Volunteer Resources

PLANNING AN EVENT?

Calendar
How do I schedule my event?
First, check with your Grade-Level Team Leader or the MSA or MS-MSA President to get approval for the event. Then, email calendar@menloschool.org to book a venue and post your event on the Menlo online calendar.

Mailings, Labels & Invitations
How do I get EMAIL addresses, MAILING addresses or mailing LABELS for invitations or letters?
Click here to read instructions and submit a request. Our team will pull the latest information from our database and can create a list of mailing or email addresses for you.

How do I create and send invitations?
We try to send online invitations. MSA volunteers should use paperlesspost.com or pingg.com; click here for instructions. Use your event budget to pay for any fee-based service. Be sure to let the MSA VP of Communications review and approve your invitation before you send it out.

How do I send out a large mailing?
The Facilities Department can post large mailings.

1. Create your letter or postcard. Please note: Menlo cannot run coated-stock materials through the postage machine.
2. Create mailing labels: click here to read instructions and submit a request for information.
3. Label your postcards, or stuff and label your envelopes. Do not "nest" the envelopes. Facilities can seal the envelopes as they run them through the postage machine.
4. Email Jose Toscano (aka "JT") in the Facilities Department ( jose.toscano@menloschool.org) to let him know you'll be bringing in a mailing.
5. Drop off the envelopes/postcards at the Reception Desk with a note to deliver them to JT, or you can bring them directly to him in the Facilities Office behind the Athletic Center.

Ticketing
How do I create paper and online ticketing?

• For online ticketing:
  • Contact Nathalie Strong in the Business Office at nathalie.strong@menloschool.org to get a business code.
  • Contact MSA VP of Communications to set up the online ticketing page.
• For paper ticketing: Contact Joan Iwamoto in the Bookstore at joan.iwamoto@menloschool.org.

Volunteer Recruitment & Sign Ups
How do I coordinate asking for volunteers to help with my event or to bring supplies or food to the event?
You can put a request for volunteers on your Grade-Level News webpage or in eNotes, and we can link to an online sign-up tool.

To manage the volunteer signups, we ask that you use www.mysignup.com or www.jooners.com. Google Docs are harder for parents to use and can create security problems. Please use the pay-per-use version of these tools, so that you avoid advertisements (the cost is usually not significant). If you need help with these tools, contact MSA VP of Communications.

Please also be aware of security issues: no parent contact information should be visible without a login feature.

Publicity
How do I publicize my event?
There are two main audiences for publicity: the internal Menlo community and the external community/media. Not all events and programs will be appropriate for all of the internal publicity venues or for outside media, but the Communications Department can help you strategize the best approach.

Internal Publicity for MSA Events:
First, contact the MSA VP of Communications. She will direct your request to the appropriate people. Details of specific internal venues are listed below:

• eNotes (Upper School parents): eNotes@menloschool.org
  See full submission guidelines.
• zipNotes (Middle School parents):
  zipNotes items should be approved by your Grade-Level Team Lead or the MS-MSA President. The deadline for zipNotes entries is Friday at noon.  All submissions should be sent to Laurie Burmeister at laurie.burmeister@menloschool.org.
• Grade-level News pages on the Menlo website: grade-level team leader
• Student eNewsletter: tony.lapolla@menloschool.org
  Entries should be directly relevant to students.
• Menloschool.org homepage: alex.perez@menloschool.org
  The School website’s homepage is reserved for items relevant to BOTH internal and external audiences.
• Menlo School's Facebook page
  A "slice of life" view of Menlo for an external audience
• US Quad electronic board: liz.segura@menloschool.org
• Loop electronic board: laurie.burmeister@menloschool.org
• Alumni eNotes: liza.bennigson@menloschool.org
  Items should be relevant to all alumni, local and non-local
• The Coat of Arms (student newspaper): brooke.bullington@menloschool.org

External Publicity for MSA events:

• All MSA requests for publicity outside of the Menlo community should be submitted to the MSA Publicity Chairman, Lynn Felt, at lynnfelt@comcast.net. She will bring your request to the Communications Editorial Board, which reviews and considers all possible stories for the press. If there is not enough time for the Editorial Board to review your request, the VP will forward it to Menlo’s PR consultant, Jill Kasser.
• In either case, a decision will be made by the Editorial Board on behalf of the School about what is publicized outside of the Menlo community.
• All communication with the media will be handled on behalf of the School by the PR consultant, Jill Kasser. Jill has years of experience and a network of contacts in the local and national press.
• Please understand that we cannot publicize all school news, and trust that our professionals in this area are making good decisions based on thoughtful and rigorous criteria.

Can I use social media for my event or group?
Menlo School has a lively Facebook page and many tools to help groups organize and promote events. Please contact Alex Perez at alex.perez@menloschool.org before creating a separate Facebook page (or something similar) for your event or group. We want to help you strategize and make sure that we're not providing the same kind of information in one of our many other venues. If it's decided that social media is a good tool for your group or event, the Communications team would like to help you with development.

I’m thinking about making a poster, banner or brochure. What should I do?
First, contact Alex Perez at alex.perez@menloschool.org. He will work with you and the Communications Team to strategize the best vehicle for your purposes. Then, we can help you plan the layout, edit the text and choose a vendor.

How do I arrange for a photographer?
Menlo’s Photography teacher and Image Director may be able to arrange for a photographer: contact Pete Zivkov at pete.zivkov@menloschool.org. Alternatively, Doug Peck can be hired. Contact him at doug@douglaspeckphotography.com.

How do I share photos after the event?
You can create an online album at Snapfish.com or any other online photo service; then put a brief entry in eNotes or zipNotes to direct people there.

You can also submit your best photos to Menlo’s photo archive on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/menlophoto/) by emailing them to Pete Zivkov at pete.zivkov@menloschool.org.

Set-up
How do I arrange for event needs like equipment, catering and Facilities support?
Contact Facilities at facilities@menloschool.org for:

• Tables, chairs and other furniture
• Audiovisual needs, microphones, projectors
• Set up and clean up
• Parking assistance
• Transportation assistance
• Security assistance
• Direction signs for day of event
• Loop entrance A-frames

Contact Sodexo at 650.543.4490 for:

• Catering
• Linens
• Flowers

Contact the Technical Department at techsupport@menloschool.org for help with:

• Providing laptops
• Using Martin Family Hall projection equipment

Other
What should I do if I'd like to make sure Norm Colb attends the event?
Contact Julie Johnson at julie.johnson@menloschool.org. She'll check Norm's calendar and let you know if he can attend.

What if I'd like John Schafer to attend?
Contact Allison Hale at allison.hale@menloschool.org. She'll check John's calendar and let you know if he can attend.

What about Jen Glasser?
Contact Laurie Burmeister at laurie.burmeister@menloschool.org. She'll check Jen's calendar and let you know if she can attend.