PTA Committee & Event Descriptions

COMMITTEE DESCRIPTIONS

Below find a brief description of the current Robbins Lane PTA committees. There are many opportunities to volunteer with the PTA. If you want to get involved a little or a lot, there is something for everyone. Many of the committees also have multiple chairs. If you have questions about any of the committees please feel free to ask. Also note that all committees are overseen by a VP who will work closely with you and your committee. They will guide you, attend any possible meetings, and help with your event.

*Annual District Election & Budget Vote: Disseminates information related

to the annual district election and budget vote in May. Attends Board of Education Budget Information Meetings and Hearing Meeting and the Know Your Candidate event in May. Please note this position requires attendance at several night meetings from January to May. If chairing this committee, you will help organize the Know Your Candidate event in May. (A Council Delegate will be assigned to this committee)

Arts in Education: The PTA provides special in-school educational programs for the children several times a year. Multiple chairs for this committee. Responsible for helping contact and scheduling the in school programs. The teachers pick the programs.

Book and Author: The PTA brings a children’s author to Robbins Lane to give a presentation. (Generally run under Arts in Education.)

Book Fairs: Twice a year, the PTA partners with Scholastic to conduct a sale of popular books during the school day. Multiple chairs for this committee. Chairs communicate with scholastic to schedule the fair, are responsible to help set up, and break down the book fair, and help out during the sale.

*Bylaws & Procedures: Requires one Council chair only. Units should appoint a Bylaws & Procedures Chair. Keeps Council’s bylaws and procedures up to date. Helps individual Units with bylaws submissions and procedures.

Clothing Sale/Spirit Wear: Clothing and other items with Syosset and Robbins Lane logos are offered for sale both in the fall and spring. The chair of this committee helps pick out the products and with the implementing the sale of these products. The chair will also help sell pads that can be used to write notes to teachers and staff as well as car magnets.

*Communications Conference: Solicits and coordinates unit topics/questions for submission to the District Administration prior to the Fall and Spring Communication Conference. Reps meet 4 times a year (two meetings with the committee/two meetings during the day with district administration). (A Council Delegate will be assigned to this committee)

*Cultural Unity: Members of this committee work together to celebrate and

promote awareness of the cultural diversity in our community through programs and events. Meetings are held approximately 4-6 times a year. Reps also sit on the District Diversity Task Force committee which meets during the day. (A Council Delegate will be assigned to this committee)

*Curriculum Enrichment: Requires one Council chair only. Units should appoint a Curriculum Enrichment chair who will book programs for their unit. Council chair will work with the District Coordinator of Fine and Performing Arts to help units understand the process for planning curriculum enrichment programs, district funding and will share best practices and feedback on programs. Curriculum Enrichment programming covers a range of topics including arts/theater, character education, STEM, health & nutrition,

etc. Reps should attend Nassau Region PTA Arts-In-Education Showcase in the Spring. Meetings are held approximately 2 times a year.

Fall Festival: A safe, fun-filled evening event at Robbins Lane. Students celebrate the fall season with music, dancing, games, activities, food, and much more. There are multiple chairs for this event. The chairs of this committee organize and run the event with the help of the PTA and parent volunteers. They typically start planning right at the beginning of the school year. There are several committee members that work on this event with the chairs. This is a big event so a lot of people can be involved to help. They are responsible for planning the event, scheduling DJ and anything else needed, setting up and breaking down the event, as well as helping run the event that evening.

Family Programming: Activities are scheduled to provide RL students and their families an opportunity to socialize after school hours. Among the planned activities may be bingo, movie night, paint night, skating, and more. The chair(s) of these events will help plan and organize a variety of family nights throughout the year.

Fifth Grade Committee: There are usually two chairs for this committee. A committee made up of parents of 5th graders that plan fundraisers and special activities for the 5th graders, including a graduation celebration, yearbook breakfast, and 5th grade car wash and more.

Fifth Grade Fun Day: A special day just for 5th graders.

Fifth Grade Yearbook: Compiles and coordinates the yearbook for the 5th grade.

