Volunteer Opportunities

Fall Frenzy is our largest fundraiser of the year, typically generating more than $18,000 in support of our school—and it’s also one of our most anticipated family events. This high-energy evening is packed with festival-style games and prizes, concessions, a “Frenzy Mart” filled with candies and small treasures, a cake walk, and plenty of fun for all ages. We already have an amazing Event Chair who has done this for several years, but we are seeking 1-2 additional co-chairs to support this year’s event to be held October 9, 2026, learn the ropes, and then ideally take over for future events. The co-chairs will oversee the event itself and several sub-committees. Expand the Fall Frenzy section below to learn more. 

Our Silent Auction raised $9,000 in 2025, helping fund playground improvements, classroom supplies, staff appreciation, and fun family events like Skating Night and Movie Night. We’re currently looking for one volunteer per grade to join our Silent Auction Committee for Fall Frenzy to be held October 9, 2026. The best part? Much of the groundwork is already done—this mainly involves reconnecting with past donors! 

This position helps organize volunteers for the night of the Fall Frenzy event to be held October 9, 2026, including parents and student volunteers to do set up, work various stations, and tear down. If you’re new to Forest Grove, this committee is a great way to get involved, ease into volunteering, and connect with other families in our school community. 

We already have a co-chair for this committee and are seeking at least 1 additional volunteer to assist them. This committee is responsible for creating fun, eye-catching display showcases throughout the school to celebrate special events like the Book Fair, Donuts with Grown-ups, and Fall Frenzy. Volunteers help design and refresh these displays to match each event’s theme and bring extra excitement into the building. No prior experience is needed—photos of past showcases, theme ideas, and a collection of reusable supplies are all available to help you get started. Come help make a visible impact in the school community! 

We are seeking 1-2 volunteers to co-chair this committee. Responsibilities include selecting a date and feature film in coordination with the PTA Board and school, securing movie licensing, completing a Facility Use Form for the use of the school gym, promoting the event, creating and tracking an online RSVP for families, purchasing any supplies needed, organizing volunteers to prep, set up and tear down for the event and hosting the event. 

We are seeking 1-2 volunteers to help coordinate the Very Important Person Day alongside Mr. Welch and the Forest Grove staff. This is a relatively low commitment level. The position mainly involves promoting the event, enlisting a few parent volunteers to help with logistics on the day of the event, setting up a photo booth opportunity and welcome decor. The event itself is about 1.5 hours long during the end of a school day in April-May. If you are interested in helping make this special event memorable for our students and their VIP guests, we would love to have you involved! 

Committee Co-Chairs: Linsey Donini & Elizabeth Thistlethwaite

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 set up, replenish books, work as cashiers and tear down at the Book Fairs. There are typically two per year in conjunction with Donuts with Grown-ups fundraising events. 

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 chair is responsible for purchasing and sending a gift and card for these occasions, in coordination with the office staff and Mr. Welch. Needs are sporadic throughout the school year. This role requires limited regular action. 

Committee Co-Chairs: Emily Nolan and Tara Thul

The Communications Committee is responsible for creating content for and maintaining the PTA website and social media pages.  Additionally, the committee chairs compile and submit all PTA-related eNews communications to the district.  Note, submissions should be sent to taralthul@gmail.com and emily.nolan@groupo.com by 9am Monday mornings to be included in the Wednesday eNews communications. 

Committee Chair: Samantha Sheffey & Emily Fengya

The display showcases at the school allow students, parents and staff to keep up on all the current school and PTA events.  The committee chairs are responsible for selecting themes and coordinating with school staff and the PTA to decorate the display showcases throughout the year. Many supplies are available in the PTA closet located in the school gym to be used for display case purposes. 

