PTA

The PTA is made up of dedicated parent volunteers and works to enhance and support the community of Ottawa Jewish Community School.  Participation in the PTA is inclusive, open, and encouraged! The PTA has several initiatives throughout the year, such as:

• Enhancing holiday and other school experiences with special snacks, activities, or supplies
• Promoting socialization and community building amongst parents and families
• Facilitating and encouraging communication from school staff to parents and from parents to school staff
• Organizing events that add to school community such as: welcome back BBQ, welcome back breakfast, paint nights, parent’s nights, anti-bullying week, workshops, etc.
• Supporting the Lice Squad
• Appointing one representative per grade to assist with coordinating volunteers, transmitting information, fulfilling small asks by teachers, and creating class unity.
• Facilitating a hot lunch program (all run by volunteers)
• Facilitating coordinated teacher’s gifts on behalf of each grade
• Assisting teachers and school staff in their special projects and initiatives
• And we are always searching for new and ways to help better the OJCS way

Fundraising and budgeting for OJCS PTA projects is achieved through:

• Selling OJCS swag (kippahs, headbands)
• Hot lunch programs (hot dog lunch is a fundraiser)
• Selling used OJCS uniforms
• OJCS Book Fair
• Grandparents/Special Friends Day:
  • Each year we invite grandparents and special friends (ie. Aunts, uncles, cousins and family friends) to visit our students in their OJCS classrooms do to do activities together, meet other grandparents and friends, talk with faculty, watch performance and see first-hand the wonderful things happening in our school.
• Selling Products: Challah from Rideau Bakery, Cookie Dough, etc.
• Oliver’s Labels
  • When you purchase Oliver’s Labels, you are receiving  something you need while reducing your chances your child’s clothes end up in the lost-and-found pile. Meanwhile, OJCS can earn up to  20% commission. It’s a win-win-win!
• QSP Magazine
  • Please renew your subscriptions with the OJCS QSP magazine campaign through the school and support our students’ education! There are over 600 titles to choose from, including digital subscriptions and easy online ordering!  OJCS earns $10 on average for every subscription we sell. Order online now at www.qsp.ca and enter our group code 3729548 or search the school name: Ottawa Jewish Community School).
• Fundscrip (Gift Cards)
  • FundScrip’s mission is to make the world a better place by helping more non-profit groups reach their fundraising goals than anyone else by offering easy to manage, effective programs and solutions that maximize value for supporters and our suppliers.  By paying for your everyday expenses & gifts with gift cards bought from FundScrip. Each purchase generates earnings for the our school. You are not out of pocket and can shop where you would normally. Our code is VSD8RR.

Bond Program Committee – Chair will oversee program and volunteers. Bond Program is set
up for our children when it comes time for Bar/Bat Mitzvahs. This program was created to help
elevate the cost of going to Bar/Bat Mitzvahs for each classmate. Volunteers will have to
maintain database for each grade (starting at grade 4), create school Bar/Bat Mitzvah calendar,
collect funds, make sure bonds are ordered for students participating in the Bond Program. –
Bond Program is optional.

PTA Class Representative – Is a year to year position. This position is filled by the recommendation from
PTA, Administration and teachers. Class parent is asked to be available to assist the PTA in recruiting additional volunteers and support for PTA initiatives. 

Fundraising & Friendship Committee – Chair will oversee all areas of fundraising. Soft Fundraising (gift
cards, magazine orders, Oliver’s Labels…), school fundraising (sale of items with-in the school),
and school events. As well this committee will also oversee any school events like parent’s
nights that will not be financial fundraisers but FUNraisers, the building of parent and school
community.

Holiday Committee – This group will work with Admin and teachers to honour the holidays
with-in the school. Volunteers will organize the event, purchase what is required and assist
with what is needed for each holiday. Sign Up Genius has a list of volunteers interested in each
holiday.
Rosh Hashanah (Sept/Oct)
Yom Kippur (Oct)
Chanukah Celebration (Dec)
Tu B’shevat (Jan/Feb)
Purim Mesloach Manot (Feb/Mar)
Passover (Mar/Apr)
Yom Ha’Atzmaut (Apr)
Shavuot (May/Jun)

Lunch Program – Chair will organize hot dog lunch volunteers to pick up the food, cook it, clean up from it and distribute the hot dogs to the student lunchrooms. The chair will also help troubleshoot any issues that may arise pertaining to the entire hot lunch program (Monday – Friday).

Parent Lice Squad – Consist of people who are willing to be on call to come into the school to
check a class or child for lice. There is a confidentiality form to sign if in this group. List of
volunteers on Sign Up Genius.

Teacher Appreciation – Members of this committee will create and organize appreciation
activities for teachers. Teacher Appreciation day, holiday and end of year appreciation.

Volunteer Sign Up Genius – Lead person will look after Sign Up Genius.