PTA Council Officers

PTA Council Minutes:    10-6-08    9-8-08   6-28-08   4-28-08    4-7-08     3-3-08     1-7-08     12-3-07     11-5-07    10-1-07

Welcome Letter

In addition to the above executive committee, the PTA council Executive Board is comprised of four delegates from each PTA unit and all unit Presidents.  We meet once a month in the South Orangetown Middle School staff room at 7:30p.m.  Meeting dates for '08-'09 are:

These meetings provide the forum to communicate what is happening in our schools
Pre K – 12.  Council Delegates report back to their PTA units at the PTA unit monthly meeting.  Please feel free to attend any or all of these meetings.

• Volunteers are honored at our Founder’s Day celebration on Thur., 3/27/08, at 6:30pm, at Casa Mia Manor House.

• We sponsor a candidates’ forum for school board elections.  The date this year is Mon., 5/05/08, 8:00pm, at SOMS.

Executive Committee: consists of the officers, council delegates and immediate past president (indicated in unit bylaws) 

Executive Board: consists of executive committee and all committee chairs. 

Glossary of Committee Descriptions

President - The President is elected by the local unit members to direct the affairs of the association in cooperation with the other members of the executive board, or where applicable, the executive committee for a term of office specified in the local bylaws. 

Vice President – A vice President may be called upon at any time to assume temporarily the place of the president. They are required to attend meetings.  

Recording Secretary – The Recording Secretary is responsible for keeping accurate records of the proceedings of the association and maintaining a permanent file of these recordings. 

Corresponding Secretary – The Corresponding Secretary is responsible for notifying all members of the PTA Board of upcoming PTA meetings as well as handling all correspondence for the association. 

Treasurer – The Treasurer, as authorized custodian of the funds of the association receives and disburses all monies as prescribed in the local bylaws or authorized by the action of the association and should be bonded. The Treasurer should issue a receipt for all monies received. 

Council Delegates – The Council Delegates are representatives from the elementary, middle, and high school of South Orangetown school District that sit on the PTA Council Board. This board meets once a month discusses issues that are pertinent to the entire district. Together the delegates bring their individual units’ materials pertaining to the well-being of the children in the district. 

Committees – A committee can be one of the most productive tools of the PTA. The primary function of a committee is to take on a task, brainstorm and follow through on the set goal. The committee members have a direct impact on the quality and success of the committee. There are two kinds of PTA committees: Standing Committees and Ad Hoc or Special Committees. Standing Committees are committees that perform a continuing function and remain in existence permanently. Ad Hoc or Special Committees are created to accomplish a short lived goal, activity or project. These committees are dissolved when the job is done. In both cases, the committee members are in need of the valuable assistance of volunteers. Only members of the PTA unit shall be eligible to serve on the standing committees. Committee members opinions must represent what is good for all students. Committee Chair or representative is required to give a report at the monthly PTA meeting and is responsible for keeping records of committees activities and procedures. All committees listed below are standing committees. 

Volunteers – volunteers offer or bestow one’s services to the PTA. Anyone can volunteer to help the PTA or our schools. 

Adult Enrichment – The Adult Enrichment committee will arrange for guest speakers to visit adults in the evening about two or three times a year. Subjects have ranged from buying a computer to child discipline, homework challenges and effective parenting. 

After School Enrichment – The After School Enrichment committee is responsible for choosing the programs, selecting the instructors, setting up the registration and monitoring the program. The program has offered courses in arts & crafts, recreational games, karate, basketball, cheerleading, cooking, board games, etc. It runs for six weeks twice a year, (once in the fall and once in the spring). 

After School Enrichment Treasurer – The treasurer is required to keep all records of all monies received and paid out during the course of the year. 

Class Parent Coordinators - The PTA Class Parent Coordinators Committee functions as a liaison between the PTA, the class parent and the teacher. Duties have included compiling lists with pertinent information, election of a Class Parent using a lottery system, hosting a Class Parent and hosting Class Parent Kindergarten Tea. 

The Children’s/Program Enrichment – The Children’s or Program Enrichment Committee brings visual and performing arts programs to each grade level during school hours. The committee is responsible for selecting programs in collaboration with the building principal, booking performances, attending performances and completing all paper work. 

