Parent-Teachers Association Overview

The Parent-Teachers Association (PTA) at St. James School was established to foster a cooperative effort between home and school. St. James School greatly depends on the support of the PTA for many of the school’s daily activities. The PTA is involved in many aspects of your child’s educational experience. Our active PTA lends those extra sets of helping hands with everything from helping our school nurse, providing safety before, during and after school to helping keep the school grounds clean and presentable. The PTA also raises funds through school-sponsored events to help the school defray and/or supplement its operating costs. In addition, the PTA recognizes the importance of helping and supporting parents as they parent today and provides a guest speaker of interest on a bimonthly basis prior to PTA meetings.

Parents are encouraged to participate and contribute suggestions regarding the St. James School community and their children through the PTA. Parents and guardians automatically become members of the PTA when they register their children at St. James. To foster this participation, St. James PTA has established the Partners for Excellence Program providing parents with two flexible options for meeting their volunteer requirements. All families registered at St. James must participate in the Partners for Excellence Program. Please refer to the Partners for Excellence section below for a more detailed description.

The PTA meets on a monthly basis and encourages all parents and other interested family members or friends to attend.

Mrs. Janet Dolan, the principal, serves as Advisor to the PTA and Reverend Monsignor Philip Lowery, Pastor, serves as Moderator. The faculty and staff of St. James are encouraged to participate in all PTA activities of interest and their support is welcomed and appreciated.

The PTA Officers, Executive Board and Committee and Event Chairs are selected by a nominating committee under the guidance of Mrs. Dolan and serve a two-year term.

The PTA Officers include Co-Presidents, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary and Treasurer. The Co-Presidents are responsible for overseeing all aspects of PTA activities. This includes all committees, events and fundraisers. The 1st and 2nd Vice Presidents are responsible for assisting the Co-Presidents with whatever duties deemed necessary. The Corresponding Secretary is responsible for all written communication sent on behalf of the PTA, including but not limited to birthday greetings and condolence messages. The Recording Secretary is responsible for documenting the proceedings of the PTA meetings. The Treasurer is responsible for all financial transactions of the PTA, including the presentation of monthly reports at all PTA meetings. In addition, all officers are given responsibility for overseeing certain Executive Board functions; committees and events based on their interests and expertise.

The PTA Officers are strongly supported by members of the Executive Board who are the volunteers responsible for Class Parents/Phone Committee, Community Relations, Development Liaison, Hospitality, Legislative and Public Affairs, Newsletter, Partners for Excellence, Adult and Children’s Programs, Publicity and Communications, Royals Club and Spiritual Development.

Committee chairs are those volunteers coordinating After-School Clubs, Bake Sales, Before School Monitors, Clerical/Collating, Directory, 50/50 Sales, Kindergarten Lunch Monitors, Landscaping, Library Aides, Lunchroom Monitors, Playground Monitors, Primary Aides, Book Fairs, Fall Fundraiser, School Supply Sales and Progressive Raffle.

Event chairs are those volunteers coordinating After-School PTA Activities,  Cropwalk,  Father/Daughter Dance, Graduating Class Events, Grandparent’s Tea, Harvest Social, Mother/Son Outing, Breakfast with Santa and Walkathon.

It is anticipated that all PTA Officers, Executive Board members and Committee and Event Chairs will earn their Partners for Excellence credits through their volunteer efforts. Further detail regarding the responsibilities of these positions can be obtained by contacting the PTA at PTA@mysaintjames.com

PTA Structure 2008-2009

Moderator: Monsignor Lowery

Advisor: Janet Dolan

Co-Presidents: Linda Murphy & Beth Coakley