CO-PRESIDENTS (2 positions, incoming and outgoing)

This is a board role and is for 2 years. Lead, motivate, and coordinate with the Board of Directors and PTA committees. Maintain a close working relationship with administration and staff. Represent EMS on the PTA Council. Oversee all communication between the PTA and parents. Work closely with the school and VPs to manage a calendar of PTA-funded programs and initiatives. Maintain fiscal responsibility and overall financial well-being of the organization. Keep parents apprised of District Legislative and budgetary issues. Update by-laws in compliance with CT PTA. 

Each Board member will also be responsible for giving a quick summary of one BOE meeting throughout the year. They may attend it in person or via Zoom or give a summary of the recording. BOE schedule will be given during the Transition meeting.

International Day (1 position)

Coordinate the EMS International Day event with EMS lead (Meghan Moore) and PTA community, work with VP Communication to arrange volunteer sign-up, and promote awareness via GatorBytes.

The Amazing Tween Years Co-Chairs (2 positions)

Lead The Amazing Tween Years, a community program designed to support parents of middle school tweens through speaker series & roundtable discussions. This initiative fosters meaningful conversations about cognitive, social-emotional, and executive development, empowering parents with research-based tools and strategies. Ideal for parents looking to make a meaningful impact in the EMS community.

Responsibilities include Program Leadership & Vision: Oversee the planning, execution, and continuous improvement of The Amazing Tween Years program. Speaker Presentations: Organize speaker presentations, securing expert panelists. Parent Roundtables: Organize parent roundtables and facilitators. Communication: Work with Communications to promote events and create RSVPs for each event.

SECRETARY (1 position)

This is a board role and is for 2 years. Responsible for putting together the agenda for executive committee meetings and recording minutes. Shall archive all records with Treasury information for auditing purposes. Heads the Nominating committee and is responsible for drawing up a new slate. Updates by-laws as required. Maintains a membership list of PTA members and current copy of By-laws. 

Each Board member will also be responsible for giving a quick summary of one BOE meeting throughout the year. They may attend it in person or via Zoom or provide a summary of the recording. BOE schedule will be given during the Transition meeting.

Nominating (2 co-chairs and 5 members)

Representatives from all feeder schools recruit volunteers to participate in the PTA.  Seeks diverse/broad representation. Typically meets February through April. 

TREASURER / ASSISTANT TREASURER (2 positions)

Treasurer

This is a board role and is for 2 years.Responsible for making and documenting all expenses and deposits.  Maintains complete and accurate accounting records by entering all transactions into QuickBooks platform.  Ensures appropriate insurance policy is in place and updated annually.  Oversees completion of annual tax returns and audit by our accountant.  Assists accountant in preparing Form 1099s due to qualifying vendors each January.  Responsible for budget planning and tracking.  Works with third-party corporate matching vendors to facilitate corporate match payments. 

Each Board member will also be responsible for giving a quick summary of one BOE meeting throughout the year. They may attend it in person or via Zoom or provide a summary of the recording. BOE schedule will be given during the Transition meeting.

All work can be completed from home, and the time commitment is approximately 2-4 hours per week.

Assistant Treasurer

This is a board role and is for 2 years.Responsible for monthly reconciliation of Checking, Savings, PayPal, and Stripe accounts.  Maintains a complete and accurate record of all account statements and transactions.  Prepares annual tax deduction letters for all qualifying donors each January.  Generally, supports the Treasurer in any capacity necessary.

Each Board member will also be responsible for giving a quick summary of one BOE meeting throughout the year. They may attend it in person, via Zoom or give a summary from the recording. BOE schedule will be given during the Transition meeting.

All work can be completed from home and the time commitment is approximately 1-2 hours per week. 

VP OF COMMUNICATIONS (1 position)

This is a board role and is for 2 years. Work with other board members on identifying and helping with the different communication needs of the PTA. Coordinates and assists as necessary with Digital Communications, Gatorbytes, EMS PTA Website, Publicity, Photography. Ensuring data accuracy including online directory, calendar on EMSPTA.org and other outward communications. Documenting the key processes and keeping up to date the planning documents for VPs and Chairs of events and programs.

