Elm Grove Parent Teacher Association Handbook

Transcription

1 Elm Grove Parent Teacher Association Handbook

2 Foreward by John Lynch, Head teacher, Elm Grove School Welcome to Elm Grove. Our school is very fortunate to have such a dynamic and influential PTA. The organisation is in its infancy but it has already had a positive impact on many areas of school life. I look forward to the growth of the PTA and its role in strengthening the links between home and school and supporting parents and pupils with fundraising activities. I hope to get to know many parents through links with the PTA and look forward to seeing you at future events. John Lynch Headteacher A Welcome from our Chair Hello Welcome to Elm Grove School PTA. My name is Pollyanna Ruiz and I have had children at the school for the past seven years! In the early years, when the children where very small I used to volunteer for stalls, bring in bric a brac for the school fair and generally help out as and when I could. As the children have grown (and I have had a little more time!) I have become more involved with the PTA and I am currently its chair. I really enjoy catching up with other parents, hearing everyone s ideas and trying to put them into action! The PTA is a great way of keeping in touch with your child s progress through the school, meeting parents beyond your year group and contributing to wider school life. I l hope you enjoy the PTA as much as I do and look forward to meeting you at one of its meetings or events! Polly Ruiz Chair, PTA I am Jo Wright, the secretary of the PTA. I have a daughter in Year 5 and my three other children have also been through Elm Grove. I work as a teaching assistant two days a week in Reception classes which is a job I really enjoy. Setting up the PTA has been very interesting and I have got to know so many more people through getting involved. Welcoming new members every year means that the PTA is always changing and we always interested in new ideas for events and ways to improve. Hi, I m Matt Gould and I am the Treasurer. The eldest of my two daughters is in year 4 at Elm Grove and I also have a three year old. I wanted to join the PTA for a chance to engage in the wellbeing of the school it s been really enjoyable and rewarding. I m Lucie Benson, the teacher liaison with the PTA. I have been teaching at Elm Grove for many years and love the creative atmosphere within which I work that represents the fabulous contributions from staff, pupils and parents. I ve represented our staff as a teacher-governor and joined the PTA to continue sharing ideas between parents and teachers. Elm Grove Parent Teacher Association Handbook 1

3 Welcome to our school! This booklet aims to give you information about the Parent/Teacher Association (PTA) so you can get involved. Membership You are now automatically a member of the PTA and we d love to you to help in any way you can. All of the Elm Grove staff are members and two representatives sit on our committee. Our aims are to: 1. Fundraise for equipment for our children 2. Award grants to teachers for their year groups for special projects 3. Bring those involved with the school together 4. Reach out to the local community in the area You can get involved as little or as much as you want the choice is yours! Become a class representative for your child s class a liaison between the PTA and your child s class, helping to spread the word Become a committee member Chair, Treasurer, Secretary or member) Attend our regular meetings (third Tuesday of each half term alternating at 3.30pm at the school and 8pm in the Hanover Pub on Queens Park Road) or our annual meeting in May Join one of our task forces events, charitable status and finance and communications Help out at a fundraising event helping at a stall, tidying up, setting up, publicity etc. Help out by making posters, helping on newsletters, doing sponsored events, donating books to the school or goods for fairs etc. Fill in our surveys and help us get them filled in by all parents Help out in any other way including ideas! Charity Status We will soon be a registered charity. This enables the PTA to: receive charitable donations from local and national companies apply to grant-making charitable trusts; most charitable trusts will give grants only to groups formally recognised as charities receive donations made through payroll giving and company matched giving schemes apply for Gift Aid NCPTA We are members of the National Council for PTAs which gives us advice, insurance for our events and tips for fundraising. What we have done so far Formed in 2010, we have: held a joint communications survey with the school to see parents priorities and suggestions, many of which have been implemented by the school Set up a series of small task groups which will organise our events, manage our wider communications and develop our fundraising strategies. Set up a system of small and large grants to distribute monies raised by the PTA in support of the curriculum throughout the school Supported Playground Force events in the school that have resulted in the playground being tidied up and areas painted in a fun event by parents and children Elm Grove Parent Teacher Association Handbook 2

