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PTA Needs You!
The Nominating Committee is currently meeting and working on forming the slate of candidates for 2024-25 PTA Board positions. Serving on the PTA Board is open to any PTA member. If you would like more information about open positions, email recsecretary.lces@gmail.com. Please include which positions you may be interested in serving. You may run for ANY position you'd like but current high needs are 1st VP of Membership and Secretary.
President: Coordinate the work of the Executive Board so that the mission and goals of the PTA are realized. Maintain a fair and impartial position at all times. Prepare an agenda for each meeting. Preside at all executive board meetings (monthly) and general body meetings (three per school year). Prepare the calendar for the year with the VP of Programs and Principal. Monitors monthly budget reports. Serves as the primary contact for the Principal.
1st VP of Membership: The membership chairperson/vice president is responsible for creating and implementing a membership recruitment plan, and promoting PTA membership throughout the year. The VP of Membership also compiles and sends a monthly PTA email newsletter out to the current PTA members at the beginning of each month.
2nd VP of Programs: The Programs chair oversees the programs that PTA sponsors throughout the year. Works with president and principle to create the calendar of events for the year. They work with the individual program chairs and volunteers to plan, advertise and carry out each event.
Treasurer: The treasurer deposits all money received by the PTA and writes checks or uses the debit card to pay amounts that the PTA owes. In addition, the Treasurer has to read the applicable financial-related rules (which are an easy read) and make sure the PTA is following them. The Treasurer reconciles the cash account monthly and enters transactions into MoneyMinder, which produces a monthly financial statement.
Secretary: Take minutes at PTA executive board and general PTA meetings, then forward them to the president for review before sending them to the full board. Have copies of the minutes from the general board meetings made so they can be distributed and approved by the membership. Act as a custodian of PTA records, keeping a permanent file of all minutes, agendas, reports, the charter, and approved copy of the local unity bylaws.
Volunteers Coordinator: In charge of volunteer recruitment and reporting of volunteer hours to the County Volunteer Coordinator each month. Tasks include maintaining a regularly changing Google Sheet of Volunteer information, creating & filling sign-ups (paper & online) for various events, requesting & tabulating volunteer hours off-campus, and selecting Volunteers of the Month. You do not have to be present at all volunteer events to take this position, other board members are always available to help.
Advocacy Chair: The goal of the Chiles PTA advocacy chair is to inform the membership about education issues and Florida PTA legislative goals. The advocacy chair is the committee chair of our annual multicultural event in the Spring.
Ways and Means Chair: The main jobs of the Ways and Means Chair are to assist with creating a fundraising plan and calendar for the year and then coordinate all fundraising activities that are held by the PTA (Fun Run, Fill the Fence, Carnival wristband sales, Skate Station, etc)
Contact Us
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For contacting our president or general PTA questions, please email: lawtonchilespta@gmail.com
Our PTA Board
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2024-2025 PTA Board
President: Katie Kim
VP of Membership: TBD
VP of Programs: Micka Chini
Treasurer: Amanda Chan
Secretary: Amber Barton
Ways and Means Chair: Lesley Banis
Volunteer Coordinator: Lexi Weir
Advocacy Chair: Megan Jansen
If you have any interest in the Membership position on the board, please email lawtonchilespta@gmail.com.
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Visit our online Spirit Wear store for custom Cheetah shirts, totes, water bottles, hats and more!
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PTA Funded School Project
We are currently brainstorming ideas for a PTA funded project for the 2025-2026 school year. Thank you to everyone who has submitted their thoughts via the Google form that went out a couple weeks ago. Ideas being researched include:
*Soccer/basketball goals and/or a gaga ball pit for the playground
*Playground upgrades including adding shade (Kindergarten playground) and changing the flooring (eliminating the sand)
*Indoor refurbishments to cafeteria
*Indoor refurbishments to hallway bathrooms
If you have noticed anything around the school you would like to be considered please fill out the google form HERE. The link will be active until February 14th.
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Hospitality Committee
Greetings from the Hospitality Committee! If you are interested in volunteering with us, please email Megan Martin at megan10877@gmail.com. The Hospitality Committee not only plans and executes Staff Appreciation Week each May, we also provide snacks and goodies to the staff throughout the year. Another aspect of the committee is that we recognize staff during their designated recognition days (i.e. Nurse's week, Administrative Assistant Day, etc.) While volunteering with the committee, you don't have to be present for all events, so it's great for those who work or have limited availability. We have some great events planned and would love to have you join us! Once again, email Megan Martin at megan10877@gmail.com if you're interested in joining the committee.
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From the Advocacy Committee
PTA Supply ClosetNew this year, the PTA is stocking and organizing a supply closet that will house clothing, backpacks, school supplies, hygiene products, etc., available for staff to provide to students in need. Since this is new, we need your help to set it up and fill it. You can sign up here for a volunteer shift to organize the new space. You can also donate items to the bins outside the front office. Right now we are in need of kids socks (any size), kids underwear (boys or girls, any size), and laundry detergent. We also always collect new kids clothing items and school supplies including backpacks, 2” binders, composition notebooks, and pencil boxes. Thank you for your support!
