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Fair Haven PTA Committee Chair Guidelines

Contracts:
All PTA contracts must be signed by the PTA President. Please contact Sarah Maris (747-6922
or sarah.maris@gmail.com) when you need something signed.
Executive Board Representative:
According to our Standing Rules, your Executive Board Representative is an ex-officio member
of your committee (which means she shows up at meetings, offers ideas and suggestions, but doesn’t
do any substantial work ☺). Please make a point of keeping your Board Rep in the loop by inviting
her to meetings, copying her on important correspondence and giving her regular verbal reports.
This will help your Executive Board Representative write her brief monthly reports on all active
committees.
Letters of solicitation:
Solicitation letters must be approved by PTA President and FH Schools Superintendent
before they can be distributed to parents, community members and others. Contact Sarah (747-6922
or sarah.maris@gmail.com) and she will obtain the necessary approvals.
Membership:
All chairpersons must be members of the PTA. Please encourage all of your committee members to
join the PTA. Membership forms are available in the PTA section of the FH Schools website or from
membership chair Mary Pat Gendleman (936-0653 or marypat@gmail.com).
Procedure Books:
All committees are required to keep detailed procedure books to help future committee chairs
understand what to do. See next page for a suggested list of Procedure Book contents. Your
Procedure Book should be turned in to your Executive Board Representative after your
committee’s activities have been completed for the year. You need not wait until June to turn in your
book.
PTA meetings:
Committee chairs are encouraged to attend PTA meetings particularly when their committee is
active. This is an important way to share information and get questions answered. If you cannot
make the meetings, please inform your Executive Board Representative.
School Property Use:
If your committee will be using any of the facilities at Knollwood or Sickles School, you must submit
an Application for Use form to Jacqui Baker in the Board of Education office. Application for Use forms
may be obtained on the FH Schools website (under “Forms”) or from the BOE office.
Solicitation Policy:
1) Door to door sales by children is prohibited by the Fair Haven Board of Education.
2) Prize incentives for sales are also against school policy.
3) All solicitation of local businesses and parents should be cleared by the PTA Executive
Board. We want to maintain a strong relationship with community and avoid duplication so we
need to be careful how and when we ask for donations.
Term Limits:
According to our standing rules, no committee chair may serve more than three consecutive
terms as chair of the same committee. The purpose of this rule is to spread the work – and the
fun – around. If this is your third term or if you want to do something different next year, please talk
to your Executive Board Representative about finding and training your replacement.
If you have questions about theses policies or about the Standing Rules, please contact your Executive
Board Representative or PTA President Sarah Maris.
Fair Haven PTA
Committee Chair Basics
2006-07
Fair Haven PTA
Suggested Procedure Book Contents
Your Procedure Book should include enough detail that someone else could run your committee
without asking you any questions.

Each Committee’s book will be a little different, but most should include the following sections:

I) Committee Chair Basics (prepared by the Executive Board)


• Committee Chair Guidelines: A brief recap of imporant committee chair procedures policies
• Suggested Procedure Book contents
• Fair Haven PTA Standing Rules

II) Committee Chair Instructions:


• Timetable or list of what to do when
• Notes from meetings
• Other relevant “how to” information

III) Budget:
• Budget Procedures (prepared by Executive Board)
• Committee Budget Summary
• Expense Tracker
• Copies of receipts/invoices for big ticket items

IV) Communication:
• Communication Procedures (prepared by Executive Board)
• Flyer Procedures (prepared by Executive Board)
• Copies of flyers, newsletter articles, lunch menu blurbs, articles in local newspapers etc.

V) Committee Members/Key Contacts:


• A list of names, phone numbers and emails of your committee members
• Contact information for vendors, suppliers, speakers, guests etc.

VI) Other Information:


• Menus, Supply List and/or Contracts
• Copies of relevant paperwork to help future committees see what you did

VII) Expense Vouchers/Tax Exempt forms (prepared by Executive Board)

Don’t let putting together your Procedure Book stress you out! If you are struggling with what
to include or how to write it down, contact Sarah Maris (747-6922 or sarah.maris@gmail.com) or
Danielle Hester (842-0281 or danihester@aol.com). We have prepared several of these books and
we can help you to put your book together in no time.

Fair Haven PTA


Committee Chair Basics
2006-07
Fair Haven PTA Committee Chair Instructions
Committee Chair Instructions should include everything an incoming Chairperson should know.
We realize this means extra work for you, but it really is necessary for future committees.

