Art Liaison
Calling all parents of budding Piccassos! Developed as a new committee this year, this Chair assists our art teacher with field trips, arranging for student art displays in our community, support for after school Art Club, providing art news to SMS communications and anything else you like to dream up!

If you have these interests, you may like this job: Helping students appreciate visual arts, creative energy, people skills, community contacts

Time commitment: possibly monthly

Opportunity: Chair responsibilities

Band Liaison
Help blow Sutton’s horn with the SMS Band! The Chair meets regularly with our Band Director and Principal regarding upcoming band events and possible fundraising opportunities, provides Band news to SMS communications, assists with performance transportation arrangements if necessary.

If you have these interests, you may like this job: Organizational skills, people skills, helping student enhance their musical talents

Time commitment: monthly

Opportunity: Chair and committee responsibilities

Blues and Bar-B-Q
Blues and Bar-B-Q is Sutton’s first family-oriented PTA social each school year! The Co-Chairs coordinate all aspects of this good-old fashioned evening under the stars of Chastain Park. Delicious BBQ, awesome live blues and jazz; and a chance to mingle and meet new friends all help SMS kick off the school year in style!

If you have these interests you may like these jobs: Organizing and leading parent volunteers, contacting and negotiating with vendors, advance planning of high energy projects

Time commitment: very condensed in late August and September

Opportunity: Co-Chair and committee responsibilities

Book Fair
The Book Fair is a great fundraiser for the SMS Media Center. We have a designated week at the Barnes and Noble at the Peach in December where we get a percentage of all money spent with a submitted Sutton voucher. This committee coordinates performances at the store, arranges publicity in the community and enlists volunteers to man the Sutton corner at B&N.

If you have these interests, you may like this job: Encouraging young people to read, fun fundraising, organizational skills

Time commitment: concentrated project – 5 week planning

Opportunity: Co-chair and committee responsibilities

Calling Post
The Calling Post Chair is the voice of Sutton for late-breaking news! This position involves putting phone numbers into the school’s internet program and then recording phone messages based on timely information provided by the PTA Co-Presidents. Occasional updates to the master lists may occur. If you like to be the first to know, this is a great job for you!

If you have these interests, you may like this job: Like to work independently, organizational skills, slight computer skills, available to get announcements out quickly

Time commitment: condensed at the beginning of the year, early evening “recording sessions” once or twice weekly

Opportunity: Chair responsibilities

Chastain Parking
Chastain Parking is Sutton’s major fundraising activity and a great way to meet and work with many of our Cougar families! The Co-Chairs oversee our school volunteers who collect the money and direct parking for concert-goers using our SMS parking lot. Duties include developing the volunteer schedule, working with the city police, training parking captains and their crews, and working with the volunteer in charge managing the money.

If you have these interests, you may like this job: Getting to know many Sutton families, organizational skills, long-term planning, playing a HUGE role in supporting our school’s fundraising efforts!

Time commitment: weekly, the 3-4 concerts held each week in the summer can be divided among Co-chairs, no activity after Chastain “concert season”

Opportunity: Co-Chair responsibilities

Cultural Arts Liaison
The Cultural Arts Liaison consults with teachers and administration to bring outside performances to our students to supplement the SMS curriculum and provide exposure to new art forms! In this position, you will also provide cultural arts news to SMS communications.

If you have these interests, you may like this job: Nurturing students’ appreciation for the arts, organizational skills, community contacts, flexibility to attend some performances

Time commitment: one full day in August, then 3-4 days during remainder of year

Opportunity: Co-Chairs responsibilities

Drama Liaison
Are you ready for your close-up in the role of SMS Drama Liaison? In this new position, you will work closely with our school Drama Director to coordinate our school’s involvement with stage performances and drama opportunities at North Atlanta, maintain a calendar of events and coordinate related hospitality needs, provide drama news to SMS communications and help start a chapter of the International Thespian Society right here at Sutton!

If you have these interests, you may like this job: People skills, organizational skills, a lot of creative energy!

Time commitment: monthly, varying with performance schedule

Opportunity: Chair and committee responsibilities

Dues and Donations
The Dues and Donations committee performs one of the most vital functions of our PTA! As a “Georgia PTA in Good Standing”, we have the goal of enrolling all our school’s families as members! The committee will increasingly focus on developing new programs to achieve this goal as well as creating new contribution opportunities for our SMS parents. If you enjoy a creative challenge for a great cause this committee is for you!

