Farmington Woods Elementary School PTA
Volunteer Opportunities
Open Leadership/Board positions for 2024/2025
It takes a village to make FWES great! Please let us know if you can help out the PTA in any of the following capacities.
Project Parents: Work with FWES staff on requests as needed. Past examples include changing batteries in the world clocks, assembling tables, managing recess equipment. Commitment: Coordinate with FWES staff as needed. Contact services@fwespta.org\
Campus Beautification: Work with school administration and garden chair to manage bi-annual cleanup of FWES campus. Organize volunteers and coordinate needed supplies and work requests. Typically includes spreading mulch, planting, and trash pickup. Commitment: Several hours of planning work that can be done from home leading up to the selected dates, then supervising volunteers and helping on the day of the cleanup. Typically one Saturday in fall and one in spring. Contact: services@fwespta.org
Teacher Task Team: The teacher task team communicates weekly to support FWES teachers by completing a variety of tasks. They could prepare copies, cut out and prep project components, among other time consuming small jobs. The goal is to support all the hard work our teachers do! Contact: services@fwespta.org
5th Grade Celebration Chair: Work with school administration and fifth grade teachers to send off FWES graduating students in style. Work typically includes designing programs, coordinating with vendors for signs and shirts, and organizing volunteers to assist with the ceremony setup and family picnic. Commitment: Several hours of planning work that can be done from home in the spring; being at school as needed for meetings and on the day of events. Contact services@fwespta.org
VOLUNTEERING NEED DESCRIPTIONS WITH TIME COMMITMENTS
Year-round volunteer need descriptions with time commitment
FUNDRAISING EVENTS
GoPlaySave
For our first fundraiser of the school year, we distribute a GoPlaySave book to each student. These coupon books are for local restaurants, services and kid-related businesses. Students are asked to return the book if they do not wish to sell or purchase one.
When: August and September
Time Commitment: An hour a few times a week. Volunteers are needed to help distribute the books, count money and process orders.
Contact: goplaysave@fwespta.org
Global Fun Run
The Fun Run is the largest fundraiser each year which funds all our PTA-supported programming such as cultural arts, technology and teacher mini-grants. Pledges per lap or flat donations are accepted. This event is partnered with Apex Leadership Co.
When: November
Time Commitment: Team meets periodically two months before. A large number of volunteers are needed for 1-hour shifts at the event.
Contact: funrun@fwespta.org
Book Fair
There are two Book Fairs each year—one in the Fall and one in the Spring—which provide funds for the Inquiry Center. Volunteers are needed to help with setup and cleanup, as well as assisting students with wish lists and purchasing books.
When: November and April (one week each month)
Time Commitment: 1-2 hour shifts all week. Help is especially needed with grades K-2 shifts.
Contact: bookfair@fwespta.org
Spirit Wear
The PTA runs a small pop-up shop for FWES spirit wear. A collection of shirts, hair accessories, water bottles, and other small items. Place orders and sell items at various events and through school-wide order form.
When: Fall Open House, K Welcome, New Family Picnic events and the school-wide drive in the fall.
Time Commitment: Length of specific event
Contact: spiritwear@fwespta.org
Art to Remember
Students create original art that may be purchased as various keepsakes and proceeds provides funds for Mrs. Smith's art supplies.
When: Spring
Time Commitment: Sort through orders for 1-2 hours.
Contact: finearts@fwespta.org
Holiday Basket Raffle
As part of the Ringers and Singers Holiday Concert, the 5th grade R&S families prepare themed baskets to raffle off during the event. The proceeds benefit the music program and the yearly cleaning of the hand bells. Baskets need to be organizing and gathered, work during the concert and complete the accounting after the event.
When: Holiday Concert in December
Time Commitment: Team meets periodically 1-2 months before the event and before the concert to finalize the baskets.
Contact: TBD
INCLUSION/OUTREACH PROGRAMS
Backpack Buddies
This program aims to provides food to students in need. Working with the FWES staff, PTA provides volunteers and runs specific drives as needs arise. Past drives included food drives to cover the 2019 Teacher March day off from school and to support FWES families with food insecurity over school breaks.
When: Flexible, as needed throughout the school year
Time Commitment: Weekly backpacks, drives vary
Contact: outreach@fwespta.org
Student Outreach
Help organize donated clothes for emergency student needs, help organize Lost & Found, assist with book drives to build class libraries, help support families in crisis and/or help address special needs within the FWES community.
When: Flexible
Time Commitment: Flexible
Contact: outreach@fwespta.org
Translators
New international families join our FWES community throughout the school year. By connecting with other parents who share the same language, they can more easily ask questions and address concerns. We are especially looking for volunteers who speak Spanish, Arabic and Turkish.
When: As needed
Time Commitment: As needed
Contact: inclusion@fwespta.org
HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS
Community Garden
Completely run by our FWES staff, students and families, all harvested produce is given back to the community through the Dorcas Crisis Center to distribute to families in need. During the school year, the Green Thumb Club needs parent volunteers to help maintain the garden. Summer programs include a weekly Farmer Family and Thursday morning harvests from 9:30am to 10:30am.
