PTA Position Descriptions

PTA President

• Leader and key PTA contact

• Coordinates work of officers and committees to meet PTA objectives 

• Works with Oakton Principal regularly 

• Presides at all PTA meetings

• Signs all contracts and agreements voted on by PTA 

• Regularly attends all PTA and Executive Board meetings

 

Vice President

• Aide to President

• Performs duties of President in the absence or inability of that officer to serve

• Oversees all social activities 

• Assumes other responsibilities as assigned by the board, currently: 

  • Liaison with Story Store

  • Leads room parent initiative program

  • Liaison with Teachers

• Ideally, willing to serve as President in the future (training for serving as President)

• Assumes presidential duties in the event of President’s resignation for remainder of term

• Regularly attends all PTA and Executive Board meetings

 

Secretary

• Records and distributes Minutes of PTA meetings and Executive Board meetings

• Works closely with President, Vice President and Communications Chair 

• Regularly attends all PTA and Executive Board meetings

• Keeps information up to date in Member Hub and with PTA Council

 

Treasurer

• This is a 2-year commitment 

• Works closely with Fundraising Chair, President and Vice President

• Chairs Budget Committee

• Keeps accurate and detailed accounting of all monies received and paid out

• Gives financial reports at PTA meetings

• Deposits all monies; pays bills; keeps records of member dues and remits portion to state office as required; keeps accurate membership lists; preserves all vouchers, receipts, bank statements and cancelled checks for submission to audit committee; IRS filing (Nov. 15); 1099s; maintains backlog of financial records (seven years)

• Ideally, oversees all fundraising activities (direct appeal, raffle, cougar wear sales)

• Regularly attends all PTA and Executive Board meetings

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PTA Council Representative/PTA Equity Project Representative Chair 

• Attends respective meetings and report back information to PTA Exec Team

• PTA Equity Project rep requires history of equity education and trainings

• Advocates for Oakton generally and specifically with equity issues

• Liaisons with ACC and TWI chairs to facilitate equi ty initiatives in coordination with the Principal and PTA

• Regularly attends all PTA and Executive Board meetings

 

ACC Representative to the PTA

• Helps coordinate ACC-specific events and activities throughout the year

• Liaisons with PTA Council and Equity Council Representative and TWI representative to facilitate equity initiatives in coordination with the Principal and PTA 

• Currently 

  • Assists Vice President with room parent initiative specific to ACC teachers

• Regularly attends all PTA and Executive Board meetings

 

TWI Representative to the PTA

• Bilingual parent

• Helps coordinate TWI-specific events and activities throughout the year

• Schedules TWI-family events and activities throughout the year

• Liaisons with PTA Council and PTA Equity Project rep and ACC representative to facilitate equity initiatives in coordination with the Principal and PTA

• Currently 

  • Assists Vice President with room parent initiative specific to TWI teachers

• Regularly attends all PTA and Executive Board meetings

 

Specific Committee Chairs

• Kindergarten Event Coordinator (K information night (January); (May) incoming K school visit; (June, July, Aug) summer incoming K playdates, (Aug) ice cream social, (Aug) first day of school coffee)

• Back to School Picnic Coordinator (purchases supplies, markets event working with communication committee and Secretary, coordinates volunteers to man the grill and distribute food and cleanup after event)

• Bike the Ridge Coordinator (purchases supplies, markets event working with communication committee and Secretary, coordinates volunteers to manage and cleanup after event)

• Fall Fest Event Coordinator (purchase supplies and food to sell at event, markets event working with communications committee and Secretary, coordinates volunteers to decorate and manage the event and clean up after)

• Taste of Oakton Coordinator (manages volunteer/food sign-up and day-of volunteer management of setup, event and cleanup)

• 5th Grade Graduation (coordinates graduation and 4th grade volunteers, purchases supplies, markets event working with communications committee and Secretary, coordinates event management and cleanup)

• Teacher Appreciation (purchases gifts, makes arrangements for lunches or other activities, coordinates volunteers to manage events and activities)

• End of Year Picnic (purchases supplies, markets event working with communication committee and Secretary, coordinates volunteers to man the grill and distribute food and cleanup after event)

• Story Store (manages hours of operation, volunteers, purchases and sales, makes deposits, coordinates on expenses with Treasurer)

• Chess Club/Chess Tournament (manages the weekly chess program; coordinates chess coaches; manages chess bank account; organizes chess tournament, purchases supplies, coordinates volunteers to manage event and cleanup)

• Wellness Coordinator (manages wellness week in the spring – entire week of activities dedicated to health and wellness in coordination with Principal; TV tune out week; Walk to school day programming; Earth day/week; makes sure that athletic teams are staffed with coaches and have adequate parental support)

• Climate Action Team (brings ideas to Exec Team for how to be more environmentally sustainable, etc., and implements new initiatives)

• Equity Chair (lead a committee in discussions on equitable practices within PTA and schools, strong communication with PEP Rep, implement equity trainings for parents, staff, etc. This position can be reimagined in many different ways)

• ESCCA Chair (promote clothes and jacket donations and volunteer at ESCAA twice a year)

 

Communications & Public Relations Chair/Committee

• Coordinates the communication of School and PTA activities and events to parents, caregivers, school staff, and the larger Evanston Community

• Oversees Committee Activities, working closely with the Secretary and President of the PTA

  • Electronic newsletter (Cougar Bugle liaison)

  • Maintains Accurate PTA/School Calendar of Events

  • Oversees preparation and distribution of school directory

  • Maintain PTA website and Facebook page and other social media

  • Official logos and graphics

  • Designs flyers, writes informational copy as needed

  • Spanish translation 

• Regularly attends all PTA and Executive Board meetings

• Potential Sub-positions 

  • Calendar

  • Cougar Bugle 

  • Directory 

  • Website and Social Media

  • Spanish Translation 

 

Fundraising Chair/Committee

• Make sure Oakton raises sufficient funds to meet the proposed PTA budget

• Works closely with PTA Treasurer, President, and PEP rep to determine fundraising goals

• Decides the nature, schedule and organization of the fundraising activities for the school year with approval of PTA board. 

• Currently

  • Direct Solicitation (fall & spring)

  • Cougar Wear (winter)

  • Raffle (spring)

  • Grant Writing

  • Marketing passive fundraisers (amazon smile, Food 4 Less, box tops)

• Regularly attends all PTA and Executive Board meetings

• Sub-positions 

  • Direct Solicitation Coordinator (drafts and distributes message, tracks incoming donations working with Treasurer, sends thank you letters)

  • Cougar Wear (negotiates order, selects design, places the order, markets sales working with communication committee and Secretary, oversees sales process)

  • Raffle (works with Treasurer to apply for raffle permit, order raffle tickets, manages marketing at school, purchases awards/negotiates donation of awards)

  • Grant Writer/Contact local businesses and arrange for fundraising activities

 

Gardens and Grounds Chair/Committee

• Runs the Oakton Student Garden

• Helps coordinate and maintain the beautification of the grounds, including plantings around the three outdoor Oakton signs 

• Currently

  • Schedules, advertises, coordinates gardening activities throughout the year (planting, watering, weeding and harvesting)

  • Collaborates with teachers to develop programs to utilize the garden in the school curriculum 

  • Promotes edible garden to Oakton parent community

  • Works with Principal to determine needs of school grounds, including participating in the District 65 grounds master plan

  • Advocates with District for grounds improvements 

  • Secures grants to assist with funding garden projects

• Regularly attends all PTA and Executive Board meetings

 

Special Committees: 

• Budget Committee

• Nominating Committee

• Audit Committee

• By-laws Committee