TESAGO PTA

Committee Descriptions

Arts-in-Education
Arts-in Education enriches all the students by bringing special programs to them throughout the school year. Committee members choose a variety of programs – in drama, literature, and visual arts – to help stimulate creativity, self-expression and imagination. A successful fundraiser is the key to being able to bring these programs, authors and activities to our children. Tesago’s Arts-in-Education program is so well managed that we receive compliments regularly on how organized it is and on the quality of the scheduled programs. We want to continue to make it one of the best elementary programs in the district.

Here are some ways you can help: typing letters, making phone calls, meeting artists at school, updating school calendars, filling out forms, and chaperoning during programs. If you can help in any way please contact the committee chairperson.

Back-to-School BBQ
This is our first social event of the year. Tesago families are invited to join us for our annual Back to School BBQ featuring either a chicken or hot dog dinner prepared at Tesago by Giffy’s Barbecue. After an action packed summer and the busy start of a new school year, you and your family get the chance to relax, visit with friends and enjoy a delicious barbecue.

You can help with this committee by volunteering to help set-up, clean up, serve food, collecting meal tickets and/or collecting the meal order forms.

Bake Sales
Bake sales are sometimes held at selected PTA events throughout the school year. Volunteers are needed to provide baked goods for events, and help at the bake sale table during the event. We also need people to bake during the year for other special occasions. This is a perfect committee for those who want to help but can’t always be at school for functions.

Birthday Board
The PTA tries to make each student feel special by taking note of their birthday. On the month of their birthday, his or her name will be displayed on our Birthday Board across from the library. Your child will also receive a coupon redeemable for a complimentary ice cream in the school cafeteria. Since the kindergartners do not eat lunch at school, they will not receive ice cream coupons, but their names will appear on the board.

This committee is a crafty one. The board is changed on the first of the month and the more eye-appealing the better. You can help with cutting out decorations for this committee.

Business Donations
Often, to aid in success of our events, donations are solicited from local businesses. Donations may include paper products such as napkins, plates, cups, gift certificates, gift baskets, etc. This committee is also responsible for looking into corporate grants. This committee requires patience and persistence. Just two to three times during the year you will be asked to contact local businesses to ask for their support.

Box Tops for Education
Box Tops for Education is a General Mills program that allows schools to earn cash by submitting box tops from a long list of cereal boxes and other food products. Simply cut out the specially marked portion of the box top and send it to school with your child and have them drop it in the designated box located in the school lobby. By doing this you will help our committee earn money for programs. Last year we earned over $700 and we would love to beat that record this year! Contact the committee chairperson to see how else you can help.

Campbell’s Labels
The Campbell’s Labels for Education program allows schools to earn equipment in exchange for labels from Campbell’s products. This committee collects, cuts, tallies and submits the labels to the Campbell’s. You can help by simply saving and sending the labels in with your child. There is a Campbell’s Labels box located in the school lobby. Contact the Campbell’s Labels committee chairperson to see how else you can help.

Call for Help
This committee helps compile a list of volunteers for the PTA. Help is needed to distribute and collect the forms.

Discovery
This after-school program gives students the opportunity to discover and learn new things about themselves. The six-week program begins after the holidays and features different activities each day. This program requires a lot of volunteers in order to ensure its success. If you have a special talent like cooking or maybe you are a good dancer and would like to share your knowledge, then the Discovery program is for you. Chaperones and hall monitors are always needed.

Family Fun Night
This event offers an opportunity for you and your family to have a lot of “FUN”. You get to mingle with other Tesago families and meet many of your children’s newest class-mates and friends. The purpose of this event is to foster school spirit and a sense of community. You can help in many ways for this event. Organization and preparation for this affair is a must. Help is needed with the set up, food court, arts and crafts tables and clean up.

Fifth Grade Activities
This committee includes parent representatives from each of our fifth grade classes. Working closely together with our fifth grade staff, they oversee the special activities that our fifth grade students enjoy during their last year in Tesago. Responsibilities include picking out a special gift that PTA donates to each student during the “Moving Up” Ceremony, organizing special field trips and the annual “Moving Up” picnic. Parent volunteers are needed in June to help prepare for the “Moving Up” Ceremony.

