PROGRAM CHAIRS

The PTSA does much of its work through appointed chairs:

LEGISLATIVE

MISSION

Stay abreast of legislative issues that may effect our students or the PTSA organization and report back to Board.

DIRECT DUTIES

This is a Chair position, which means it is appointed by the board and reports to a board member. This position does not require regular attendance at monthly board meeting or yearly training by the state PTA.

END OF SCHOOL YEAR

• Submit budget needs (if any) to board to assist with next year budgeting efforts
• Work with webmaster to update job description (this page) for incoming chair

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MEMBERSHIP

MISSION

The Membership Chair(s) processes, tracks and reports enrollment and payments as well as promotes and recruits new membership in various forums: PTSA communications, flyers, at PTSA events, or any other ideas the Chair might have. 

SKILLS

Strong organizational skills and attention to detail are needed, as well as familiarity with online databases and Excel spreadsheets.  A home computer is a must, and a printer is advisable.  An interest and/or background in marketing is a plus.

Most volunteer time will be at your own discretion at home. This position's busiest time is from the beginning of the School Year until late October, when members are actively being pursued and enrolled, and the Hawk Fund Fundraiser is most visible.  The Chair may promote membership via various forums, as s/he chooses. We accept new members at any time during the school year.

DIRECT DUTIES

This position is responsible for processing membership enrollment forms, receiving and tracking membership payment and Hawk Fund donations (but only if received in same payment via paper form), including tracking names and contact information of said members and donors, reporting membership income to the Treasurer, uploading most current membership roster to the Secretary file at PTSA onedrive, and coordinating with the Student Directory Chair to ensure all paid members receive access to the student directory.

The Membership Chair reports directly to the President of the Board, but will work closely with Fundraising VPs and other Chairs as needed.

BEFORE SCHOOL YEAR

• Enter the new school year’s Board Members into the WA State PTA database with contact email so they begin to receive info from WA State PTA (wastatepta.org). Update any changes to the Board as the year progresses.
• Update, print and copy (or have printed) the paper Membership Form for the 1st Day Packet.
• Work with the webmaster on the website 1st Day Packet for membership sign up and payment.
• Create a spreadsheet to track check and cash payments for membership (and Hawk Fund donations if included).
• Optional: consider various marketing tools and venues to promote membership beyond 1st Day Packet.

BEGINNING OF SCHOOL YEAR

• Develop and implement a strategy to promote and recruit membership.
• Collect paper membership forms with cash or check payments and track them with the Excel spreadsheet.
• Input new members from paper forms into WA State PTA database (memberplanet as of 2019-20). Run reports to check for duplicate entries and other errors!
• Report to Hawk Fund chair any Hawk Fund donations received via paper form (check or cash).
• Track online membership payments, watch them for accuracy, upload to WA State PTA database (Memberplanet).
• Remit checks/cash and online payment reports to Treasurers by filling out Money Received Receipt form for cash and checks and by running website admin shared reports for online payments and inputting results on PayPal Money Received Report.
• Work with Treasurers to remit membership service fee payment to WA State PTA.
• Coordinate with the Student Directory Chair to ensure member listings are edited if a member requests a change in writing.
• Assist Student Directory Chair as needed with distribution of Student Directories to paid PTSA members (1 per family) by creating a list and/or labels if directory is printed instead of online-only.

ONGOING

• Track membership and payments. Report to Treasurer and Hawk Fund chair any cash/check payments that include Hawk Fund donations. Accepted all school year.
• Report any changes to membership to the Secretary on a monthly basis by emailing a Membership Chair Report prior to that month's monthly board meeting.
• Upload updated membership roster to Redmond El PTSA's OneDrive Sharepoint site as needed (to Secretary folder).
• Assist After School Enrichment Chair with ensuring that all chaperones are paid PTSA members.
• Close the school year in the Washington State PTA database (memberplanet) in June via End-of-Year process.
• At end of school year, make sure PTSA Webmaster clears Student Grade Information in preparation for the next year.

