Program Coordinator Descriptions 

BOOK FAIR 

Our Fall and Spring book fairs serve to both raise money for our library and promote a community spirit within the school. The book fair is open daily for one week, with a Family Night event in the Fall. Volunteers are needed in many different roles.

BOX TOPS for EDUCATION: 

The BoxTops program is a great way to earn money for the PTA without asking parents to spend extra money. Each BoxTop is worth 10¢ so if every student turned in 100 BoxTops, we would raise over $10,000! This is a great committee for a parent that cannot volunteer during the school day. Volunteers would work with the committee chair on: promotion of BoxTops (preparing fliers, decorating the halls), counting BoxTops, and process & submit BoxTops to the company.

Creative Arts Committee

We are looking for creative people who enjoy drawing, decorating, building, etc., to support the VP of Publicity, the PTA in general and the specific committees when they need to “show-off”. Some of the possible duties would include: creating signs/posters advertising PTA (membership, fundraisers, volunteers), creating signs/posters/ bulletin boards advertising school/PTA events (BoxTops, Clothes Closet, book fair, etc.).

Healthy Lifestyles

PTA is committed to building healthy families and healthy communities, and believes we all play an important role in making sure parents, schools, and communities have the support and resources they need. Responsibilities may include coordinating with the PE staff on conducting a health & fitness family event, assisting with Turkey Trot and other events as needed.

PTA Clothes Closet

Leander ISD’s PTA Clothes Closet is for the families of LISD, and it provides appropriate school clothing to students in need (ages pre-K through high school). The Clothes Closet is manned by friendly, helpful PTA volunteers, and is supported by the generous donations of LISD’s schools and our community. The PTA Clothes Closet is located in a portable building just north of Leander Middle School and each of the district’s PTAs is required to work only 4 days per school year. Volunteers would work several hours on their assigned day to help sort and distribute clothing.

Reflections

Reflections is a PTA sponsored creative arts contest held every year in the Fall. This is a wonderful program that provides an outlet for creative kids to get recognition for a talent that may not otherwise be reflected in their schoolwork. Students are encouraged to submit as many entries as they want in the areas of photography, dance choreography, music composition, film production, literature and visual arts. We welcome any and all help as chair or as a committee member to continue to make this a positive part of the Parkside Elementary experience.

Spanish Program

Spanish classes are taught once a week for thirty minutes by volunteer teachers. Volunteers “adopt” a classroom and teach every week to the same children. The program materials are provided by the elementary school and an orientation and training is provided by the district coordinator. At Parkside the program is currently being offered to grades K-2^nd but anyone is welcome to volunteer, even extended family (aunts, grandparents, etc.), as long as a current LISD volunteer application is on file. We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help us as: Volunteer teachers (an elementary level of Spanish and the ability to work well with children is required).

Sponsorship

This is a great role for a parent that is unable to volunteer during the school day. This can be done in your own spare time.

These are usually cash or item donations from businesses for specific events such as teacher appreciation, Breakfast with Santa, health & fitness fair, etc. Businesses can also be recruited as sponsors of specific events and as advertisers in the PTA quarterly newsletter. Volunteers would be responsible for: working with VP of Fundraising/ Sponsorship chair to see what items are needed, contacting & visiting local businesses/restaurants to request coupons or donations, and write & deliver thank you note to business.

Teacher Appreciation

This committee will work with the Teacher Appreciation Coordinator. Responsibilities include taking care of the teachers with small tokens of appreciation throughout the year. Some of the events the committee puts together are: Back to school staff luncheon, snack carts and/or luncheons at various times throughout the year and Teacher Appreciation week.

WATCH D.O.G.S.

WATCH D.O.G.S. is a program offered by the National Center for Fathering (Fathers.com). It has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. WATCH D.O.G.S. is an innovative program focusing on safety and education in schools by using the positive influence of fathers and father-figures for a two-fold purpose:

(1) to provide an unobtrusive fathering presence, and

(2) to provide a positive and active role-model for students at the school.

Fathers, stepfathers, grandfathers, and uncles are asked to spend at least one day at their student’s school volunteering. They will support the school by helping monitor the school property during morning arrival and afternoon dismissal, working one-on-one or in small groups, reading, flashcards, homework, sports referees, listening ears, or whatever needs to be done to help plant the seeds of success in the lives of the students.

Wednesday Folders

Wednesday Folders is an important part of maintaining communication with the parents so that vital information is provided to them on a weekly basis. Wednesday folders could contain information that comes directly from the district, they usually also have Parkside specific information as well as information from the teacher and homeroom parent. Wednesday Folder is a time and day specific volunteer opportunity. All volunteers need to be available every Wednesday morning as we begin at 8:00 AM and continue until all folders are completed (1-2 hours every Wednesday).

Winter Family Program

Help us plan, promote and assist with a Winter Family Program to take place of Breakfast with Santa. We are hoping to create an event that will have fun crafts/ activities for kids and a visit with Santa.

Workroom Help

Volunteers will come to the workroom once a week on a rotating schedule to help in a variety of duties that could include: sorting and distributing incoming mail (U.S. mail and inter-campus), making sure the workroom area is organized and tidy, stocking supplies, laminating items from teachers, changing the campus marquee and hanging up Scholar Shout-Out/ Watch D.O.G.S pictures.