PTC Committee Application 2021-2022

Find an opportunity that works for you and get involved! No experience necessary. Please submit your form by Monday, May 10.

75th Anniversary Committee

You will work with members of the Advancement and Administration teams to plan activities to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the founding of Bernard Zell.

Annual Fundraiser 

You will assist the Co-Chairs with many aspects of the Annual Fundraiser, including securing auction items, soliciting sponsorships, promotion and day-of event set-up. 

Bar/Bat Mitzvah Date Keeper 

This appointed position will work with all families within the grade and the representatives from local synagogues to ensure a dedicated date/time for each family to celebrate their child’s bar and bat mitzvah. The Keeper from each grade will work on a committee of Keepers (from the current grades 4 through 8) for guidance and support and to develop best practices. This position will be appointed by the PTC President. Volunteering here will express your interest in being considered for the role. (Must have a 4th grader in 2021-22)

Book Fairs & Book Swap Committee and Library Volunteers

Book Fair/Swap Co-Chair: You will work with the School Librarians to plan, organize and execute 2 Book Fairs and 1 Book Swap and help recruit volunteers to work at these events.

Book Fair/Swap Committee Member: You will work shifts to help set-up and check-out guests at the Book Fairs & Book Swap.

Library Volunteer: On dates/times of your choice, you will assist the librarians with assorted tasks within the library. Volunteer once or every week.

Booster Club Co-Chair: You will help the Athletic Director organize events to promote school spirit and support BZ athletic teams. You will also assist in planning the annual Athletic Banquet. 

Booster Club Committee Member: You will work shifts at Booster Club events, typically immediately after school, to help with concessions, passing out BZ swag, etc. 

This committee work, all done remotely, provides support to school community members in their times of joy or sadness by distributing information or other support, as desired by the family, and sending congratulations or condolences. 

JEFF Co-Chair: You will work closely with Director of Jewish Life, Hagit Lewis, to bring inclusive Jewish experiences to students, parents and families for connecting within and across grades. Programs focus on celebrating traditions and rituals, socializing in a Jewish context and exploring spirituality.  Your role will include brainstorming program specifics and promoting and executing events.

JEFF Committee Member: You will help execute JEFF events - activities could include staffing a meal pick-up station for Shabbat in a Box, assembling Purim gifts for families, recruiting parents for a TuB'Shevat seder or a Challah Bake. 

Fundraising/Retail Co-Chair: You will plan, promote and execute fundraising activities to fund the PTC’s Be Innovative Grant. Activities could include: Spirit Gear sales, online and in-person shopping events, restaurant partnerships, and more. 

Fundraising/Retail Committee Member: You will help the Fundraising & Retail Co-Chairs execute their events by working shifts at in-person sales events, working at a Spirit Gear sale, sharing your network of potential vendors & partners, etc.

Lunchroom Co-Chair: You will schedule and manage daily lunchroom volunteers to assist Sage, our lunchroom vendor, during lunchtime. You will have an opportunity to work with Chef Ben to provide a parent perspective on lunch and snack service. 

Lunchroom Committee Constant: You will have the first chance at selecting lunchtime volunteer shifts (Monday through Thursday 11:15 am - 1:00 pm). You can choose to volunteer weekly, monthly, or whenever you are free. Lunchroom Constants also help the Lunchroom Co-Chairs fill in gaps when other volunteers are unavailable.

PALS Co-Chair: You will work closely with the Admissions office to pair new families with mentor families as they prepare for their children to start at Bernard Zell. You will assist in planning programming to welcome new families. 

PALS Mentor: Your family will be paired with an incoming family to ensure a warm welcome. You’ll be an ongoing source of support for the family throughout their first year at Bernard Zell. This may include such things as family park playdates, meals together, etc.

Parent Ed. Co-Chair: You will work with the Learning Services department and school administration to brainstorm potential programs and invite speakers to school to address a range of topics related to personal, professional, and parenting life.  

