Board Position & Committee Descriptions

MERRITT HSA BOARD POSITIONS

Co-President (requires weekly/ongoing involvement)

Prepare agendas for monthly board & open meetings
Attend & lead monthly board meetings
Monitor & respond to HSA emails
Draft school-wide info/reminder emails
Liaise with Committee Chairs to monitor progress

Vice President (requires weekly/ongoing involvement)

Attend monthly HSA Board & open meetings
Traditionally host five events for teachers; a Welcome luncheon prior to classes start and a teacher breakfast at the start of the year, holiday luncheon, teacher appreciation lunch and end of the year luncheon for teachers
Buy the paper goods / tablecloths, drinks for the event along with catered food and decor all within budget
Fill out the custodial work order to set up the chairs, tables on day of breakfast/luncheon
Liaise with class facilitators and handle all communication

Secretary (requires weekly/ongoing involvement)

Attend monthly HSA Board & open meetings
Record minutes for monthly HSA open meetings and send them to the Website Coordinator to be posted on the HSA website

Treasurer (requires weekly/ongoing involvement)

Attend monthly HSA Board and open meetings.
Deposit cash and checks for all fundraisers and events
For all expenses, you will need to write checks for reimbursement and make sure there is appropriate backup supporting all checks written
Record disbursements and receipts into check register and Quicken software
On a monthly basis, you will need to reconcile checkbook to quicken software. Once reconciled, you will need to reconcile books (checkbook and quicken) to bank statements.
Resolve and record all reconciling items
On a monthly basis, need to compile financial statements for meetings. The financial statements show actual receipts (revenue) and costs (expenses) compared to budgeted receipts and costs.
Create the annual budget, discuss with Co-Presidents and then meet with the Principal to get approval or changes
Provide budgeted amount to chairperson so they know how much to spend

Board of Education Liaison

(ongoing involvement with bi-monthly BOE meetings and HSA meetings)

Attend all BOE meetings or have someone attend in your place if possible (you can always read the minutes of the meeting)
Report relevant updates to Board

KPA Liaison (requires weekly/ongoing involvement)

Attend monthly HSA board and open meetings
Liaison between the HSA and KPA to answer any questions

Website Coordinator

(ongoing involvement as needed with no involvement required at school)

Maintain and update the HSA website including the HSA calendar throughout the school year
Use Membership Toolkit to send emails to community
Post HSA meeting minutes from Secretary monthly
Update/manage directory

MERRITT HSA COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Cookie/Ice Cream Fridays (ongoing, weekly commitment)

Must be at school 11:30AM-1PM on Fridays to sell cookies/ice cream
Count & organize money & deliver to Treasurer

School Supplies (limited involvement required)

September - sign an early agreement with the vendor and get the deepest discount they offer
By end of April (deadline 1st week of May)- ask each classroom teacher to see if they have any changes from "LAST YEAR’s” supplies list. If no changes, then the vendor has the list on their file. If changes, send the new list to the vendor rep.
Work with the vendor's rep and get the list of supplies updated per class
By end of May, draft email to be sent to all families to announce the program. Choose a date with vendor to START the online purchase and figure out a date to END the program. (Vendor may need up to 2 or 3 weeks to ship in time for the parent to get the supplies) so make the last date to order by 2nd to 3rd week of August.
Send reminder to parents to order sometime in early August

After School Program (ongoing, weekly commitment during class terms)

Responsible for coordinating with principal and staff on the availability of classrooms for use by the after school program for each session (Fall and Winter); obtain a facility use form from the Cresskill Board office (contact Nancy Berenbroick) for permission to use classrooms, gym, media center and cafeteria at Merritt School.
Research and arrange for a variety of ASP activities and secure teacher/ program availability.
Announce dates and online enrollment. Post announcements to drive enrollment.
Draft a brochure for online enrollment through google forms and charge an enrollment fee and a late enrollment fee.
Monitor online enrollment. Make corrections and remove unpopulated classes from the lineup. Contact parents of students whose classes do not run and make arrangements otherwise. Gather list of volunteers.
Send invoices via email mail-merge and collect payment. Receive ASP program invoices from instructors and forward to treasurer for payment.
Post classes and room assignments at main doors and give school secretary and teachers and staff notice.
Fill out the custodial work order to set up the tables, microwave, or AVI equipment for individual classes that require it.
Make roster for each class and email to each instructor and put hard copy in all Merritt teachers mailboxes with students enrolled in the ASP.