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OUTREACH

MISSION

Reach out to students and families who are new to the school or the community.

DIRECT DUTIES

This is a Chair position, which means it is appointed by the board and reports to a board member. This position does not require regular attendance at monthly board meeting or yearly training by the state PTA.

END OF SCHOOL YEAR

• Submit budget needs (if any) to board to assist with next year budgeting efforts
• Work with webmaster to update job description (this page) for incoming chair

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SPECIAL NEEDS LIAISON

MISSION

Reach out to students and families who have special needs.

DIRECT DUTIES

This is a Chair position, which means it is appointed by the board and reports to a board member. This position does not require regular attendance at monthly board meeting or yearly training by the state PTA.

END OF SCHOOL YEAR

• Submit budget needs (if any) to board to assist with next year budgeting efforts
• Work with webmaster to update job description (this page) for incoming chair

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VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR

MISSION

The Volunteer Coordinator helps connect potential volunteers with volunteer opportunities. The Volunteer Coordinator also helps to recruit new volunteers.

BEFORE SCHOOL YEAR

• Compile a "Volunteer Needs" spreadsheet
  • Information gathered from event chairs
• Create and print volunteer sign up sheets
  • Have available on first-day orientation
• Ask webmaster to update "My Volunteering" categories

BEGINNING OF SCHOOL YEAR

• Meet and greet new parents at Fall orientation and pass out volunteer sign up sheets

ONGOING

• Collect volunteer sign up sheets
• Ensure hallway kiosk is stocked with volunteer sign up sheets
• Help recruit new volunteers
• Make list of volunteers, interests, and contact information available to event chairs as needed

END OF SCHOOL YEAR

• Submit budget needs (if any) to board to assist with next year budgeting efforts
• Work with webmaster to update job description (this page) for incoming chair

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HAWKTALK EDITOR

MISSION

The HawkTalk is published monthly in paper format and provides a more in-depth reports on the current events in our school community. This PTSA Chair position will be whatever you make of it. Although a template for the newsletter’s general design is available, you are welcome to get creative and re-design it as you see fit. This position requires strong editing skills, a keen eye for detail, and a love of writing.

DIRECT DUTIES

This is a Chair position, which means it is appointed by the board and reports to a board member. This position does not require regular attendance at monthly board meeting or yearly training by the state PTA. This position will develop and distribute an editorial schedule; collect, edit and write articles for the PTSA monthly newsletter published in paper format, ensure publication and distribution. The HawkTalk Editor technically reports to the Communication VP, but acts as an independent entity for the most part.

BEFORE SCHOOL YEAR

• Using the Tandem calendar as a guide to PTSA events/activities and/or past HawkTalks, develop an editorial schedule to communicate article deadlines, content requirements (columns? Articles on current events? Guest columnists? Other ideas?) and any themes or particular topics wanted each month.
• Design a template for the newsletter if wanted/needed using Publisher.

BEGINNING OF SCHOOL YEAR

• Distribute the editorial schedule to the PTSA Board and Chairs, and ask Teacher Reps to please communicate or distribute the schedule to the staff and administrators if they deem necessary.
• Coordinate with Fundraising VPs to discuss potential for using 4th and 5th grade students as volunteer reporters, for which they would receive community service hours towards raising field trip funds.
• Ask teacher reps to remind teachers to send on student work, either by mail or in PTSA box, for publication.
• Communicate with the Treasurers to discuss method of paying for HawkTalk, if needed.
• Communicate with the Volunteer coordinator for parents able and willing to help with photographs of events/programs, needed/wanted.

END OF SCHOOL YEAR

• Submit budget needs (if any) to board to assist with next year budgeting efforts
• Work with webmaster to update job description (this page) for incoming chair

ONGOING

• Send out a “call for articles” to Board members and Chair positions, and ask Mrs. Davis to send it out to the teachers.  State specific needs to individuals as needed.  Remind teachers to send in student work.
• If using student reporters, assign articles directly to students or to teachers (depending on decisions made at beginning of year).
• Attend events/programs to photograph activities and/or communicate with parent volunteer photographers if needed.
• Ensure delivery of HawkTalk to LWSD Print either via email or flash drive, and ensure pickup and payment in a timely manner.
• Meet deadlines as best as possible.