Parent Ed. Committee Member: You will help promote Parent Education events, provide ideas and suggestions on potential topics and speakers and help with any day-of event needs. 

Parent Networking Co-Chair: You will work to reinstate this committee that aims to connect parents for the purposes of networking, career development, and encouraging support of community-owned businesses. 

Parking Lot Co-Chair: You will coordinate parent volunteers working in the parking lot, ensuring that we have parents available every day to assist the BZ Security Team and Administration in our drop-off line. You will work with the administration to make sure the process runs smoothly and make adjustments as necessary. You will work with grade coordinators and our Parking Lot Constants to secure volunteers. 

Parking Lot Constant: The Parking Lot Co-chairs will reach out to you when they need additional volunteers for Parking Lot Duty.

Special Friends Event Committee: 

Special Friends Co-Chair: You will work with the Administration & Advancement teams to plan the events for Special Friends Day/Week. You will coordinate volunteers, as needed, to prepare for the event and help execute the event.

Special Friends Committee Member: You will help prepare invitations, programs and decor, as needed, in advance of the event and help register and guide guests, as needed, on the day of the event. 

Teacher Appreciation Co-Chair: You will plan and execute events to recognize and thank our teachers, administrators and staff throughout the year and during Teacher Appreciation Week in the Spring. In addition, this committee coordinates the semi-annual teacher gift card program.  

Teacher Appreciation Committee Member: You will assist the Teacher Appreciation Co-Chairs to execute their events throughout the school year - setting up coffee stations, delivering treats and surprises, packaging gifts, etc. 

Yad B'Yad Co-Chair: You will create a calendar of service project opportunities in the Lakeview community and beyond in which parents and children can participate together. Working with the members of your committee you will promote and execute these activities throughout the school year. 

Yad B'Yad Committee Member: You will be assigned to help execute 1 (or more, if desired) service project event. Activities include - working with the organization to determine needs, promoting the event, recruiting participants and helping with day-of-event logistics. 

Young Families Co-Chair: You will plan and execute a winter-time event to engage the BZ families with children in grades Nursery through 2nd Grade.

Young Families Committee Member: You will assist the Co-Chairs with preparation for the Young Family Event and be available to work a shift during the event - registration, help with programming, serving snacks, etc.

Grade Coordinators are the link between classroom parents and the PTC, as well as between parents and teachers or parents and administrators. They meet in person once a year, in the early fall. Their main responsibilities are to assist with the dissemination of information to parents, organizing gatherings and the Annual Grade Dinner (along with collecting funds for the dinner) and coordinating volunteers for classroom activities, events or field trips. 

Responsibilities include: 

• Attending all PTC and Grade Coordinator Meetings, and attending the end-of-year Turnover meeting

• One person will take on the communication role in order to disseminate information to the grade throughout the year. 

• Serving as a liaison between PTC and classroom parents

• Managing grade-wide events (e.g., grade dinners, mom’s nights, field trip volunteers)

• Volunteering at other school events (e.g. teacher appreciation week, booster club, and other grade-specific events)

• Coordinating your grade level responsibilities (e.g. Parking Lot volunteers, 6th grade is responsible for Operetta concessions)

To apply to be a Grade Coordinator, please indicate what grade (s) your child(ren) will be in during the 2021-2022 school year. Check all that apply. 

Please submit your requests by Monday, May 10th. Questions? Reach out to Merritt DeWitt at merritt.dewitt@gmail.com or 312-714-7359. 

Please Note:

We aim to honor all parents’ volunteer requests. Due to great interest in some areas, we may ask you to consider being involved in an alternate committee but we will not assign you to a committee you did not request without speaking to you first. 

Each committee will have a liaison to the PTC Exec Board as well as an Administrative liaison to provide support.

Committee work may be affected by COVID protocols in place during the 2021-2022 school year. We will work together to create meaningful programming within the COVID parameters. 

Thank you for your interest in volunteering and helping to build a better, stronger Bernard Zell!