Parent Community
Lamplighter isn't just a school for your children. You'll find a home here, too.
Ask anyone what they love about Lamplighter, and chances are high you’ll hear the word community. Our students come together in the well every day to learn, discuss, debate, and discover. But our spirit of collaboration and connection doesn’t stop in the classroom. Parents and families are a deep and meaningful part of all that we do, from sharing time, talents, and resources, to building friendships and learning together.
Welcome from the 2024-2025 Lamplighter Parents' Association President Barrell Jones.
Lamplighter Parents' Association (LPA) Store
The LPA Store is an initiative of the Lamplighter Parents' Association. Thank you for supporting the LPA and its activities through your purchases of Friday Lunch, Carnival items, and spirit wear and gear.
Plus, every Friday is Spirit Day at Lamplighter! Students are encouraged to wear their spirit wear to school on Fridays.
Each year, the LPA hosts the Auction as the Association's primary fundraising effort benefiting the School. The 2024-2025 LPA Auction event will take place on Saturday, February 22, 2025 at the House of Blues.
Explore our Community Programs
All School Program
In December before Winter Break, all Lamplighter students participate in the All School Program. The program is a culmination of learning activities demonstrated in an imaginative performance.
Auction
The Auction is hosted by the Lamplighter Parents’ Association (LPA) as the Association’s primary fundraising effort benefiting the School. Auction is usually held in late winter or early spring, with an online silent auction and gala celebration featuring a live auction. Auction Socials are special events held throughout the year for the Lamplighter community to support this initiative.
Book Club - Fireside Chats
Fireside Chats offer an evening of faculty-led Book Talks featuring a book selected by the Lamplighter JEDI Committee. You do not have to read the book to attend. All are welcome. JEDI stands for Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
Carnival
Held each fall since 1969, Lamplighter’s Carnival is organized by the LPA and staffed by parent, grandparent and alumni volunteers. This fun-filled afternoon event is filled with games, attractions, food, dancing, and a bake sale, all of which rival the State Fair of Texas itself!
Community Outreach
The Lamplighter Parents’ Association helps organize outreach to areas of our community in need in a wide variety of ways. The Green Team reminds students about the responsibilities of consumption and maintaining a clean campus through celebration and song, as well as emphasizing composting and recycling efforts.
Cultural Awareness
The LPA Cultural Awareness Committee coordinates school-wide cultural events throughout the year. These events introduce children to the world’s various cultures and their histories through activities such as stories, music, dance, food, presentations, arts and crafts, and other unique ideas created by the presenters.
Dads' Program
Dads can get involved by volunteering to help with various LPA sponsored events.
Donuts with Dads & Muffins with Moms
These two special events give parents and friends a dedicated time to visit campus and have fun with their student(s).
Diwali
As part of the Cultural Awareness program, the LPA hosts this event to celebrate and educate Lamplighter students about Diwali, one of the most celebrated cultural events of Hinduism. This event, known as the Indian “Celebration of Lights,” typically lasts for five days and symbolizes the spiritual “victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance.”
Dolores Evans Speaker Series
The Dolores Evans Speaker Series is a unique program that The Lamplighter School offers to its parents, faculty, and staff, as well as the broader Dallas community. Each year, The Lamplighter School hosts one or two events to bring thought leaders to our campus as part of the series.
Erik Jonsson Media Center Open House
This school fundraiser specifically supports the Erik Jonsson Media Center. The Lamplighter community is invited to volunteer and purchase books for the Media Center in honor of faculty and staff members.
Faculty and Staff Appreciation
This LPA committee and volunteers organize opportunities for Lamplighter parents to show their appreciation for the faculty and staff. Some initiatives include providing breakfast during conferences, filling snack jars throughout the year, and providing special treats for monthly community meetings.
Family STEM Night
Lamplighter families have the opportunity to attend a special Science Night either on campus or at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science as part of the School’s strategic partnership with the Museum. Science Night is an engaging, fun evening of scientific discovery for Lamplighter students and their families, along with representatives from the Perot Museum, Dallas Arboretum, and Southern Methodist University.
