Committees

Blood Drive
What we do: Work with class parents to get donors for the District Blood Drive, which takes place in January. Additionally, volunteers are needed to help the day of the Blood Drive.
Help needed: October to January
Committee chair:
Contact:

Box Tops for Education
What we do: Collect, count and mail in box tops handed in by students and their families to raise money for Albany Avenue.
Help needed: All year
Committee chair: Jill Lewis-Flood
Contact:

COPE
What we do: Attend district meetings and report information back to the PTA.
Help needed: All year (every six weeks)
Committee chair: Lisa Honan
Contact:

Family Fun
What we do: Organize a variety of family events, such as Family Fun Night and Family Game Show Night, to encourage family play and help keep our children healthy and fit.
Help needed: All year
Committee chairs: Darlene Schmigdall & Jennifer Pantorno
Contact:

Fifth Grade
What we do: Organize events and activities for our graduating class, including ordering T-shirts, preparing the yearbook, taking photos and planning the 5th Grade Breakfast and Celebration.
Help needed: All year
Committee chairs: Dorene Kaufman, Margaret Hroch & Dina Rhein
Contact:

Flying Carpet
What we do: Read to kindergartners and first-graders during part of their lunch period for 6 weeks in February through March. Books are supplied by the librarian. (Well-behaved tag-alongs are welcome.)
Help needed: January to March
Committee chair: Diana Morana
Contact:

Helping Hands
What we do: Help the kindergarten teachers in the mornings and afternoons and during center time (weekly commitment, days/times depend on teacher and your availability).
Help needed: All year
Committee chair: Lisa Byrnes
Contact:

Hospitality
What we do: Arrange refreshments for PTA meetings.
Help needed: All year
Committee chair: Anna Yung
Contact:

Jenkins
What we do: Celebrating those who have given outstanding contributions to the PTA and/or the welfare of our children in our school or community. Committee members handle the nominating process, including the collection of resumes for potential candidates, for the Jenkins and Distinguished Service Awards which are given out by the PTA at the Thank You Celebation in May.
Help needed: January to May
Committee chair: Jennifer Pantorno
Contact:

Jumprope for Heart
What we do: This is a fun activity for our 4th and 5th graders that takes place in May that helps raise money for the American Heart Association. Committee members assist with fund-raising efforts and help distribute water and apples to the children on a day of the event.
Help needed: May
Committee chair: Kathy Giorgio
Contact:

Kindergarten Registration
What we do: Help parents of incoming kindergartners register their children and screen children for amblyopia.
Help needed: March
Committee chair: Margaret Hroch
Contact:

Newsletter
What we do: Gather information to be disseminated to Albany Avenue families via the PTA's monthly newsletter, Albany Avenews, and website.
Help needed: All year
Committee chair: Dina Rhein
Contact:

PARP
What we do: PARP is our month-long reading program that encourages children to read at home with their family. Volunteers help out during special events, including Read-a-Loud Night, as well as with weekly tasks.
Help needed: October to March
Committee chair: Angela Arpaio
Contact:

Project Self-Esteem
What we do: Present lessons on self-esteem issues to children in their classrooms, using an established curriculum.
Help needed: January to May
Committee chair: Stefanie O'Donnell
Contact:

PTA Dinners
What we do: Research restaurant options for special PTA dinners and present them at the PTA meetings, and then organize and host the events.
Help needed: October to December, April to June
Committee chair:
Contact:

Reflections
What we do: "Reflections" is a national program that promotes creativity using a common theme. Students submit entries in a variety of creative categories, such as literature or photography, and then winners in each category are selected. Volunteers help introduce the program to the school, collect entries, name judges, display entries in the school and submit qualified winning entries to the district.
Help needed: October to February
Committee chair: Piera Keating
Contact:

Relay for Life
What we do: Volunteers organize a team to walk during the spring event in order to raise money for the American Cancer Society.
Help needed: March to June
Committee chair: Margaret Hroch
Contact:

Scholarships
What we do: With regard to high school seniors and scholarship awards, the committee meets to determine any fundraising events, scholarship amounts, interview schedules and process, awards ceremony, etc.
Help needed: February to June
Committee chair: Stacey Tranchina
Contact:

School Kits
What we do: In preparation for the next school year, the PTA makes school kits available for purchase. Volunteers collect the money/forms and then help distribute the supplies during the selected pick-up day.
Help needed: April, June
Committee chair: Pete Scozzari
Contact:

School Pictures
What we do: Help the students on the day they take their school portraits, as well as collect money/forms and distribute the photos when they arrive.
Help needed: September
Committee chair: Kathy Pantalias
Contact:

School Store
What we do: The Corner Stop is our school store. Volunteers help "man" the store and sell students supplies as well as novelty items. The store is open several mornings per week, from 8:55 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.
Help needed: All year
Committee chair: Sharon Piraino
Contact:

SEPTA
What we do: Volunteers attend monthly SEPTA (Special Education PTA) meetings and report back to the PTA.
Help needed: All year
Committee chair: Stacey Tranchina
Contact:

Smooth Start
What we do: During the first weeks of school, volunteers help kindergartners off and on the bus, help teachers unpack and pack-up students in the AM and PM, and assist kindergartners during their lunch period.
Help needed: September
Committee chair: Dorene Kaufman
Contact:

Student Appreciation
What we do: Organize a variety of special events throughout the year for our students.
Help needed: All year
Committee chair: Jennifer Pantorno
Contact:

Welcome Back BBQ
What we do: Help organize and host our Welcome Back BBQ, which takes place in September.
Help needed: September
Committee chair: Diane Grossman
Contact:

Youth Council
What we do: Volunteers attend monthly Youth Council meetings and report back to the PTA.
Help needed: All year
Committee chair:
Contact: