Ongoing throughout school year

Make this committee what you want it to be with potential to raise big funds for the PTO.  It can be as simple as just collecting and box tops or more elaborate with the collection of labels and milk tops as well as prizes and parties for the classes with the best participation.

Winter

Career day is an opportunity to expose children to various professional and technical career options.  Committee members are needed to recruit and coordinate parent speakers.  You may also sign up here if you would like to present.

October 2 and November 13

Volunteers are needed to distribute picture day information and help the photographers organize each classroom for individual and group photos, including some help with grooming details.

The focus of the Cultural Arts Committee is to review and host arts assemblies for the school. The committee will also assist teachers in finding resources/performances that compliment their classroom curriculum. Grant writing help may be needed.In 2005-06 the Cultural Arts Committee supported two Artist in Residency projects at Thoreau.

The school directory is created by the PTO and distributed at no charge to all Thoreau families in October.

Spring or possibly ongoing

Coordinators will help involve the students in making Thoreau more Earth Friendly.  This was a huge success in 2009/2010 with the school garden, group clean ups and classroom and lunch room recycling. Lets keep the ideas flowing!

Ongoing

An endowment fund has been established for Thoreau with the Madison Public School District.  Money is contributed to Thoreau through this fund on an annual basis.  The committee oversees the use of these funds at Thoreau.  Suggestions by committee members are also encouraged for raising money for the endowment.

Spring

This will be the 4th Annual Thoreau Garage Sale in the spring.  All proceeds go toward the PTO and helping the students and staff at Thoreau.  Volunteers are needed to help sort and organize items for this one-day sale the night before and during the event.

End of Year

Volunteers are needed to help organize and plan this celebration.

The PTO foreign language program is designed to give Thoreau students exposure to the language and culture of foreign countries. Most of the organizational work is done in August and September, with lighter responsibilities for the duration of the program.French, Spanish, Sign Language, and Mandarin Chinese are currently offered.

End of year

This is the last event of the year and typically has a huge turn out at Marlborough Park.  Assist the PTO by helping out with this event.

Ongoing

Consider helping welcome new families to Thoreau at the following events: Kindergarten Orientation, Kindergarten Screening, Summer Play Dates, Kindergarten Registration, and the Meet & Greet on the first day of school.

This committee organizes events enhancing academics at Thoreau. This committee also serves as a support and resource for teachers who are looking for materials to help kids who need a “higher challenge”.

Due to district budget cuts, the library has lost over 18 hours of assistance per week. Help is needed on a regular basis to check out books for students, to re-shelve books, and to offer general help to students during class library time. A regular weekly or monthly time commitment would be wonderful.Training will be provided and no previous library skills are necessary.

Ongoing

Volunteer your time in the lunchroom once a week, once a month, or whenever you can.  It takes one hour of your time and it makes a world of difference to the students and staff during lunch at school.  Lunch room duties include helping kids obtain condiments and open lunches, cleaning up spills, helping with trash and recycling, wiping tables and refilling utensil baskets.  Recess duties include simply offering support to Thoreau staff in maintaining order on the playgrounds.

September

Be a part of the first fun event of the school year by helping with the Fall Open House and Used Book Fair.  These PTO events run at the same time as the Scholastic Book Fair and Pizza Party during an evening in the first month of school.

Ongoing throughout school year

In order to build a stronger community at Thoreau we’d like to find a parent to act as classroom communicator for each class.  Your job in this position would be to contact the parents in your child’s class to inform of PTO events before they occur.  Tasks include reminder calls regarding PTO meetings and events, parent/teacher conference reminders, and helping to coordinate transportation if needed.

Ongoing throughout school year

Get involved in the planning and implementation process for improvements to the upper playground at Thoreau and would like parent involvement. Please let us know if you want to be involved in improving Thoreau School!

Ongoing

Join this committee to help spiff up the inside of the school.  Mr. Jason will lead the team with coordinating ideas, gathering donations and making the school look a little nicer in a budget friendly fashion.

Ongoing throughout school year

Join this newly organized PTO committee to help improve our school food scene.  This committee was new for 2009/2010 and could be used to influence school lunches and school snacks as well as apply for school food grants and collaborate on the school garden.

June

Help coordinate and run this festive end of year all-school picnic barbecue in June.  This is a PTO sponsored event that works closely with the lunch room staff for planning and logistics.

We are looking for volunteers who speak Spanish (or any other languages as needed) to volunteer as greeters or translators at PTO functions.We are also looking for volunteers who could translate flyers for school events and translate the monthly school newspaper into Spanish (or coordinate the translations for us).

Ongoing

Assist the PTO in expressing appreciation to the staff at Thoreau through special events and potlucks during the school year.

Spring

The talent show helps highlight the talents, skills, and personalities of our students at Thoreau.  Help coordinate and run this fun and well-attended event.

This committee arranges for transportation for families (usually cabs) to attend PTO-sponsored meetings and events.

Ongoing

Join this team to create the school yearbook for distribution at the end of the school year.  Help with photography, editing, data collection, sales, and distribution.

Winter

An evening themed dance party is a fun event for the whole family.  Volunteers are needed to help plan and execute this event.