If you have these interests, you may like this job: people skills, math skills, organizational and computer skills, event planning, community contacts

Time commitment: condensed immediately before school starts and through early fall; then, possibly monthly for new member updates.

Opportunity: Co-Chair and committee opportunities

8th Grade Dance
The 8th Grade Dance celebrates the special friendships our students have formed in their middle school years at Sutton! The Chair is responsible for securing a venue, selecting an appropriate band or D. J., theme and menu. Parents, this is a great opportunity to get creative!

If you have these interests, you may like this job: Working with parents, students and the school staff, organizing volunteers, thinking outside the box, negotiating with vendors

Time commitment: monthly, for three months prior to event, weekly as event nears

Opportunity: Co-Chair and committee responsibilities

8th Grade Honors Day
The 8th Grade Honors Day is the culmination of each student’s experience at Sutton! This event is a collaborative effort between the PTA and school administration. The Chair is responsible for assisting the principal with special awards, sending invitations, identifying speakers and helping with parental notifications and communication.

If you have these interests, you may like this job: Working with school staff, organizing volunteers, attention to detail, selecting speakers

Time commitment: a few days to secure speakers, condensed work for month preceding the event

Opportunity: Co-Chair and committee responsibilities

Hispanic Liaison
Help bring news of our school’s events and opportunities to every Sutton home! Our Hispanic Liaison translates key information from the Tuxedo Telegraph and Free Press, communicates with parents about relevant social issues, plays a key role in events involving our Hispanic community including Orientation Days and Open House.

If you have these interests, you may like this job: Strengthening our SMS family, Hispanic culture, people skills, Spanish fluency – a must, knowledge of translation websites

Time commitment: weekly translation for Telegraph, every other month for Free Press and occasional school events

Opportunity: Chair or committee responsibilities

Honors Reception
The Honors Reception is an event that recognizes all students that have achieved the Honors Roll. The PTA’s involvement includes securing a venue for the event and working closely with the Administration implementing their requests up to and during the event.

If you have these interests, you may like this job: Organizing, planning and working with the Principal and Instructional Liaison

Time Commitment: After securing the venue, commitment will be the month of the event

Opportunity: Chair Responsibility

Hospitality
The Hospitality Committee helps our SMS family and guests feel right at home at SMS-hosted events throughout the year! The committees’ refreshments, flowers and decorations create an inviting atmosphere that reflects the warmth found at Sutton!

If you have these interests, you may like these jobs: Meeting and greeting, maximizing your decorating dollars, flower arranging, and amateur catering

Time commitment: steady in fall months, then occasionally throughout the year

Opportunity: Chair and committee responsibilities

Legislative Updates
The Chair will develop an effective advocacy team that communicates the PTA’s perspective on legislation and related issues to elected officials on the school board and in state legislature.

If you have these interests, you may like this job: promoting the welfare of children in home, school and community, reading legislation, soliciting the concerns of parents

Time Commitment: Two hour per month

Opportunity: Chair Responsibility

Media Center Liaison
Are you a book lover? Just love to get between those shelves? Well, this committee is for you! This position works closely with the Media Specialist and will be a high profile position with the new media center at the entrance point of the new building. The sky is the limit to what this position can do. Want to coordinate volunteers in the library? Go for it! Want to work on fundraising for the media center? Take it on! Want to ensure that Sutton’s library is a gathering place for the community? Just do it. This is a great people person job!

If you have these interests, you may like this job: Helping students learn and grow, people skills, new technology

Time commitment: weekly, for a couple of hours

Opportunity: Co-Chair and committee responsibilities

Media Relations
The Media Relations Committee develops and implements a strategic media relations program to secure positive news coverage of SMS and increase our school’s visibility in the community. The Committee Chair works with the PTA Board to identify news opportunities, maintains a current media kit and is the primary media contact. Committee members work with the Chair in these efforts and at various school events at which there may be media presence.

