HSA

Philosophy of Volunteering

Mary of Nazareth School’s mission is to prepare students for lives of service to God and neighbor. The philosophy of the Mary of Nazareth Volunteer Program is that our families are an example to our students, living out the Gospel teachings by serving the school, parish and larger community. Through the school’s vibrant and comprehensive volunteer opportunities, each family is asked to give of their time and talent at a minimum of ten hours per year.

Why Do I Volunteer?

  • "To spend time with my son and to feel like a valuable member of the MoN community."
  • - Melinda Doss
  •  "It was clear from the start that MoN had such a strong community and that's due, in large part, to the wonderful parents who give their time to make our school excellent. I wanted to be a part of that. Helping out at the school made me feel like a part of the MoN community, it gave me a sense of comfort and familiarity with the school, teachers, and other parents...and that makes it feel more like home for our family."
  • - Krysia Novotny
  • "I volunteer at school to share moments with my children and meet new people and hear their stories."
  • - Stacey Seager
  • "I like to contribute any free time I have to our children school and my children enjoy me being there. I feel very lucky and fortunate that I’m able to do that."
  • - Dora Kessler
  • "The more involved we are, the more we become part of this school. I love catching glimpses of my kids in action with their friends at school."
  • - Jenny McQuiston
  • "I started it because I wanted to observe the school from the inside, to get to know kids, teachers, and staff better. I was impressed with the dedication professionalism. I keep volunteering to express my gratitude and to give help in a way that I can"
  • - Julia Tarakanova
  • "I volunteer because I love how excited my children are to teach me about the school environment that they know so much about (even more than me). They are the experts here and I like how they take pride in showing me the ropes of how things work. I also really enjoy meeting the other parents and having that shared experience and community. The laughing and sharing stories with other parents make the experience invaluable."
  •  - Lisa Dsouza

HSA Information

  • HSA Programs

    The Mary of Nazareth School HSA is able to support our community through several programs each year. We are thankful to all families for their participation in each area.


    Race for Scholars

    Our main event of the year is Race for Scholars. This activity involves a fun-filled afternoon where students run together through the beautiful Mary of Nazareth School campus. Funds are raised for the MoN Home and School Association, through family and business sponsorships, that provide for classroom activities and celebrations throughout the school year.


    Box Tops for Education 

    No matter where you shop, you can earn for the MoN HSA using the Box Tops app to submit a quick scan of your paper or digital receipt within 14 days of purchase. If you've ordered groceries for delivery or pickup, shopped through a store's app, or requested an email receipt, you can earn Box Tops with digital receipts too.  Download the Box Tops app here to start scanning receipts and earning now! 


    Restaurant Nights

    Take a night off from cooking and enjoy dinner with friends from Mary of Nazareth School. On restaurant nights, which are held throughout the year, participating vendors donate a percentage of sales back to the HSA.

  • School Celebrations and Activities

    The goal of the Home School Association (HSA) is to enrich the experience of the children of MoN school and build and foster a sense of community. Our activities and efforts include:


    • Back to School Picnic
    • Breakfast with St. Nick
    • Catholic Schools Week Activities
    • Christmas Bingo
    • Communion Celebration
    • 8th Grade Graduation Celebration
    • Field Trips
    • Grandparents Day
    • Lunch Servers and Lunch Monitors
    • May Crowning
    • Restaurant Nights
    • Room Parent Classroom Support
    • School Dance
    • School Newsletter
    • Social Concerns Activities
    • Teacher Appreciation Efforts
    • Technology Purchases for the School
    • Used Uniform Sales

  • Child Protection Policy for Volunteers

    In order to volunteer at school, to coach a sports team, or to attend a field trip with your child’s class, you must be cleared through the Archdiocesan Child Protection system (VIRTUS).  If you are not already cleared, consider doing it now.  You do not have to complete the process every year.


    Please follow these steps for NEW volunteers (or see ADW Compliance Checklist):

    1. Go to www.virtus.org and click on the link for "registration".  Begin the registration process and choose "Washington, DC (Archdiocese).  Please note that the name on your account must match the legal name on your ID documents.  

    2. Create a user name and password, and register to attend an online child protection class.   Please choose "Mary of Nazareth School" as your location.  During the online registration, please read the Pastoral Code of Conduct and Contact with Minors.  

    3. Email to Mrs. Wray in the office the completed volunteer application and 2 forms of government-issued ID (driver’s license, passport, birth certificate, social security card, government employment ID- military ID’s are not accepted.)  Once those have been received, Mrs. Wray will email you the Archdiocesan fingerprint authorization form.  

    4. Schedule an appointment with any authorized fingerprint provider.  You must bring valid, government-issued ID to the appointment.

    5. Once you have attended the class, please sign page 56 of the green Child Protection Policy booklet you receive (Acknowledgement - Appendix E).   Please complete the bottom section, “Employee/Volunteer”, and email this page to Mrs. Wray in the office.  Your position is “volunteer”. 

     Individuals will be personally responsible for the costs (estimated to be approximately $40-$60 per person) associated with the fingerprinting process.