SKILLS

• Strong people skills and a curiosity and enthusiasm for our school and community.
• Strong editing and computer skills 
• Familiarity with Publisher would be a plus, but it’s not that difficult to learn if you know your way around a computer.
• A keen eye for detail and high organizational skills necessary.
• A love for writing and creating.
• Creativity and self-motivation are a must.

TIME

This position is completely what you make of it, and how many volunteers/friends/students you recruit to assist you.  You might choose to be a very involved and present editor who writes many of the articles and takes many of the photos her/himself, or you might choose to simply take a more backseat and organize and edit the articles you receive from outside sources.  Regardless of method, you will be the driving force of the collection of those articles and the organization of them into the newsletter.  Volunteer time may be anywhere from 5-10 hours, or upwards of that, a month, and time might be spent both in the school during school hours as well as at home.  This position is entirely what you make of it!

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HAWKFLASH NEWSLETTER

TIME: 2-3 hours weekly

1. Send out a request for articles to Board members and Chairs on Thursdays or Fridays.
2. Proofread/edit the articles you receive for typos, grammar, syntax, etc. and update the web template. The publication goes out on Mondays. The deadline for article requests can go out sooner in the week, too--that part is up to you.
3. Take the information you get from Board and Chair members (and sometimes outside vendors) and put it into a Word document--of which we have a template--so we can make hard copies to send home with students. Because Thursdays are when all flyers go home, we need to have the hard copies in teacher boxes by Wednesday morning. This influences your schedule a bit--you want to have the Online edition done by Monday or Tuesday at the latest so you can get that hard copy to whoever is making copies (until we find someone to do this piece, it will be DC and/or Jean and/or Elena)

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STUDENT DIRECTORY

MISSION

• Compile data collected from LW school district (email request to Jim Crouch, LWSD Print Center manager, at jcrouch@lwsd.org in September) and school business manager to produce directory document, currently in Microsoft Publisher.
• Keep all private data safe and private by (a) distribute the directory only to paid members of Red El PTSA, (b) do not share directory digital file with anyone unless it is a absolutely necessary (for proofreading share in .pdf or printed form), and (c) shred unused copies of the directory at the end of the school year. Keep one copy per school year for reference in the PTSA office.
• Work with membership chair, president and fundraising chair to recruit Community Sponsors to feature in the back of the directory.
• Arrange for LWSD Print Center to print directories. Print Center will only take checks, so pay with your personal check then complete a PTSA reimbursement form to be reimbursed.
• Label and distribute the directory to paid Redmond El PTSA member families (one per family). Get list of paid PTSA families from membership chair.

Short term job - beginning of school year through early to mid-November Busiest time of year: October and early November

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TANDEM CALENDAR EDITOR

DIRECT DUTIES

This is a Chair position, which means it is appointed by the board and reports to a board member. This position does not require regular attendance at monthly board meeting or yearly training by the state PTA

The Lake Washington School District (LWSD) uses a service (the Tandem calendar) for posting all district events. Our PTSA is allowed a single password-protected account which can be used to post events and updates to events to the Tandem Calendar. This calendar is the single source of scheduling information for the PTSA and data input to the calendar gets pulled into the website and weekly HawkFlash publications. This is largely a data-entry position, but generally requires quick responses to requests because many parents depend on the scheduling announcements.

BEFORE SCHOOL YEAR

• Get login and password access to the LWSD Tandem calendar

ONGOING

• All scheduling information is sent to your 'calendar' email alias and you will add this to the Tandem Calendar.