Committee Chair: Rhiannon Goad 

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: 

• 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: Kristen Mueller & Lauren Shields 

• 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: Shawna Hoffman & Katie Mashack 

• 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-committee for Treat Walk led by Shannon Johnson & Meg Tompkins 

Frenzy Mart Co-Chairs Joy Place & Rebecca Surma

• 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: Samantha Schroeder & Jill McFarland 

• 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: Jessica Kennedy, Julia Smith, & Linsey Donini

• 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 

Volunteer Coordinator: 

• 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 Yous Co-Chairs: Emily Nolan & Beth Popowski 

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

• Provide small appreciation gifts to office and kitchen staff the week of the event 

Family Movie Night - Committee Co-Chairs: Roble Alanis & Elizabeth Thistlethwaite 

Family Movie Night is a free PTA-sponsored event hosted in the school gymnasium in the early spring. Committee chairs are responsible to select and secure licensing for the feature film, select the event date and time, promote the event, create and track an online RSVP for families, purchase any supplies needed, organize volunteers to prep, set up and tear down for the event and host the event. 

Family Skate Night - Committee Chair: Emily Nolan

Family Skate Night is also a free PTA-sponsored event hosted at a roller or ice skating facility in the winter either right before or right after the holiday break. The committee chair is responsible to select the event date and time, secure the location and coordinate with the location staff as needed, promote the event, create and track an online RSVP for families, purchase any supplies needed, organize volunteers to prep, set up and tear down for the event and host the event. This event may also include outside vendors for an additional fundraising opportunity like bringing in a holiday treat or homemade mitten vendor to sell products during the event, with a % of sales donated back to the PTA. 

Committee Co-Chairs: Katie Mashack & Shawna Hoffman

The Glow Party committee organizes a PTA-sponsored glow-in-the-dark party for students grades K-6 featuring a live DJ, dance floor, Glow Mart, concessions, face painting, photo booth and glow-in-the-dark decorations. The committee also coordinates with the Special Needs Parent Advisory committee to provide a more comfortable glow party experience for our special needs students ahead of the main event. The committee chairs book the DJ and organize the sub-committees and volunteers for online registration and ticket sales, event apparel, concessions, decorations, Glow Mart, set up and tear down, etc. 

Committee Chair: Elizabeth Thistlethwaite

Throughout the year, this committee locates, catalogs (in Google Drive) and provides photos of school events to be used in PTA-related communications and ultimately create an end-of-the-year yearbook for students using the Lifetouch platform. The chairs take or request these photos from events including assemblies, programs, classroom parties, etc. Photos can be used on the PTA website, social media pages, in communications and of course, in the yearbook.  

Photos can be submitted to the yearbook via email to ForestGrovePics@gmail.com. Please send un-edited images and include the grade, teacher and event in the subject line of the email. 

Committee Chair: Kayla Behrens

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. 

Committee Chair: Katie Mashack

The Room Parent Committee organizes a parent volunteer per classroom (including specials) to support their student's teacher/classroom throughout the year.  The Room Parent then organizes additional volunteers for classroom parties and provides gifts for the teacher (i.e. for birthday, holiday, Teacher Appreciation Week, end-of-the-year, etc.) throughout the school year. 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 coordinates the flower tradition during Teacher Appreciation Week. 

Committee Chair: Kara Dlouhy  

The School Apparel Committee works directly with our partner, Classical Graphics to custom design Forest Grove and PV Spartan apparel and coordinate purchase opportunities several times throughout the school year so families can procure products to wear/use to demonstrate their school spirit!  

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.

Committee Co-Chairs: Kristen Mueller & Rhiannon Goad 

The Sixth Grade Fundraiser Committee plans activities to raise funds to purchase a "class legacy gift" from the sixth graders to the school and to host a "Sixth Grade Send Off Party" at the end of the school year. The main activities include a Spring and Fall Donuts with Grown-ups event, in conjunction with the Book Fairs. The chair organizes the volunteers (a combination of sixth grade students and parents), coordinates with local donut and coffee providers to get products donated for the event, provides and tracks registration forms, etc. 

Committee Co-Chairs: Michelle Itken & Kayla Evanovich

This 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 Committee provides the means to show school staff how valued and appreciated they are.  The committee chair organizes things like monthly food days, week-long events during Teacher Appreciation Week, 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 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.