Committees

Committee Chair: Katie Flores

The before/after school program committee manages any PTA-sponsored clubs that meet before and/or after school hours.  Currently, this includes the Trailblazers Youth Running Club.  They meet before school from 8am-8:15am Monday through Friday on the playground (or in the gym in the case of inclement weather).  All students are encouraged to participate and can win monthly awards for their efforts. 

Committee Co-Chairs: Echo Mosley & Linsey Donini

The Birthday Book Club provides a unique way to honor a child's birthday while also making a donation to the school library.  During the month of your child's birthday, he or she will receive a letter offering you a Birthday Book Club opportunity. If you are interested, your child may bring a minimum donation of $5 to the library and in exchange, your child may select a book from the birthday shelf in the library to donate to the overall library collection in their name.  The book may be taken home and read before it is placed in the collection.  It will be marked with a bookplate bearing the donor's name and birthday.  In sponsoring the program, the PTA helps supplement the difference between the donation and the cost of the book. 

Book Fairs raise funds for the library, as the library receives 10% of all profits. They also give students and teachers the opportunity to add Scholastic Books to their collections.  Volunteers from the PTA work at the Book Fairs (typically two per year) including for the Teacher and Student Previews. 

Committee Chair: April Luchsinger

The Caring Fund Committee provides a small gift to teachers who experience significant lift events such as having a child or a loss of a family member.  The co-chair is responsible for purchasing and sending a gift and card for these occasions, in coordination with Mrs. Even and Mr. Welch.  

Committee Co-Chairs: Emily Nolan and Tara Thul

The Communications Committee is responsible for creating content for and maintaining the PTA website and Facebook page.  Additionally, the committee chair assists in managing the PTA email inbox and also compiles and submits all PTA-related eNews communications to the district.  Note, submissions should be sent to ptaforestgrove@gmail.com by 5pm on Wednesdays to be included in Friday eNews. 

Committee Chair: Elizabeth Thistlethwaite

The display showcases at the school allow students, parents and staff to keep up on all the current school and PTA events.  The committee chair is responsible for selecting themes and coordinating with school staff and the PTA to decorate the display showcases throughout the year.

If we do not have a volunteer to chair this committee for the 2023-2024 school year, we will take a new approach. Instead of having one person in charge of all display cases throughout the school year, we will ask for parent volunteers to sign up for a month(s) where they will be responsible to develop the theme and content for that specific month of the school year.  

Committee Co-Chairs: Rhiannon Goad & Melissa Pelham 

The Fall Frenzy is a fun family festival typically held in September or October each year, including food, games, prizes, raffles, a Silent Auction and much more!  This is our largest fundraising event of the school year.  The co-chairs of this event oversee several sub-committees and engage in regular communication as early as the summer prior to the event to begin budgeting and planning.   Sub-committees are outlined below including some notable responsibilities for each (although not all inclusive). 

Silent Auction Co-Chairs: Rachel Farwell & April Luchsinger   

• Gather donations from the community and school families and assemble them into Silent Auction baskets 

• Promote the various baskets prior to the event to generate interest 

• Compile a list of all baskets to be included in a final packet to be sent home to families prior to the event 

• Oversee the Silent Auction process during the event

Raffle Co-Chairs: Nicci Ailabouni, Robbie Smith & Kristen Mueller  

• Gather raffle donations from the community and school families

• Promote the various raffle items prior to the event 

• Oversee the Raffle process during the event

Games Co-Chairs: Dominique Friebel & Katie Flores 

• Determine which games will be featured at the event 

• Create/construct games, as needed 

• Organize trinket/candy donations to be used for prizes 

• Oversee games during the event to ensure they are fully staffed and have plenty of prizes 

• Oversee sub-committees under Games, including: 

  • Forbidden Forest 

  • Cake Walk led by Shannon Johnson & Meg Tompkins 

Frenzy Mart Co-Chairs: Christy Bulman & Heather Hagemann   

• Purchase unique and exciting items to sell during the Fall Frenzy

• Make sure all items are labeled and priced appropriately for the event 

• Oversee the Frenzy Mart during the event, including set up and tear down

Food Co-Chairs: Sarah Vanway & Lacy Schmitz   

• Determine which food will be available for purchase as the event

• Coordinate with local businesses to obtain donations/place food orders

• Arrange delivery of food items prior to the event 

• Oversee kitchen volunteers the night of the event 

Tickets/Packet Processing Co-Chairs: Corby Steining & Lauren Sels 

• Handle all financial aspects of the event, including 

  • Process ticket orders the two weeks leading up to the event

  • Process all money brought in during the event

  • Provide a summary/overview of the money raised at the conclusion of the event 

• Oversee sub-committee for packet processing led by Linsey Donini & Echo Moseley  

Volunteer Co-Chairs: Melissa Pelham & Rhiannon Goad   

• Organize all volunteers for the night of the event, including parents and student volunteers

• Volunteers are needed for set up, games, food, clean up, etc. 

Thank You Chair: Emily Nolan  

• Write thank you notes for all donations given to the event 

Special Needs Liaison: Michelle Itken 

Committee Co-Chairs: Emily Nolan, Heather Hagemann & Lauren Sels

The Family Nights committee organizes 1-2 fun PTA-sponsored evening or weekend family events during the school year, outside of Fall Frenzy and World Culture Night. This is a new committee for 2023-2024. We are tentatively planning to host a skating party in late fall 2023 (date TBD) and a "glow party" on February 23rd, 2024.  

