are initiatives that support recurring school needs and broader HWISPA goals.

You contribute your talents, expertise, and time to the whole school community:

• Participate in planning discussions and contribute ideas, guidance, opinions, and suggestions.

• Help with planning needs of committee event or program, such as decorations, coordinating vendors, researching options, etc.

• Volunteer on days of event, which may include preparations and setup beforehand, or at recurring times of program.

You choose based on your interests and time. Even if you don't want to organize an event or lead volunteers, the prior context you acquire or specific tasks you pick up make a huge difference to us in running committee events and programs.

Nope! Parents new to volunteering or HWIS are most welcome.

Active committee volunteers typically concentrate their efforts on one or a couple of events and programs during the school year. Planning for a school-wide event can take a few weeks to several months, depending on the size of the event. It requires coordination over a few chats to a series of meetings. How often you meet depends on what you're working on.

For the day(s) of the event, officers and organizers will figure out volunteer needs and confirm the work required and amount of time involved. You can help complete event tasks or sign up for a volunteer shift. A volunteer shift is usually a couple of hours per person.

Don't want to participate in planning or have only a day or a few hours you can commit? Check out the day-of volunteer opportunities.

Help bring more fun and joy into the school days and lives of your family and community, plus:

• Whatever you're good at, come share your skills with us. Whatever you want to get better at or learn more about, try it out at a smaller scale and in a friendly environment here.

• HWISPA is filled with talented, warm, and creative people and parents who share your challenges and priorities. What can we learn from each other? Everything!

• Friendships are forged in the crucible of willing something into existence together. That's just a fact.

Leave your mark on a not-so-small part of the world and take something with you.

Don't want to participate in planning or have only a day or a few hours you can commit? Check out day-of volunteer opportunities.

For the day(s) of the event, officers and organizers will figure out volunteer needs and confirm the work required and amount of time involved. You can help complete event tasks or sign up for a volunteer shift. A volunteer shift is usually a couple of hours per person.

If you need to reduce your commitments or step back from volunteering altogether, just let us know! No hard feelings — we are all just doing our best here. Let's not overextend ourselves and burn out.

We usually recommend doing just one thing so volunteers don't overextend themselves and burn out — we hope everyone can enjoy volunteering and come back year after year!

That said, the responsibilities of homeroom parents are intentionally distributed and light so parents often find the time for both. Your energy inspires us!

First of all, thank you for stepping up! Time is the most valuable gift you can give and we are grateful for your generosity.

Want to help with an existing event or program? Just speak up at the end or beginning of the year — that's when we compile volunteer needs and put out requests for volunteers.

Have a new idea? Just email us at hwispa-nj@hwis.org or talk to one of the officers about your ideas and interests, and we'll help you figure it out.

All of the above PLUS you are invited to join the HWISPA board, which means you can participate in board chats and meetings and help shape the school year:

• Contribute ideas, bring up topics of concerns, and weigh in on HWISPA planning and priorities.

• Get direct and early information on what's happening at the school.

• One free ticket to the Global Gala as a thank-you for your time.

Board meetings happen once a month from August to June and take place during school hours. Most people attend remotely and some people join the in-person meeting in the school conference room.