| PTA Committee Descriptions
The Honey Island PTA provides the most benefits to students when everyone-
parents, teachers, and students-work together as a community. There are many
opportunities for everyone. If you have one hour a year, one hour a week, or
one hour a day, there are numerous ways you can help make the students’
experience the very best it can be. Your talents, suggestions, and contacts
are welcome! Please email us for more information: HoneyIslandPTA@yahoo.com.
The following descriptions offer an overview of our executive board and
committees.
EXECUTIVE BOARD:
President: Presides over all school PTA meetings, oversees the functioning
of the Board, and serves as liaison with the principal. Represents the
school at various events and meetings. Assists with developing a PTA
budget. Presides over all monthly PTA meetings. Channels information from
the State and National PTA to ensure membership is informed and focused on
the PTA mission. Assembles an effective PTA team, one that can accomplish
things. President may also attend district educational meetings as a
representative of Honey Island. The president is an ex-officio member of
all committees except the nominating committee.
Vice Presidents:
Each maintains a core area of responsibility, and in addition informs,
delegates, obtains feedback & results from Board Committees and
representatives. Vice Presidents preside at meetings and assume President's
duties in their absence or resignation.
1st Vice President: The vice-president shall perform the duties of president
in the absence or inability of that officer to serve, and shall assist the
president when called upon. In case of a vacancy in the office of president,
the first vice-president or the vice-president membership, in that order,
shall temporarily assume the duties until the vacancy is filled.
The vice-president shall function as the primary catalyst to encourage
involvement by parents and teachers in the PTA. The vice-president shall also
serve as a special liaison person between PTA members and the Honey Island
Elementary faculty, helping to create a cohesive working environment between
parents/guardians of the students represented by the PTA and those who work
directly or indirectly with these students.
The 1st VP assists the president with various projects and communications,
works with the principal to determine areas where PTA can contribute to the
school with major purchases. Seeks to gather ideas from parents, faculty, and
board members regarding project opportunities. Responsible for conducting
monthly meetings in the absence of the President.
Vice President: Membership-Organizes the school’s PTA Membership Drive with
the goal of attaining a 100% membership rate. It is hoped that all families
will join the PTA since the minimal dues support the local, state, and
national PTAs. Solicits membership through distributing information and
setting up “Membership Tables” at school functions. Distributes membership
cards and maintains membership log.
Secretary: Takes minutes at Board meetings, then types and distributes
copies. Assists other officers with duties as needed. Attends and keeps
minutes at all meetings. May be asked to assist with composing/typing
outgoing mail. Files and keeps copies of all minutes, correspondence,
committee reports, newsletters, meeting notices, etc.
Treasurer: Collects, counts, and deposits PTA monies, writes PTA checks,
maintains books, keeps the ledger, prepares monthly budget for presentation
at meetings. Keeps accurate financial records of all funds received and
disbursed. Submits a written monthly budget report at each PTA meeting.
Deposits funds received promptly into the PTA bank account. Pays by check
only, all financial obligations of PTA, as authorized by the Board.
Preserves all vouchers, receipts, bank statements, canceled checks, etc. to
be submitted to the end of year audit committee, or to the Board or general
membership, upon request.
BOARD COMMITTEES
ADOPT A STUDENT: Adopt a Student is a school program whose goal is to
provide funding for children who are unable to financially participate in
field trips and other school activities. The school office determines the
needs and coordinates the distribution of the funds. The chairperson is
responsible for soliciting donations from parents via the newsletter and
notes home. They also send a letter to teachers informing them about the
program and how they can submit student’s names who need assistance.
BUZZ BUCKS: Buzz Bucks is an incentive program used at Honey Island to
reward good behavior. Students are issued Buzz Bucks, which they can redeem
for purchase of small items (toys, pencils, etc…). Sales occur after the
lunch periods every Thursday (from 11:30-1:15). Come help out!
COPY ROOM: Assist the staff in preparing materials for classroom use. The
chair works closely with the volunteer coordinator to enlist helpers for
this committee. Many helpers needed for this committee.
CULTURAL ARTS: The Arts are an integral part of education. Dance, theater,
voice, playing an instrument, story telling, visual arts creation, writing
and photography - all help a child build self-esteem and add joy to his or
her learning experience. Each year, this committee helps coordinate the
National PTA "Reflections" Program, My Louisiana essay contest, and Safety
Poster contest. Volunteers help to: 1) promote the program; 2) coordinate
printing of entry materials; 3) recruit individuals to judge student
entries; 4) collect entries and prepare for judging; 5) provide recognition
of all entrants with a reception, awards and follow-up publicity and; 6)
follow up on any and all entries that advance in the competition. The
chairperson is responsible for obtaining official competition information
from the state PTA as well as organizing volunteers to help with the above.
FACULTY/STAFF APPRECIATION:
Other than our students, is there anything more important than our teachers?
Of course not!! This committee's purpose is obvious! This committee is
responsible for securing and distributing welcome gifts for the teachers and
staff at the beginning of the year; providing monthly recognition; and
arranging activities for National Teacher Appreciation Week (first week in
May). (Please note: a Back to School breakfast and End of year luncheon are
provided for faculty/staff by the Hospitality Committee. It is not provided
or paid for by the Faculty/Staff Appreciation Committee).
