Why Join the PTSA?

Enrolling members in the PTSA is a year-long activity that is carried out by a membership committee. Annual dues are only $7.00 for adults and $5.00 for students and you will feel great knowing that you are supporting many beneficial programs at SFHS. Please place in envelope with dues and return PTSA membership forms to the schools’ main office. Also, by joining the PTSA you can receive discounts from the companies listed below.

• Office Max
• Parenting
• MetLife Auto & Home
• Sharp Electronics Corporation
• T-Mobile

When you join 71st PTSA, you immediately become a member of CCSCPTA (Cumberland County Schools Council PTA), NCPTA (state), and PTA (national) whose sole purpose is dedicated to service for all children and youth.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

There are many ways that you can contribute to the PTSA and the school. Please choose any volunteer opportunity you would like to support and call or contact Sandra Pettus.

PTSA Committees & School-Wide Needs:

• Join a PTSA committee (name of committee_________________)
• Classroom assistant. (Assist teachers by helping individuals or small groups of students or with general classroom tasks).
• Volunteer in the office, media center, computer lab.
• Cafeteria monitor
• Volunteer for special programs and seasonal events.
• Three for Me (agreement to volunteer 3 hours during the school year)
• Concession Stand (sporting events)
• Volunteer to assist with coaching, club sponsorships, and extracurricular activities
• Proctor. (Assist teacher during state-wide test days).
• Special Enrichment/Guest Speaker: I would like to share my travels, hobbies, skills, collections, or knowledge with children. Describe activity and your availability:
• Other:

If you are interested in supporting the volunteer needs of the school, please complete the Volunteer Opportunities sign-up form and return it to school. Also, it is required that all volunteers complete a Volunteer Security Data Application. This form only needs to be completed one time, so if you have previously submitted an application, you do not need to repeat this process. Please contact the PTSA Volunteer Coordinator if you have any question or comments.

When you volunteer in the school, please remember to sign the Volunteer Log Book. This book is located in the main office. This is a separate book from the one you log into anytime you enter the school. The office staff is familiar with this book and its location. The log book is used to keep track of the hours and the information is used to recognize volunteer of the quarter. If you volunteer from home, please try to email/call in your time to the volunteer coordinator. We love to give credit where it is due, but we can only do this with the information we receive.

THANK YOU, to all the volunteers who have put in countless hours to make 71st High School a successful school of excellence.

Committee and Its Functions:

• Grant Writing Coordinator- Identify sources of funding; assist with grant applications.Hospitality/ Special Event Coordinator
• Membership/ Volunteer  Coordinator- Responsible for PTSA membership drive and collection of membership forms to be entered in Database. Stay informed with the School, PTA and Community upcoming events to inform members by email or phone of volunteer opportunities (i.e. proctoring, concession stands, etc). Communicate special volunteer needs as they arise.
• Newsletter/Bulletin Board-Edit and publish all aspects of the newsletter production quarterly. Maintain and update information on Bulletin board as needed.
• Reflections Coordinator- Organize, collect and judge entries for the annual PTSA Arts contest.
• Silent Fundraiser Coordinator- Identify and communicate programs for corporate and community funding.Encourage members and others to support our silent fundraisers.
• Financial Review Manager- Responsible for doing a financial audit twice a year to ensure PTSA is compliant with all of IRS requirements. Check to ensure that the  treasurer has prepared all tax documents ( 990-N, sales tax refund, etc.) Attend the end of the year financial audit.
• Child Advocacy – Legislation-  Attend the School Improvement Team meeting. Attend Director of Board meetings to inform the Board of relevant issues.

North Carolina General Statute for Parent Involvement Leave

§ 95-28.3. Leave for Parent Involvement in Schools.

 It is the belief of the General Assembly that parent involvement is an essential component of school success and positive student outcomes. Therefore, employers shall grant four hours per year leave to any employee who is a parent, guardian, or person standing in loco parentis of a school-aged child so that the employee may attend or otherwise be involved at that child’s school. However, any leave under this section is subject to the following conditions:

1.  The leave shall be at a mutually agreed upon time between the employer and the employee.
2. The employer may require an employee to provide the employer with a written request for the leave at least 48 hours before the time desired for the leave.
3. The employer may require that the employee furnishes a written verification from the child’s school that the employee attended or was otherwise involved at that school during the time of the leave.

For the purpose of this section, “school” means any (i) public school, (ii) private church school, church of religious charter, or nonpublic school described in Parts 1 and 2 of Article 39 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes that regularly provides a course of grade school instruction, (iii) preschool, and (iv) child care facility as defined in G.S. 110-86(3).

Employers shall not discharge, demote, or otherwise take an adverse employment action against an employee who requests or takes leave under this section. Nothing in this section shall require an employer to pay an employee for leave taken under this section.

An employee who is demoted or discharged or who has had an adverse employment action taken against him or her in violation of this section may bring a civil action within one year from the date of the alleged violation against the employer who violates this section and obtains either of the following:

• Any wages or benefits lost as a result of the violation; or
• An order of reinstatement without loss of position, seniority, wages, or benefits.

The burden of proof shall be upon the employee. (1993, c. 509, s. 1; 1997-506, s. 34.)