Show your child that YOU value:
quality instruction,
an enriching environment,
and the spirit of our HES community!
The HES PTA is headed by a board of officers and committee chairs.
Please share your ideas, talents, and energy. All committees welcome new parent involvement and input!
HES PTA COMMITTEES AT-A-GLANCE
All PTA-sponsored programming is carried out by the committees listed below, followed by a brief description.
Scroll down for more details about each committee in terms of activities and time commitment
- Advocacy — support legislation and district decisions affecting our school
- Book Fair — Scholastic Book Fair held in the Fall and Spring
- Campus Beautification — Making HES look good from the inside out
- Community Funding — seeks monetary support from local businesses and other sources
- Cultural Arts — provides special arts programming, such as visiting authors, artists, and musicians.
- Finance – organizes yearly audit of PTA finances
- Hospitality — plans special events and gifts in recognition of administrators, staff, and teachers
- Merchandise — sale of “Spirit Wear” T-shirts and sweatshirts
- Read-A-Thon — organizes the annual fundraiser based on how many minutes students spend reading
- Social — hosts fun family events that help build school community
- Volunteers — help to support our teachers in various ways throughout the year
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF COMMITTEES
Advocacy Committee
2023/2024 Chair – Needed
Members – 5 to 10 people
Committee Description: The Advocacy Committee members will serve on the HES Council and represent the PTA. They will keep up with the NCPTA activities and be informed about the Orange County Board of Education activities. This is a non-partisan committee.
Goal: Help to inform the PTA.
Book Fair Committee
2023/2024 Chair – Lucia Matthews
Members – 5 to 10 people
Committee Description: The book fair occurs twice a year (spring and fall). Volunteers are needed to set up/take down book displays during book fair week, work as cashiers during book club hours, and assist students with book fair purchases.
Goal: The PTA receives funds from Scholastic that are used to purchase books for our classrooms. The more we sell, the more books we can get for our students! Additionally, if we sell enough books at the Fall Book Fair, the Spring Book Fair becomes a BOGO fair!
Campus Beautification
2023 – 2024 Chair – Justin Durango
Members – 5 to 10 people
Committee Description:
Help us keep the HES campus looking beautiful! This committee (formerly the Grounds Committee) will keep the school looking its best. Committee members will organize campus days where the HES community can help with grounds and trail upkeep, painting murals inside the buildings, providing seasonal décor around the car line, and more!
Goal: Keep the campus looking its best by organizing quarterly campus days
Time Commitment: Helping with prep work prior to the campus days and participating in at least 1 campus day.
Community Funding
2023/2024 Chair – Needed
Members – 5 to 10 people
Committee Description: The Community Funding Committee works to raise funds and in-kind support from the community. Committee members assist with collecting BoxTops, reaching out to local businesses and restaurants, and identifying new sources of community funding. This committee will coordinate and advertise Spirit Nights, collect gift cards for giveaways and prizes, identify sponsors, etc. Committee members will also encourage community members to sign up for Harris Teeter School Rewards by linking their VIC cards.
Goal: Host 4 Spirit Nights (1/quarter), reach out to 20 businesses for support (monetary or in-kind) and raise awareness around BoxTops & Harris Teeter School Rewards.
Time Commitment: Varies from month to month, and can mostly be done on your own schedule.
Cultural Arts
2023-2024 Committee Chair: Jessica Frega
Members – 5 to 10 people
Committee Description: Committee members will assist with program selection (authors, artists, musicians, and performers for each grade level), contact individuals, and seek out potential funding sources.
Goal: Host 12 cultural programs yearly (2/grade)
Time Commitment: Varies monthly and can mostly be done on your own schedule
Finance Committee
2023/2024 Chair – Katie Harper
Members – 1 – 3 people
Committee Description: The Finance Committee is responsible for performing a monthly financial review. They will also examine the Treasurer’s year-end financial report and submit a written statement to the PTA’s board of directors on the report’s accuracy.
Goal: Regularly review financial documents
Time Commitment: 1-hour monthly meeting
Hospitality Committee
2023/2024 Chair – Erin Day
Members – 5 to 10 people
Committee Description: The Hospitality Committee shows the PTA’s appreciation for our amazing HES teachers and staff. The committee organizes meals (breakfast and/or lunches) for the 1st all-staff meeting, provides light snacks at all other all-staff meetings (8), and hosts Teacher Appreciation Week in the spring. Other ways to shower the teachers and staff would be appreciated too!
Goal: Make the teachers and staff feel appreciated.
Time Commitment: Varies from month to month, with a larger time commitment in late April/early May for Teacher Appreciation Week
Merchandise Committee
2023/2024 Chair – Chaz Martenstein
Members – 1 to 5 people
Committee Description: The Merchandise Committee sells our awesome Spirit Wear! Develop plans for merchandise in the spring (including designs). Merch is sold at school and PTA events, as well as online.
Goal: Raise money for the school
Time Commitment: Varies from month to month.
Nominating Committee
2023/2024 Chair – Tiffany Cheshire
Members – 3 people
Committee Description: – The nominating committee helps to identify talented, motivated, and responsible individuals to serve as future HES PTA officers. They also oversee the elections of new officers at the General Membership meeting in May.
Goal: Ensure a fair election and a diverse slate of officers
Time Commitment: Monthly meeting from January – May. Some additional meetings and independent work may be needed.
Read-A-Thon Committee
2023/2024 Chair – Needed
Members – 5 to 10 people
Committee Description: The Read-A-Thon (RAT) is the PTA’s primary fundraiser and all funds raised support PTA programs and projects. RAT occurs in August, and committee members assist with the RTA video/skit, helping with the opening/closing assemblies, tallying the number of books/pages read, and collecting/counting money.
Goal: Raise $35,000 for the PTA’s programs and projects this year
Time Commitment: Primarily July – September; with more of a time commitment in August
Social Committee
2023/2024 Chair – Chelsey Morrison
Members – 5 to 10 people
Committee Description: The theme for the year is the Power of Connections, and the Social Committee will be a key part of helping to make those connections! The Committee will coordinate events like science and math nights, family movie and game nights, ice cream socials, and more.
Goal: Host 8 community events (2/quarter); each quarter will have 1 educational-based event and 1 social event.
Time Commitment: Helping with prep work prior to the events and participating in at least 1 campus day.
Volunteer Committee
2023/2024 Chair – Christina Steger
Vice Chair – Needed
Members – 5+ people
Committee Description: Volunteers are the backbone of the PTA and the best way to get involved! This Chair and Vice Chair of this Committee will serve as the liaison for our school’s volunteer needs. Committee members will participate in volunteer opportunities such as Room Parent, Field Day, Car Line, EOG Testing, Front Office support, and more. Each committee member will volunteer at least twice throughout the year.
Goal: Have a robust list of volunteers who can support our teachers and students
Time Commitment: Varies from 1 hr to 3 hr volunteer shifts