END OF SCHOOL YEAR

• Submit budget needs (if any) to board to assist with next year budgeting efforts
• Work with webmaster to update job description (this page) for incoming chair

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WEBMASTER

MISSION

The Webmaster maintains the PTSA web site hosted at www.redmondelptsa.org and the various email aliases used by the PTSA. The webmaster also helps develop or leverage technology to add additional features to the web site to support PTSA efforts.

DIRECT DUTIES

This is a Chair position, which means it is appointed by the board and reports to a board member. This position does not require regular attendance at monthly board meeting or yearly training by the state PTA

BEFORE SCHOOL YEAR

• PTSA leadership transition
  • Save old "Leadership" page (as a Drupal child book page of the Leadership page)
  • Update "Leadership" page to reflect new leadership
  • Update email alias redirection to reflect new leadership and new committees
  • Add new site users for new officers and promote to "Board Member" role
  • Remove "Board Member" role from outgoing officers
• Remove "Parent" role from all existing parents (Parents have to request access annually)
• Update "My Volunteering" categories as defined by the Volunteer Coordinator
• Update Programs, Events, and Fundraising menus to match this year's needs
• Update "PTSA Information > Job Descriptions" pages to match this year's needs

ONGOING

• Download and store PTSA web site files regularly
• Update Drupal modules as needed
• Update PTSA email aliases as needed
• Update "Leadership" page as needed
• Assist program chairs with web authoring
• Assist program chairs with volunteer mailings sent via the web tools
• Promote users to "Parent" role based upon legitimate requests

END OF SCHOOL YEAR

• Submit budget needs (if any) to board to assist with next year budgeting efforts
  • web-hosting fee (GoDaddy economy hosting)
  • domain reservation fee (redmondelptsa.org via GoDaddy)
• Update job description for incoming webmaster

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STUDENT COUNCIL LIAISON

PTSA volunteers lead a small group of students in projects to provide service, develop leadership skills, and boost school spirit. Use project templates from past years, training and resources are provided. Student Council Liaison(s) are responsible for scheduling and leading/supervising student meetings - timing is flexible based on your schedule needs. Meetings commitment 2-3 hours/month, prep work varies, less than 1-2 hrs/month on average.

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PASSPORT CLUB

MISSION

DIRECT DUTIES

END OF SCHOOL YEAR

• Communicate with the Enrichment VP and/or previous Passport Club Chairs to discuss the year’s schedule.
• Communicate with the PTSA President to discuss schedule for Passport Club tests the following year.  

BEFORE SCHOOL YEAR

• Inventory materials and supplies and order as necessary

ONGOING

• Inventory and re-order materials and supplies as necessary
• Volunteer coordination
• Material Distribution

SKILLS

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MOVIE NIGHT

TIME

This event happens 2 or 3 times a year, 5-7 hours per event

• 4 weeks before Movie Night:
  • Select movie - visit www.movlic.com  we have an account and password. It has the most current movies being released.
  • Order 1 or 2 posters for advertising – 24x36 (under $10 each) put up on outside bulletin board and end of “B” hallway – you will need to print signs that have date, time, what to bring, etc.
• 3 Weeks Before Movie Night:
  • Make Copies (30 minutes) - send home flyer about saving the date – the web page (movlic.com) has cool coloring sheets/puzzles.  Print a 2-sided document one side with info about event (who, what, when, where) the other with a fun activity about the movie – add looking for volunteers – need probably 6 people more is great to start but once going only need 2 at food table.
• 2 Weeks Before Movie Night
  • Make Copies (30 minutes) - Send home “Family meal deal” again that form on one side and maybe another fun page from web site. ( this is if they would like to offer meal deal)
  • Contact Papa Johns to let them know about the event date so they have enough staff on  ask price for XL pizza’s Hawaiian, pepperoni, cheese (in 2013-2014 paid $8.50/pizza before, but I was told the price would go up). -  Need someone to collect order sheets as they come in.
  • Make a coupon (admission ticket) that you send back to teacher to send home with children whose families have ordered meal deals – this is how they will get into the movie and get their pre-ordered food.  – make sure these go home by Thursday before the movie  may have to hand deliver to classrooms or put in teachers mail boxes (in copy room) and ask Kim to send out email letting people know that tickets are in the boxes.  Keep a running list of who/what kind of pizza people have ordered has been ordered.
  • Usually order additional 15 or so pizzas that people can buy by the slice.
• Week of Movie Night
  • Contact Mr. T and Ms. Matheson to tell them about the date of the movie and also make sure they set up the computer. 
  • Contact custodians for them to open wall between commons and gym
  • Purchase  brown paper sandwich bags for “family size” popcorn
  • Someone to rent movie
  • You can also give each teacher 2 free admissions that includes a free family popcorn ticket to give to families who may want to come, but can’t afford admission –this is not a family meal deal coupon.
• Evening of Movie Night –  5:00-9:30ish  (5 hours)
  • Doors open at 6:30
  • Arrive around 5:00 start popping popcorn and get them bagged
  • Set up – Christmas lights around each doorway to light exits
  • Table for pizza orders
  • Tables for popcorn and other treats
  • Clean up- sweep, put tables away, put popcorn machine away, put tables back.
  • Count money (at least 2 people, better if there are more sometimes). Fill out paperwork arrange for someone to get money to Treasurer or fundraising chair.

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GRANT WRITING COORDINATOR

If you are a strong writer or editor looking for a flexible way to help fund important projects, consider being our Grant Writing Coordinator. You'll use existing content and write/edit/expand to help our PTSA qualify for grants, large and small. We have used grants to finance part of our playground, cafeteria tables, classroom supplies, field trips, and more. Timing is flexible. Typical commitment 1-2 hours’ time for a typical grant (can vary depending on requirements).

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ACCELERATED READER PARTIES

MISSION

DIRECT DUTIES

• The first A/R Party is usually celebrated in individual classrooms with movies and popcorn.
  • The Chair will need to communicate with the Popcorn Chair and the Volunteer Coordinator for access to the Popcorn machine and supplies, and volunteers to help distribute. 
• The second A/R party, usually held at the end of January, is usually two Bingo parties: one for grades 1-3 and one for grade 4-6. 
  • The Chair will need to communicate with the Librarian for access to the Bingo Machine, and coordinate with teachers for the purchase of prizes.  The prizes for each party are usually greatly different: small toys, notebooks, etc. for grades 1-3, and Gift Certificates for grades 4-6.
• The third A/R party is celebrated in individual classrooms with movies and popcorn again.  This usually takes place in April.
• The last party, usually in June, is the biggest party and school-wide.  It can be a pizza party and an extra recess, or Ice cream/popsicles and an extra recess.  
  • The Chair will need to coordinate with teachers and/or the School Librarian and also make suggestions/decisions based on the remaining budget.

BEFORE SCHOOL YEAR

• Optional: Communicate with the School Services VP and/or the School Librarian to discuss the year’s schedule.
• Optional: Recruit and select volunteers to assist with A/R parties 
• Optional: Communicate with former A/R Chairs to discuss previous year’s events/programs and processes.

BEGINNING OF SCHOOL YEAR

• Meet with the School Librarian and/or the School Services VP to discuss the year’s schedule, any conflicts or concerns and overall budget.  

ONGOING

• Communicate with the School Librarian in preparation for A/R Parties.
• Coordinate with Popcorn Chair as needed.
• Purchase supplies and/or prizes as needed.
• Arrange for access to equipment as needed. 
• Recruit volunteers to assist with parties as needed.
• Promote the event in the weekly/monthly newsletters to get the kids excited and recruit volunteers

SKILLS

Organization, creative, energetic and loves kids!

TIME

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WATER SAFETY 

Develop contract with pool and arrange for transportation with school office manager.
Work with third grade teachers to select dates and communicate volunteer needs..
 

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INTERNATIONAL NIGHT

Work well in advance of the event to schedule and organize performers and display tables. 

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