PTSA Committees

The Student Art Gallery is held each school year from January thru March. The student Art is displayed in the hall and judged in March by outside artists. Submissions include music, writing and art in a variety of mediums and ribbons are given best effort.

January thru March working 1–4 hours each week, depending on how much art is turned in. Then 1–2 hours consolidating winning pieces and then returning them.

The assemblies committee finds, researches and selects the assemblies for Fall City Elementary School. We have 4 assemblies for the entire school each year. In addition, the PTSA coordinates with other schools, arts organizations, education focused groups, and others to offer occasional evening programs.

We need people excited by art and artists. Curiosity, an open mind, and the willingness to share your opinion honestly are critical to the committee. Most of the work is done by e-mail, but some time will be needed to research and discuss the choices for the year.

Au audit is mandatory for compliance with the state PTSA rules and regulations. The treasury books are reviewed twice a year for the 6 month period ending December 31, and June 30.

Two volunteers are needed for approximately 2½ hours each audit; no accounting experience is necessary.

The Book Fair is a very popular, annual event taking place in November 2007 and held in the school library. The Book Fair is open before, during and after school for teacher, student and family shopping plus a special family night. All proceeds benefit our school and classroom libraries.

Volunteers are needed for set up and during "open hours" to cashier, re-stack books, monitor children, etc.

The PTSA releases a comprehensive school directory at the beginning of each school year, to be distributed to each PTSA member. This directory contains class listings, bus routes, staff listings & phone numbers, a school year calendar, and sponsor listings.

Preparing the school directory involves work in several different areas. We need volunteers to collect the data from the student body (from PTSA membership forms, voluntarily submitted information, and other channels). This data needs to be entered into our database, and that data needs to be generated in a format suitable for the directory. Someone needs to design and create the school directory. Another person or team is responsible for gathering directory sponsors, including suitable artwork. Someone (often the directory designer) needs to take the artwork and get it into directory format. Finally, the directories need to be printed and distributed to the PTSA members.

PTSA has an emergency preparedness container on the school grounds. This container holds a 72 hour supply of food, water, medical supplies, firewood and shelters for approximately 750 people. This program not only benefits our children during a crisis, it can also serve community members who arrive at the school during an emergency situation.

1.5 hours three times a school year to replenish and rotate food and medical supplies as they expire.

PTSA hosts a spaghetti dinner for families as a fun night for gathering and community building during the annual book fair. This year's event will be held in November and will serve over 750 dinners! This committee organizes food preparation, decorations, serving and clean up after the dinner.

There are various types of volunteers needed — servers, kitchen leads, decorations, advertising, set-up, clean-up, check-in.

Food Drive is the PTSA's annual charity that runs for approximately 2 weeks after the Thanksgiving holiday. All donations are sent to Snoqualmie Valley food banks. The top three classes that donate the most pounds of food, win a Brownie Banana Split Ice Cream party.

Five volunteers needed in early January to assist with the Ice Cream parties for the winning classrooms.

Hug Buckets are containers for each classroom that hold emergency supplies: backpacks, flashlights, blankets, a tarp, and snack food. The container rests near the emergency exit and the food is replaced every year before the start of school.

Two to three helpers are needed to assemble the hug buckets each August.

Kindergarten Koffee is responsible for those activities aimed at new Kindergarten parents to include: Kindergarten Koffee, bus greeters, Kindergarten Registration and Orientation (supporting the office and staff).

Educate and motivate members to carry out the Washington State PTA vision: "To be advocates for ALL kids and ALL families." The committee attends monthly board meetings and stays informed about legislative issues, writes letters and make calls to legislators on behalf of issues that impact our children.

Minimum, two hours a month. One volunteer is needed that is interested in learning this year for taking the position next term.

The PTSA Literacy Team is a network of volunteers working to increase student engagement in reading by supplementing classroom reading instruction. The Literacy Team provides personal tutoring to keep students engaged in literacy tasks and working toward independence in reading. The one-on-one interaction and encouragement create positive results as students experience success in reading.

