Sands Parent Organization Nominations Now Open!

The Sands Montessori Parent Organization is now accepting nominations for all positions on the SMPO Rudder except Business Manager. SMPO is one of many ways you can connect with others in the community AND become involved in the future of your child’s school!

Keep in mind that if you hold a position on the SMPO, your attendance is needed at all SMPO meetings. The meetings are held on the third Tuesday of every month.

Nominate yourself (or someone else!) by filling out this form by April 3, 2026! 

All SMPO leadership positions and their descriptions are as follows:

●  President:​ This position is typically not up for an election as the VP enters into this role from year to year, but the VP role has been vacant. If interested fill out the nomination form and someone will contact you to learn more.

●  Vice President:​ Acts as an aide to the President and is considered “President-In-Training.” The Vice President becomes President the following year.

●  Executive​ ​Secretary​:​ Records the minutes of all Rudder meetings and maintains the official documents of the SMPO including the bylaws, correspondence, and minutes.

●  Business Manager in Training:​ ​Works alongside the Business Manager and takes over as Business Manager the following year. (Business Manager is responsible for preparing and maintaining SMPO’s annual budget, accounting in QuickBooks, and cash flow; works alongside other members of SMPO to provide petty cash and collect deposits from events. Business Manager in Training is 1-2 hours per month; Business Manager is 5-10 hours per month.)

●  Community Coordinator (2): Be present and engage with families at school events and activities where there is opportunity to connect families with the school community. Develop plans for events and activities with the purpose of community-building with Sands students, staff, and caregivers. Work with the Event Coordinator to coordinate and facilitate committees of caregivers to lead the planning and execute these events and activities. Coordinate teacher appreciation activities. Collaborate with the School Resources Coordinator to engage the Sands Community with the wider Mt. Washington, Cincinnati, CPS, and Montessori communities.

●  Sands Enrichment Program (SEP) Coordinator​:​ Organizes many of the before and after school programs that are taught at Sands throughout the year. Enrollment happens twice per school year, so much of the coordination happens in the month or two leading up to registration (Usually in August and January).  The position involves working with current providers of programming and finding new providers, setting the SEP calendar, working within the Homeroom platform to list the season, answering questions for families about programming, finding space within the school building for each program and facilitating scholarships for students whose families have applied for assistance.  The SEP coordinator also attends SMPO meetings and helps to promote the program to families, creating a printed flyer to showcase all the activities offered that is distributed to families during the registration period. Most of the communication with providers is done via email and can occur at any hour, so timing is flexible.  Much of the work performed for this role happens from July-September and November-February.  It requires about 5 hours per week during those months.

●  Volunteer/Events Coordinator:​ Recruits and deploys parents to perform scheduled and non-scheduled volunteer duties at SMPO and school functions. Serves as the main contact person for volunteer requests from the school and SMPO committees.

●  Fundraising​ ​Coordinator:​ Oversees all major fundraising events for the SMPO and no-cost fundraising.

●  Communications​ ​Coordinator:​ Responsible for coordinating and compiling information useful for Sands families and staff to be distributed via email, website, social media or other relevant mode of communication. 5-10 hours per month.

●  Technology Coordinator​:​ Monitors maintenance and updating of SMPO website. May serve as the parent representative to the school’s technology committee. 1-4 hours per month.

●  Athletics Coordinator​:​ Coordinates sports programs at the school, including coordinating with Cincinnati Recreation Commission. Recruits volunteer coaches for the after-school programs. The Athletics coordinator oversees the management of the soccer, basketball, volleyball and baseball programs.

●  LSDMC Representative (4)​: Serves as parent member on the Local School Decision Making Committee, the primary governing body for the school, which gives insight and input into decisions that impact students’ lives and shape their education experiences. Roughly 2 hours per month plus 1-2 meetings per month

●  ILT Representative (2)​: Serves on the Sands Instructional Leadership Team (ILT), which focuses specifically on improving instruction at the school, including curriculum program, staff training and developing school budget. SMPO does not vote on candidates for ILT, but collects nominations on behalf of LSDMC.

The 2026-2027 Rudder will be elected at the April General Parent Meeting on April 21st.  All parents, guardians, and staff are welcome and encouraged to attend this meeting and vote on these positions.

Thank you,

Alex Shepherd, Courtney Ryan, and Amy Malmstrom

SMPO 2026 Rudder Nominating Committee