4 Held a cheese and wine evening in February 2011 to enable Reception year parents to get to know each other Held a Key Stage 1 Spring leap party in March 2011 which made 470 Provided books to Year One classes with a small grant of 250 Provided a small grant to Year three for a video a project Funded multi skills markings for the basketball court at a cost of 2,250 Held a Winter Fair in 2010 which made about 1300 Held a Spring Fair in 2011 which made about 1800 Supported a school leavers party for year 6 students Held an End of Year Picnic Held a wine tasting fundraisers with local wine merchant Henry Butler How we communicate We will send letters home in your child s book bag these are usually short and sweet so won t take up much of your time. We have a web page on the school s website where you can find our minutes, a diary of future meetings & events Through our class representatives Through our noticeboard opposite the school office Through our pigeonhole in the school office Through posters put up outside and around the school We have an address pta@elmgrove.brighton-hove.sch.uk 2011/12 Class Reps and Committee members Committee members Chair Polly Ruiz (Yr. 3 parent) Shadow Chair Jane Eyles (Yrs. 3 & 5 parent) Secretary (R) Jo Wright (Yr. 4 parent and Reception Teaching Assistant) Shadow Secretary Anna Roberts (Yrs. 4 and 2) Treasurer Matt Gould (Yr 3 parent) Shadow Treasurer Matt Andrews (Reception parent) School Representative John Lynch (Head Teacher) School representative Lucy Ahmed (Yr. 3 teacher) Class Representatives Apple Cherry Beech Birch Bonsai Baobab Holly Horse Chestnut Cedar Cypress Rowan Redwood Oak Elder Astrella Chapman Colin Forsyth Ruth Sharma Zoe Bouras Anna Roberts Mark Walker Emma Sutton Emma Sutton Syreeta Kumar Fiona Nicholls Karen Travis Karen Travis Nadia Strahan Nadia Strahan Elm Grove Parent Teacher Association Handbook 3

5 Task Group Representatives Events Task Force responsible for organising future fundraising events Anna Roberts Karen Travis Jo Wright Astrella Chapman Charity Status Task Force responsible for investigating the PTA becoming a registered charity and maintaining charity status Polly Ruiz MattGould Patrick Hastings Wilf Nicholls Ash Gilbert Communications Task Force responsible for investigating improving the school s and PTA s communications with parents Zoe Bouras Jane Eyles Mark Walker Jo Wright Ash Gilbert Elm Grove Parent Teacher Association Handbook 4

6 Parents Questionnaire All families of pupils at our school are members of the PTA. The PTA runs regular fundraising and social events for the whole school community. Our fundraising efforts have enhanced the education and experience of all the children at the school and will continue to do so, with your support. We would like to know a little bit about you and the events and activities that interest you. The PTA Committee would appreciate it if you would take a few minutes to complete this questionnaire and hand it into the school office. If you prefer, you can complete this survey online at Name: Contact telephone no: Child s name and class: What sort of events would you enjoy attending, e.g. quiz night, family disco? Please list any skills or talents you have that the PTA might be able to use: e.g. good with computers, painting, carpentry, gardening, baking, financial, marketing, face painting, talking to other parents etc. Do you work for/own a company that might be prepared to support the PTA by donating a raffle prize or sponsoring a stall at our Winter or summer fair? If yes, please give details. Do you work for a company that has a company matched giving scheme for employees, such as a bank or building society? If you don t know, would you be prepared to ask them? Elm Grove Parent Teacher Association Handbook 5

7 Would you be interested in supporting the committee to help plan and organise events as a class representative or PTA volunteer in the task forces? Would you like more information about joining the committee, the roles and responsibilities and the time commitment involved? Is there anything specific you would like the PTA to fund or any ideas for events? Please give details: Many thanks Every year we hold our AGM in May to report on the previous year s work and elect the new committee members. This is a meeting for all members of the PTA, not just the elected committee members. It is our chance to tell you about our achievements and the difference we have made. We need the support of parents so that decisions taken at the AGM are valid and in line with our constitution. Elm Grove Parent Teacher Association Handbook 6