2019 / 2020 Committee Descriptions and Chairpersons
2019/2020 GCS PARENTS ASSOCIATION COMMITTEES
BEAUTIFICATION
Chair: Raul Perez rperez3@aol.com
PA Board Contact: Magda Chrostowski
This committee helps to enhance the beauty of our school, year-round, starting with the 1st day of school. With the help of volunteers, the Beautification committee decorates our school with back to school, holiday and seasonal decorations and plantings to create a warm and welcoming environment for our new and returning students and families.
FAITH - SERVICE - OUTREACH
Co-Chairs: Kimberly Garcia graciesmom77@yahoo.com & Andrea Kopilak (andrea_garin@msn.com) Looking for 2-3 additional Co-Chairs
PA Board Contact: Maria Elena Gaztambide
This committee serves to encourage spiritual growth and fellowship for all GCS families by coordinating service opportunities and charitable drives to support various organizations in our community.
FACULTY LIAISON
Co-Chairs: Nina Balestriere girliesmom@hotmail.com & Sue McKee suehmckee@gmail.com
PA Board Contact: Maria Elena Gaztambide
This committee runs the Apple Program, which provides teachers with donated gifts throughout the school year. On a monthly basis, this committee, with the help of volunteers, puts together gift baskets which are handed out through a lottery amongst the teachers. In addition, this committee is in charge of putting together, with volunteers, 2 teacher luncheons during the year – one during Catholic Schools Week in late January/early February, and the other during Teacher Appreciation Week in early May. The committee also provides goodies each day for our teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week, as well as a gift for each teacher/staff. This committee also coordinates volunteers to donate snacks to be brought to the teachers lounges on a bi-monthly basis.
LIBRARY & ART COORDINATOR
Chair: Kristin Galvin kmaygal@hotmail.com
PA Board Contact: Jen Koenigsberger
This committee organizes both the library volunteer schedule for the library classes in 1st – 5th grades as well as general volunteers for the Librarian. These volunteers assist the Librarian in stacking and examining books. They also go online to find replacement books when needed. These volunteers also assist the with special projects, curriculum support, helping teachers with research, supporting children during class time, and to check books in and out. These volunteers also coordinate volunteers for the art classes for 1st and 2nd grades.
BOOK FAIR
Chairs: Brigid Futch brigidsfutch@hotmail.com Jen LaPietra jenlapietra@gmail.com Sarah Gengo (roisin130@gmail.com) Looking for 2-3 additional Co-Chairs
PA Board Contact: Kat Blanding
The Book Fair Committee runs two Book Fairs throughout the year, in the fall and the spring. With the help of Scholastic Books, and potentially other sources, the committee offers age appropriate, best-selling books as well as puts together teacher wish lists and required reading lists. The Book Fair is open for four days to the entire GCS community.
PIZZA LUNCH
Chairs: Sophia Kim sophiaparkkim@yahoo.com Laurie Schick lauriejschick@yahoo.com Donna Malusis mickey6151@aol.com Maren Tripolitsiotis marentrips@gmail.com
PA Board Contact: Kat Blanding
This committee organizes pizza hot lunch service that the students enjoy on Wednesdays throughout the school year. Each Chair is responsible for 1 Wednesday a month. Committee chairs are responsible for distributing and keeping track of student signups, ordering pizza and ice cream for Wednesday’s Pizza days, and organizing volunteers to help serve each week. The kids love seeing their parents during their lunch hour!
WELCOME
Chair: Jen LaPietra, jenlapietra@gmail.com
PA Board Contact: Maria Elena Gaztambide
This committee, with the help of volunteers, welcomes new families to GCS. “Buddies” are assigned to new families over the summer months to assist with any questions and to help make new families and students feel welcome to our community. Additionally, the Welcome Committee hosts a cocktail party in the Convent to welcome new families to the school. This committee also serves as the parent ambassador committee which is responsible for coordinating with the Admissions office to organize school tour volunteers.
HALLMARK
Chair: Kat Blanding, katblanding@gmail.com
This committee is responsible for sending cards, flowers and gifts to families and staff for thank you’s, birthdays, deaths, etc.
ANGEL DAY
Chairs: Maura Lynn mauralynn14@yahoo.com
PA Board Contact: Jen Koenigsberger
This committee plans and coordinates a day when GCS families can invite Angels in the lives of their students (grandparents, aunts, uncles, special friends) to share part of the school day with them. The Chairs main responsibilities include: meeting with the appropriate faculty and staff to plan the day, creating invitations, tracking responses, organizing Mass for the students and Angels, arranging a sit down breakfast for the Angels, purchasing ornaments for the Angels, organizing many volunteers who help make the day possible and coordinating classroom visits. The time commitment of this Committee runs from October through the beginning of December with an increased amount of time spent in the days before the event.
BREAKFAST WITH SANTA
Chair: Karen Blair kkrondes@gmail.com
PA Board Contact: Kat Blanding
This committee organizes a breakfast for the lower school to meet Santa during the holiday season. Held in the Convent, Santa comes and brings a small gift for each child. Grades PreK - 1st, plus siblings, are invited.
BINGO NIGHT
Co-Chairs: Sue Robinson suerobinson17@me.com Mary Rose Driscoll (maryrose_driscoll@yahoo.com), Mary Beth Brown (finnegan1@msn.com)
PA Board Contact: Magda Chrostowski
This committee organizes a Family Fun Night event for all the families at GCS to take place during the second half of the school year. Traditionally, this night involves the coordination of up to 500 participants for the playing of Bingo with prizes and raffles for all. Cost for tickets, includes pizza.
STEM NIGHT
Chair: Magda Chrostowski mkchrostowski@gmail.com
This committee coordinates an evening at the school of hands-on science, math, and engineering activities for students and families to complete together.
FATHER/DAUGHTER DANCE
Chair: Audrey Sepulveda, audreyandfreddysepulveda@yahoo.com
PA Board Contact: Nicole Hartman
This committee organizes a dinner/dance for PreK-8th grade girls and their fathers to be held in the gymnasium.
MOTHER/SON OUTING
Co-Chairs: Diane Mannello dcnyitray@aol.com & Sarah Gengo roisin130@gmail.com
PA Board Contact: Nicole Hartman
This committee organizes an outing or game night in the school gymnasium for PreK-8th boys and their mothers.
FIELD DAY
Co-Chairs: Kim Higgs, kimjhiggs@hotmail.com & Meghan Novack, novack@gmail.com
PA Board Contact: Nicole Hartman
This committee works with the athletic director to organize field activities and lunch for grades K-7 in June.
CULTURAL
Chair: Colette Lesperance colettelesp@optonline.net )
PA Board Contact: Nicole Hartman
This committee works with the administration and plans enrichment programs for the students of GCS. Enrichment programs are designed for each grade level as well as the entire student body, and are geared toward promoting the students' awareness of different cultures, their own health and safety, kindness and understanding among themselves, arts, sciences, and nature.
HALLOWEEN PARTY
Co-Chairs: Magda Chrostowski mkchrostowski@gmail.com & Stacy Mack (stacysmack@gmail.com)
This Committee organizes a Halloween Party in the gym for the students of GCS. Chairs will coordinate fun, seasonal activities, pizza, music and games for an afternoon of fun.
CELEBRATE THE ARTS DAY
Chair: Magda Chrostowski mkchrostowski@gmail.com
This Committee organizes a day to bring a variety of local artists to the school. The kids will explore different kinds of art filled with interactive presentations and hands-on art activities.