It’s important to engage with your child’s school and the PTA, and it’s easy to get involved. The PTA relies on volunteers to help us deliver programs and events to the Thomas Jefferson Middle School community, as well as offer support for teachers and students throughout the year. We invite you to get involved in promoting the success of our school community. If you have questions or want to volunteer, contact president@tjmspta.org.
- Sign up to volunteer now! Complete the Volunteer Interest Form
- Review Executive Board members
- Review more volunteer opportunities
As a reminder, any webpage within Arlington Public School (APS) websites can be viewed in Spanish, Mongolian, Amharic or Arabic by selecting one of the following language options, which are also available in the top left area of all APS webpages.
Last updated June 6, 2022
2021-2022 Executive Board
Positions marked with an asterisk are elected officers, which perform duties as outlined in the TJMS PTA Bylaws, Article 6: Duties of Officers. Terms are for one year, and individuals may not serve for more than two consecutive terms in the same office. Per TJMS PTA bylaws, the Executive Committee consists of the elected officers and our principal, while the Executive Board consists of elected officers and the chairs of the standing committees, as listed here:
| President* | Incoming – Allison Stewart (2022-2023) Outgoing – Amy Stalzer (2021-2022) president@tjmspta.org |
| Vice President* | OPEN (2022-2023) – To volunteer, contact president@tjmspta.org Outgoing Allison Stewart (2021-2022) |
| Secretary* | Incoming – Jimisha Relerford (2022-2023) Outgoing – Jasmine Hayes (2020-2022) |
| Treasurer* | Incoming – Trish Gomes (2022-2023) Outgoing – Natanya Blackwell (2020-2022) |
| Communications Chair Supports PTA’s email and social media platforms |
Arlene Goyette (2021-2023) |
| Fundraising Chair Plans and supports the Restaurant Night program and fundraising events like Bingo Night |
Patricia Garcia (2021-2023) |
| Membership & Engagement Chair Promotes engagement opportunities with parents, teachers and students |
OPEN To volunteer, contact president@tjmspta.org |
*Denotes elected officer
Volunteer Opportunities
In addition to Executive Board service opportunities, below is a list of PTA volunteer opportunities with brief descriptions. Some roles have a monthly or quarterly obligation throughout the school year; other activities are one-time commitments concentrated within a specific timeframe within the school year. You can pick the role that best fits your schedule. If you would like to volunteer for anything listed below, fill out the Volunteer Interest Form.
In addition to the roles below, parents are also encouraged to volunteer for other opportunities that may be announced by the PTA or by the school throughout the year. Sign up for PTA communications so you don’t miss any important announcements or signups.
| ACTL Representative(s) The Arlington Public Schools (APS) Advisory Council on Teaching and Learning (ACTL) brings together stakeholders from every APS school to discuss instructional needs with APS staff. This role offers a great way to better understand the instructional component to APS and to participate in important conversations about the future of APS curriculum. Duties include attending monthly ACTL meetings, reviewing subcommittee reports and sharing highlights with the TJMS PTA. |
Jimisha Relerford, ACTL Representative |
| CCPTA Representative(s) The Arlington County Council of PTAs (CCPTA) is an advocate for the education and well-being of every child attending Arlington Public Schools (APS). It includes representatives from each APS PTA – including the TJMS PTA – and some APS advisory groups. Duties include attending monthly CCPTA meetings and sharing highlights with the TJMS PTA. |
Laura Cooke, CCPTA Representative |
| Teacher and Staff Appreciation Events Help show our Jefferson teachers and staff members how much our families value them and appreciate their hard work! Duties include coordinating two teacher/staff lunches per year, held in Nov/Dec and May, as well as potential activities during the annual APS Teacher Appreciation Week in May, among possible others. Estimated time commitment is a few hours. |
Direct questions to president@tjmspta.org |
