Volunteering is a great way to support Menlo School and get to know other members of our community.

There are a wide variety of volunteer opportunities, with both small and large time commitments, and eNotes will publish the opportunities as they arise. To view a slideshow showcasing the highlights of MSPA’s engagements throughout the 2022-2023 school year, click here.

Food

For those who enjoy the culinary arts, you can share your creations with faculty, parents and students alike. Host a group of students at your home to prepare a meal with “Community Cooks” for local shelters or make dinner for a community member in need with “Menlo Cares.” Bake holiday cookies for faculty and morning treats for parent meetings. Prefer to make Costco runs? Provide bulk snacks for Homecoming booths.

• Community Cooks
• MSPA meeting hospitality
• Homecoming booths (fall)
• Faculty cookie exchange (December)
• Menlo Cares

Contribute from Home

Writers and communications pros needed to prepare weekly newsletters; ideal for those who prefer a “desk job” and are detail-oriented. A committee structure rotates responsibilities weekly. The online auction team creates compelling packages to raise funds for financial aid.

• Enotes and Zipnotes editors
• Online Auction

Work on Campus

If you are looking for a job on campus where you can interact with students and faculty, or just catch a glimpse of your child between classes, there are jobs for you. Support the Menlo librarian during school hours or serve food during faculty appreciation breakfasts and coffees.

• Library volunteer
• Faculty appreciation events

Welcome Prospective and New Families to Menlo

Enjoy talking about Menlo and sharing all of the special opportunities that come with a Menlo education? Provide tours during admissions preview days or mentor a new family with “Knight Navigators.”

• Admissions preview days (fall)
• Knight Navigator mentor program (spring)

Party Planning

If you love throwing parties, there are countless opportunities to develop creative experiences for student, faculty and parent events. The biggest gala of the year is the auction, and the MSPA also hosts breakfasts and lunches for faculty. Make the campus festive during the holiday season, and set up for prom or senior grad night.

• Auction
• Faculty appreciation events
• Holiday decor and parties (December)
• Junior/Senior prom and Senior grad night (spring)
• Manage event supplies, “Cage Manager”

Supporting Athletics

Sports lovers can serve as a team parent, organizing snacks and end-of-season celebrations. Football fans work the booths and ticket counter at Homecoming and Valpo Bowl, the annual game against Sacred Heart Prep.

• Team parent (sports season)
• Homecoming floats and booths (fall)
• Valpo Bowl football game (fall)

Supporting Arts

Work backstage during arts performances, and coordinate refreshments during tech weeks. Collaborate closely with the Creative Arts Department leaders on event logistics.

• Dance liaison
• Drama volunteer

Parent Education

Just like our students, parents have opportunities to learn at Menlo. Sixth and ninth grade parents can join Menlo Parent Groups, small sessions facilitated by experienced parents that cover a variety of topics related to raising adolescents. Every other year Menlo hosts a Parent Education Conference, headlined by a guest speaker, and Menlo collaborates with other independent schools to host the Common Ground speaker series. Middle school grandparents are also welcomed on campus annually to learn about Menlo.

• Facilitate Menlo Parent Groups (6th and 9th grades)
• Organize Common Ground speakers
• Plan Parent Education Conference
• Grandparents Day

Community Engagement

Build a tight-knit community at Menlo through groups and events that connect us to each other and the broader community. Support middle schoolers during service learning week, or plan the Peninsula Bridge Fun Run, raising money for Menlo’s partner that provides college preparation for low-income students. Lead one of the many parent affinity groups such as African-American, Jewish and Learning Differences. Or work on the auction, the largest parent event of the year.

• Affinity group leaders
• Auction
• Global Expo
• Middle school service learning week
• Peninsula Bridge Fun Run (fall)
• Special Olympics (spring)
• Bridge Tournament (spring)

Leadership Roles

Menlo needs parents with a variety of backgrounds and interests to take on leadership roles for an entire school year. Grade-level teams organize student and parent events specific to each grade. The MSPA Council works closely with Menlo administration and faculty to enrich the Menlo experience for all.

• Grade-level team
• Committee Chair
• MSPA Council

Refer to the MSPA Council page to see the responsibility structure. Feel free to contact the respective VPs for any additional questions. THANK YOU!

Thank you for volunteering!