30 minutes per week, per child. Volunteers may choose to tutor one child or several children, depending how much time they have to offer.

Committee encourages parents, students, staff, and community members to join PTSA with the objective of strengthening the family unit through involvement at school. Committee plans a membership campaign and materials and signs up members starting in September. Activities include collecting fees, processing members in the WSPTA system, and maintaining accurate membership records.

Committee is looking for volunteers, to help sign-up and process PTSA members, staff tables, and to create a membership bulletin board.

Fall City Elementary families collect box tops and soup labels throughout the school year. The collection is done to raise funds for the PTSA. The committee advertises, collects, counts and submits to General Mills and Campbell's Soup for funds.

Two volunteers for 1.5 hours to help count twice a year, October and February.

The nominating committee recognizes and recruits the most qualified people for the PTSA positions available in the next year. It is the most important committee in the PTSA — the work of this committee is paramount to fulfilling our mission.

Nominating committee members must be elected by the general membership. Committee work includes holding confidential meetings, reviewing nominations, and searching for the best qualified candidates for leadership roles in your PTSA.

Manage recreational activities to help make our recess fun and engaging for the students at FCES. Working closely with the playground staff, the committee is responsible for Parent Play Day and Rainy Day Recess. The committee identifies, purchases, stores and replenishes the equipment and supplies needed for the playground and these programs. The Playground Support Committee also helps to identify areas on the playground that need improvement, such as safety or equipment. Safety improvements are identified for the school's LIT Safety/Emergency Sub Committee.

1-2 hours monthly to plan Dad's Day activities.

The PTSA holds the raffle event once a year. Classes combine to donate items based on a theme of their choosing and collect donated items for each basket.

Four to five hours to help collect basket items, list contents and do finishing touches on baskets. Two hours on the evening of the raffle to assist basket winners.

The PTSA Reading Hall of Fame program encourages students to read 400 or more minutes a month. Each student tracks their reading minutes on a special chart distributed monthly, October to May. Each student that participates receives special recognition and can win free books.

• Monthly tracking of names and minutes, distributing prizes: 5-6 hours/month
• Passing out of free books/book bags in January and June: 4 hours each time
• Updating bulletin board in the hall: 2 hours/month.

PTSA creates and sells a line of school Fall City Falcon logowear to boost school spirit. The committee works with a local company, Fieldhouse, to produce and coordinate sales via the PTSA website.

Volunteers are needed in November to help process and distribute orders of the introductory FCES hoodie sweatshirt. Orders for all other items are processed by Fieldhouse directly.

Manages the recruitment and placement of committee volunteers, acting as a resource and advisor for committee chairs.

• Plan and run Volunteer Fair for the first General Meeting,
• Assist in collecting names for each committee,
• Ensure volunteers and chairs are contacted and notified of all sign-ups,
• Assist large events (Walk-A-Thon and Book Fair) with volunteers as needed, and
• Manage the Baking and Health Screening volunteers for PTSA and the office

In September, students participate in the annual Walk-A-Thon, which is the primary fundraiser for our school's annual PTSA budget. Last year the Walk-A-Thon raised $65,000 for our school.

More information on the Walk-A-Thon web page.

To help with coordinating volunteers, barbequeing, communication, handling sponsors, managing prizes, and day-of event help.

The website committee maintains the PTSA website, various email lists, as well as managing the online data repository. We're always looking for new ways to support the various PTSA volunteers.

Two or three people would be great, but more can be used! We can use people just to double-check our pages on various browsers and platforms, or people who know HTML, ASP, SQL or whatever!

Manage and create the annual Yearbook for the school year. This book not only includes a photo of each child but key events and activities that occur throughout the year at FCES. Yearbook sales are high each year. This important PTSA committee is dedicated to continuing the legacy, creating a historical record of the school year.

Contact Cynthia Thomsen to see how you can contribute to the Yearbook.