Mitchell PTC

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ARTWORK FOR EDUCATION for Education Permission Forms due Sepember 19th
(see Fundraising for more details)

Mitchell PTC



Join Mitchell's PTC Email List Email:

The Parent Teacher Council (PTC) works in cooperation with the school to provide services, funding, volunteer support and programs to enhance the school experience.

Parent volunteers support the school in many areas: Media center, Room Parents, Disabilities Awareness, Safe Arrival Phone, Cafeteria Volunteers, etc. PTC dollars are used to fund many worthwhile activities, services, and programs for all Mitchell students. This includes creative arts events, enrichment grants, family fun and children's activities.

All Mitchell parents are members of the PTC. PTC meetings are held once a month and everyone is encouraged to attend.

PTC Volunteer Opportunities

Cafeteria - Cafeteria volunteers clean tables and assist the school aides in monitoring the
cafeteria during the lunch hour. Parents typically volunteer for one shift per month.

Media Center Volunteers – Parent volunteers assist the Media Center in many ways. At the start of the year, volunteers sign up for shift (once or twice a month) to help check out and shelve books during their children’s scheduled Media Center visits. A Bookbinders’ Club meets once a month to prepare new books and repair old ones. Media Center Book Shoppers visit the New England Mobile Bookfair once or twice a year with the Media Center Specialist to shop for new books. Volunteers are also needed to help with the annual Holiday Book Fair and April Used Book Sale. Proceeds from these two events are used to buy new books for the Media Center.

Math Enrichment - The Math Volunteer Committee support teachers' math curriculum
by working with children in classrooms on math lesson plans in a visual and hands-on
format. Training will be provided for all lesson plans. Volunteers do not need not be "good at math" to become proficient in the material that is covered.

Art Volunteers - Assist art teacher in displaying student projects around the school.
Volunteer shifts are typically one class period once a month, however, shifts can be
flexible.

METCO Family Friends Committee - The Mitchell School METCO Family Friends is a cross-cultural program in which Mitchell students who live in Needham are paired with Mitchell students who live in Boston. The METCO Family Friends “buddies” get together informally and at organized events. Our goal is to create special friendships among children and to provide closer understanding and cooperation between urban and suburban families.

Health and Safety - This committee is responsible for addressing health and safety issues that come before the PTC. Volunteers typically meet once a quarter during the school day to discuss issues.

Family Fun Events - Family Fun events help build Mitchell community spirit and provide a fun environment for families to get together. Members of this committee work a shift at events such as the Ice Cream Social, Bingo and the End of the Year Picnic. There are also opportunities to help out at family outings to the Paw Sox, Bruins and an ice skating event.

Community Service Committee – this new committee has been formed to develop projects designed to engage students in community service activities and learning.

Green Committee – this new committee will brainstorm and implement ides to help Mitchell “go green”. Volunteers will also help plan the Spring Earth Day celebration.

Fundraising - This committee is responsible for coordinating all fundraising activities for the PTC. Our major fundraising program occurs in the Fall. Beginning this year, a new program called Artwork for Education will be introduced. Students artwork is produced into greeting cards. The proceeds from the sale of the greeting cards accounts for approximately one third of the PTC budget. Innisbrook Gift Wrap will be available, but online only.

Hospitality - The Hospitality Committee is responsible for organizing volunteers who will provide refreshments at various Mitchell School functions. These typically include Kindergarten Orientation, the Teacher Appreciation Luncheon and retirement parties.

Yearbook - The Yearbook committee works to produce the all school yearbook.
Volunteers help compile pictures of each class and help layout the yearbook.

Beautification - Committee members work with the principal to develop and implement ideas which will improve the aesthetics of the school and grounds. Volunteers work in the gardens throughout the year, join in all-school fall and spring clean-ups and plan for future projects.

PTC Enrichment Grants - Parents, teachers or students may apply for grants to fund
programs or purchase materials which enrich the curriculum or classroom environment.
The committee members review grant applications in the fall and spring and determine
which ones to fund. Grants are funded through the PTC’s budget.

Outside Grant Writing - The Grant Writing Committee assists teachers and parents in the writing of grant applications to outside organizations such as the Needham Education Foundation (NEF).

Creative & Performing Arts - The Mitchell Creative Arts Committee members are part
of the town-wide organization that seeks performing artists who will complement and
enrich our school's curriculum. Committee members preview, select, schedule and host
artist performances.

Outdoor Learning Center (OLC) – The Outdoor Learning Center is Mitchell’s Courtyard Garden. The OLC Committee is responsible for the maintenance of the Outdoor Learning Center. Volunteer opportunities including planting, watering, spring and fall cleanups.

Welcome Committee - The Welcome Committee contacts families new to the Mitchell
School and provides information that helps them become acquainted with the Mitchell community to ease the transition to the new school. The Committee also coordinates the Welcome Back Staff Luncheon held the day before school begins.

Lead Room Parent – One or two parents in each classroom volunteer as Lead Room Parents. At the beginning of each year, they meet with classroom teachers to determine volunteer opportunities for class celebrations, chaperoning field trips and helping with the “Book It” Publishing Center and a The Lead Room Parents then contact all the parents in the classroom to let them know about volunteer opportunties. Lead Room Parents are also responsible for coordinating volunteers to supply refreshments for a staff breakfast and assigning volunteers to help the Yearbook Committee take and collect photos during the year.

"Book It" - The Mitchell Publishing Center - "Book It" is a mobile publishing center
that includes a mobile publishing cart with a lap top computer, color laser printer,
publishing software, and materials for binding/covering writer pieces. Volunteers, who are scheduled by the Lead Room Parents in each classroom, assist classes with the use of the publishing center and to help students bind their finished work.

Computer Volunteer Program - Computer Volunteers, who are scheduled by the Lead Room Parents in each classroom, assist the Technology Specialist and the classroom teachers by working with students on computer use, internet research, software and technology projects in the computer lab. Sessions typically last for one hour.

Publicity – The Publicity Committee keeps the “sandwich board” signs at the Brookline Street and Tower Ave entrances updated with the latest information.

Nominating Committee - The Nominating Committee solicits PTC volunteers and is responsible for presenting a slate of officers and committee chair people.

The PTC also organizes and plans the:
Invention Invasion
4th and 5th Grade Spelling Bee
5th Grade Prizes for Presidents Challenge
5th Grade Writing Celebration
5th Grade End of the Year Luncheon

We publish the:
PTC Information & Welcome Packet
Student Directory

We collect Box Tops for Education and sell the Mitchell Logo Merchandise.