Use whatever format makes sense for your committee:


• Monthly Timetable (see attached template – also available as a Microsoft Word Document
on the PTA website. See “PTA Procedure Book Forms” )
• Countown Timetable (see Friends of Different Learners Meetings/Workshops example)
• List of tasks (see Friends of Different Learners Email List example)
• Your own format

Include as much detail as possible:


• If you are an experienced chair, try to remember all of the questions you had the first time
you worked on the committee
• Keep notes as you go along – it’s too easy to forget the little but critical steps later
• Include all helpful paperwork (e.g. budget info, flyers, contact information) in the relevant
sections of your book

If you have questions, contact your Executive Board Representative or Sarah Maris (747-6922 or
sarah.maris@gmail.com) or Danielle Hester (842-0281 or danihester@aol.com). We want to make
this process as user-friendly as possible – both for you and for future chairs.

Fair Haven PTA


Committee Chair Instructions
2006-07
***TASK LIST EXAMPLE ***
Fair Haven Friends of Different Learners
Email List Procedures

Collect email addresses from interested parties and add them to the list
• Circulate a sign up sheet at all meetings
• Include the fhfdl@hotmail.com address on brochure given to parents whose children are
new to the Special Education system
• Anyone may join our email list. Current members include Fair Haven parents, staff and
administration as well as parents, staff and administration from other nearby school districts.
• Add email addresses to the Hotmail account as new contacts
• Add contacts to one of the two groups. Hotmail will not allow us to send an email to more
than 50 people at a time so we split the list into two groups (last names A-L and last names
M-Z)
• Once a year send an email reminder that we
would be happy to remove any recipient’s
name from our list – they just need to send us
an email requesting that we do so.

Access our hotmail account:


Go to www.hotmail.com
E-mail address: fhfdl@hotmail.com
Password: ********

Monitor account for meeting and workshop announcements sent by other groups and list
members.
• Forward anything that seems interesting and/or fairly local.
• We try to respect our list members’ email boxes so we do not forward items that are of a
commercial nature.
• We also try to step gingerly around anything controversial. Our goal is to provide
information, not to start (or foster) arguments.

Announce Friends of Different Learners meetings


• Send a “save the date” email as soon as meetings are scheduled.
• Send reminder emails one week before and also on the day of the meeting.

Fair Haven PTA


Committee Chair Instructions
2006-07
***TASK LIST EXAMPLE ***
Use BCC box for addresses when sending or forwarding email
– this preserves privacy by blocking list members from seeing other
member’s email addresses.

1. Click on the “Show CC and BCC” link in the upper


right corner of the Hotmail email box.

2. Go to the BCC box

3. Select one of the groups

4. Click on send

5. Repeat steps 2-4 for other group

Fair Haven PTA


Committee Chair Instructions
2006-07
***COUNTDOWN TIMETABLE EXAMPLE ***
Fair Haven Friends of Different Learners
Workshops/ Meetings Timetable
Summer/Early Fall:
• Determine number of workshops and meetings for the year
• Solicit ideas for speaker/workshop topics and months for workshop – ask Friends members, CST
staff and others
• Set up a tentative schedule

2-3 months before each meeting/workshop:


• Confirm speaker and topic (if there is one). Get available dates from speaker. Try to have at least 3
or 4 options – the school calendar is pretty busy.
• Check for availability of meeting space (Knollwood or Sickles Media Center) with Jacqui Baker in the
Board of Education Office. Also check with PTA President to confirm that there are no other PTA
events that evening.
• Confirm date with speaker and submit an “Application for Facilities Usage” form to Jacqui Baker.
Forms are available on the FH Schools website or at the BOE office.
• Send out “Save the Date” email to FHFDL email list

1 month before each meeting/workshop:


• Ask PTA President to see if the back of Lunch menu is available on the Friday before the meeting.
If so, that’s a great place to advertise the meeting/workshop.
• Call speaker to see if s/he needs any equipment (podium, computer hook up, screen etc.)

3 weeks before each meeting/workshop


• Create flyer (see PTA Flyer procedures) and submit it to PTA President for approval.
• Call PTA Duplication and arrange to have flyer distributed 2 weeks before the event

2 weeks before each meeting/workshop


• Send out reminder email to FHFDL list.

Day before event


• Call speaker to re-confirm and make sure s/he has directions to the meeting location. Confirm any
equipment or other needs.
• Send out reminder email to FHFDL list.