Each Board member will also be responsible for giving a quick summary of one BOE meeting throughout the year. They may attend it in person, via zoom or give a summary from the recording. BOE schedule will be given during the Transition meeting. 

Gatorbytes Newsletter (2 positions)

Manages, compiles, edits & publishes submissions from Board and Committee Chairs for weekly PTA newsletter highlighting PTA events, school activities, volunteer opportunities and other pertinent information including reminders for such submissions. Prepares drafts to be reviewed by VP Comm and PTA Co-Presidents.  The committee divides responsibilities and rotates on a monthly basis so that it’s not a full-year commitment. Time Commitment – 2 hours a week (specific days in a week every alternate month).  Can be done virtually.

Membership Toolkit – EMSPTA.org

NO CODING EXPERIENCE NEEDED. EMSPTA.ORG is the PTA’s central hub for up-to-date information and access to many PTA events and programs. The content is authored by the Committee Chairs.

Webmaster/Content Manager (1 position)

Works with Board of Directors, Committees, and Co-Presidents to communicate important information to entire PTA membership via Membership Toolkit (MTK), including standard emails, quick emails and web notifications. Content Management – Works with the VP Communications and PTA Committees to maintain and ensure content on their pages is up-to-date, accurate, and properly formatted on the EMSPTA.ORG website (Membership Toolkit) and the EMS PTA web pages on the GPS website. Attend district web training as needed. Time Commitment – 3-4 hours a week (flexible). Can be done virtually.

Sales & Signups (2 positions)

Works with PTA membership Chair to set up PTA membership on MTK for the new year.  Help committee chairs to set-up any ticket sales and/or Volunteer Signups. Time Commitment – 2-3 hours a week (based on event). Can be done virtually.

Graphic Designer (1 position)

Update and maintain the current collection of PTA graphics used in PTA communications and web content. Work with committees to create new graphics/designs as needed. These may include logos, banners, buttons, flyers and other key documents. Time Commitment – 2-3 hours a month (flexible, as and when needed). Can be done virtually.        

Publicity (1 position)

Coordinates press releases for specific events with committee chairs, Co-Presidents and Principal to inform the public of activities taking place at EMS, and of special accomplishments of students, teachers, staff and PTA. Notifies PTA of online or printed articles to be shared with PTA members. Time Commitment – 2 hours a week. Can be done virtually. 

Photographer/Media Manager – Gator Media (2 positions)

Works with the VP Communications to ensure that photography needs at the school are met. This includes attending PTA and school-sponsored special events and programs as required post-production duties include curating select photos/videos. Time Commitment – Event based. In-Person (post event can be done offline).

VP COMMUNITY (1 position)

This is a board role and is for 2 years. Work with PTA President and other Board members to manage EMS Community Committee events and projects. EMS Community Committee’s include Hospitality, Newcomers, Media Center, School Beautification, Building tours, Teacher and Staff Appreciation. Coordinate dates with EMS PTA President. Ensure budget and timelines stay on task. Each committee has 2 chairs and a committee (if needed).

Before the school year starts, at the end of the summer the VP reaches out to all the Committee chairs with introductions and an overview of their events with dates. Making sure the rollover from past chairs to new chairs with timeline and details were seamless. 

Throughout the school year check in with Chairs to get updates and report to the EMS board. 

Each Board member will also be responsible to give a quick summary of one BOE meeting through the year. They may attend it in person, via zoom or give a summary from the recording. BOE schedule will be given during the Transition meeting.

Hospitality Co-Chairs (2 positions)

The Hospitality committee provides refreshments for PTA events. Coordinates food and beverages for (4) General PTA Meetings, (1) BoE Meeting, a Back-to-School Teacher/Staff Luncheon, and 8th Grade Career Day. Hospitality chairs also coordinate periodic breakfasts and lunches for teachers and staff throughout the year. They will use food trucks, Garden Catering, Ada’s etc. The PTA presidents will give you the dates for these events.

Newcomers Committee (2 positions)

Coordinates community and school information, and presents it at a welcome coffee in the fall at EMS. Touches base with the front office periodically throughout the year to obtain new family info, and sends welcome email. Organizes 1-3 gatherings for newcomers during the year, depending on interest. 