HOSPITALITY: Hospitality arranges the Back to School breakfast/luncheon,
the teacher Christmas luncheon, Staff Appreciation luncheons, among other
activities at school. Volunteers are needed to help with the planning and
organizing of all Hospitality events.
LABELS FOR EDUCATION
Help with collection and sorting of General Mills Labels for Education (Box
Tops) and Tyson Foods A+ Program (see pages on this site for more details).
The money earned is used to purchase classroom materials or other supplies
for the school. Chair will promote these programs in the newsletter, with
posters, and notes home to parents. A contest will be held each 9 weeks and
the top homeroom in each grade level will earn a donut hole party based on
Box Tops collections.
LANDSCAPE/PLAYGROUND: This committee is responsible for coordinating the
creation and maintenance of landscaped areas. The chairperson is also
responsible for contacting the teachers in an effort to fulfill any indoor
or outdoor recreational needs of the students. We will have a few workdays
during the year and can always use your help!
LEGISLATION: The legislative committee is responsible for keeping the
membership informed of legislative issues affecting our children at school.
They are to attend monthly Honey Island PTA board meetings as well as St.
Tammany Parish School Board scheduled meetings.
LIBRARY: Help check books in and out for the children during their library
time and other various library duties one or two periods a week. The chair
will also work with the volunteer coordinator to enlist workers for the fall
Book Fair and periodic labeling of AR books.
NEWSLETTER: The newsletter committee's primary responsibility is to serve as
editor of the PTA Newsletter and to coordinate all aspects of newsletter
production. The committee is also responsible for maintaining and updating
the PTA bulletin board at school in conjunction with the publicity committee.
NOMINATING: This committee of at least three members is elected at the PTA
general membership meeting in February. The Nominating committee selects one
eligible person for each officer to be filled and reports at the general
meeting in April. Elections are held in May.
PROGRAMS: Responsibilities include organizing student assemblies and
selecting presenters to enhance the educational experience for our students.
PUBLICITY: The Publicity chair is responsible for providing the local
newspapers with articles about school events, maintaining the PTA bulletin
board, and providing information to the website coordinator. This involves a
year-round commitment with short bursts of activity.
RECYCLING: Printer and Cell Phone Recycling: This committee collects empty
laser and inkjet printer cartridges from our community. Collected cartridges
earn points, which are then exchanged for thousands of different classroom
technology products. These products include computer systems, scanners,
modems, printers, software and audiovisual equipment. 4,000 empty cartridges
would generate enough points to place 6 complete computer systems in our
classrooms. With the administration the products would be selected. Chair
would place collection boxes in local business (they are prepaid to mail
with UPS so you do not need to pick them up) and send off the box that is
located in the school office. Basically keep track of ordering new
collection boxes and promoting the program. Great for working parents or
those with small children who want a job on their own terms.
RESTAURANT NIGHTS: This committee will be organizing several evenings
throughout the school year when we can gather at a restaurant or take out
food, network with other Honey Island families and earn money for our school
as portions of the proceeds are donated to Honey Island. Participating
restaurants give a percentage of their revenues to the school. Chair is
responsible for publicizing these nights via the newsletter and notes home.
Dates for the entire school year are normally set up as soon as school
begins. Please help support Honey Island on Restaurant Nights!
ROOM PARENT COORDINATOR: Coordinators for each class are needed to be
liaisons for parents, teachers, and PTA. This position is for the person
who is very organized, likes to plan parties and works well with other
parents. This position is responsible for recruiting and coordinating
volunteers for the purpose of planning and hosting holiday parties during
the school year, helping with Teacher Appreciation week, Field Day, and
donations for bake sales.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES: Many companies offer pre-packaged school supplies that can
be purchased at the end of one school year for the next school year. This is
a service the PTA provides to parents. The school supplies are then
delivered to the student’s classroom for the first day of school. The School
Supplies committee is responsible for researching companies that offer
these school packs and reporting their findings to the PTA for a decision.
They are then responsible for obtaining the school supply lists for
each grade from the school, contracting with the company to provide the
supplies, the distribution of order forms to the parents, the collecting of
orders and money and ultimately distributing the supplies in the fall.
TEACHER MINI-GRANTS: The purpose of this program is to provide financial
support for teachers seeking to introduce innovative and creative projects
in their classroom. The PTA allocates $3,500.00 to fund seven projects up
to $500.00 each. The funded projects will be implemented during the current
school year. Interested teachers are required to complete applications
detailing the scope of the project, as well as a timetable for
implementation, and a budget. The chairperson will prepare applications,
oversee distribution, coordinate the committee who will select the
receipents, distribute awards, and promote this program to our parents and
teachers.
VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR: Assesses volunteer needs and coordinates the
recruitment of volunteers for in-school programs. Communicates job tasks and
assignments. Sort information received from parent volunteer forms and
distribute to appropriate committees. Organize the Volunteer Tea in
September. The chairperson will track volunteer hours on a monthly basis.
Lets our volunteers know they are appreciated. Computer and e-mail skills
are useful - people-appreciation skills, invaluable.
WEBSITE COORDINATOR: Responsibilities include creating, inputting, and
maintaining a PTA website, independent of the school website's link.
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