VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES/

PRINCETON JUNIOR SCHOOL PARENT ASSOCIATION

The Princeton Junior School Parent Association (PJSPA) serves to facilitate communication and cooperation between and among parents, students, faculty, administration and trustees, and to enhance the quality of the students’ educational experience at Princeton Junior School. All parents of current PJS students may become members upon payment of the annual dues.

Through a series of Fundraising Events (listed below), the PJSPA receives funds that are disbursed to various school needs. A series of Committees (also listed below) evaluates those needs, and spends the monies earned in order to support scholarships and a number of events, projects and programs of interest to the entire Princeton Junior School community.

The PJSPA also provides the structure for parent volunteers in the school. It is an all-volunteer organization. All parents are welcome, needed, and encouraged to contribute to the school through volunteering whatever time they have. These volunteer efforts of parents support the school, its administration, the faculty, and most importantly, the students.

2011-2012 PJSPA OFFICERS

(Please scroll down for further information about PJSPA structure and title descriptions)

President:                            Shannon Hartley

Treasurer:                           Marlynne Marlow

Communications Chair:   Leigh Engelhardt

Special Events:                  Caroline Yarbrough

Community Service:          to be determined

Fundraising Co-Chairs:     Michelle Gara

Chair of Class Parents:    Samantha Reid

2010-2011 CLASS PARENTS

2's:      Cynthia Vesely

3's:      Pernilla Burke

Jr.-K:   Samantha Reid

K:        Sharon Legesse

I:         Kelly Bowser

II:         Tracey Mondul and Elizabeth Bednarek

III:        Lori Lipsky

IV:        Lori Washton

V:         Marianne Seabert

How To Be Involved

In order to accomplish the goals of the PJSPA, and in and attempt to minimize the time commitment required of our volunteers, the PJSPA and the school administration have established several committees in order to focus parent volunteer efforts in areas which may be of interest. Note: While the PJSPA helps to facilitate most of the events, programs and publications listed below, some have parent volunteer chairs, while others are organized by the faculty and staff. If you are interested in a specific volunteer opportunity, you may go directly to committee chair or the faculty/staff member listed. If there is no contact listed, please feel free to contact Shannon Hartley.

The PJSPA recognizes that the amount of time one is able to commit to volunteer activities varies from parent to parent, and tries to schedule its meetings and activities accordingly. Whether you are available on a one-time or on-going basis, we welcome your participation.

PJSPA General Meetings: Everyone in the PJS community is welcome and encouraged to attend the general meetings held the second Tuesday or Wednesday of each month when school is in session. Please check the weekly calendar for dates each month.  Please feel free to contact any of the Executive Committee Members throughout the year to express you thoughts, concerns or ideas, or to volunteer your time and talents!

PJSPA Suggestion Box: Simply put a note (signed or anonymous) to the Executive Committee in the PJSPA mailbox (located on the wall directly across from the Admission’s Office). Your ideas and comments will be appreciated.

Events, Projects and Programs

Assemblies and Performances: The school welcomes parents’ input regarding upcoming assemblies, helping the administration select programs for our children. Some are instructive while others are entertaining. There are performances by students, local theater troupes and performers, such as the McCarter Theater Education Program and Young Audiences. There are several Thematic Assemblies throughout the year such as The Martin Luther King Assembly and the Multi-Cultural Assembly. Parents are welcome to attend all assemblies and performances.  Chair:  Marlynne Marlow

Common Ground: is a collaborative effort of the Parent Associations of the Princeton Area Independent Schools, which brings exceptional programs, lectures and speakers to the Princeton community. Parents are encouraged to attend these interesting and informative lectures.  Chairs:  Ilana Gutierrez and Rob Robertson

Community Service: Consistent with the mission of the School, PJS fosters a variety of community service activities. Recent examples have included: Thanksgiving Basket Drive, Giving Tree, Martin L. King, Jr. morning, Valentines Food Drive, Used Book and Toy Sale, Get well cards to wounded soldiers, Pennies for Patients, and Pennies for Peace.  Chair:  Beverly Yarbrough

Green Committee:  Helps guide the school by suggesting green initiatives, helps implement improvements to our facility, and offers tips to parents and the larger PJS community about environmental stewardship.  Chair:  Margret van Vuuren

Development: Volunteers are needed to help collate, stuff and stamp various mailings during the year. We’ll provide the coffee and bagels – you receive a morning of camaraderie with other parents, while helping the school reach out to its community.  Chair:  Lori Lipsky

Library: The school’s librarian needs periodic help re-stacking books, covering new books, and various other tasks including the annual Book Fair. Please contact the librarian to arrange a schedule that works for both of you in order that your time is most effectively spent.  Chair:  Chris Moore

Marketing Committee:  Composed of current parents, trustees, and school administration, this committee collaborates on strategic planning and marketing for PJS.  Chair:  Kookie Johnson

The Landscape: a  publication produced  by the PJS Communication Office. It will include summaries and updates of PJSPA activities, all School events, and classroom activities.  Parents are welcome to sumbit stories, photos, and ideas.  Chair:  Lori Lipsky

The Nautilus: a bi-annual publication, supported in part by the PJSPA, for parent, alumni and friends of the School that features an overview of School and alumni activities. Writers and photographers are needed for both.  Chair:  Lori Lipsky