Fall Fundraiser
Our fall fundraiser is consistently among our most successful fundraisers. The majority of the money earned from this event supports our fabulous Arts-in-Education Program. Not only are the products great for you but it would make a great start to your holiday shopping. As always, safety and the well being of our students is first priority. Students are asked not to sell items door to door and to sell only to family and friends. Help is needed tallying up the orders and to help with the distribution of the products.

Helping Hands
This committee provides assistance on an as-needed basis, often on short notice. Examples include helping in the bus port during the first days of school or assisting with a special classroom project. We also need help during kindergarten orientation, screening and registration times, and sometimes making phone calls. If you can lend a “helping hand”, call the chairperson.

Hospitality
This committee provides refreshments for school events such as New Family Orientation, Open House, the chorus performance, and the annual end of the year staff appreciation luncheon. If you love being the hostess of a party then this is the committee for you. Help is needed with set-up, clean-up, serving, baking and cooking.

Ice Cream Social
This event is held in the spring during the “Spring Walk-About”, a Tesago school event where the students invite their families and friends to their classroom to see their work. Visitors are invited to the cafeteria to enjoy a make-your-own ice cream sundae at the Ice Cream Social organized by the PTA. Help is needed with the orders, set-up, clean-up and hourly shifts for serving the ice cream, and assisting with the sundae toppings.

Kindergarten Orientation
The purpose of this committee is to organize a program for the incoming kindergarteners and their parents/guardians. We offer a brief tour of the school, a chance to meet some of the key staff, and have them take a short bus ride. The time commitment involved usually take place at the end of August and in May. Parent volunteers and even Tesago graduates are needed to help with the tours of the school to our future students and their families. This is a wonderful tool in helping the kindergarteners become better acclimated.

Kids Inc.
Kids,Inc. is a community service oriented group open to all students in grades 4 & 5. They meet at Tesago on Tuesday afternoons. This group visits nursing homes and puts on shows. They help the needy by making Easter baskets and collecting food and clothing. Special events are held to help raise money for Cystic Fibrosis. This is truly a rare and special program where the children can give back to the community

Legislation/Board of Education
Members of this committee monitor state education legislation and attend Shenendehowa Board of Education meetings. Committee members report back to PTA the outcomes of the meetings and legislative issues that may have an impact in our community.

Membership/Directory
Joining PTA is the easiest way to show your support for Tesago and your child’s education. All it takes is the $5.00 membership fee, and you are on record as a member of the Tesago PTA and an advocate for all children. All are welcome to join. Each member will be listed in the PTA Directory. The Directory is a wonderful resource to have on hand when you need to contact a fellow Tesago PTA parent.

Newsletter
The PTA publishes newsletters throughout the school year full of PTA and school related items. It is designed to keep the Tesago community informed about all on-going and upcoming events. You are encouraged to submit entries that are news worthy to the Tesago community especially those from or about our own Tesago kids! Help is needed with photocopying this publication.

Odyssey of the Mind
This committee prepares students to compete in the national Odyssey of the Mind program. This program fosters cooperative, creative approaches to problem solving. Tesago teams have a proud history of doing well in the competition. Volunteers are always needed to serve as team coaches.

Outside Bulletin Board
The chairperson for this committee is responsible for updating the outside bulletin board monthly to keep the Tesago community informed of school events.

PARP (Parents As Reading Partners)
This committee works with the school librarian to support the Parents as Reading Partners Program. During the program, parents are urged to spend at least 15 minutes a day reading with their child(ren). Students who participate and meet the requirements of the program will receive a PARP Certificate, an age appropriate reading book and one other memento compliments of the PTA. Volunteers can help work on the memento, complete certificates and collect forms.

Photo Copying
PTA distributes a variety of communications, including our newsletter. Members of this committee make copies of these communications and distribute them to the entire staff mailboxes. Volunteers are always needed to come in after school to make copies, especially for our newsletters. Photocopying is critical because this is how we communicate our PTA information. We need volunteers on a monthly basis to help.

PTA Sunshine Committee
This committee is modeled after Tesago’s Sunshine Committee. It is the committee’s goal to “spread some sunshine” during various occasions that affect our immediate school community. The committee will establish guidelines and determine the appropriate expenditures for each occasion.

PTA Council
Our PTA Council delegate serves as our liaison with the Shenendehowa PTA Council meetings and plays an important role in keeping Tesago informed about district-wide issues. Each school in the Shen District has one or two representatives.

