Committees
We have many committees at Excelsior that are made possible by our PTO and volunteers. Volunteers can be parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, family friends – any adult 18 and over. Volunteers are needed in many different capacities to make all of these wonderful events happen for our students. Please consider how your family can help enhance each student’s experience and education this year whether it is a committee chair position or a shift the day of event.
For more information about any event, please reach out to the current chair, the assigned Event Chair Coordinator or excptochair@gmail.com
Current Committees
| Committee |
Description |
Current Chair |
PTO Board Contact |
| Back to School Open House | Coordinate new family welcome at beginning of School Year | EXC PTO Board excptoboard@gmail.com |
EXC PTO Board excptoboard@gmail.com |
| Black History Month | Krista Barnes excptochair@gmail.com |
||
| Books for Bikes |
Work with teachers on distributing/collecting reading calendars. Secure bike gift certificates and facilitate bike drawing for winners. |
Jenny Kelley excptochair@gmail.com |
Kate Haar excptochair@gmail.com |
| Book Fair-Scholastic |
Organize the spring Scholastic Book Fair for students and parents. |
Becky Cornelius excptochair@gmail.com Amanda Durrant excptochair@gmail.com |
Becky Cornelius excptochair@gmail.com |
| Book Fair-Chinese |
Organize the spring Chinese Book Fair for students and parents. |
Jen Chu excptochair@gmail.com Leah Garner excptochair@gmail.com |
Becky Cornelius excptochair@gmail.com |
| Bulletin Boards |
Communicate and market all traditional school events and fun activities on the main hallway bulletin board during the school year. |
Jodi Graves excptochair@gmail.com Jolie Hockert excptochair@gmail.com |
Communications Director |
| Chinese New Year |
Coordinate a week long event at the school celebrating Chinese New Year. Work with committee members to plan decorations, crafts, cultural learning activities, and entertainment for the whole school. |
Louise Ou-Yang excptochair@gmail.com Sophia Miller excptochair@gmail.com |
Chinese Connection Lead |
| Directory |
Create/organize the online school directory (in conjunction with the District and Excelsior) and provide information to family and staff members to submit and/or update their information online. Duties include: planning, marketing and communication of the Online Directory, managing My School Anywhere (MSA) |
Ting-Hsien Wang (shadow chair) excptochair@gmail.com |
President/Past-President |
| District Speaker Series |
Represent Excelsior at district wide speaker series committee and help advertise for district series events |
Marnie Johnson excptochair@gmail.com |
Vice-President |
| Dream Makers representative |
Represent Excelsior at the all-district Dream Makers annual event in February. Dream Makers support several District initiatives including: Design for Learning and Minnetonka Research. Dream Makers website |
Kirstyn Sansom excptochair@gmail.com |
Shonna Travis excptochair@gmail.com |
| Family Movie Night |
Coordinate Family movie night for students and parents in November. |
Amber Krygiel excptochair@gmail.com Kristen VonSmith excptochair@gmail.com |
Special Education Connection Lead |
| Fifth Grade Recognition |
Organize an end-of-school program and party for the 5th grade students (off-site at the Commons). |
Beth Robertson-Martin excptochair@gmail.com |
Beth Robertson-Martin excptochair@gmail.com |
| Gardening |
Coordinate planting and watering of outside pots at school |
Beth Robertson-Martin excptochair@gmail.com |
Beth Robertson-Martin excptochair@gmail.com |
| Giving Tree | Joni Schimke excptochair@gmail.com |
Community Outreach Director | |
| Health Screening |
One day of hearing/vision screening (1st & 3rd grade vision & hearing; 5th grade vision only) |
Andrea Vencl excptochair@gmail.com |
Jenna Schultz excptochair@gmail.com |
| Holiday Secret Shop |
Coordinate week-long holiday sale for students to purchase gifts the week following Thanksgiving.Offer sale to parents at end of event. |
Kate Smalkoski excptochair@gmail.com Ila Wheeler excptochair@gmail.com Shadow Chair TBD Shadow Chair TBD |
Jenna Schultz excptochair@gmail.com |
| Hospitality |
Organize teacher appreciation lunch, dinner and snacks during fall and spring conferences by contacting our list of volunteers to request contributions of food and working out outside vendors |
Kristin Smith excptochair@gmail.com |