Pizza Thursdays: a delicious tradition at PJS is offered every Thursday before a Focus Friday. Parents can pre-order pizza slices to be delivered to students as an enjoyable substitute for their daily sandwiches. We need parents to help set-up and distribute the Pizza. This requires a little over an hour, and you can volunteer for any or all Pizza Thursdays.  Chair:  Kim Duthie

The All-School Picnic provides an opportunity for everyone to come together after summer vacation to reconnect with friends and introduce new families to the School community.  Chair:  Caroline Yarbrough

The Faculty/Staff Appreciation Lunch, held close to year-end, provides parents with an opportunity to exhibit their gratitude toward their children’s teachers, through either helping to cook or serve the meal, or watching the classrooms while the teachers eat, or cleaning up afterward.  Chair: to be determined

PJS Field Day Picnic held in May is a popular event for the entire family. Field Day gives students an opportunity to participate in a variety of traditional games and sports activities, cookout and general fun for everyone.  Chair:  to be determined

Multicultural Day: held on alternating years, the PJSPA sponsors a celebration of the various cultures in our school community.  Chair:  to be determined

The Thanksgiving Ceremony brings all families together to give thanks. This informal gathering is held before Thanksgiving Recess. Traditionally, each class bakes bread and contributes an ingredient for the making of a delicious and communal soup that is made and served by our "Soup Dads."  Thanksgiving baskets chair:  Kelly Hauler.  Soup Dad Chair:  Rob Robertson

Fundraising Events

Special Events: are held throughout the school year to raise funds for specific projects. There have been Movie Nights, wrapping paper sales, candle sales, special parties and intimate dinners that help raise money to support PJSPA goals. Your ideas for new types of events are always welcome by the executive committee, and you will receive notice of upcoming events throughout the school year.  Chair:  Caroline Yarbrough

Gala Auction: is our primary fundraising effort each year. Held mid-year, it includes both a live and silent auction. Donations are sought from both the PJS community and from donors in the greater Princeton area.  Chairs:  Michelle Gara and to be announced

A creative class art project or group basket from each grade made by the children under the careful guidance of one or more volunteers is an important part of this fundraising effort.

PJSPA Structure

The Executive Committee is comprised of PJSPA’s elected officers and the School’s Headmaster. The Executive Committee appoints, aids and oversees the sub-committees, which in turn organize, coordinate and execute community and fundraising events. The Executive Committee is responsible for running the PJSPA general meetings, keeping a budget, approving budget expenditures, keeping a calendar of events and acting as the primary liaison to the sub-committee chairs and class parent/parent mentors. Every member of the PJS community should feel free to contact anyone on the Executive Committee for any PJSPA related concern.

The President plays a key role on the School’s management team by serving as the liaison between parents, faculty, administration and the Board of Trustees. The President, along with the Headmaster and the Vice President(s), define the fundraising venues, and elect the Special Events/Ad Hoc Committee chairpersons.

The Chair of Special Events serves as the coordinator of the various events the PJSPA sponsors during the year, providing ideas and guidance as needed to the chairs of those events.

The Chair of Fundraising leads the effort to raise the money needed to support PJSPA goals for the current school year’s projects. The VP of Fundraising usually serves as the Chair of the annual auction, and provides guidance and ideas to other volunteers involved with fundraising.

The Chair of Class Parents serves as the liaison between the PJSPA and Class Parents (Parent Mentors), providing guidance throughout the year. The Vice President-Communications is responsible for taking and posting the minutes of all meetings and also for general correspondence and mailings, as well as maintaining and distributing the PJSPA Calendar.

The Chair of Community Service serves as the liaison between the school and the volunteer parents to coordinate each community service event throughout the year.

The Treasurer is responsible for the management of PJSPA finances, which include the PJSPA dues plus all other receipts from fundraising activities as well as monitoring expenditures. The Treasurer works closely with the other Executive Committee members and the School’s Financial Manager to devise a budget before the beginning of the school year and to present an annual report at the end of the fiscal year.

The Chair of Communications is responsible for taking and posting the minutes at PJSPA meetings, for general correspondence and mailings, as well as maintaining and distributing the PJSPA calendar of events.

Class Parents/Parent Mentors: Class Parents/Mentors work very closely with the Executive Committee and serve as the primary liaison between the PJSPA, the parents and the teachers. Active throughout the year, Class Parents/Mentors are responsible for encouraging parent and student participation in all PJSPA/PJS-sponsored events and activities. As Parent Mentors, they serve as a primary liaison between new families and the PJSPA, informing them of PJS traditions, events and assemblies. Responsibilities are outlined by the Vice President. Committee Chairs and Liaisons: Every PJSPA sponsored event, program and publication will be organized and governed by one or more parent volunteer chairpersons and/or staff, faculty or executive committee liaison.

Members: PJS parents are the heart and soul of the Parent Association. Their efforts and volunteer spirit are greatly appreciated. It is the individual parent’s responsibility to come to the meetings or to reach out to the Executive Committee and Committee Chairs; put suggestions in the box; read the weekly calendar and The Landscape if the parent wishes to stay informed and become more involved.

MINUTES OF PJSPA MEETINGS FOR 2011-2012

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