Fun Run: This committee is responsible for planning an after school event for the kids where they get hav fun and move their bodies in a non-competitive, non-timed way. There are multiple chairs to this committee. This committee is responsible for planning the event, getting the vendor (if needed), DJ, creating a flier, helping with set up, break down, and volunteering during the event. This event should start planning one to two months prior to the event.

*Health, Nutrition, & Safety: Coordinates activities/programs throughout the

district encompassing social and physical wellness related to drugs, alcohol, bullying, positive decision-making, nutrition etc. Organize and attend district wide and in school programs. Coordinate and distribute a quarterly one-page resource guide. Coordinate a booth for the SHS Health Fair in the Fall. Meetings are held approximately 3-4 times during the year. Events for students will be held during the day but events for parents will be held at night. Reps also sit on the District Student Wellness & Nutrition committee which

meets during the day. (A Council Delegate will be assigned to this committee)

Holiday Boutique: For the holiday season, our PTA offers a wide assortment of reasonably priced items for sale. Chairs communicate with the company to schedule the date, help pick out items for sale, help with set up and break down of the event, as well as volunteer during the event. There are at least two chairs for this committee.

International Night: One of our biggest RL events. A family favorite! There are multiple chairs for this committee. The committee will also have many volunteers. Each represented country will plan their own tables. Planning for this event should start at a minimum two months before the event. We have food, music, art, performances, and activities. representing various countries. The chairs are responsible for booking the DJ and any other vendors (i.e. - Photo Booth, etc), ordering any items needed (i.e. - decor, plates, utensils, etc.), communicating with the lead representatives from the countries before and during the event, and also help with set up, break down, and volunteering during the event.

Kindergarten Orientation: The PTA, in conjunction with the principal, organizes the orientation for all incoming kindergarten students for the following school year. The date is picked by the district. The chair of this committee will help with setting up the day of event for photo ops for the incoming K students, and help at the day of the event.

*Legislation: Helps disseminate information to Unit Reps on NYS PTA resolutions and current PTA legislation items of interest. Present NYS PTA proposed legislation for vote at October PTA/PTSA meeting. Meetings are held approximately 2 times in the Fall. (A Council Delegate will be assigned to this committee)

*Parent Resource Group: Organize district wide presentations and/or parent

roundtables to discuss relevant topics on education, parenting and district resources. Create at least one evening program for parents new to the district and create a corresponding welcome kit. Program should be held in September and include presentations from district administration and Council president. Program should be recorded so it can be shared as families join the district. Possible topics for other evening programs can include gifted & talented students, homework strategies, navigating the parent portal, etc. Meetings were held approximately 4 times during the year. Presentations/roundtables will be held at night. (A Council Delegate will be assigned to this committee)

PARP: “Pick a Reading Partner” is a multi-week program of fun activities and events to encourage and foster the love of reading. There are multiple chairs for this event. The chairs are responsible for helping come up with a theme, updating the PARP website, tallying the minutes read, creating and updating a minutes board in the school, ordering prizes, and coordinating a kick off assembly. Planning for this event should start at a minimum two months before the event.

Pie Sale: Annual fundraiser sale before thanksgiving. The chair is responsible for communicating with the vendor to set up the sale, creating a flyer for the sale, and helping with distributing the pies the day of the sale. They are usually picked up at the school the day before Thanksgiving break.

*Press Conference: A council committee responsible for collecting questions to be brought to the Administration twice a year. (A Council Delegate will be assigned to this committee)

Publicity: This committee is responsible for taking pictures at different RL events and assemblies. It is a way to help share the many activities and accomplishments of our children and the PTA with the community. This committee also is responsible for submitting pictures and articles to local papers and posting them in our Facebook group, and our password protected photo site.

Rec Nights: A night of recreational fun for students of each grade, supervised by parent volunteers, held at Robbins Lane for all students. There is a separate chair (or two) for each grade level. This is a one night event for each grade.