Jenna Schultz excptochair@gmail.com |
| Hour of Code |
Coordinate Hour of Code event held in December |
Sian Pledger excptochair@gmail.com |
Shonna Travis excptochair@gmail.com |
| Imagination Fair |
Organize this event for students to display their creativity, inventiveness and imagination |
Amy O'Neill excptochair@gmail.com Shadow Chair TBD |
Kate Haar excptochair@gmail.com |
| Legislative Liaison (CASE) |
Serve as the school’s representative to a larger legislative interest group in the District who keeps abreast of School Board issues and reports back to Executive Board and PTO members. Minnetonka CASE (Community Action for Student Education) advocates at the Minnesota Legislature for school funding. |
Jenna Schultz excptochair@gmail.com |
Jenna Schultz excptochair@gmail.com |
| Literary Magazine (Blue Jay Publishing) |
Coordinate program to publish books for third-fifth graders throughout the year |
Kim Breitling excptochair@gmail.com Stephany Vassar excptochair@gmail.com |
Stephany Vassar excptochair@gmail.com |
| Lost & Found | Katie McCartney excptochair@gmail.com |
Katie McCartney excptochair@gmail.com |
|
| Lunch Line |
Coordinate volunteers to assist students during lunch for first two weeks of school |
Sara Addler excptochair@gmail.com |
Katie McCartney excptochair@gmail.com |
| Media Center & Author Visit |
Coordinate volunteers to work with the Media Specialist to maintain and shelve books. |
Jenna Schultz (shadow chair) excptochair@gmail.com |
Jenna Schultz excptochair@gmail.com |
| Newspaper |
Coordinate newspaper publishing throughout the year |
Amy O’Neill excptochair@gmail.com Shadow Chair TBD |
Kate Haar excptochair@gmail.com |
| Pre-order School Supplies |
Coordinate offer of purchasing of school supplies needed at the beginning of the year (parent financed at cost and not a fundraiser, merely offered as a convenience for parents). Send out school supplies to families, manage the orders (in May and June) and deliver orders the day before the August Open House. |
Angel Kallies excptochair@gmail.com Kirstyn Samson-Held excptochair@gmail.com |
Kate Haar excptochair@gmail.com |
| Read-a-thon |
Coordinate fall fundraiser for PTO operating budget |
PTO Fundraising Director |
PTO Fundraising Director |
| School Pictures/Retakes |
Coordinate with advertising and securing volunteers to help with school pictures |
PTO Board | Jenna Schultz excptochair@gmail.com |
| Staff Appreciation |
Provide special tokens of appreciation throughout the year (i.e. Administrative Office Professionals Appreciation Week, Teacher Appreciation Week, etc.). |
Becky Gorton excptochair@gmail.com |
Shonna Travis excptochair@gmail.com |
| TONKA Cares |
Participate in Tonka Cares efforts by attending Tonka Cares District meetings, keep the PTO informed of any initiatives and represent Excelsior as school rep for Eat. Talk. Connect! Learn more about Tonka Cares . |
Christine Jeevanathan excptochair@gmail.com |
Vice-President |
| TONKA Pride: Spirit |
Represent Excelsior in this Districtwide program that promotes pride in our schools and our community. |
Amy Omann excptochair@gmail.com |
Shonna Travis excptochair@gmail.com |
| TONKA Pride: Apparel |
Represent Excelsior in this Districtwide program serving as support for district Tonka Pride sales and coordinating pop up sales at Excelsior. |
Susie Wuollett excptochair@gmail.com Kirstyn Samson-Held excptochair@gmail.com |
Shonna Travis excptochair@gmail.com |
| World Autism Awareness Day | PTO Special Education Connection Lead | Special Education Connection Lead | |
| World Culture Week |
Organize the World Culture event for students in the spring of the school year. Committee chair is responsible for associated activities and organizing volunteers to decorate and assist as needed with the event. |
Jenna Anthony excptochair@gmail.com |
Jenna Schultz excptochair@gmail.com |
| XY Club |
Coordinate activities for male role models of students. Coordinate schedule of volunteers for guys to volunteer at school. |
Billy Hartong (shadow chair) excptochair@gmail.com Chris Smith excptochair@gmail.com Chris Hacker (shadow chair) excptochair@gmail.com |
Shonna Travis excptochair@gmail.com |
| Yearbook |
Put together and publish the annual yearbook in conjunction with students and staff. Work with vendor, school admin, teachers and parent volunteers. |
Kirsten Studer excptochair@gmail.com Jolie Hockert excptochair@gmail.com Lori Dozier excptochair@gmail.com |
Community Building/Room Parent Coordinator |