Day of event
• Arrive at least 20 minutes early to make sure room is set up. If event is not set up properly, find a
custodian and ask for help with setup
• Post extra signs to help people find the meeting location – many of our meetings are attended by
people who are not familiar with our schools.
• Greet speaker and discuss any time parameters or other issues (e.g. meeting must end by 9 p.m., hold
Q&A to the end)
• Introduce speaker and announce any time parameters or other issues as discussed with speaker.
• Thank speaker at the conclusion of the meeting. Don’t leave until everyone else has left the room
.
Day after event
• Write a thank you note to speaker. PTA letterhead is available from PTA President if needed.
Fair Haven PTA
Committee Chair Instructions
2006-07
2006-07 Monthly Timetable
Committee: __________________________
Summer

September

October

November

December

Fair Haven PTA


Committee Chair Instructions
2006-07
January

February

March

April

May

June

Fair Haven PTA


Committee Chair Instructions
2006-07
Fair Haven PTA Communication Procedures
We have four ways to communicate with Parents:
A. PTA Newsletter
The PTA Newsletter is distributed on the last Wednesday of every month to give parents
information about upcoming and past PTA activities.
All PTA chairs should contribute the following:
1. Information about events:
Publicity for an upcoming event – 1-2 months in advance
Recap of past month’s event
2. Dates, times and locations for calendar
3. Requests for volunteers and non-monetary donations
4. Thank yous to those parents, staff and others who made special contributions to the
success of the committee
Newsletter information should be sent to Danielle Hester (danihester@aol.com). Please send
articles as email text or as a Microsoft Word attachement. The Newsletter staff may edit and
change articles as needed.
Newsletter Date Articles Due Distribution Date
October Tuesday 9/12 Wednesday 9/27
November Tuesday 10/17 Tuesday 10/31
December Friday 11/10 Wednesday 11/27
January Tuesday 12/5 Wednesday 12/20
February Tuesday 1/16 Wednesday 1/31
March Tuesday 2/13 Wednesday 2/28
April Tuesday 3/13 Wednesday 3/28
May Tuesday 4/10 Wednesday 4/25
June Monday 5/14 Wednesday 5/30
Summer Tuesday 6/5 Wednesday 6/20

B. Lunch Menu
The Lunch Menu should be used for:
1. Date, time and location reminders for events
2. Requests for volunteers and non-monetary donations
To put something in the Friday Lunch menu, contact Sarah Maris (747-6922 or
sarah.maris@gmail.com ) no later than Wednesday morning. Please keep information brief –
space is very limited.
C. Flyers sent home with students (see next page for detailed procedures)
D. Publicity/local publications: If you would like to get your event or effort mentioned in
local publications (e.g. the Fair Haven Focus, Two Rivers Times, The Hub), please contact
Sarah Maris for content approval. Information will then be passed along to Ann Carey (PTA
Publicity Chair) for submission to publications. Most publications have very long lead times.
Please get your information to Sarah at least 6-8 weeks before you need it published.
E. PTA Phone Chain: The phone chain is to be used only for emergencies and other special
circumstances. If you think your situation qualifies, please contact Sarah Maris.
Fair Haven PTA
Communications
2006-07
Fair Haven PTA Flyer Procedures
1. Create your flyer
Include (as relevant)
• Event date/due dates
• Location, time etc.
• Where to turn in forms (e.g. PTA Mailbox)
• Contact information for questions
• Mission Statement is required on all flyers!:
PTA Mission Statement: It is the mission of the Fair Haven PTA to promote the
welfare, safety and educational development of our children in the home, school and
community through the cooperative efforts of parents and teachers
Keep the design simple and try not to use large amounts of thick black graphics. Our flyers are
copied on a wet-process machine and large black areas tend to stick and jam the copier. PTA
Duplication will ask you to change any flyer that cannot be copied easily.
2. Get flyer approved
All flyers must be approved by PTA President Sarah Maris and FH Schools Superintendent Bill
Presutti before they can be distributed to students.
Please email your flyer to Sarah at sarah.maris@gmail.com or drop it in the mail slot at 32 Hance
Road. Sarah will obtain Mr. Presutti’s approval and call you when it has been approved.
Approvals usually only take a day or two.
3. Turn in flyer and notify PTA Duplication
A. Contact PTA Duplication via phone or email to let them know you have a flyer:
Sharon Puryear (Sickles) 219-0557 sharonpuryear@verizon.net
Carolyn Riley (Knollwood) 741-4088 cajacass@aol.com
B. Place flyer in the Purple PTA Duplication folder in the Knollwood PTA Mailbox
C. Fill out duplication request (in folder) with a description of the flyer, date needed, your
contact information etc.