| Student Honor Roll Celebrations Help recognize our A and A/B honor roll students for their outstanding achievement! Duties include coordinating and/or attending quarterly celebrations that take place during the last hour of a school day following the close of each quarter. Estimated time commitment is about 1 hour for each quarterly event. Event dates for 2022: 1st Quarter, December 3; 2nd Quarter, February 23; 3rd Quarter, April 22. |
Direct questions to president@tjmspta.org |
| Padres Latinos de TJ Working with the TJMS Bilingual Family Liaison, the PTA provides resources for Latino families in the form of Padres Latinos de TJ virtual meetings and communications, including a Spanish-language WhatsApp group. The PTA seeks bilingual (English/Spanish) volunteers to help the WhatsApp manager and a new manager will be needed for the 2022-2023 school year. Estimated time commitment is about 1-3 hours/week. |
Gina Argotti, Padres Latinos de TJ WhatsApp Manager Irma de Leon-Veliz, TJMS Bilingual Family Liaison |
| Reflections Arts Contest Coordinating TJMS participation in Reflections, the PTA’s nationwide arts contest offering an excellent opportunity for students to shine and show their creativity. Duties will take place mainly in the September-November timeframe and include collecting submissions, coordinating judges, determining winners, forwarding winners to county-level competition and recognizing student participants. |
Cyndi Gadhia, Reflections Committee Chair Megan Detweiler, Reflections Teacher Liaison |
| Harvest Festival – Nov. 5, 2021 (raindate for Oct. 29) For the past decade, TJMS has held a Harvest Festival every October as an outdoor social event for our Jefferson students, families, teachers and neighbors. The PTA works with school administrators to coordinate this event. Held on school grounds in the area near the Jefferson Garden, this event traditionally features student chorus and orchestra performances, an outdoor movie screening, garden tours, firepits, food and more. Duties in the September-October timeframe include planning of food, activities and logistics; soliciting sponsor donations; and on-site staffing, including set-up and clean-up. |
Cynthia Curry-Daniel, Harvest Festival Committee Co-Chair Jennifer Milder, Harvest Festival Committee Co-Chair |
| Bingo Night Fundraiser – Dec. 2, 2021 – NEW EVENT! The PTA is pleased to announce a brand-new event for the 2021-2022 school year, a Bingo Night fundraiser run by our students. This event serves as both a fundraiser and an opportunity for community engagement, where TJMS students and their families and teachers can have some fun while raising money to benefit PTA programs. Students participate both as event hosts/announcers and Bingo players. |
Patricia Garcia, Fundraising Chair |
| International Night – April 29, 2022 As a fitting complement to the IB Middle Years Program, the annual TJMS International Night celebrates global cultures through music, dance, costumes and food. All students, families, teachers and neighbors will be invited to attend. Duties for PTA parent volunteers in the March-April timeframe include attending occasional meetings, planning food and event logistics, and on-site staffing. |
International Night Committee Kip Malinosky, International Night Teacher Liaison |
| 8th Grade Promotion Celebration – June 15, 2022 Calling parents in ALL grades – please help the PTA plan a festive promotion celebration for our 8th graders to remember! Duties in the March-June timeframe to include planning event logistics and helping with on-site staffing. The reception will be held immediately following the ceremony in the Jefferson gym, which is scheduled for 9 a.m. on June 15. |
8th Grade Promotion Reception Committee Direct questions to president@tjmspta.org |
| Jefferson Garden Funded by the TJMS PTA and corporate grants, the Jefferson Garden (also known as the TJMS Community Garden) is managed by parent and teacher volunteers. It gives students hands-on outdoor learning opportunities and supports our local community by donating fresh produce to local Arlington food pantries. The Jefferson Garden offers parents many opportunities for volunteer hours during the school year, including garden workdays during the growing season (planting, weeding, harvesting, etc.) and writing garden grant applications. Time commitment can be as large or small as desired. |
Reidy Brown, Jefferson Garden Committee Chair Enid Dunbar, Jefferson Garden Teacher Liaison Kaila Leonberger, Jefferson Garden Teacher Liaison Sign up to volunteer for the Jefferson Garden Direct questions to tjmsoutside@gmail.com |