Media Center Displays (3 positions)

Works with Media Center staff to create theme-based designs for large glass display cases in Media Center. Creates (3-4) different displays per year.

School Beautification (2 positions)

Coordinates and implements ideas to beautify the school. Works with front office staff to change the pots seasonally. Brings in potted flowers to the front office for the holidays, provides flowers / table arrangements for staff parties.  

Teacher and Staff Appreciation (2 positions)

Organize appreciation breakfast for teachers and staff on AM before Thanksgiving Break (usually that Wednesday) Organizes food contributions, collects gift cards for teacher holiday parties and decorates the lounge. Coordinates the Teacher Appreciation Week in the Spring to honor the dedicated teachers/staff. Restocks teacher lounge with supplies (k cups, etc) 3x a year.

Building Tours (3 positions)

The Building Tours committee gives tours to prospective families looking to send their children to EMS. Typically, the front desk coordinates directly with the committee.

Community Project Coordinator (2 positions)

Will work with EMS School counselor, Meghan Moore to bring community service opportunities to EMS students. These projects will be held every quarter. 

Book Fair (2 positions)

Helps Media Center staff organize and run 2 book fairs per school year.  Recruits parent volunteers as needed & promotes events among parents and students with email announcements, communication in GatorBytes etc.  

Veterans Day (2 positions)

Coordinate veterans’ day activities with EMS school staff. Work with VP Communications to arrange volunteer speakers (veterans) and promote awareness via GatorBytes. Procure a ceremonial wreath for the front entrance. Provide refreshments for speakers.  

VP PTAC COORDINATOR (1 position)

This is a board role and is for 2 years. Liaison between EMS PTA Board and PTAC Representatives (e.g. ALP, AE, Green Schools etc.). Assigned with procuring monthly updates from PTAC Representatives in advance of the EMS Board Meeting, vetting PTAC initiative that may apply to EMS, and ensuring PTAC Representatives are using EMS communication channels (e.g. GatorBytes or MTK webpages) to update the parent community on PTAC initiatives and workshops.

The VP PTAC Coordinator may be asked to attend PTAC committee meetings if a PTAC Committee Rep is unavailable to represent EMS.

Each Board member will also be responsible for giving a quick summary of one BOE meeting throughout the year. They may attend it in person, via zoom or give a summary from the recording. BOE schedule will be given during the Transition meeting.

PTAC Coordinator – this is not an official PTAC position, they would not be PTAC members, so would not be in PTAC membership meetings or have access to PTAC-only materials.

ALP (Advanced Learning Program) (1 position)

Attends PTA Council ALP meetings as representative of EMS and reports to parents about developments in the ALP program. Required to attend one district meeting per month. Distributes ALP information by way of GatorBytes. 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) (1 position)

Attends PTA Council DEI meetings as representative of EMS and reports to parents, PTA and school staff about opportunities for DEI. Distributes relevant information by way of GatorBytes. 

Facilities (PTAC) (1 position)

Attend ad hoc PTAC facilities meetings representing the EMS community. 

Green Schools Rep (1 position)

Attends monthly PTA Council committee meetings/workshops to stay abreast of district happenings and share/incorporate ideas. Brings back “Green” happenings to the EMS community and also runs Green events at EMS such as Battery Drives and Reducing Waste in the Cafe.

Health and Wellness (1 position)

Participates in PTAC Wellness committee, attends monthly district-wide meetings & keeps the EMS PTA informed on committee initiatives like School Start Time and other areas of student health and well-being. the Health & Wellness committee is more focused on initiatives related to nutrition and school lunches, mental health and wellbeing, active lifestyles, substance abuse prevention, managing screen time, etc.

Special Education (SES-PTAC) (1 position)

Works with other representatives throughout the district in support of students with special needs & their families.  Attends town-wide meetings & communicates program information to the parent body.

2E (Twice Exceptional) (1 position)

1-2 representatives to act as an EMS delegate to PTAC 2E program.  2E learners are students who are both advanced or “gifted” and have a special need or disability.  Reps advocate for 2E students, help families become better acquainted with educational options, and provide a network of support for parents/guardians.  Responsibilities include attending 3-4 PTAC 2E meetings, distributing 2E information obtained through PTAC to the EMS community and providing monthly updates to the EMS PTA Executive Committee.