If you have these interests, you may like this job: Writing, editing, people skills, media contacts, public relations or communications experience

Time commitment: weekly and monthly, depending on newsworthy activities, monthly contact with PTA Board and certain media contacts

Opportunity: Chair and committee responsibilities

NAPPS Representative
The mission of North Atlanta Parents for Public Schools is to increase community awareness of and support for our North Atlanta cluster schools which features Sutton as the middle school link in a seamless kindergarten through 12th grade educational experience. The NAPPS representative attends monthly NAPPS meetings typically held in the format of a brown bag luncheon at our cluster’s neighborhood schools; actively advocates for North Atlanta High School; publicizes and supports NAPPS special events as needed.

If you are interested in these things, you may like this job: Learning about the school system and meeting its key players, implementing improvements, the value of a public school education

Time commitment: monthly

Opportunity: Chair responsibilities

Orchestra Liaison
The Orchestra Liaison works very closely with our SMS Orchestra Director to assist with logistics of performances, fundraising and other areas of support as they arise. School parents are very involved in the award-winning success of our SMS Orchestra!

If you have these interests, you may like this job: Working with students and parents for a common goal, musical appreciation, organizational skills, people skills

Time commitment: possibly weekly, throughout the year

Opportunity: Chair responsibility

Prospective Parent Tours
Prospective Parent Tours give our community an opportunity to experience “life at Sutton” by visiting classrooms, talking with students and teachers, and participating in a roundtable discussion with our Principal. As a Tour Guide you have the forum to give our visitors first hand information about the many wonderful things happening at Sutton! Prepared materials developed for prospective parents offer additional insight.

If you have these interests, you may like this job: Public relations, public speaking, meeting new people and an appreciation for Sutton!

Time commitment: monthly – a two- hour tour one Wednesday morning each month

Opportunity: Co-chair responsibilities

Reflections
The National PTA Reflections Program is an arts recognition program that provides children in PreK through 12 an opportunity to express themselves in any of 4 areas: literature, musical composition, photography and the visual arts. Spearheading Sutton’s first entry into the contest will require Co-Chairs that can make the program unique for our own talented students! This committee’s duties include publicity, identifying entrants and judges, application submission, displaying art and recognizing achievements!

If you have these interests, you may like these jobs: helping students to receive recognition for their efforts, organizational skills, team-building skills, learning more about arts opportunities in our school system

Time commitment: at least one meeting before the end of the school year and over the summer; then, weekly in the first part of fall

Opportunity: Co-chair and committee responsibilities

School Photographer
You’ll take photos of all types of school events and activities. Equipment is not supplied by the PTA, but expenses associated with the position are reimbursed. The Chair can build a team that covers different activities or rotates responsibilities.

If you have these interests, you may like this job: Digital photography, a must and flexibility to attend functions, the ability to take, edit, and upload photos to different media

Time commitment: weekly throughout the year, possibly divided among team members

Opportunity: Chair and committee responsibilities

Sixth Grade Parents Social
The Sixth Grade Parents Social is SMS’s way of saying “Welcome to the Family” to all new parents joining us from six different feeder schools. Hosted by 7th grade parents within the first month of school, this evening of food and drink is a great way to bring parents together in a fun, relaxed setting!

If you have these interests, you may like this job: People skills, organizational skills, like a good party!

Time commitment: very condensed at the very beginning of the school year

Opportunity: Co- chair and committee responsibilities

School Directory
This is an opportunity to create an important tool used by all SMS parents on an almost daily basis! The Chair and committee work closely with the Homeroom Contacts in gathering, verifying and formatting the names, addresses, phone numbers and emails of students. The ability to secure advertising is important because it is the directory’s primary source of funding.

If you have these interests, you may like this job: An understanding of Excel, attention to detail, meeting new people, working as a team to meet a deadline, community contacts

Time commitment: very condensed in the fall months

Opportunity: Chair and committee responsibilities

Sutton Facilities
This Chair position will require a vision and the ability to form special committees to work on task-oriented projects to improve our new school. In our new facility, the PTA expects to process many needs and requests. Our Facilities Liaison will compile, assess and present this information to the PTA Co-Presidents and Principal.

If you have these interests, you may like this job: Landscaping, interior design, community contacts, people skills, organizational skills, long-range planning

Time commitment: weekly activity over the end of summer months and the beginning of the school year, at least monthly throughout the rest of the year

Opportunity: Chair and committee responsibilities

Sutton Free Press
The Sutton Free Press is our school’s flagship vehicle for presenting information to our Sutton family and our surrounding cluster school community. The staff of this 8-10 page newsletter, published every other month, offers many opportunities for parental involvement. You’ll never feel “out of touch” as a member of the Free Press Staff!