Art for Kids (Limited involvement required)

The company we use is Art to Remember. Account rep is Marie Goldman
Contact Marie in the Spring to set up contract and dates for the Fall
Arrange for order of wall tiles every other year to be displayed at Merritt School
Contact MMS art teacher, Mrs. Ramsden in late August with the dates (she has each class make artwork for this fundraiser)
Send out information to the parents in September
Follow up with Mrs. Ramsden in late Sept. to see when artwork will be ready to ship
Send reminders to parents of when to have orders placed
Collect orders (check HSA bin in main office) and send to Art to Remember
When orders ship, get 2 or 3 volunteers to help unpack boxes and distribute to each class

Assemblies/Field Trips (ongoing position with assemblies every month)

Review budget and research assembly programs/field trips in a variety of topics/ subjects
Determine which programs are available for times of the year and have a few to choose from per topic/subject
Once an outline is available with programs availability and budget layout, schedule a meeting to present ideas to the principal - he chooses the programs and then you book each program
Confirm assembly 1 week prior to date and review their set up requirements and then provide Mr. Brown with this information
Be at the school 1 hour prior to the program on the day of the assembly
Process the invoices

Book Fair - Fall & Spring

(requires prep a few weeks before as well as the days and evenings of the Book Fair)

Fill out form to obtain permission to use facility
Fill out form for custodians of items needed for set up such as tables and chairs
Create sign-up genius
Prepare flyer to be emailed to Merritt families regarding theme (which Scholastic chooses), dates and times, etc.
Prepare email for faculty as well notifying them of the dates/times and reminding them to make their wish lists for their classroom library
Plan Family Fun Night
A few days before set up, meet with co-chair at school to hang up book fair posters with dates and times and to dispense flyers, provided by scholastic, to the teachers to disperse to students

Earth Week

(A packed week of activities with a few meetings in the months leading up to the week)

Organize a few meetings with the committee and establish who wants to take on the various activities and booking the vendors for each grade’s activity
Review with the principal/teachers the scheduling and suggestions
Organize class volunteers for each grade event

Fall Family Picnic (requires prep a few weeks before & day-of involvement only)

This is a fun-filled day for Merritt Families to enjoy a barbeque and the kids to enjoy a bounce house, face-painting and riding bicycles or any wheeled activities. The picnic takes place in front of Merritt School on Ackerman Field on the 3rd Sunday in September with a rain date for the following Sunday.

Fill out a facility use form with the Cresskill BOE to use the front of Merritt School, the school kitchen and first floor bathrooms; Obtain a permit from the Cresskill Borough Hall in July to use Ackerman Field and to block off the surrounding streets - Dogwood Lane, Margie Ave, & Ackerman Place for the children to ride bicycles
Book bounce house in July
Draft email about the picnic to be sent when school begins
Create & send out a sign-up genius in early September to get volunteers to help with set-up, cooking and selling food
Devise a letter to the residents along Margie Avenue and Ackerman Place and part of Elmore Place to inform them of the picnic including date and time so they avoid driving on those streets. Place in their mailboxes two weeks prior to the event.
Purchase the food a day or two before the event
Organize set up of food / MMS logowear sales & clean up at event

Family Bingo Night (requires prep a few weeks before & day-of involvement only)

It is traditionally held on or close to St. Patrick’s Day, but can be held anytime during the school year as long as it doesn’t overlap with other school events. Check all school calendars including Bryan School and CMS/CHS. This event is held in the Merritt School Gym.

Obtain permission to use facility from BOE.
Put together a sign-up genius to get volunteers to help with set-up, ticket sales and selling food
Solicit or purchase prizes for both children and adults
Create flyer/ticket order form & distribute a month prior to event
Organize set up, admissions, food sales, bingo games, & clean up at event

Field Day (requires prep a few weeks before & day-of involvement at school only)

Obtain permission to use facility from BOE
Confirm class enrollment numbers
Purchase all food & prep items for lunch
Coordinate volunteers & set up sign up genius
Prepare & distribute lunch

Spring Fundraiser (required involvement months prior to event)

