Back to School Event (Hoedown)

Summary:

The Hoedown Coordinators coordinates everything except the food and lighting (which is handled by Assistant Principal and the D+Dads). It is helpful if two people are coordinators so that the overseeing and running around can be shared. That being said, all responsibilities should be specified at the meeting with the Assistant Principal and the PTA representative.

Everything includes: choosing date, publicity, procuring volunteers, scheduling of volunteers, games, set-up of games and activities, entertainment, set-up of tables, ticket sales, and cleanup.

Calendar of Responsibilities:

PLANNING:

• Decide on a date: this is done by the Hoedown Coordinators with the Principal or Assistant Principal at the beginning of the school year. The Assistant Principal is usually the person we deal with for everything.
  
• Show Me The Money: You have to ask the PTA what they've allotted for the Hoedown and then ask the Assistant Principal what he/she believes his/her budget will be. With The Assistant Principal doing the food and lighting, our biggest expense is usually the music.
• Publicity: Once the date is announced put something into the Pink Section announcing the date, any info you have about what a great time it will be and the need for volunteers. (If they do the coupon packet again, this will give you a nice big group to choose from, but you should put it in the Pink Section.
  • The Pink Section has a deadline of Wednesday P.M.
  • Big bright poster board signs are great - especially if placed along drop off and walking to classroom sites.
  • Create flyers that can be included in the weekly paper packet (do this more than once ).
  • It would be nice if we could have some media coverage - contact the IJ or the Twin Cities Times or even the local news channel.
    
• Ron Patrick: I don't know if there are scheduling problems with Ron, but talk with the Assistant Principal and let Ron know when it's happening (This is during flag football season).
• Volunteers: The coupon book is a great way to get volunteers. Our other great resource is Hall Middle School and Redwood High School. The kids get credit for the time they volunteer towards their community service requirement (they'll ask you to sign their sheet) They can do the games, help with set-up, help with clean-up, food service, face painting, tattoos, hand out the food tickets - what ever needs to be done (except for handling the cash, we ask the adults to do that ).
  • To get volunteers from Hall and Redwood find out who is handling community service in the schools. Speak with them first and then create a two-page signup sheet with a contact phone number on it as well and have it posted in the school office. Then have them announce the hoedown signup they do the morning "heads up" as many times as possible. Make sure you have a deadline on the form so they know not to wait until the last minute (not that you wouldn't take them after the deadline) and so that you have enough time to call and schedule everyone. The kids like to do the games or whatever with their friends so sometimes you can accommodate them.
  • You will definitely need "roamers" who can walk around and give feedback via the walkie talkies on how things are working - i.e. are the volunteers at their posts, do they need more help, do they need to be relieved, how are the food lines moving, do the food line volunteers need more help, etc. It's probably a good idea to find ways to keep them busy - there's always something that needs to be done and if you have kids with a lot of energy - use `em.
  • Volunteer Schedule: So that everyone can enjoy the hoedown, I set up 1/2-hour shifts for volunteers (the exception being the Hall and Redwood kids who would often work longer - you just have to ask them how long they would like to work) People appreciate that and are more willing to volunteer if they know they aren't committed to the whole evening. Setting up the schedule will take time - get help if you can.
    • Start calling people about 2-3 weeks before the hoedown so you can get your schedule ready and then call them or email them back to confirm the time and the activity they're scheduled for.
    • Volunteer Check-In Table: Have two volunteers sit near the ticket table and check in the volunteers and tell them where they are working. There should be a sign. If not, definitely have one made that's on a stick so that people can see it (make it on bright paper, too). Also make sure you're volunteer table has a walkie-talkie so they can contact the Hoedown queens or volunteer coordinators if problems arise.
    • Post copies of the schedule at each game or activity site so everyone knows what's going on and when to expect the next shift.
• Map: Create a map so people know where to put stuff.