Committee Chair: Emily Nolan

Throughout the year, the Photography/Yearbook committee locates and provides photos of school events to be used in communications and ultimately create an end-of-the-year yearbook for students.  The chair takes or requests these photos from events including assemblies, programs, parties, etc. Photos can be used on the PTA website, Facebook page, in communications and of course, in the yearbook.  The chair coordinates/creates the yearbook as well. 

Committee Chair: Lauren Sels

The Reflections Committee provides opportunities for students to express themselves creatively and receive positive recognition for original woks of art, inspired by a pre-selected theme, while increasing community awareness of the importance of the arts in education.  There are six different categories in which students can enter: Literature, Music Composition, Photography, Visual Arts, Dance Choreography and Film Video Production. Each entry must be done entirely by the student, and it must be their interpretation of the theme. Student works are critiqued against others in the same grade division. This allows judging of artworks by appropriate developmental age and skill levels. The four grade divisions are as follows: Primary; Preschool - Grade 2, Intermediate; Grades 3 - 5, Middle/Junior; Grades 6 - 8, Senior; Grades 9-12. Up to four pieces from each category will be selected to represent each school at the state level. Winners at the state level are submitted to the National PTA. The deadline for submission of entries varies each year, but will typically be sometime in October. There is an awards night held in January to recognize participation and accomplishments. 

The Reflections theme for the 2021-2022 school year has been announced! The theme will be "I Will Change the World By...". The due date will be late October so summer is a great opportunity for your kids to get a jump start on their entries. Entries can be in the form of Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Music Composition, Photography and Visual Arts. For more information, please visit: https://www.pta.org/home/programs/reflections or contact lauren.sels@gmail.com. 

Committee Chair: Robbie Smith

Room parents are volunteers who sign up at the beginning of the school year to support their student's teacher/classroom throughout the year.  They organize volunteers for classroom parties and gifts for the teacher (i.e. for birthday, holiday, Teacher Appreciation Week, end-of-the-year, etc.) The committee chair is responsible to find/register room parents, and conduct an initial meeting(s) to outline room parent duties and then also relay necessary information to class parents throughout the year.  The chair also assists with organizing class events and providing games.   

Committee Co-Chairs: Elizabeth Thistlethwaite & Sarah Vanway 

The Sixth Grade Fundraiser Committee plans activities to raise funds to purchase a "class gift" from the sixth graders to the school.  Examples of activities may include Donuts for Dads, Morning with Mom, etc.  The activities are for all ages but directly benefit the sixth grade class.  

Committee Chair: Kara Kruse 

The School Apparel Committee works directly with our partner, Adcraft Temples to design Forest Grove-specific apparel and coordinate webstore campaigns 1-2 times per school year so families can purchase products to wear/use to demonstrate their school spirit!  Forest Grove makes 25% commission on all sales over $500 per webstore campaign. 

Committee Chair: Kayla Behrens 

The School Supplies Committee provides families with the opportunity to purchase pre-packaged school supplies at a reduced cost and without the hassle of purchasing the supply list items. Online ordering is generally available in spring/summer months, and supplies are at the student's desk on "Back to School Night" in August.  To order online, go to www.educationalproducts.com/shoppacks and enter the school ID: FOR255.  Prices vary by grade, ranging from $40 to $56 per pack.  Orders must be placed by July 5th! 

Committee Chair: Michelle Itken

This new committee focuses on special needs inclusiveness in our PTA-sponsored events.  The chair works alongside Mr. Welch and all of the other PTA special event committee chairs to provide key insights and enhance inclusivity in each event.  One of the initial goals is to help enhance PTA-sponsored events in a way that allows all students to feel comfortable and have an enjoyable experience. The mission statement is as follows: “Inclusion fuels acceptance. The Special Needs Parent Advisory Committee is creating a voice for the population of students who have different needs. By joining together we will build shared experiences for these students to create meaningful, positive memories with all their peers, families and faculty. We strive to promote a culture of acceptance of all students. "

Committee Co-Chairs: Kristen Mueller & Shannon Johnson

The Staff Appreciation/Hospitality Committee provides the means to show school staff how valued and appreciated they are.  The committee chair organizes things like monthly treat days, week-long events during Teacher Appreciation Week, holiday treats, dinners for teachers during Parent-Teacher Conferences, etc.  If you are interested in helping to plan staff appreciation gifts over the summer, please reach out to Kristen directly at kmmuel@gmail.com. 

Committee Co-Chairs: Holly Murray & Mashanna Reed 

World Culture Night is an annual event to celebrate the school's vast cultural diversity.   The committee chair(s) coordinate getting parent volunteers to host booths at the event representing different countries - each sharing information about their traditions and customs in various ways through props, song, food samples, etc. Typically there is an informational meeting before the event to help the booth hosts with any questions they have. Additionally the committee chair(s) coordinate getting set up/clean up volunteers and identifying a "group activity" to do at the end of the night (for example, an international dance performance).  

Committee Chair: Shannon Johnson

The VIP Day committee works in conjunction with Mr. Welch and the Forest Grove staff to organize an annual event where students can invite a special "VIP" person to join them at school to tour the building and learn about a "day in the life" at Forest Grove. VIP Day for the 2022-2023 school year will be April 28th - additional details TBD.