If you have these interests, you may like this job: Meeting people, information gathering, writing, editing, photography, computer graphics design, community contacts, layout development

Time commitment: monthly, with concerted daily efforts closer to deadline

Opportunity: Co-chair responsibility or committee responsibility for staff members

Sutton Source
The Sutton Source Chair is our school’s point person to communicate SMS news and headlines on a very timely basis. You need a computer with internet access to maintain an active list of email addresses for our parents and staff. This Chair must be able to process and distribute information provided by PTA Co-Presidents on short notice.

If you have these interests, you may like this job: Technology developments, being able to contribute to SMS from the comfort of your home, attention to detail

Time commitment: weekly

Opportunity: Chair responsibilities

Sutton School Liaisons

North Atlanta Chair
This is a great job for a parent with students at both Sutton and NAHS who has a passion for strengthening the bond between these schools by passing along first hand information from administrations, PTAs, sports programs and other groups. This position is especially important over the next few years as these two schools work closely to implement the IB MYP and create a seamless transition from middle to high school.

If you have these interests, you may like this job: People skills, organization skills, presentation skills, information gathering

Time commitment: weekly in the fall, at least monthly throughout the year

Opportunity: Chair responsibilities

Sutton Feeder School Liaison Chair

This Chair coordinates efforts of the liaison committee comprised of one representative from each of the six feeder schools whose focus is to promote SMS within their respective elementary schools. The Chair supports the committee by working closely with the PTA Board to develop a schedule of events and appropriate SMS materials and to coordinate intra-school efforts.

Feeder School Liaison
As a former or current parent at your SMS feeder school, you can use your contacts to coordinate such fun events as student visits between schools, fall parties for prospective parents, placement of SMS news in your school newsletter, Congratulations mailbox surprises for your school’s rising Sutton sixth graders, and summer events for our newest Cougars!

If you have these interests, you may like these jobs: Passion for neighborhood schools, people skills, organizational skills, communication skills

Time commitment for these positions: weekly in the fall, monthly throughout the year

Opportunity: Chair or individual responsibilities

Sutton Showcase
The Showcase Co-Chairs lead the combined efforts of a large and talented committee to produce and direct Sutton’s Annual Talent Show. The Co-Chairs coordinate committees for talent acquisition, sourcing production support, public relations, advertising, ticket sales rehearsals, catering and much more! This is the perfect role for energetic and strong-at-heart Cougar parents!

If you have these interests, you may like this job: People skills, contacting and negotiating with vendors, working with middle-school talent; public relations, advertising, sales or entertainment experience, managing long term projects

Time commitment: The committee begins work five months prior to this spring event; after planning stages, committees communicate weekly

Opportunity: Co-Chair and committee responsibilities

Spirit Wear
The only goal of SMS’ new Spirit Wear committee is to see our Sutton Middle School name, logo and school colors all over our North Atlanta community! Duties include developing logo items with the Sutton “brand”; working with school groups; managing inventory; and new creative opportunities your committee will define!

If you have these interests, you may like this job: school spirit, fundraising, team-building, creative challenges

Time commitment: some spring and summer preparation for fall “busy season”; weekly at beginning of school year; then occasional activity

Opportunity: Co-Chair and committee responsibilities

Sports Banquet
The Sports Banquet honors our SMS sports teams. The Co-Chairs work closely with our school’s APS and PTA Athletic Directors and coaching staffs to establish the event, develop an appropriate program; manage ticket sales and menu offerings. The committee coordinates all aspects of this special event for our Sutton sports teams, team member parents, coaches, school staff and teachers!

If you have these interests, you may like this job: working with the administration and volunteers, organizational skills

Time commitment: at least bi-monthly after Spring Break, then weekly as the event nears

Opportunity: Co-Chairs and committee responsibilities

Sports Liaison
This committee works closely with our PTA Executive Board, SMS faculty and community to support the various sports programs Sutton offers, including both APS and PTA-funded activities. It will focus increasingly on building relationships with community partners to maximize our school’s location, potential for increasing athletic excellence and ability to play a leadership role in our North Atlanta neighborhood family.