BEFORE THE EVENT & SET UP:

• Seating/Tables: The school has all the tables and chairs required.
  • You'll want to set some chairs out so that people can sit when they're not eating.
  • You'll need tables and chairs for the games area as well and for the ticket table and volunteer check-in
  • Set up the tables behind the gym (The food is setup back there too).
  • Table cloths: Last year the wind blew them off and so we just put the centerpieces on and left well enough alone.
  • Table décor: For two years we used colorful cowboy hats that were decorated with bandanas and sunflower as the table décor. Keep it simple and cute.
• Décor: One year we had flowers and pumpkins all along the front of the stage and last year we pared it down. There are decorations in the container.
• Security: The Assistant Principal has dads around the perimeter to make sure kids didn't wander off the black top. I don't know how well it worked, but so far, (keep your fingers crossed) we haven't lost anyone. Kids on scooters, bikes, etc. are a problem. It needs to be put in the announcements that they will not be allowed on the black top. Also, at the start of the hoedown make sure that it is announced it as well. Please let all your volunteers know that it's okay to tell the kids that they are not allowed to ride on the black top and if the parents are there they should be told as well.

AT THE EVENT:

• Music: In 2005 we had a band from Bacich that played for a donation to their foundation. Whatever you get, just make sure that people can dance to whatever they play.
• Food: Although this isn't under Hoedown Coordinator domain, it's good to know what the Assistant Principal has is mind for food.
  • Make sure you ask the Assistant Principal if he/she needs any help with preparation - although he/she has his/her amazing Dads, you want to make sure he/she's covered. Sometime he/she needs someone to run to the store. Give him/ her a point person that he/she can contact the day before and throughout the day of the event to help him/ her if he/she needs anything.
  • Drinks: The powdered lemonade was a big hit. You have to find out what other beverages, if any, he/she has in mind. Usually he/she has so much going on that it's not on his/her radar. I would avoid small bottles of water because it leaves such a mess and kids drink two sips and toss. You might want to consider talking with Crystal Geyser, Alhambra, or Black Mountain to see if they would donate some water stations for the event.
  • Dessert is something you're probably going to have to handle. Make sure you speak with the Assistant Principal about it well in advance. . Talk to Neil the Safeway Manager about a deal. Or if you know someone who works for a bakery. The gourmet marshmallows, which were generously donated, were not a big hit.
  • Food Line: You have to have at least THREE tables with food set-up, otherwise it takes way to long. FOUR would be ideal. Make sure you discuss this with the Assistant Principal so that whatever he/she's cooking can be brought to the serving tables quickly. (Although the Assistant Principal usually has volunteers for all the food-related stuff, There's no questions that he/she will need volunteers to help with serving from your volunteer list. You want to get people fed quickly so that they can have fun. In the past he/she had folks handing out chips and salsa in the food line, which helped, but we most certainly should have had a minimum of three food tables set up.
• Photography: This hasn't worked as well as we would have liked. One year we had professional photographer parents volunteer and then they said they would put them up on the web and they never did (they didn't want to print any out either). I would stay away from posting on the web idea only because not every parent has access to the web.
  
• Games: Face painting, temp tattoos, pony racing, ring toss, ball toss, sack races are all very popular. For some reason the ring toss onto the "bulls ears" on the board is very popular. As is the rope toss on the pony's head. The games have been set up along the left side (looking towards the park and the back of the rec center from the school) of the black top. The Sack races are held in the grass.
  • The games and all the accoutrements for the event are boxed and stored in the cargo container on the side of the school property near the art and music room.
  • You will need a four or five bales of hay for "Rope the Pony" so that they can stick the pony heads in something and also to vary the height of the toss game.
  • Toss-the-ball-in-the-basket: You will need something to put the baskets on and make sure they are varying degrees of difficulty.
  • Contact Sharon and Ed from Camp Edventure More! as soon as you know the date. They set up a spot last year and kids loved it (they will need a couple of Hall or even Redwood volunteers).
    
  • Face painting/balloon sculptures: In 2005, Cookie Morin and her crew of older kids handled the face painting, and her husband did ballon sculptures. The balloons ended up being time consuming, but talk with Cookie and see she wants to it again. In 2004 we hired a face painter who was great! I don't remember her name, but we wrote her a check and I'm sure the PTA has it on record. So if Cookie needs help ask her what she needs - she will need money for the face paints and balloons.
• Cake Auction: The cake auction was such a huge hit last year, that I happens again. That should be discussed at the initial meeting so that it can be advertised as well in the Pink Section. It brought in some extra cash and everybody loved it.

CLEANUP:

Chances are that you won't get a lot of volunteers through the coupon book for this task, but everyone rallies and helps clean up. Cleaning the kitchen is the Assistant Principal's purview, but I'm sures he/she wouldn't say no to a few helping hands.

HAVE FUN!

• Questions? Email us at backtoschool@nc-pta.org