Whenever possible, please notify PTA Duplication that you will have a flyer for
distribution at least 1-2 weeks in advance. This will help them plan their schedule and
ensure that your flyer gets out on time.
If you are artistically or technologically “challenged” you can get assistance from an
experienced flyer designer by contacting Margo Tikijian (450-9492 or
margotik@comcast.net )
Don’t forget to proofread your flyer. Typos may not be caught during the approval
process (Sarah is a very poor proofreader!)
Include a copy of all flyers in this section of your procedure book so that future chairs
can see what you’ve done.
Have Sarah check to see if the back of the Lunch Menu is available for your flyer. It’s a
great way to get the word out and save paper.

Fair Haven PTA


Communications
2006-07
Fair Haven PTA Budget Procedures
Your committee’s budget has been approved and is listed on the first page of this
Procedure Book. If you need additional funds, contact your Executive Board Representative and
we will try to find a way to increase your budget.
Please do not solicit additional funds from parents, local businesses or other sources. We
are a well-funded organization and we have strong support from our parents and our community.
In order to maintain our good standing we need to be careful about how and when we ask for
donations. The Executive Board must approve all fundraising and all funds must go through the
PTA Treasurer. There are no exceptions to this policy.
Expenditures: When you have expenditures, you may either request a check from the PTA account or
make purchases using your personal funds and request reimbursement.
All requests for checks and/or reimbursement must include the following:
• Receipts and /or bills (photocopies are acceptable)
• A completed expense voucher form (available in the PTA mailboxes at each school or in the
PTA Section of the FH Schools website )
• Committee Chair signature on the "approved by" line.
Mail your completed expense voucher forms to:
Fair Haven PTA
P.O. Box 6392
Fair Haven, NJ 07704
You may also drop them off at Linda Bernabeu's home (97 Lake Avenue). Please place your forms
in the basket on Linda’s porch – not in her mailbox.
A few things to remember:
• Committee Chairs are responsible for monitoring their committee’s expenditures and
ensuring that the committee stays within its budget. Please make sure that anyone submitting
vouchers for your committee has first routed them through you for approval. See the Budget
Worksheet and Expense log to track your budget and expenses.
• Non-fundraising expense voucher forms must be submitted within 30 days of incurring
the expense. This allows the PTA to monitor the entire budget and re-direct funds where
appropriate. Unanticipated expenses throw a wrench into the works.
• Expenses for fundraisers must be submitted within one week of the event. This allows the
PTA to report net profit figures accurately and on a timely basis.
• Year-end expenses must be submitted by June 23, 2006. Since the fiscal year ends on June 30th,
all expenses must be accounted for before the books can be closed.
• The PTA does not reimburse for sales tax. Please obtain an ST-5 tax-exempt form prior to
making any purchases. An ST-5 form has been included in this binder. Additional forms are
available in the PTA mailboxes at each school. If you have trouble with the tax exemption or if
the PTA needs to be pre-registered to take advantage of our tax-exempt status, contact Linda
Bernabeu.
Questions? Contact FH PTA Treasurer, Linda Bernabeu, 741-3936 or lbernabeu@comcast.net

Fair Haven PTA


Budget
2006-07
Fair Haven PTA Budget Worksheet
The purpose of this form is to help you and future committee chairs understand how you have
spent your budget for the year. If this format doesn’t make sense for your committee, please use an
alternative that does.

Your committee’s budget: $_________________________

Expense Category Budget Expense Actual Expense


$ $

Total $ $

Keep this form (or an alternate budget worksheet) in


your Committee Procedure Book

Fair Haven PTA


Budget
2006-07
Fair Haven PTA Expense Log
The purpose of this form is to help you keep track of your expenditures as the year progresses. If this format doesn’t make sense for your
committee, please use an alternative that does.
Expense Category Description of Expense Amount Submitted by
$

Keep this form (or an alternate budget worksheet) in your Committee Procedure Book.
This form may be downloaded from the PTA section of the FH Schools website (see PTA Procedure Book forms). An Excel version is
also available on the website (see PTA Budget Worksheets).

Fair Haven PTA


Budget
2006-07

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