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News from our Volunteer Coordinator
We have some fun volunteer opportunities for the new year! Please make sure you have an approved volunteer application on file. Email Lexi at ChilesVolunteers@gmail.com with any questions.
School Store (January through May)
Help each grade level for one hour as classes come in to make their "purchases" with Cheetah Cash. This is an exciting event for students to get rewarded for their positive behaviors!
Art Volunteers (January through May)
Help hang students’ artwork, prep project materials, and support the kindergarten and ESE students. Ms. Grikstas is so thankful for the art volunteers this year!
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Save the Dates - Upcoming Events
- April 16th - Kindergarten Round up 2:15pm
- April 25th - Volunteer Breakfast (invitations have been sent)
- May 5th-9th - Teacher Appreciation Week
- May 6th - PTA General Membership Meeting at 6 p.m.
- May 9th - Skate Station Spirit Night (final of the year!)
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We will be celebrating Staff Appreciation Week May 5-9, 2025 with a fun Survivor theme. The tentative schedule of events sponsored by the PTA is as follows:
Monday: Trail Mix bar
Tuesday: Pizza lunch provided by Marco's
Wednesday: Drink cart and students celebrate their teachers (more info below)
Thursday: Lunch, dessert and prize giveaway
On Wednesday of the week (5/7), we are asking students to bring in something special for their teacher(s) -- ideas include: a thank you note, one of their "favorite things", a gift card or something handmade from your student. If you can, don't forget to thank the specials and gifted/support teachers too. There is a binder in the front office with the "favorite things" sheets for teachers and staff. We also will be sending home a themed student coloring/thank you sheet that students can complete and bring to school that week.
If you have a local business and are interested in donating food or prizes that can be put in a gift basket, please let Megan Martin know via email megan10877@gmail.com
Anyone interested in helping out with the week is invited to our next planning meeting on Thursday, April 17 at 12:30pm in the meeting room at Chiles. Also, below is the link to donate needed supplies to make our event a success!
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From our Volunteer Coordinator
Check out our current volunteer opportunities! Please make sure you have an approved volunteer application on file. Email Lexi at ChilesVolunteers@gmail.com with any questions. Click the labeled blue buttons to sign up for any volunteer needs.
School Store (January through May)
Help each grade level for one hour as classes come in to make their "purchases" with Cheetah Cash. This is an exciting event for students to get rewarded for their positive behaviors!
Art Volunteers (January through May)
Help hang students’ artwork, prep project materials, and support the kindergarten and ESE students. Ms. Grikstas is so thankful for the art volunteers this year!
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From our Advocacy Committee
Advocacy Opportunity: Help protect our career tech (CTE), Advanced Placement (AP), Cambridge AICE), International Baccalaureate (IB) and dual enrollment programs! Florida lawmakers are currently considering bills that would dramatically cut funding to these programs--to the tune of more than $3.5 million for Alachua County Public Schools alone. The funds are awarded when students pass rigorous AP, IB, AICE or career certification exams or get an A in an academic dual enrollment course and help support those programs. We have thousands of students who are earning college credits, scholarships, awards and industry certifications and being better prepared for college and/or careers because of these programs! Contact your state representative if you support these programs and oppose these cuts. Find your representatives here.
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Morning Mile
Each morning, the students run, or walk, around the track. The laps will be totaled and students will be rewarded as they accumulate miles.
Exercise not only works to fight childhood obesity, it allows students an opportunity to expend youthful energy and socialize. This helps them focus once the school day begins. It’s a win-win for everyone involved and Lawton Chiles Elementary is thrilled to promote fitness and all the great benefits that go with it.
For more information about The Morning Mile please visit www.MorningMile.comClick the link below to register your child.
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Have a dismissal change for your student?
1. Please send ONE email
2. Address Line: Use chilesfrontoffice@gm.sbac.
edu AND the teacher's email (if there are multiple students, add all of the teachers' emails) 3. Subject Line: Use the students full name (first and last). If there are multiple students, write all of the students' first names and the last name.
4. Body of the email includes parent's full name
Your child's safety is a TOP PRIORITY and having this information is VERY IMPORTANT!
Thank you!
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Did you know...
You could watch the Chiles morning news from home or work? Well, you can! Chiles has a YouTube Channel you can subscribe to.
You can purchase your Chiles T-shirts anytime at https://
lawtonchileselementary. memberhub.com/store?limit=21& live=true You can check out the lunch menu for the whole month? You can find it here.
For up-to-date announcements about PTA programs and events at Chiles, follow the Lawton Chiles Elementary PTA Facebook page.
Ideas for future newsletters or things you want to hear more about? Email membership.lces@gmail.com.