Parent Teacher Organization (PTO)
On
behalf of the PJA Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), we welcome—and welcome you
back—to PJA for the 2010-11 school year!
We would like to take this opportunity explain what the PTO is all about
and, as its co-chairs, to share our objectives for the PTO this year.
What
is the PTO and who can be a member?
The
PJA PTO is an informal parent group that works closely with PJA staff to
support the educational programs and activities of the school, encourage parent
involvement in their individual children’s education, classroom(s) and school,
and provide feedback and suggestions for school programs. Every PJA parent is automatically a member of
the PTO. Your level of involvement is up
to YOU and we invite you to be an active participant in the PTO! Participation through volunteering allows you
to be “hands on” with your child’s education and gives you a voice. Our children love to see us in this
environment where they spend more than seven hours each day. You will get to know your children’s
teachers, make friends and become acquainted with other PJA families. The Preschool Parent Committee (PPC) is part
of the PTO but is focused specifically on the needs of the preschool.
What
are the PTO’s goals and objectives?
Our primary objectives for
this year include:
- Recruit volunteers and coordinate volunteer
efforts for programs and projects that support or enrich the curriculum or
educational goals of PJA. The PTO assists the school by helping to
coordinate programs such as room parents, healthy kids, used book sale,
family arts night, staff appreciation and the challah program.
- Foster communication between school
administration and teachers and parents. We host regular PTO
meetings to which all parents are invited.
Meetings will be a forum for planning the events and programs for
which the PTO is responsible and for soliciting feedback and suggestions
on new activities. We invite representation and input from administration
and teacher representatives at our meetings as well.
- Create and cultivate a sense of community
among families. We plan
events that cultivate a sense of community and inclusion at our
school. Examples include a monthly
bagels & schmooze breakfast morning in the lobby and a series of
meetings for the room parents to offer support and a forum for sharing
ideas.
What
are some of the events that the PTO helps to plan?
We’re
glad you asked! This is not an exhaustive list. Do you have an idea for an event, program or
activity that’s not on this list? Please
let us know.
- Room Parent - Room parents act as a liaison between
the school, your child’s teacher and the parents in your child’s class by
encouraging others to participate in school events and by helping your child’s
teacher find parents who can assist her/him with classroom activities as
needed. Taking on this role will
automatically fulfill your Fair Share requirement. Contrary to what the name suggests, being a
room parent does not necessarily require that you spend time in the
classroom! Many aspects of this role can
be done from a computer or telephone on your own time. Important functions served by the room parent
include: passing on information from the
PTO and administration to the parents in your child’s class or grade, helping
the teacher find parent volunteers for the classroom or with special projects,
assisting the teacher with the class project for the auction, planning social
events to help bond the class. Room
parent volunteers will be well supported by the PTO co-chairs and your child’s
teacher, and are invited to attend PTO meetings and meetings with other room
parents. This role can be filled by one
or two parents from each class or grade.
- Healthy Kids - This group organizes several physically
active and fun programs for the school each year emphasizing the need and
ways to be healthy including: the PJA
Fitness Challenge –the Presidential Fitness Challenge sponsored by the
Federal Government, Tirkadoo—the PJA annual family dance with live music
and games for the whole family, and the Jog-a-thon which is a fundraiser for
special projects. Volunteer
committees are needed to help organize and advertise these events, procure
prizes for contests, procure healthy snacks and a table to sell them, a
photographer, etc. Volunteers are
also needed to help set up and break down rooms for these events.
- Used Book Sale - This annual event raises money for the
school library. Volunteers assist
with collecting, storing and sorting books, marketing the event and
staffing the sale.
- Family Arts Night - This is a school-wide event at which
students participate in various art events led by parents. The event coordinators solicit parents
who can create and facilitate art projects for small groups of
students. This event also welcomes
volunteers to staff parent-led art projects on the day of the event.
- Staff Appreciation - Each year we recognize our wonderful and
dedicated teachers and staff at PJA.
Past efforts have included gift bags and staff-wide brunches. Volunteers help plan, organize and
distribute gifts or host events.
- Challah program - Parents can pre-order challah which will
be delivered to their child’s classroom most Fridays. This program seeks parents who can help
distribute challah on Fridays.
- Fostering Community - The PTO plans events during the school
year to foster a sense of community among parents. If you are available to help staff one
of our bagels & schmooze breakfasts or ifyou like to plan social
events or have an idea, please let us know!
STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?
Check out our FAQ!
There
will be many opportunities in the fall and throughout the school year to get
involved in the PTO. The PTO welcomes
all PJA parents. Please feel free to
reach out to us now or at any time if you have any questions or if you would
like to be a part of the PTO.
Sincerely,
Tricia Schoenbaum Amara
Norman
Co-Chair PTO, 2010 – 2011 Co-Chair
PTO, 2010 - 2011
(503) 344-4495 (503)
526-8910
tricia.schoenbaum@comcast.net brian.amara@me.com
Heather Schrag Claudine
Halmos
Co-Chair PPC, 2010 – 2011 Co-Chair
PPC, 2010 - 2011
(541) 520-6751 (503)
547-9507
heatherschrag@comcast.net ckdrh@yahoo.com