UPDATE ON TWO PREVIOUS ROLES OF PTAC COORDINATOR:

Academic Excellence and Digital Learning – PTAC no longer has a separate Digital Learning Committee. That has been rolled into the Academic Excellence Committee

Scholarship – PTAC has a scholarship committee, but it is one of the few PTAC committees that does not have reps from the schools.  The "selection of financial award recipients" is now done entirely by the Greenwich Scholarship Association (GSA). The PTAC Scholarship committee chairs interact with GSA (mostly related to facilitating the scholarship donations from the school PTAs to GSA) but have no role in selecting scholarship recipients. The PTAs are asked to validate candidate lists for book awards.

VP CURRICULUM ENRICHMENT (2 positions)

This is a board role and is for 2 years. The team aims to provide diverse and enriching programming to classroom education across the academic, arts and social-emotional learning spectrum for each grade and for EMS as a whole. The team works closely with EMS teachers, staff and administration to host assemblies, workshops and residencies that support an array of subjects including art, music, creative writing, social studies, science, physical education and more. The team (led by two co-chairs) coordinates the programming, manages the budget, liaises with the district and curriculum enrichment officers from other schools to share ideas. They also promote these programs by submitting content to be published in GatorBytes and stand-alone emails to the EMS community. Committee members do not need to be present at school for planned events, but it can be helpful to assess speakers for the following year. (2 hours/week)

Each Board member will also be responsible for giving a quick summary of one BOE meeting through the year. They may attend it in person, via zoom or give a summary from the recording. BOE schedule will be given during the Transition meeting.

Washington DC Fundraising Committee (2 Parent Reps + 8 Sub Committee)

Parent Reps - Volunteers will serve on the DC Fundraising Committee in conjunction with representatives from CMS and WMS to coordinate community-wide fundraising for the 8th grade Washington, DC trip. These two reps will have a dotted line into VP of Enrichment and Greenwich Alliance DC Committee. Responsibilities include organizing events and committee members for the Election Day Bake Sale and supporting Raffle for the main DC Fundraiser. Additionally, they will liaise with school staff to coordinate a school-wide DC Fundraiser (e.g. DC Dunks Free Throw challenge) in the Spring.

• 4 Parent sub-committee (8th grade) - Fundraising and event coordination of the Election Day Bake sale, Raffle, and future school events. Reports into the 2 Parent Reps
• 2 Parent sub-committee (7th grade) - Fundraising and event coordination of the Election Day Bake sale, Raffle, and future school events. Reports into 2 Parent Reps
• 2 Parent sub-committee (6th grade) - Fundraising and event coordination of the Election Day Bake sale, Raffle, and future school events. Reports into 2 Parent Reps.

Career day (3 positions)

The 8th Grade Career Day at Eastern Middle School (EMS) is an event designed to inspire students by exposing them to a variety of career paths. Several dynamic and engaging speakers from various industries, particularly in fields such as engineering, technology, and the trades are invited to share their experiences and insights with the 8th graders. The event aims to help students explore their interests and gain valuable career knowledge through discussions and Q&A sessions. Speakers for the event come from the EMS community, including parents and alumni, providing relatable role models for the students. Career Day includes a general assembly with a keynote speaker, followed by interactive sessions where students engage with professionals from different sectors like finance, medicine, public health, and the arts.

VP EVENTS (2 positions, incoming and outgoing)

This is a board role and is for 2 years. Responsible for overseeing student and family events.All PTA Events are coordinated by volunteer Chairs. VPs provide all relevant information needed for Chairs to successfully coordinate an event. VPs provide event oversight, budgeting details and historic context to provide continuity between Event Chairs.

VPs evaluate the overall effectiveness of the event and make suggestions for improvements.

Serve as a representative to the PTA Board for the following, but not limited to:

• Back to School BBQ/ Picnic
• 6th Grade Dances
• 7th & 8th Grade Social Events
• Drama Club Cast Party
• 8th Grade end-of-year Party

Each Board member will also be responsible to give a quick summary of one BOE meeting through the year. They may attend it in person, via zoom or give a summary from the recording.