If you have these interests, you may like this job: Team-building, community contacts, people skills, communication skills

Time commitment: weekly throughout the year, divided among Co-Chairs

Opportunity: Co-Chair responsibilities

Teacher Appreciation
The Teacher Appreciation committee, provide refreshments the first Tuesday afternoon of each month for our principal’s faculty meeting. SMS parents also enjoy “appreciating” our fabulous faculty and staff at a Holiday Buffet, during Teacher Appreciation Week and at an end of the year celebration! They also acknowledge teacher and staff birthdays. This committee will also provide refreshments for “moving motivation” the week after the close of school this year as Sutton packs up to move “home”.

If you have these interests, you may like this job: Cooking, catering, flower arranging, creative theme-making, receiving “appreciative” smiles

Time commitment: monthly, daily during Teacher Appreciation Week

Opportunity: Co-Chairs and committee responsibilities

Teacher Grants
The Teacher Grant Chair co-ordinates grant applications from the teachers to the PTA. The Chair will sit down twice a month with the principal to determine which grants are feasible and then reports the progress to the Executive Board.

If you have these interests, you may like this job: Interaction with the principal and board, organizational skills

Time commitment: beginning of the school year, two hours per week

Opportunity: Chair

Volunteer Coordinator
There are new parents flowing into Sutton all year long just looking for a way to get involved. Why don’t you become the point person for the administration, teachers and committee chairs to help bring them on board? Get out and meet new parents, start up a database and help match needs with willing parents.

If you have these interests, you may like this job: Helping people get involved in a new environment, organizational skills, people skills,

Time commitment: at least weekly in the beginning of the year, and then a couple of hours per month

Opportunity: Chair responsibilities

Webmaster
This key position will require substantial time, creativity and good team-building skills as Sutton continues to develop its school website! Knowledge of different software packages, like Dream Weaver, is necessary. This committee will interface with many other SMS committees and needs to build a strong team to gather and process information for continuous web updates.

If you have these interests, you may like this job: Technology, creating websites, providing valuable and current SMS information to the community

Time commitment: weekly, with steady summer activity

Opportunity: Chair and committee responsibilities

The Executive Board

Co-Presidents
The Co-Presidents direct the affairs of the PTA in cooperation with the Executive Board, Committee Chairs and PTA members; develop a year-long action plan; appoint standing chairs; coordinate volunteer efforts; serve as the primary link between the PTA and school Principal; conduct monthly meetings of the Executive Board, Board of Directors, PTA Coffee Talks and three General PTA membership meetings; weekly consultation with PTA communication vehicles; represent Sutton in the NAPPS organization, and work with APS on any issues of importance to Sutton Middle School.

If you have these interests, you may like this job: A deep passion for making Sutton the best middle school experience in Atlanta, people skills, organizational skills, flexibility to attend frequent meetings on and off campus

Time commitment: 25-30 hours weekly

Vice Presidents
Vice Presidents on the PTA Executive Board are directly involved with the operations of our PTA committees. The 2006-2007 Board will be comprised of at least two, and not more than four, Vice Presidents overseeing a wide range of responsibilities including communications, membership, fundraising, business partners, meeting programs, hospitality, volunteers, financial management.

If you have these interests, you may like these jobs: being very involved in improving your school, people skills, organizational skills, flexibility to participate in regular meeting on and off campus, availability to attend school performances and events

Time commitment: 5-10 hours weekly

Secretary
The Secretary is responsible for keeping accurate records of the proceedings of the association, Board of Directors and Executive Board meetings. These records will be the history of the PTA. The Secretary also maintains all correspondence with parents and the community in regards to donations of products and services provided to the school and PTA while maintaining an accurate record of membership rolls.

If you have these interests, you may like this job: Being prompt and accurate, attention to detail, dedicated to the Sutton cause

Time commitment: 2-3 hours weekly

Treasurer
The Treasurer is the legally responsible, authorized custodian of the PTA funds. The Treasurer is responsible for the financial management of the PTA; receives and disburses all monies in accordance with the bylaws and the approved budget; is responsible for the bank account and all transactions; prepares monthly budget reports and presents reports at PTA meetings; and prepares reports for and files the annual tax return.

If you have these interests, you may like this job: Attention to detail, computer skills, financial acumen, flexibility to attend school-located budget discussions on at least bi-monthly basis.

Time commitment: 12-15 hours weekly