PTA Committees and Clubs

Fundraising 

​Spirit Wear
Chair(s): Christina Heotis
Organize the ordering and sale of Franklin Rocks themed t-shirts and other items through our online web-store.
​Box Tops for Education
Co-Chair(s): Liana Madura & Andrea Cline
​This committee is responsible for promoting a collection process for box tops.  This collection of box tops has been done as a contest between classes.  The concept of a contest makes it fun for the kids and raises thousands of dollars for the PTA.  The committee is also responsible for receiving funds and submitting them to the PTA treasurer.
Square 1 Art
Chair(s): NEEDED
​This committee will organize the Square 1 Art project where we bring your child's art to life through memorable keepsakes family members can't resist!
​Pizza Day
Chair(s): Charisse Plaza
This committee organizes the ordering of pizza by parents through our online web-store, coordinates orders and payments to the pizza vendor, and arranges parent volunteers to help serve pizza on Mondays during the students’ lunch hour. Our new pizza vendor will be Kiddie Kingdom.
Student Socials
Chair(s): NEEDED
This committee will organize 2 fun nights for Franklin students: A 3-5 Kids Dance and a K-2 Kids Dance in the Franklin Gym.

Kindness Walk Fundraiser
Chair(s): Cathie Hirsh & Nicole Nieves
This committee organizes Franklin's annual Kindness Walk, the BIGGEST and ONLY major fundraiser for PTA. You will work in partnership with a company called RaiseCraze to plan Kindness activities and incentives for the students to "pay it forward" as a thank you for donations received. Day of activity duties include: preparing the track along with the PE department and organizing parent volunteers for the Walk itself.

More Activities and Events Committees...

Picture, Vision, Hearing Day Coordinators 
Chair: Mary Maestranzi
Arrange for volunteers to help with pictures, vision and hearing screenings.

Roller Skating Party 
Chair(s): Michelle Cimilluca & Co-CHAIR NEEDED
Organize a PTA sponsored skating night at the Mount Prospect skating rink.

​Room Parent Coordinators
Chairs: Maureen Hartwig &Co-CHAIR(S) NEEDED
This committee secures volunteers for each classroom, communicates to room parents the responsibilities for coordinating the Halloween and Valentine’s Day parties, and distributes the money for the events.  The room parent responsibility also includes coordinating a collection from parents for a teacher gift for the winter holiday and again at the end of the school year.

Science Olympiad
Chair(s): Vicki Berge & Co-CHAIR(S) NEEDED
This committee oversees one of the events at the district wide Science Olympiad for grades 3-5.  The committee is responsible for setting up the and running the event, as well as organizing the teams and providing the necessary information for participants.

Trunk or Treat 
Co-CHAIR(S) NEEDED
This committee will work to organize the trunk or treat event which includes advertising the event, gathering volunteers to sponsor a trunk, setting up games and activities, etc..

Activities & Events

5th Grade Ice Cream Social & Picnic
Chair(s): Maureen Hartwig, Regina Roderick & Nicole Nieves 
This committee organizes a picnic for the fifth grade students on the day of their promotion ceremony, orders and distributes Emerson t-shirts for all 5th graders, and organizes an ice cream social for 5th graders and their families after their promotion ceremony.
Back to School Picnic
Chair: Shushana Padiak
This committee organizes a family event featuring food, music, games, and fun.  This takes place on the school playground at the start of the school year.  The committee chair is responsible for gathering volunteers and scheduling vendors for this event.  ​
​5th Grade Promotion Party
Chair(s): Maureen Hartwig, Regina Roderick & Nicole Nieves ​
This committee organizes a spring party for outgoing 5th graders and their parents.  Responsibilities include organizing volunteers, finding food vendor, decorations, invitations, and entertainment.
Chess Club
Run by Chess-Ed
​Chess Club is a lunchtime program held on Wednesdays for grades 1-5.  The class is taught by Chess Ed.  The committee organizes dates with the program director, advertises registration, and is responsible to help supervise and take attendance (or schedule volunteers to do so).
Donuts with Dad/ 
Mornings with Mom
Chair(s):  Ronda Pissios
Donut breakfast for dads and their children held in the early fall.  Muffin breakfast for moms and their children held in May.  This committee organizes the volunteers for setting up (along with the custodial staff) and serving the in the gym.  The committee also is responsible for ordering the food/refreshments for the event and to advertise for it.
Franklin Fun
Chair(s):  Liz Kelly
This committee promotes healthy living throughout the year.  This committee will help organize activities for Franklin Fun Nights at the school.  The committee will also organize monthly Franklin Fun activity logs, promoting activity outside of school.  Responsibilities will include distributing and collecting activity logs and organizing a raffle and prizes for children who participate.
Healthy Living Month
Chair(s): NEEDED
This committee organizes the activities and events for the month of April promoting healthy living.  The month’s themes include, health and nutrition week, “neat to use your feet” week, screen free week, and go green week. ​
Book Club
Chair(s): Courtney Bowles
This group meets once a week during lunch for a ten-week interactive reading program during the winter months.  It is offered to students in grades K-5.  The chairperson organizes the ordering of the books, and recruits parents to lead a group for each grade level.

