PTA

BRIEF OVERVIEW OF DARCEY PTA BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES
(UPDATED 7/15/2016)


OFFICERS

PRESIDENT: Preside over monthly PTA meetings and arrange guest speakers. Coordinate the work of the Darcey PTA officers and committees. Provide input into weekly and monthly school communications. Represent the PTA at various school events, including orientation days, open houses, and registration. Represent PTA (or designate representative) on school committees. Coordinate sweatshirt and tee shirt sales. Maintain master PTA calendar. Work closely with treasurer to develop budget. Serve as a liaison with the school administration. Address parent PTA questions and concerns. Busiest times: start of school, September, October, January, March.

VICE-PRESIDENT: Represent President as needed. Coordinate PTA membership registration, maintain a current membership listing, and be responsible for filing membership forms with the CT PTA. Contact new Darcey families through the school year regarding PTA membership. Assist the President as needed. Assist with the Darcey Student Directory. Serve on school committees as designated by President.

SECRETARY: Record minutes at monthly PTA meetings. Handle PTA correspondence. Oversee Darcey Directory. Maintain and file all records. Maintain a current copy of by-laws.

TREASURER: Maintain PTA finances. Prepare annual budget. Provide written financial statements at each PTA meeting. Process all expense reimbursement requests. Balance monthly bank statements. Process all PTA checks, including those for membership, book fair, and fund raising. Submit books annually for an audit. Report results with auditor to the PTA Board. Busiest times: during fund raisers (September, January), book fair (October), Kindergarten registration (March).

COMMITTEE CHAIRS/CO-CHAIRS (Each committee will be responsible for providing refreshments for one PTA meeting.)

BEAUTIFICATION: Decorate school entrances seasonally. Coordinate school flags. Organize fall and spring family planting events. Oversee committee that plans and maintains flowerbeds (including the summer months). Publicize beautification events.

BOOK FAIR: Plan and oversee annual book fair. Coordinate publicity and volunteers. Chairs are very busy the week of the Book Fair (both daytime and evening hours). This year, the Book Fair was in October. **We recommend co-chairs for this activity.

CURRICULUM ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS: Plan monthly cultural activities for the upcoming school year (majority of planning occurs during the summer), in conjunction with Darcey staff. Publicize and coordinate cultural activities. Arrange for any needed volunteers, materials, supplies and equipment for events. Provide evaluation process for the teachers. Prepare a brief description of each cultural activity for teachers to send home after each event.

DARCEY HELPER COORDIANTOR: Oversee the Darcey Helpers program (parent volunteers who copy/laminate/bind materials at school and trace/cut paste materials at home). Schedule and train parent volunteers. Arrange for at-home work and necessary materials to be sent how with students (can assign a volunteer to this task). Regularly check condition of work area (kindergarten copy room); replenish supplies; etc.

HOSPITALITY: Coordinate staff luncheons in August and May. Planning for the “Welcome Back luncheon takes place in mid-August, and the luncheon takes place before school starts. Plan and oversee teacher appreciation week activities in May. Purchase and maintain all supplies needed for the Hospitality functions. Requires making telephone calls to volunteers who have offered to bake. Busiest times: end of August and May. **We recommend co-chairs for this committee.

PUBLICITY: Notify local media of upcoming PTA and school events. Work closely with Principal and PTA President. Draft press releases/articles occasionally – must be approved by Principal and Superintendent of Schools.

PHONE TREE COORDINATOR: Prepare binders for each class of emergency phone tree information. Coordinate test of emergency phone tree. Coordinate emergency phone tree (you must be accessible by phone during the day) for inclement weather or other unexpected situations when school must close. Busiest time: September, October. **We recommend co-chairs (one AM kindergarten parent and one PM Kindergarten parent) for this activity.

SPECIAL ACTIVITIES: Organize and coordinate two Family Fun Nights. In the past, the fall activity has been Pizza Nights; the spring activity has been an ice cream social. Committee arranges entertainment and facility use. Coordinate volunteers. Arrange for refreshments and supplies. Publicize activities. Busiest time: October, April. **We recommend co-chairs.

TOWNWIDE PTA: Attend monthly Town-Wide PTA meetings (usually first Tuesday of each month, from 7 -–8:30 PM); provide report of Darcey School and PTA activities; discuss any PTA concerns. Report back to Darcey membership at monthly PTA meetings.

VOLUNTEEER COORDINATOR: Coordinate and schedule school volunteers for “Specials” (art, gym, library and music). Maintain volunteer calendar.

WAYS AND MEANS (FUND RAISING): Plan and coordinate fund raising activities. This usually involves two major fund raisers (fall and spring) and 2 minor activities (Westfield Wonderworkers tickets and General Mills Boxtops for Education). Review and process fund raising orders. Oversee delivery and pick-up of orders. Coordinate volunteers and publicity, In past fund raisers, we have had excellent response from our parents. Busiest times: September/November and January/March **We recommend 2 – 3 co-chairs for this activity.

Kathy Kirby, 2001/2002 Darcey PTA President, prepared this overview to help familiarize incoming Darcey parents with the current (or expected) responsibilities of the PTA Officers and Committee Chairs. It is reviewed and updated as needed. We often recommend co-chairs for committees. Serving on the PTA Board is a wonderful way to become involved in your child’s school and meet other parents. Please contact your Darcey PTA President if you have any questions about these positions or about the Darcey PTA. Have a great year at Darcey!