PTA Handbook
This handbook is provided by the PTA and designed to introduce you to PTA and the many ways in which volunteers are needed. Please keep it handy so you may refer to it throughout the year and take advantage of the opportunities to volunteer on behalf of our students and our school. Chairperson(s) are responsible for updating the information during the summer months so the handbook is available by the start of the school year.

PTA Teacher Representative
Our PTA teacher representatives serve as the liaisons between PTA and the Tesago faculty. As such, they coordinate the teacher involvement that is so critical to our success, and attend our PTA meetings.

Public Relations
This committee is responsible for increasing public awareness and support of Tesago and its PTA by keeping the local media informed of student accomplishments and newsworthy school events. Contacting local news agencies can be done from home either by phone or e-mail.

Reflections
Each year Tesago students participate in the national PTA Reflections program. This program is designed to encourage the students to express themselves through creative arts. Please urge your child to participate and to submit as many entries as he or she would like. Contest categories include visual arts, literature, music and photography. The theme changes each year and this year’s (2006-2007) theme is “My Favorite Place……”.

School Banking
This program helps students get into the habit of saving. Sponsored by First Niagara Bank., the program allows students to make deposits in the school, one morning a week. As further incentive to save, school accounts receive an above the market interest rate. You can volunteer to come into school to record student’s deposits. Volunteers may also open an account and receive the same interest rate benefit.

School Pictures
This committee makes possible the portraits that are a wonderful memento of your child’s school year. You can help by signing up to assist during picture taking, to schedule make-ups when necessary and to help distribute portraits to your child’s class.

Spring Carnival/Fling
This event is always a highlight of Tesago’s spring season. It features plenty of fun activities for the children, a lot of food, fun and friends. You can help by volunteering to help with one of the evening’s events, set-up, clean-up and serving food.

Shen Inventors
This program gives students in grades K-5 an opportunity to turn their ideas into inventions. Inventors get to display their inventions at the Clifton Park Center Mall. This program begins in January with workshops for interested students and parents. Inventions are displayed at the beginning of February.

Sportswear Sale
This sale promotes school spirit by giving students the opportunity to buy Tesago/Shen sportswear. Sportswear items make great gifts for family and friends. You can help by helping with the orders, and distributing the orders.

Substance Abuse/DARE
Members of this committee work with the SHEN PTA Council Substance Abuse chairperson on substance abuse prevention and community awareness efforts. The committee also supports Tesago’s DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program. At the end of the program there is a small graduation ceremony at the school in the evening. Fourth grade volunteers are needed to help with the event. This program has been successful because of the combined efforts of our local law enforcement, our school, the students and the parents.

Teacher Appreciation Week
This is a sweet and fun way for the children and Tesago families to thank our fabulous teachers for all they do. We will plan a theme for the week, such as “Apples for the Teacher” or “Notes for the Teacher”. We would present tokens of our gratitude throughout the entire appreciation week. Each child would be asked to write a short thank you to their teacher(s) on theme based cards (apple-shaped cards or music note cards) and we will try to post the cards for all to see. Families will be asked to bring in a breakfast food one day, or lunch foods another day, to stock the staff room. We plan on getting a small themed gift donated from Tesago families and/or local businesses for each teacher. Parent volunteers will be needed to cut out the cards, distribute and hang the thank you notes, organize the meals, and seek out and distribute the small gifts. Any and all ideas are welcome.

Vincent DeLucia Scholarship
Tesago PTA proudly presents two Shenendehowa graduating seniors each a scholarship award. This award is given to any graduating high school senior that has completed at least two years at Tesago. This award is given not only based on academic excellence, but also on community service and extra curricular involvement. The scholarship is named in honor of Vincent R. DeLucia, who served as Tesago’s principal for over 20 years and retired in 1999. Committee chair is responsible for distribution and collection of the applications and coordinating the panel of judges.

Website Maintenance
This committee maintains our PTA website. Volunteers are responsible for maintaining the website to ensure the site provides the most up to date and accurate information at all times.

Workshops/Seminars
This committee is responsible for coordinating workshops or seminars geared more for the parents. Guest speakers include licensed professionals who are trained to address behavioral issues, health issues and motivational techniques. Volunteers are needed to help set-up for the events, direct attendees to the meeting room and hand out literature. Any requests for specific topics should be sent to the chairperson.