Fundraising – The main goal regarding fundraising (which follows with National and State PTA guidelines) is to raise monies for our enrichment programs and other designated programs for children. The committee is responsible for selecting fundraisers presenting them to the PTA unit and following through on all aspects. 

Garden Team – This committee’s focus is on making our schools more beautiful. It does both spring and fall plantings, as well come activities including the children. 

Gifted and Talented – This committee provides information and resources for students, parents and teachers regarding gifted education. It will help parents and teachers see how they can support these children.  

Health & Safety – This committee maintains an on going communication between parents and students regarding health and safety topics at each grade level. It watches over school playgrounds and buildings while listening to any needs of the staff and the children. Some issues dealt with in the past have been bus safety, bicycle safety, traffic lights and serving on the District Safety and substance abuse committee. 

Hospitality – At the monthly PTA meetings and at the Meet the Teacher Nights this committee see to it that refreshments are served. This requires shopping for and stocking up on necessary supplies. In addition, the committee will welcome new members and introduce them to fellow members. 

Legislation – The legislative representative keeps the unit informed of current government issues regarding children with concern to PTA’s effective participation in local, state, and national government. The representative presents (once a year) a legislative slate from the State PTA to be voted on byu our association. The representative then goes to the State Convention and participates in the state election and votes representing SOCES PTA. 

Membership – The purpose of the Membership Committee is to promote and encourage membership in the PTA unit. In the past this committee sent out monthly reminders regarding the PTA meetings, arranged for volunteers to attend the Meet the Teacher Nights to sign up new members (membership is on a yearly basis), collect dues, maintain an up to date list of all the members and deliver all membership cards and directories. 

Newspaper/Newsletter – This committee was formed to educate readers on some aspects of PTA objectives, aims and goals. It was to inform parents what was happening at the in our district and it is run within state PTA guidelines. It contained the President’s message of greetings which often mentioned special projects and services offered by PTA.  

Parents as Reading Partners – The Parents as Reading Partners Committee will sponsor reading programs help foster the love of reading in children by encouraging parents to read to their children for fifteen minutes a day. 

Reading is Fundamental – SOCSD has held a RIF grant which has enabled the SOCES PTA to distributed free books three times a year to all elementary students. The obligations of the RIF committee members include motivational activities to go along with each distribution. They are also responsible for ordering and distributing books. 

Reflections Program –  The National PTA developed the Reflections Program in 1969, to interest children, parents, teachers, and communities in the arts. PTA unit. The SOCSD PTA Reflections Program and Themes Search is open to all students who attend a SOCSD school where there is a PTA/PTSA/SEPTA in good standing. This cultural arts program encourages students in grades K-12 to express their thoughts and feelings through creative arts mediums which reflects on a specific theme. There is a new theme each year and six categories to be able to participate in: film, dance choreography, literature, visual arts, photography and music compostion. The Reflection committee organizes the program by sending notices of the theme and encouraging participation to all students. They also facilitate that the rules packet for each category reaches each student who has registered; collect all work and arrange for work to be judged; winning entries are submitted by the committee to Central Hudson Region PTA for further judging. Every school showcases the work in a Reflection Art Gallery and hosts a special award ceremony for those students who have submitted an entry. Most active time of year: September through December.   Learn more and view all forms

Scholarship – This committee is run by members of all three PTA’s. Its main function is fundraising for the scholarships which are awarded to graduating TZHS students.  

School Board Reporter – The School Board Reporter attends school board meetings and reports information back to the unit at their unit meeting. 

School Photos – This committee assists the photographer by sending notices to parents, organizing the children on picture day and distributing the completed photo packages.  

School Store – The school store supplies students and teachers with the items needed throughout the year. It is operated by parent volunteers. It is run by managers who are members of the PTA board. Their responsibilities include shopping for merchandise, telephoning volunteers, setting up schedules and sending out notices. Profits are used by the PTA to benefit our children. 

School Store Treasurer – This position entails recording the transaction of purchases and sales as well as payment of any bills. Deposits of moneys from sales is required periodically. 

Special Education – This committee has been formed to direct parents of children with special needs through proper channels should the need arise.