The Olney Elementary PTA is an association made up of parents and teachers who serve as advocates for the children of Olney. The officers are elected each year by the general membership. Committee chairpersons are parent volunteers who coordinate the duties of their particular position.

We are working to make 2009-2010 a great year for the Olney community.
PTA Meetings will be held on the first Tuesday of every month unless otherwise noted. The following is a list of meeting dates for the coming year. PTA meetings start at 7:30 PM in the media center. Everyone is encouraged to attend!

Meeting Dates

• September 10, 2009
• October 6, 2009
• November 3, 2009
  
• No December Meeting
• January 5, 2010
• No February Meeting
• March 2, 2010
• No April Meeting
• May 4, 2010

The PTA could not function without the support of its many parent volunteers. All parents are encouraged to volunteer in any capacity that they are able. Not everyone will be able to serve on a committee or help in the classroom, but you may be called upon to serve in some other way.

PTA Officers 2008-2009

• President - Nancy Hull
• Vice President - Helen Mao
• Secretary - Julie Escanilla
• Treasurer - Carolyn Knipe
• MCCPTA Delegate - Bill Jacobs
• NAACP Rep - Pauline Foster-Whitmore

The following is an overview of the functions and activities of the Olney Elementary PTA.

Officers

President: Oversees all the function of the PTA, conducts monthly business meetings and attends meetings and workshops as required.

Executive Vice President/Vice President(s): Assists the President as needed.

Treasurer: Handles disbursements and receipts, helps create the yearly budget and maintains a set of books.

Secretary: Records the minutes of the monthly business meeting, maintains a history of minutes and correspondence and is in charge of staff gifts from the PTA.

MCCPTA Delegate(s): Attends monthly MCCPTA meetings and reports information to the PTA at the monthly business meeting.

NAACP Rep: Each school community in Montgomery County participates in the NAACP Parents Council with a representative who attends meetings and shares the information.
The mission of the Montgomery County Maryland Branch of the NAACP Parents’ Council is to provide a forum through which interested citizens may offer assistance, guidance and support to minority parents and students of MCPS to pursue the highest quality education possible through encouragement, information sharing, training, positive motivation, critical evaluation and advocacy. The countywide meeting is held on the third Saturday of each month at 9:30 A.M. at the Lynnbrook Center, in Bethesda. For more information contact Pauline Foster-Whitmore.

Program Committees

Chess: Teaches young children the fundamentals of chess in a fun group setting. Tournaments are held within the county. Coordinator ensures proper supplies; oversees club events and helps organize tournaments.

Cultural Arts: Researches and organizes school assemblies for the year. Chairperson attends a workshop to preview artists for these assemblies. The PTA funds the entire cost of these programs. They are the highlight of the day for our children.

Family Nights: Fun, inexpensive family events are scheduled about six to seven times during the school year. The PTA funds a portion of the cost of the various programs. The chairperson and volunteers coordinate the evening. Provides the opportunity to have a great time and to meet other families.

F.L.E.S. (Foreign Language in the Elementary School): Spanish classes are offered before school to grades 1-5. The chairperson coordinates enrollment and recruits parent volunteers for necessary chaperoning before school. The fee is covered by the parent.

Science Fair : Primarily focuses on the popular annual science fair. Gives all children an opportunity to create their own science project in a non-competitive setting. Chairperson organizes and oversees the event.

Information Sharing Committees

Directory/Handbook: The school directory provides valuable information regarding student information, school guidelines and PTA activities. The coordinator compiles the directory and is responsible for its publication and distribution.

Historian: The chairperson takes photographs throughout the school year as a history of school events and functions. Also maintains photo albums. The PTA pays for all film and developing.

Newsletter Editor: The PTA produces a weekly newsletter informing parents of school and PTA related news and events. The newsletter is sent home on Fridays with the children. The chairperson types and edits the newsletter.

Sign Message: The chairperson is responsible for displaying school related messages on the sign on the corner of Georgia Avenue and Queen Mary Drive. The sign was a gift to the school from the PTA.

School Support Groups

Field Days: Coordinator recruits volunteers and helps the P.E. teacher coordinate this annual spring event that celebrates physical health.

Fifth Grade Memories: Chairperson coordinates, recruits volunteers and provides a "memory" to the 5th graders the last day of school. The PTA funds this function.

Grounds: Help provide and maintain the beautification of our school grounds. This project is PTA funded.

Health Room: Coordinator recruits volunteers for vision and hearing screening. Also arranges for volunteers to cover the health room if the need arises.

Kindergarten Orientation: Helps staff to organize Orientation for new kindergartners each spring. Parent volunteers welcome children, and provide tours of the school and refreshments. The PTA provides funds for refreshments.

Memories Reception: Coordinator recruits fourth grade parents to help organize and provide refreshments for the Fifth Grade Memories reception on the last day of school.

Media Center: Chairperson recruits and trains volunteers to help in the Media Center. PTA provides funds to supplement media program and technology.

Nominating: This committee has the crucial task of recruiting parents to fill the officer and committee positions of the PTA.

Room Parents: Chairperson recruits and coordinates the activities of the room parents. Helps room parents plan special school parties (Halloween and Valentine's Day). Also helps organize work assignments for the carnival.

School Pictures: Chairperson helps coordinate the picture-taking process on picture day.

Staff Appreciation: Chairpersons organize appreciation functions and luncheons throughout the year for the staff.

Volunteer Coordinator: Compiles volunteer surveys and coordinates volunteer activity for the year. Holds volunteer meetings in the fall and organizes the "Volunteer Tea" in the spring. PTA provides funds for this recognition tea.

Welcoming: Chairperson is responsible for an annual "Welcoming" function in August to acquaint new families with the school.

Yearbook: Works with the publishing company to create a yearbook. Lays out page designs, coordinates photos and names, and is responsible for the sale of the yearbooks.