PTA Volunteer Committees

After School Programs
This committee works on planning, coordinating, and scheduling after school programs for our students. The Committee Head position includes locating and contracting with outside vendors and community organizations to provide these programs. Time commitment is moderate throughout the school year.

Audit Team
This is a group of at least 3 individuals who review the financial records of the PTA after the close of the fiscal year (audit generally done in the summer). Approximate time commitment is 3 hours. Contact the PTA Treasurer if you are interested in participating on this Committee.

Beautification Committee
This committee needs a few people, who love the outdoors, to keep the school grounds clean and the gardens beautiful. This position is good for people, who want to help the school, but need flexibility because of their time schedule. Approximate time commitment is light.

Bookfair
The committee is responsible for organizing, publicizing and scheduling the annual Scholastic Book Fair and coordinating the volunteers who assist at the Fair on the days/evenings of the event. For an individual volunteer, the approximate time committment is a few hours at a designated time slot.

Boxtops for Education
Responsible for the advertising the program and collection of the Boxtops relative to the program which earns cash for SJLES for each boxtop collected.

Bulletin Board
This person will spend a few hours periodically throughout the school year planning and maintaining the PTA bulletin board in the school lobby.

Collections/Drives
This person plans a PTA approved project, such as a school supply or used book drive, to assist those in need throughout the County. These collections are usually requested by the PTA Council of Howard County. Delivery of any collected items, are the responsibility of the committee.

Community Outreach/Citizens Advisory Committee
This committee is a group of citizens and representatives from local PTAs. Representative attends monthly meetings (4th Tues of month) of this advisory council to the BOE and report back to the PTA executive board and general memberships. The meetings include educational issues on a county level. Meetings generally last 2-3 hours.

Cultural Arts
This committee plans and schedules special cultural arts programs for the students throughout the year.

Directory
This person collects and compiles phone and address information from SJLES families who would like to participate in a school wide directory. This person should have good data processing skills.

Exterior Marquee
This person is responsible for periodically updating the marquee outside the school to let families and the community know of events at the school.

Family Fun Day
These are family events held throughout the year and include Movie Nights, Bingo, Jaguar Jamboree, Ice Cream Social, Staff vs Parent Basketball Game and the End of Year Bowling Party. There are Coordinators for each individual event with varying levels of time committment. The Committee recruits, schedules, and supervises the volunteers to assist in running the events.

Fifth Grade Committee
Volunteers are needed to help plan and set up Fifth Grade activities as requested by the Team including helping with the end of year program, the Congressional Hearing, picnic etc. Individual volunteers are recruited to help on the days of the events.

Giant/Safeway Receipts
This person is responsible for providing information and assisting families in registering at designated stores to earn money for SJLES. The majority of this job is done from late August through October.

Jaguar Gazette
This person is responsible for organizing the articles for the monthly school newsletter. Approximate committment time is moderate.

Keys for Reading
Program designed to encourage students to read and earn a free ticket to a Frederick Keys baseball game. Positions entails advertising the event, distributing and collecting the bookmark forms and distribution of the vouchers/tickets.

Sally Foster Fall Fundraiser
This fundraiser is held from September-October. The chair person is responsible for publicizing, organizing and executing the event. This person will need to recruit volunteers to tally orders and help with organizing and distributing orders. Individual volunteers are needed to help for short time periods, 2-4 hours, and are needed shortly after school starts.

Hospitality/Staff Appreciation
This committee hosts several events for teachers and staff throughout the school year. The committee is responsible for planning, preparing and serving dinner during Parent/Teacher conference week, lunch, breakfast and an assembly during Staff Appreciation as well as, other events during the year to let the SJLES staff know how much we appreciate what they do. This committee recruits volunteers to prepare food and help serve/clean up for different events. There is usually a chair and co-chair who spend approximately 50 hours each fulfilling the committee's responsibilities.

Lost and Found
This committee is responsible for sorting through lost belongings in an effort to locate the missing owners. Any unclaimed items are advertised in the Newsletter periodically. It takes only a few hours each month to complete these tasks. Periodically, the committee sends unclaimed items to a non-profit organization.

May Day
This Committee plans and organizes the spring fair at SJLES. Many volunteers are needed for a successful community event including a volunteer coordinator, food concession coordinator, plant sale, silent auction, class baskets and games.

Membership
This Committee is responsible for advertising, collecting and sending information to SJLES families about joining the PTA. The membership drive starts in late August and ends in October; however families are welcome to join the PTA throughout the school year. All PTA members are sent a card indicating their membership status. This position takes about 30 hours.

Publicity
This person is responsible for informing local newspapers of school events.

Reflections
It is an annual competition held from September-December by the National PTA to increase interest in the arts: literature, music, art, dance and photography. The committee informs families about the contest and responds to students' and parents' questions. The committee collects and organizes all contest entries and submits the entries for judging. Winning entries are submitted to the state level for judging.

Staff Spot O Grams
This Committee is part of the Staff Appreciation Committee and is responsible for the planning and execution of the Spot O Grams written by students for the staff. The program also includes the coordination and delivery of a staff recognition assembly in May.

Volunteers
This person provides information about PTA Committees and recruits volunteers. Approximate commitment time is moderate with the large majority of hours being spent in the fall.

Ways and Means (Fundraising)
Committee responsible for the various fundraising events which take place throughout the year including the Sally Foster Gift Wrap and Holiday Secret Shop.