Friday Lunch
Friday Lunch is an LPA fundraiser for the School which pays for a delivered lunch, usually pizza, to students each Friday. It is a treat for the students and their lunch-packing parents! Most full-day Lamplighter students participate in the Friday Lunch program. This program is affectionately referred to as "Pizza Friday."
Grade Level Coordinator
A parent volunteer serves as the grade level point person by organizing classroom activities and sharing pertinent information to parents on a regular basis.
Grandparent Activity Program (GAP)
Grandparents are invited to come and spend time with their grandchild(ren), reading to their classrooms or volunteering at the Carnival. Grandparents are also invited to volunteer in the Erik Jonsson Media Center or provide baked goods for the Carnival.
Grandest Friends' Day
Held every spring, Grandest Friends’ Day is an opportunity for students to invite a grandparent, another family member, or special adult friend to Lamplighter to spend a morning or afternoon on campus.
Grandparent Readers
Grandparents (and special Grand Friends) are invited to read to classes throughout the year on designated days.
Hootenannies
Hootenannies are one of Lamplighter’s oldest traditions. Once a month, the entire school comes together to sing favorite songs. Parents of children in each grade level are invited to attend one assigned Hootenanny per child.
International Night
International Night is an LPA-sponsored event held every spring that gives families the opportunity to “tour” the world, sample food from cultures around the globe, participate in craft projects, and enjoy live entertainment.
Lamplighter Parents' Association (LPA)
The LPA plans, executes, and funds numerous activities and services throughout the year that benefit Lamplighter students and the community. Serving as a leader on the LPA Board is a wonderful way to get involved, meet other dedicated parents, and make a difference.
Lunar New Year
As part of the Cultural Awareness program, the LPA hosts this event to celebrate and educate Lamplighter students about Lunar New Year, a 15-day celebration that starts with the first lunar new moon of the year. The celebration is a time of renewed beginnings - a fresh start; a wish for prosperity - good luck; and a time for family to come together to honor their ancestors. The LPA arranges for Lion Dancers to perform on the playground.
Parent Perks
Parent Perks is a parent education series featuring educators, psychologists, and authors who speak to the Lamplighter community about important trends in the education world and topics that reflect the mission of the School. The series hosts 5-6 events per year, some of which are offered virtually.
Playground Visits
Parents are invited to join Early Childhood students for recess on assigned days.
Spirit Store
The Spirit Store is an online shop where parents can purchase a variety of Lamplighter spirit wear and gear. The shop is completely run by parent volunteers, and is a LPA fundraising (and “Spirit Raising”) initiative.
“The Lamplighter Parents’ Association is an opportunity to be involved with the School and meet other families. My kids love seeing me volunteering, especially for Cultural Awareness events and International Night. Celebrating International Night is one of the most beloved, cherished Lamplighter traditions. It honors our diverse community and fosters acceptance, education, and inclusion. At the end of the day, it is like one big celebration.”
“Lamplighter has allowed our whole family to join a wonderful community. We get to spend time with our children at events like Donuts with Dads, Pizza Fridays, and class playdates. The Dads' events are a great way to bond and keep in touch even when kids are in different classes. It’s also fun having parent events that bring everyone together at both the class and the school level.”
“To really feel like you are part of the fabric of a school, particularly a school as rich in tradition as Lamplighter, is really something special. Through the Lamplighter Parents’ Association, I’ve been given the beautiful opportunity to experience this. Whether it was dreaming up new Carnival attractions or merchandise for the Spirit Store, I will never forget the smiles that resulted, and the deep connections made.”
“Working with the LPA has been one of the most rewarding experiences at Lamplighter. It has provided me with an opportunity to connect with other dedicated parents, all working toward the common goal of enhancing our collective Lamplighter experience. As a New Family Coordinator, I was able to be actively involved while building strong relationships with other parents and witnessing the positive impact of our work.”