    All volunteers must be fingerprinted under these requirements, even if you have been previously fingerprinted for another company or position. 

     

    If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Wray at mwray@maryofnazareth.org


  • HSA General Meeting Minutes

    September 5, 2024 General Meeting Minutes  


  • Treasurer's Corner and Forms

    Current HSA Treasurer: Christa Owens


    2024-25 HSA Proposed Budget - as of 8-28-2024

    2024-25 HSA Dues: $25 per family

    2024-25 Class Activity Fee (CAF): $20 per child


    To submit a Disbursement of Funds request:

    1. Complete Disbursement Request Form and attach your receipt(s).
    2. Submit completed form and receipts to HSA Treasurer through the main office.
    3. You will receive your check in backpack mail.

    Please note that reimbursement to individuals may not exceed $250 for out-of-pocket expenses. Individual expenses exceeding $250.00 will be paid by check directly to the vendor. The expense for a single item may not be divided into multiple reimbursements of smaller amounts.


    If you require a check in advance or have a bill that must be paid by the HSA, please submit a completed Disbursement Request Form and submit it to the HSA Treasurer with at least three day's notice. Please keep a copy of the bill for committee records. HSA checks must be co-signed by the HSA President and the Principal.


    To Submit a Notice of Deposit:

    If you are in charge of an activity that generates money, such as a fundraiser:


    1. Verify the total amount being turned in and complete a Deposit Notice Form.
    2. Two committee members must count cash before deposit can be completed.
    3. Deposit Notice Form and cash/checks must be submitted to the HSA President, Vice President, or Treasurer. This should be done at the end of the event or as soon as possible the next school day.

    Please note that the Deposit Notice Form may be submitted to the Treasurer as an attachment to an e-mail.

  • Nominating and Elections Committee

    This HSA committee is responsible for nominating candidates for officer positions and running the associated election.


    Committee Members:

    Leslie Brown

    Julie O'Brien

Meet the HSA!

Naddia Clute

- President

Naddia is in her first year as HSA President and has been part of the MON community since 2019. She is a mom to 7th grader Sophia and 4th grader Jaxon. Since joining MON, she has been a room parent, assisted with the St. Nick event, and volunteered during different school activities. In her professional life, she is the Small Business Navigator for the Montgomery County Business Center, where she provides a variety of assistance to new and existing entrepreneurs, guides on how to obtain business licenses and permits, identify different systematic issues, and provides different ways to improve or resolve such issues. She spends her afternoons and weekends driving her son to soccer practice and games, taking her daughter to dance class, or traveling. Mary of Nazareth is more than just a school, it is a community where families become friends, and the different volunteering opportunities are rewarding. 

Carlos Hernandez

- Vice President

The Hernandez Family have been part of the MoN community since 2021 and are parishioners at Our Lady of Visitation. 2023 will be Carlos’s first year as part of the HSA. His son, Charlie, will be in 3 rd grade this year and his wife, Mrs. Hernandez, will be entering her third year as the K-1 teacher at MoN. Professionally, Carlos is the Senior Controller for Aramark at Georgetown University and has served in

similar roles at Nationals Park, Capital One Arena, and Audi Field. In his free time, Carlos enjoys all things fitness and cheering on the Mustangs at sporting events throughout the year. Carlos and his family love it here at MoN and are so grateful to be part of this amazing community.

Kate Polcaro

- Vice President

Kate is excited to serve in her first year in this position, and proud to be a MoN mom for a third year! She has two children, Lilah (6th) grade and Hunter who (2nd). The Polcaro family are parishioners at St. Rose of Lima parish in Gaithersburg. She is a devoted volunteer at MoN lending helping hands at various events and even coaching soccer in her spare time. Kate also works part-time as a Physician Assistant at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital. Her family enjoys the outdoors, camping, motorsports and the beach. They are very pleased that they joined the MoN community and family and hope that you will enjoy it as much as they do!

Megan Coughlin

- Secretary

Megan is a proud mom to three young children and has been a part of the MoN Community since 2022. She and her husband Drew have a daughter in second grade, a son in kindergarten and their youngest in the Pre-K 4 program. The Coughlin Family are parishioners at Our Lady of Visitation in Darnestown. Since joining MoN, she has been a room mom, chaired the K-5 dance, and has coached K-1 and Cadet soccer. In her professional life, Megan oversees a compliance program for the Department of Defense in Bethesda. Megan and her family greatly value the MoN philosophy and look forward to sharing those values with others.

Christa Owens

- Treasurer

Christa is in her first year as the HSA Treasurer. Her family recently joined the Mary of Nazareth community when her son, Jaden Owens, starting kindergarten in 2022. As a new parent of the community, she has volunteered assisting classroom parties and Breakfast with Santa. Professionally, she holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and is a Certified Public Accountant. Outside of work, she enjoys exercising, reading, and spending time with family. The Owens Family resides in Germantown, MD. She looks forward to getting involved and serving as the Treasurer for HSA and other future volunteering opportunities.