Math Club
Chair(s): Ranelle Barsuk & Lindsey Whyte
​Organize games and activities for students in Grades 3-5, and coordinate additional parent volunteers to help supervise. Meetings in LRC once a month during lunch/recess.

"Night of the Stars" Performance 
Chair: Lena Milissis & Nicole Nieves
Night of the Stars is a talent show where the students are the stars.  The committee organizes an “audition” of student acts and a dress rehearsal after school.  Parent volunteers will be needed to help organize the children, work as stage hands, sell concessions, and for stage decorations.  The performance will be held during the school day as an assembly for the entire student body in the morning and afternoon.  The final performance will be in the evening for parents and families.

Olympic Day
Chair(s):  Deb Zeman
This committee will work with the gym teachers in coordinating activities and volunteers for our end of the year field day

Girls on the Run/Let me Run
Chair(s):  CHAIR(S) NEEDED
Organize and coach student running clubs

Service 

Welcoming 
Chairs: NEEDED
This is a new committee that will help welcome new students and parents to Franklin.  They will organize group activities and provide new students with the information they need to feel right at home here at Franklin. ​
Service Learning
Chair(s):  Donna Kotty Co-CHAIR(S) NEEDED
​This committee will work together with the Student Council in creating opportunities for our students to volunteer and give back to our community and encourage random acts of kindness.
Cultural Arts
Chair(s): Co-CHAIR(S) NEEDED
​This committee selects and plans a number of PTA sponsored school assemblies.  The events may be motivational speakers, musical groups, or other entertaining performances.  
​Elementary Learning Foundation (ELF) 
Representative:  Kim Urso & Regina Roderick
ELF is a volunteer organization that has established and supported innovative, imaginative educational programs by awarding grants to teachers and staff of district 64 who are committed to excellence in education
Hospitality/Teacher Appreciation 
Chair(s): Charisse Plaza & *Need Co-Chair
This committee plans multiple events including the teacher appreciation lunch, teacher curriculum night dinner, and back to school teacher breakfast.
International Committee  
Chair: Alla Bagryanskaya & Lorena Samaniego
This committee will run an Interntional Week in February that celebrates the variety of cultures and ethnicities present at Franklin. You will also help plan an "International Night" in Feb. as well.
4th and 5th Grade Volleyball
Chair(s): Maureen Hartwig
Organize volleyball teams, practices,  and games with other D64 schools. 

Yearbook 
Chair(s): Michelle Braccioforte
This committee is responsible for taking pictures of various school events from the first day of school through the end of February, create collages to submit to the yearbook company, process orders, and distribute the yearbooks to students and staff.

Parent Social
Chair(s):  CHAIR NEEDED
Organize a PTA sponsored parents night out at a local bar/restaurant


Veteran’s Day
Chairs: CHAIR NEEDED
This committee will help organize a Veteran’s Day Ceremony with students and staff, and help to recruit veterans to speak to the students about their experiences. ​

School Supply Kits
Chair(s): Liz Kelly
Partner with school supply kit vendor, promote kits, and organize delivery of kits 

Sweetheart Dance 
Chair(s): Sue Polak
Organize a PTA sponsored father-daughter dance 

Mom/Son Event 
Chair(s):  CHAIR NEEDED
Organize a PTA sponsored mom/son event