When: During the school year:
Time Commitment: One morning every other week. In summer, one Farmer Family 30-60mins each day during their week.
Contact: garden@fwespta.org
SERVICE PROGRAMS
Room Parents
A Room Parent is a primary point of contact for the other families in one classroom. Schedules Hook-a-Books, helps during teacher appreciation week, recognize your teacher’s birthday, and distributes information from the PTA. It’s great when there are multiple room parents in each class!
Time commitment: Flexible
Availability required: Flexible
Contact: volunteering@fwespta.org
Hook-a-Book
With the assistance of the media specialists, books from the FWES library collection are selected monthly that illustrate the IB attitudes (character attributes). Volunteer readers for the program chooses 2-3 books from these lists to read in a classroom. Books are listed by grade-level appropriateness. Short questions prompts relating to the books and the IB attitudes are included to discuss with the class.
When: Each teacher sets up one monthly session that the Room Parent coordinates.
Time Commitment: 20-45 minutes with the class. Usually a different volunteer each month.
Contact: hookabook@fwespta.org
Teacher Task Team
The Teacher Task Team meets weekly to support FWES teachers by completing a variety of tasks. They could prepare copies, cut out and prep project components, among other time consuming small jobs. The goal is to support all the hard work our teachers.
When: Tuesday mornings or as available
Time Commitment: Once a week during the school year
Contact: erinmassarelli@gmail.com
Project Parents
Respond to periodic requests from school staff for simple repairs and projects, some may involve light construction. Assist with the Campus Cleanup events.
When: Flexible
Time Commitment: Flexible
Contact: services@fwespta.org
Campus Clean Up
Each fall and spring, the PTA helps around the FWES campus. Planting flowers and vegetables, pruning bushes, spreading mulch, and completing other project requests from the FWES administration.
When: one weekend day in October and April
Time Commitment: 2-3 hours
Contact: sproutamc@gmail.com
Hospitality
The hospitality team provides and/or serves refreshments or meals to staff on various days throughout the year. Primary events include the Welcome Back Teacher Lunch in August, one of the Teacher Conference nights each semester, and the Staff Appreciation Luncheon. An all-school notification via e-mail is sent out when a request for food donations and/or servers arises.
When: Events may occur before school (7:45-9:30am) or after school (3-5pm).
Time Commitment: Monthly
Contact: services@fwespta.com
Teacher/Staff Appreciation
Each year FWES hosts a Teacher Appreciation week as well as celebrates a variety of staff recognitions. Volunteers are needed to create themes, organize events, and solicit donations as needed.
When: Flexible and Teacher Appreciation Week in the May
Time Commitment: Flexible
Background check required: Yes
Contact: services@fwespta.com
Inquiry Center Helpers
Volunteers help our media specialists with shelving books and other organizational projects and programs.
When: Flexible
Time Commitment: Flexible during school hours
Contact: czaccardi@wcpss.net
PTA Reflections
Each year the NC PTA runs an art contest "Reflections" that is open to all students. Using the selected theme, students create a video, piece or art, music, or writing to submit. Volunteers are needed to help FWES students submit their work and promote this program.
When: Fall
Time: Flexible during school hours
Contact: finearts@fwespta.org
Engagement programs
Cultural Arts Events
Sponsored by the PTA & United Arts Council of Wake County, each year several artists are selected to perform for all FWES students. Some help may be needed supporting the artists on campus.
When: TBD
Time Commitment: during school hours
Contact: culturalarts@fwespta.org
Welcome Back Picnic
Our new event is an opportunity for FWES families to get together the evening before the FWES Open House event. Starting after the class lists are posted, the picnic will take place on the front playground. Volunteers are needed to help organize and staff this fun new event.
When:, August
Time Commitment: Team meets 1 month before to plan the event. Volunteers are needed during the event, 5:30-7:00 PM
Contact: programs@fwespta.org
World Dance
The World Dance celebrates our school’s diversity. Families and students were encouraged to dress and share their culture. Help plan and run our international celebration. Short student performances are also featured.
When: March
Time Commitment: Team meets periodically 2 months before to plan the event. Many volunteers are needed the week of and during the event.
Contact: worlddance@fwespta.org
Yearbook
To make the yearbook the ultimate keepsake, we need your photos! If you take pictures of your students’ classroom activities, field trips, or school events, please upload them to Jostens’ ReplayIt! Please only include pictures of school events.
Time: Flexible
When: Flexible during the school year
FWES PROGRAMS SUPPORTED BY PTA
FWES School Improvement Team
State law mandates each school have a School Improvement Team (SIT) to create, review & revise annual performance goals. The team is composed of elected staff and parents. The plan can be viewed in the FWES Media Center.
Time: 4 times per year
When: mornings, scheduled by FWES
Field Day
FWES hosts a spring Field Day open to all students. Volunteers are needed to help run activities and supervise students.
Time: 1 hour shifts per grade
When: A Friday in June, during school hours
Picture Day
While not a PTA event, we assist the photographers with organizing the order envelopes, keeping the lines moving and using new combs on each student who needs a hair adjustment.
When: 1 or 2 hour shift during the school day