6th Grade Dances Co-Chairs (4 positions)

Chairs coordinate with the dance instruction company (Arthur Murray) to identify 5 dates in the fall for dances to be held. Chairs must confirm dates with the front office, submit all facilities/insurance requests, promote the program in school publications, manage volunteers for each event, hire police officers for security, buy prizes for students and manage registration with webmaster via EMS website. Coordinating dates with Arthur Murray and the front office happens over the summer. At least one Chair must be present to oversee chaperones at each dance.

7th Grade and 8th Grade Social Events (2 Co-Chairs for each grade-level event)

All four Chairs work together to identify the date and theme for this event. The past couple of years has been a Gaga Ball party, which was very successful. The chairs coordinate securing facilities, entertainment, volunteers, communications in Gator Bytes/onsite fliers and ticket sales, food and beverage, securing off duty Greenwich police officers for security and setup plus cleanup. The two social events have historically been held the same evening, back to back with a 30 minute cleanup break between. The time commitment for this event is approximately 10 hours.

8th Grade End-of-Year Party Co-Chairs (4 positions)

Historically this event has been a beach party held at the end of the school year. The Chairs work with Event VPs and the front office to identify a date, manage facilities requests, food and beverage, and volunteers, etc. The time commitment for this event is approximately 10 hours.

Back-to-school BBQ/Picnic Co-Chairs (2 positions)

The Chairs of this event organize and staff this event.  It is typically held the first

Friday after the start of school.  They will be responsible for managing the

facilities request with the front office, getting volunteers to staff events (including

membership table, spirit wear, etc.), managing food and beverage, entertainment,

and communications. The time commitment is approximately 10 hours starting in early August.

Drama Club Cast Party Co-Chairs (3 positions)

Co- Chairs are responsible for planning, organizing, and executing the post-musical celebration for students in the EMS musical cast and crew. The Chairs will ensure a safe, fun, and well-managed event while coordinating logistics, volunteers, and budgeting. Historically, the party included music, pizza, dessert and raffles handled by 8-10 volunteers/ chaperones. The time commitment is approximately 10 hours starting in November and ending in January when the musical is over.

8th Grade Skate Night (2 positions)

The 8th Grade Skate Night is a fun, district-wide event held at Dorothy Hammill Ice Rink, offering a dedicated time for 8th graders to enjoy skating together. The event features snacks, drinks, and a chance for students to socialize in coordination with CMS & WMS PTA reps. 

VP FUNDRAISING (2 positions, incoming and outgoing)

This is a board role and is for 2 years.Responsible for overseeing fundraising events.All PTA Events are coordinated by volunteer Chairs. Fundraising VP’s oversee all fundraising activities for the school year and ensure goals set by the PTA Treasury and BOD are met. VP’s provide feedback, oversight, historic data and context from previous events, as well as budgeting details to provide continuity between Event Chairs.

VPs evaluate overall effectiveness of the event and make suggestions for improvements.

VPs serve as a representative to the PTA Board for the following, but not limited to:

• Parent Social
• Spirit Wear
• PTA Membership

Each Board member will also be responsible to give a quick summary of one BOE meeting through the year. They may attend in person, via zoom or give a summary from the recording.

Parent Social Fundraiser Co-Chairs (6 positions)

Chairs manage Parent Social, PTA’s largest annual fundraiser, to raise money for PTA activities as well as fostering school community spirit. To ensure a successful PTA fundraiser, responsibilities are split into three key teams: the Raffle Team (solicit donations, manage raffle website, distribute prizes), the Sales and Marketing Team (create communications timeline, promote the event via PTA channels, promote ticket sales to the school), and the Event Planning Team (secure location, choose food, book entertainment, decorations, and coordinate any fundraising activities at the event). All chairs fundraise with oversight from the VPs and Treasurer.

Spirit Wear (2 positions)

Contract with local vendor for the purchase of EMS spirit wear. Some availability in the summer is required to be prepared for the coming school year. Staff in-person spirit wear sales 5 times throughout the year and ensure the online sales platform through vendors is up to date.

PTA Membership (2 positions)

Be a Membership Champion! Help us kick off the school year right by leading our PTA Membership commitee by developing fun incentives, managing online registration through Membership Toolkit, recruiting new members at school events, and distributing membership perks.