volunteer committees

Get the scoop first! ESSAC is a committee made up of Pinecrest’s Administration, classroom teachers, parents, and local business members. The purpose of the group is to review and create our school’s goals and achievements. Meetings occur after school on Wednesdays, about once a month or every two months. 1-2 parents will be needed for the school year. This is a very important and worthwhile opportunity.   

Chair:

Jennifer Sturges

jsturges48@gmail.com

The Budget Committee is responsible for presenting a proposed budget to the PTA Board for review and approval.   The committee will evaluate funding decisions, propose targeted multi-year investments, obtain ideas for wish list items, facilitate communication regarding PTA spending restrictions, and disseminate information on MDCPS policies and procedures related to wish list items. 

Co-Chairs:

Reza Farajzadeh reza@reza.ws

Christine Jurado christine@juradolaw.com

Maritza Shapiro treasurerpm@gmail.com

Jennifer Sturges jsturges48@gmail.com

Lisa Gomez  LMGomez@dadeschools.net

Christine Reynolds Christine@botics.com

Shona Blonsky srblonsky@yahoo.com

Love baking? Like to host? Or, not bake at all and run to the food store before a meeting? This committee coordinates the refreshments for our teacher events, PTA meetings, welcome-back coffees and other events throughout the year. It’s a very needed and appreciated job! Time commitment varies depending on the level you’d like to help.

Chair: 

Wendy Taylor

wac325@aol.com

This is one of the most important (not time-intensive) jobs in the PTA. Pinecrest Elementary is looking for parents who can report back to the PTA Legislative Chair and assist with informing our school community about important educational legislation, on the local, state, and national levels. This is a great position for someone who is interested in politics. Although the PTA is non-partisan, it is important for our members to be aware of current legislation that involves children. Responsibilities include occasionally giving brief updates at general meetings. There are newsletters and web sites that provide updates that would be easy to summarize. Great for working parents! 

Chair: 

 Christine Jurado christine@juradolaw.com 

The membership committee is responsible for the Pinecrest PTA membership drive.  Preparation for the membership campaign starts during the summer and runs throughout the year.  The committee monitors the monies collected and distributes membership cards.

Co-Chairs: 

OPEN

Do you like to talk? Volunteers for this position will be available once a month (see below schedule) to provide tours of our school and answer questions for prospective new families. The tours begin at 8:45am and depart from the front office. Training by the school Administration will be provided. This position can be a shared volunteer assignment – max 4 people.

Co-Chairs:  

Margarita Garcia Fanta garciafanta@hotmail.com

Jing Liang carol3113@gmail.com

Lauren Zuckerbrod lzuckerbrod@gmail.com

Volunteers are needed during the day to help the photographer with an orderly flow of students and assist office staff in processing orders and payments.  

Chair: 

OPEN

Help show our appreciation for Pinecrest teachers and staff. This committee will coordinate Staff Appreciation week in May. Volunteers will be needed to assist with special events, activities, and gifts. This is a great way to show our teachers and staff how much we care!

Co-Chairs: 

OPEN

Review teacher grant requests and approve funding for classroom enhancements.

Co-Chairs:

Christine Jurado christine@juradolaw.com

Jaysri Castro jaysricastro@gmail.com 

Jing Liang carol3113@gmail.com

Help coordinate volunteers that sign-up in the beginning of the school year and distribute their information to the Committee Chairs.

Co-Chairs: 

Sara Dajer saragonzalez22@hotmail.com

Elvira Silva-De Vera esilvadevera@gmail.com

Manages a program that helps to pair New Families to our school with Mentor/Existing Families in an effort to easy the transition to Pinecrest Elementary.

Chair: 

Amanda Burns amandakohnburns@gmail.com

Picasso! Monet! Jackson Pollock! Da Vinci! Van Gogh! Want to know more? The best way to learn is by teaching… in this enlightening and rewarding program, volunteers provide students with an awareness and appreciation of various artists and types of art. NO PREVIOUS ART HISTORY KNOWLEDGE IS REQUIRED! All materials, scripts, mounted prints and biographical information is provided.

Chair:

OPEN

Career Day is an all-day enrichment program in which individuals and groups representing various careers come to the school and share their talents, expertise and experience with the children. Committee members are needed to solicit appropriate groups and individuals, schedule presenters, and provide materials and refreshments the day of the event. Coordination begins in January, and is done in cooperation with the school counselor. It’s a great event enjoyed equally by parents and students! 

