PTA

  The PTA Needs You !!!

The Westchester PTA is always in need of volunteers.  Whether it’s holding a board position, chairing or co-chairing a committee, helping on a committee, or volunteering your time to help at a function.  Listed below are the committees that the PTA sponsors as well as a brief summary of what that committee does.  Many times people are hesitant to get involved for various reasons.  It may be because you have a kindergartner and feel that you’re not sure what you’d be doing.  It may be that you think that if you volunteer, you’ll get stuck doing way more than you want.  Whatever your reason, we do have a job for you and want you to feel welcome!

If you think you might want to chair an event in the future, you could co-chair the event for a year to see how things work.  You could volunteer to simply come up and make copies of fliers.  You could make phones calls to coordinate volunteers from your home during the evening!  You could simply come to the monthly PTA meetings (held the first Tuesday of every month) and just listen to what is happening at our school.  Sometimes the PTA needs help with something that isn’t even “committee related” such as publishing our Phone Directory.

The ICE CREAM SOCIAL is held before school starts and coincides with Westchester’s Open House.  During the afternoon students are invited to come in and tour the school, find their classrooms, meet their teacher and enjoy ice Cream.  Volunteers are needed to set up, serve ice cream and clean up.

The FALL FUNDRAISER, which involves the very successful Innisbrook Wrapping Paper sale, begins as soon as school starts.  Volunteers are needed to help organize and distribute the student’s orders for pick-up.

The FALL FESTIVAL is a big day at Westchester.  Held in October, the festival features arts and crafts, games, a bake sale, music, entertainment, food, a Haunted Hallway and much more.  Many, many volunteers are needed for this fun-filled event.

BEACH NIGHT is held over the winter and is an exciting night with music provided by the Catonsville Steel Drum Band.  This is a night to come to Westchester, eat dinner with your friends and family than dance the night away.

The BOOK FAIR is held for one week in the spring.  Classes are scheduled for times to preview and shop at the book fair.  Many volunteers are needed to set-up the library, oversee the Book Fair every day, and clean up.  In conjunction with the Book Fair is Book Night/Bedtime Story Night.  This is a time for the children to come to school in their PJs, play some games, eat cookies, drink milk, and read stories with their teachers.

The CULTURAL COMMITTEE involves one person working over the summer with a school staff member to coordinate cultural school assemblies.  The chairperson does not need to be present at the assemblies.

The HOSPITALITY COMMITTEE has several activities throughout the school year.  They provide refreshments for Back to School Night, American Education Week, and Kindergarten Registration.  Volunteers are needed to set up, serve and clean up after all events.

The MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE is very busy at the beginning of the school year.  They are in charge of promoting PTA membership by sending home fliers with membership envelopes.  Once the envelopes are returned there is money to count and membership totals to tally.  They also organize a class and staff contest to encourage parents to join.

The MENTORING COMMITTEE is a committee of Westchester parents who are interested in welcoming and helping new families to our school.  New families can sign up for this service at Kindergarten Registration, Back To School Night or by calling the school office.  A “mentor” will be assigned to the new family and will make contact with them to answer any questions they might have about the happenings around Westchester.

The STAFF APPRECIATION COMMITTEE coordinates and delivers gifts for the school staff on various recognition days (Nurse’s Day, Custodians’ Day, Secretary’s Day, etc.).  They also hold a luncheon for the teachers in the spring during teacher Appreciation Week.

The SPIRIT COMMITTEE coordinates the sale of Fall and Spring Spirit Wear as well as the Special Dress Days throughout the year.  While they only meet 2-3 times a year, many volunteers are needed to help with the distribution of fliers, hand out special prizes on certain Special Dress Days, and distribute the spirit wear.  They are always looking for new ideas and suggestions to promote Westchester Spirit.

PICTURE PARENT is a program that exposes children to art.  Parent volunteers are needed during the school day to present information to the children in their classrooms on various forms of art.  The art and information to be presented is already developed and easy to follow.

The FOURTH OF JULY FLOAT is a committee that coordinates the building and presentation of the float in the Catonsville parade.  Many volunteers are needed to decorate the float as well as walk with the float during the parade.

The COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE was established to handle the distribution of the monthly school newsletter and to handle all communications between the PTA and your family.  The first Tuesday and Wednesday of every month many hands are needed to help with copying and collating the newsletter.  In addition, we help teachers once a week with copying.  It is amazing how many things need to be copied for the students.  The PTA is hoping many will volunteer to help with this committee.

MATH NIGHT is an evening of math activities with students and teachers.  The Family Math Night program provides time to explore mathematics using literature activities appropriate for both adults and children.  Students work on fun, math related activities in the classrooms with their fellow students and teachers.  Volunteers help coordinate the classroom activities.

The DESTINATION IMAGINATION Committee works with the students in groups of 2-7 team members on Team Challenges which encourage development of Creative Problem Solving techniques, teamwork and creative process over a period of time (8-12 weeks).  Challenges are fun, academically based, and include a research component. This is a program that allows children to be creative and enter into Regional and State competitions.  Parents serve as facilitators for the team.

As you can see, there are many opportunities to volunteer and many jobs to be done for every event at Westchester!!

If you would like more information about the PTA, please don’t hesitate to call any of the board members.  If you would like to volunteers for a specific committee, please contact the committee chair.