Decide on a place and book it
Create solicitation forms and post to HSA site so parents can start gathering donations
Assign a coordinator to make sure our gambling license is updated and we obtain one from the town we are having the event at
Sell tickets
Get volunteers to help transport prizes to the event the day before
Oversee the set-up on the day of the event

Halloween Party

Fill out facilities use form
Decide on plan for party
Create flyers & tickets & organize distribution
Have HSA send out the e-mail with the fliers, also notify Bryan School Secretary (Ronnie Hartman) and ask her to e-mail the fliers to the EHB parents
Recruit volunteers to help
Oversee set up & event

International Day Luncheon (requires prep a few weeks & day-of involvement only)

Meet with the principal to decide on date, ask for custodial work order to set up tables and some decorations (e.g. flag banners) and have him sign a request to the BOE to hold the event on the date and place specified.
Create excel sheets file (or other) to be filled out by volunteers
Send letter to all parents explaining the event’s details and asking for food/help donations/volunteers. Include link to excel sheets
Take inventory of materials available from previous years
Plan decorations and make necessary purchases
Buy: plates, utensils, tablecloths, serving utensils, sternos, trays, napkins, etc (as needed)
Discuss event details with custodians and provide work order signed by the principal
Create map of the venue
Send important reminders to parents (ie: pack water bottles for their kids, not an allergen free event, etc)
Day of event: set up, help kids find their food and distribute utensils, cleanu

Lunch Program Chair (ongoing position)

Determine vendors and pricing
Organize the daily menus
Input menu into the system and process lunch orders
Print classroom orders and place in folders each week
Keep track of inventory and shopping for supplies weekly.
Organize the volunteers for each day of the week
Communicate with parents about placing or changing orders.

Lunch Program Daily Leader (1 for each day of the week)

Organize daily volunteers
Liaise with Lunch Program Chair on updates/changes
Oversee daily volunteers & organize & serve lunch delivered (11:00AM-1PM)
School Photography (requires prep prior to the start of the school year and day of involvement at school only)
Contact Stomping Ground Photography in the Spring to discuss/sign the contract for following school year
Schedule picture day around the 3rd Friday of September (check the school calendar and confirm with the principal). In addition, schedule retakes and the 5th Grade Class Photos on the same day in November
Upload the class & faculty roster to the Stomping Ground Photography portal.
Send out an email to the parents with the date and information regarding picture day.
Prior to picture day, arrange to have at least 3 volunteers to help that day.
On picture day, one volunteer can help with handing out picture cards to the teachers for each child and keep a list of students and teachers that missed pictures that day. Another volunteer will help organize the kids with lining up for their pictures and a 3rd volunteer will help organize the kids for their class photo.
Check the main office in October for the delivery of the photos. Once delivered, place photo packets in the teachers mailboxes.
Prior to retakes, send out an email with a sign up for any child that would like to retake their picture.
On retake day, one volunteer is needed to organize the children taking retakes in the morning and then to assist the photographer with the 5th grade group photos.
Check in December for the delivery of the retake photos. Once delivered, place photo packets in the teachers mailboxes of those that did retakes. 5th Grade Group Photos (picture of the class forming the graduating year - eg. ‘24 and a picture of the class on the playground) should be given to the 5th Grade parent that is the chairperson for the yearbook.

Talent Show (requires prep a few months before)

The “Merritt’s Got Talent” Show is usually held the first Friday in May
Fill out a facility use form to use the MMS gym for event. Include use of audio system, piano, chairs for audience, 5 tables (4 for food outside gym doors, one for ticket sales in hallway by the clocktower doors).
Make rehearsal schedule and gather volunteers to help with the event
Distribute rehearsal schedule to the participants and their parents
Can devise a sign-up genius to gather volunteers to help with ticket & food sales, MC the event (we’ve asked teachers in the past) and volunteers to help children on and off the stage
Contact the Cresskill High School Audio/Video group under the direction of Mr. Shane Kress, to see if they can tape the event
Ask for food donations for the event
Sell tickets after school prior to the event
Create a program with the list of performers and their acts to give out at the event
Make sure audio system and piano are working to use for the event
Take head shots of the performers to display and give to each participant after the show
Set-up gym with chairs and any decorations on the afternoon of the show
Oversee event
Oversee cleanup

Parents Night Out

Plan & organize a social event for parents - traditionally it has been a dinner at a restaurant, but we are open to new/other ideas