Co-Chairs: 

Jennifer McCafferty jmccaffertyfernandez@gmail.com

Help with Pinecrest’s wonderful after school Clubs program! 2-3 Volunteers are needed to help the Clubs’ Chair organize and collect Club registration fees for two separate weeks. Money collection takes place in the morning, before school starts, and then it needs to be processed. In all, it is 1-2 hours in the morning for each week. Volunteers need to commit for the entire week (or weeks) please. 

Chair: 

Margarita Garcia Fanta garciafanta@hotmail.com 

This committee assists Pinecrest families by offering appropriate support in times of need. Due to the confidential nature of this committee, the chairperson will call for help as needed. 

Chair: 

Ms. Teresa Vega terrific@dadeschools.net

Some of the best days of the year! Volunteers are needed for various Field Day(s) to help the PE coaches set-up and organize the events. 

Co-Chairs: 

Rebecca Lago tischlerr@gmail.com

Barbara Miranda barbaramn08@gmail.com

Interested in GREEN and ENVIRONMENTAL issues? Want to make a big difference?! Green and environmental efforts are one of our PTA’s main goals for the year. Volunteers will help plan and execute various projects.

Head Chair:

OPEN

-Fairchild Challenge:  

-Garden Projects: 

-Recycling: 

The Listen to Children program is co-sponsored by Miami-Dade County Public Schools and the Mental Health Association. Volunteers must attend one training session. The purpose of the Listeners program is to help children who are identified by the teacher or guidance counselor as needing extra attention from an adult. Volunteers spend 30 minutes a week with a student, listening and providing attention in a caring, nonjudgmental way. 

Chair: 

Ana Flora Carvalho anaflorac@icloud.com 

Safety is paramount! This committee addresses health and safety issues that affect our school – most notably traffic and parking. As in the past, the committee is providing carpool assistance on 57th Avenue, SW 102 Street and 104 Street to help keep the traffic moving. Volunteers are needed during arrival from 8:00 to 8:30 a.m. and dismissal from 1:45 -2:15 / 2:20 – 3:10 pm. to assist children out of their cars. With enough volunteers, each person will only need to work one morning or afternoon a week. A special perk: volunteers get to wear a psychedelic yellow mesh vest while they’re on the job! *** Dads, this is a great way for you to help out too! 

Chair: 

Margarita Garcia Fanta garciafanta@hotmail.com 

The primary responsibility of this committee is to work with the school counselor to coordinate activities for Red Ribbon Week (also known as “Say NO to Drugs Week”). Volunteers will help decorate the school to raise awareness and arrange for speakers and presentations for the various grade levels. We will also provide fun, related activities for students. 

Chair: 

Ms. Teresa Vega terrific@dadeschools.net 

Chair: Ms. Kondrat 

skondrat@dadeschools.net

Help organize events (coffees, park play dates, evenings out) to allow parents to meet with one another and support our school.  We want each and every family at our school to feel welcome.

Co-Chairs: 

Carli Hoppe carlistarr@icloud.com

Tonya Syed tonyasyed@gmail.com

Are you creative and want to stay connected with school news and events? This committee will enjoy putting their artistic abilities to use to create “eye-catching” bulletin boards to inform students and parents of important upcoming news and events. Volunteers are needed to update the boards two weeks before each event. There are many school events throughout the year including, Fun-Fest, Movie Night, Italian Night and our School Book Fair. 

Chair: 

Yessenia Nunez ynunez.office@gmail.com

Barbara Miranda barbaramn08@gmail.com

The PR committee notifies appropriate local media and publications regarding announcements and events related to Pinecrest Elementary. 

Chair: 

Christine Jurado Christine@juradolaw.com

The Chair of the website will work closely with the PTA and faculty at Pinecrest to keep the PTA website updated in a clear, user- friendly manner. Computer skills are a must and the willingness to keep the website updated throughout the year. 

Chair: 

Jaysri Castro pinecrestptaweb@gmail.com

Students LOVE their Memory Books! A small, dedicated staff of volunteers, under the guidance of the Chairperson, is needed to schedule classes, faculty, school clubs, events, and organizational pictures with the photography company, as well as chronicle the year in pictures and assemble the yearbook for the printer. Volunteers will be needed to organize advance sales, sell, and distribute yearbooks towards the end of the school year. Photographers wanted as well! 

Co-Chairs: 

Darlly Modia darllymodia@gmail.com

OPEN

Manage PTA and school information that is distributed electronically 2x per week to the Pinecrest Elementary community. Volunteer should be comfortable with computers.

Chair: Aileen Arguello aileensarguello@gmail.com

 The Room Parent Coordinator is responsible for keeping the room parents informed of events that require their attention. 

Chair: Aleesa Adams aleesasadams@gmail.com