*Reflections: Coordinates PTA Reflections program in the district. Responsibilities include disseminating information regarding PTA Reflections program to units, helping to submit unit entries for district and Nassau Region PTA judging and organizing the Council’s reception of district winners. Reflections chairs will need to be available to answer questions from families during the process and secure entries to be displayed in the flipbook for district reception. Meetings held approximately 3-4 times during the

year. Also requires attendance at the district Reflections ceremony held at night in February. (A council delegate is designated to this committee)

Room Rep Coordinator: Liaison between class parents and the PTA. Responsible for helping select room reps for each class, coordinating class dues collection, and communication with room reps. The coordinator will also arrange for refreshments at PTA meetings.

*Scholarship Fund Committee: The committee is responsible for all of the

fundraising for the Syosset Scholarship Fund including promoting the fund at PTA meetings, mailing of letter to previous donors, creation and execution of additional fundraisers (e.g. restaurant fundraisers), coordinating additional support from the HS (portion of sales from carnival and Cabaret Night), promoting ticket sales for SHS. Theater Musical in March and securing ads and designing the ad section of the SHS Theater Musical Playbill. Meetings held approximately 2 times during the year. (A council delegate is designated to this committee)

*School and Community: Keeps PTA informed of community happenings that affect the schools and neighboring communities. Organize community service events/drives. Meetings are held approximately 3-5 times during the year. (A council delegate is designated to this committee)

School Supplies: School supplies can be ordered each spring for the following school year through the PTA as a convenience to you and fundraiser for the PYA. School supplies will be available for delivery. This committee organizes the ordering of the supply boxes.

SEPTA: Liaison between the Special Education PTA and the Robbins Lane PTA unit. This chair is responsible for sharing any SEPTA information, news, or events, with RL families.

Special Person Dance: This event is for the RL students to recognize and thank a special person in their life such as a parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle. Students and their special person will enjoy an evening of dancing, Photo Booth, activities/craft, special snacks, and more. There are at least 2 chairs for this event. The chairs are responsible for planning the event, contacting and scheduling the DJ and any vendors, ordering decor, snacks, etc, and helps with set up, breakdown, and volunteering at the event. Chairs should start planning for this event about 2 months prior.

Spring Plant Sale/Boutique: A sale (usually in May before Mother’s day) that is also a fundraiser that offers a selection of plants, vegetables, and herbs for students to purchase. Occasionally there could be other items for sale. This chair is responsible for finding and contacting a vendor, setting up the pre-sale pick up, setting up and breaking down day of event, as well as volunteer during the sale.

Staff Recognition Luncheon: In late spring, the PTA and parent volunteers provide a beautiful lunch for teachers and staff to thank them for all they do for our children. There are multiple chairs for this event. This event should start planning about two months before the event. The committee is responsible for coming up with a theme, ordering decor, food, staff gifts, as well as set up, break down, and volunteering during the event.

Student Directory: This chair is Responsible for gathering all the information and organizing it into the Student Directory. They also assist any parents that need to change information in the directory or have difficulties with access.

*Technology Support Committee: This committee will provide technology

support for all Syosset Council of PTAs programs and events as needed. They will help train PTA unit leaders, Council committee chairs and Council executive officers as well. The committee will help manage & support the Council Website, Facebook page, YouTube site, Zoom account. They will also help with google forms, flyers and Zoom calls and polling. (A council delegate is designated to this committee)

*Ways and Means: Plan, coordinate and hold annual Council Fundraiser. Meetings are held approximately 3-5 times during the year. Attendance at the main fundraising event for the year is also required. (A council delegate is designated to this committee)

Welcome Back Movie Night: An outside movie night at RL in the beginning of the year to welcome back students and families. There are usually two chairs for this committee. This committee needs to start planning this event over the summer as the Movie Night date is usually the middle of September. The committee is responsible for scheduling with the vendor, picking the movie, ordering snacks (if applicable), creating the flier, helping with set-up, break down, and volunteering during the event.

Robbins lane pta www.robbinslanepta.com

PTA Committee & Event Descriptions