A Message from Your Outgoing Co-President

Thanks to everyone who filled out a survey about priorities for the PTSA—and if you haven’t, please do! It’s open until June 5. You've got great ideas—a CPR/First Aid night, the return of ParentNet, class parent socials, and more. Come join the PTSA board and make them happen!

When my oldest daughter started kindergarten at QAE, I knew I wanted to get involved with the school and give back. I remember talking to my husband about it, and he said, “There are a lot of parents who are already really involved, and with your limited time, there are probably better places to volunteer.” I limited my involvement that first year, but then the next year, a mom in our Girl Scout troop was running the auction and put out a call to our troop moms for help. I said sure, and once I saw how much there was to do—not just for the auction, but for enrichment, for community events, for days like Hour of Code, and for administrative tasks like reimbursing teachers when they spend money on our kids out of pocket—and how few people were signed up to do it, I volunteered for a board position.

While there are many people who volunteer in some capacity for the school (thank you thank you, a hundred times thank you!), and many who simply can’t, what I’ve seen over the past couple of years is that it’s the same families and people who step up again and again. This is a tricky model, as 1) those people get waaaaay burned out, and 2) when burnout happens, or when families graduate, the PTSA has to scramble to fill a bunch of vital roles at once. Which is all to say, please help us broaden the pool of PTSA volunteers. There is a role for everyone and every time limitation, and the more of us we have working together, the lighter the load will be on everyone and the easier the transitions from year to year.
Here are the PTSA roles we have open for next year—please consider letting us know of your interest:

Note that all below positions will receive a qaeptsa.org email address.  You will receive many updates through the month in regards to activities or requests for feedback so we can brainstorm ideas and situations.
 

• Assistant Treasurer – Picking up and completing deposits and owning other income generating aspects (matching gifts, donations, etc)
• Secretary – Record minutes for each of the Board and General Membership Meetings. Assistance with calendar coordination, wufoo forms, surveys, and other technical assistance.
• Fundraising Director – Help oversee and tie together the 3 major fundraising events each year.  Help guide and support the overall events.  Steady follow up through the year.
• Jog A Thon Lead(s) – Put together one of the most inspiring events of the year where our kids achieve their personal goals.  Heavy lift – July – September.  Note our previous organizers have put together a great road map for this.
• Fund Drive Lead – We have a one-time campaign of a direct give drive.  Happens in the Fall for 2-3 weeks (timing can fluctuate based on your schedule).  Work on messaging, gather messaging from different individuals and track and thank people for their donations. 
• Social Emotional Learning Director – Attends board meetings 1x per month. Interfaces with teachers, principal and school counselor about their needs and wants surrounding QAE’s valued culture of social emotional learning. Also helps support families in need at QAE.  
• Technology Director – Organizes Hour of Code. Helps when board members run into technology snafus. Advises on technology programming offered at QAE.
• Community & Events Coordinator – Do you love throwing parties and bringing people together?  We aim to have 3-5 events a year.  Ranging from Back to School, to Talent Show, to Spring Dance.  Events can be edited based on your own personal passion.  Peak times are around beginning and end of school year.
• Enrichment Coordinator – Help coordinate with the team that will be running the enrichment program.  Heavy lift times - around the start of the program for sign up and toward the end when you will help guide next seasons classes.  September and January.
• Volunteering & Membership Coordinator – help recruit and assign volunteers for PTSA run events and maintain the PTSA membership database.
• Legislative Representative - Keep informed about what’s going on district- and state-wide, and inform our parent community if action is required.

 
Feel free to write to me directly with your interest!
 
Thanks,
Jenna
president2@qaeptsa.org