PTACHC representatives are: Corinne Happel | ptachc.rep@clespta.org

Blene Bekure | ptachc@clespta.org

PTACHC is the larger PTA group that composes of the 74 PTA’s from the schools in Howard County.  Each school gets three votes at PTACHC meetings – two reps and one PTA President.  It is important that PTACHC reps attend each meeting, if possible, in order to get our votes in when requested.

PTACHC reps:

•  should plan to attend every PTACHC meeting as well as every CLES PTA meeting in order to report.

• may be asked to talk to home PTA’s in order to determine how the home PTA would like to vote on an issue

• are the voice of the CLES PTA body. 

Time commitment: monthly county PTA meeting, plus time to meet with the CLES PTA executive board

Leads the teams that manage the newsletter, website, marquee, lobby case, social media, and other PTA communications.

Newsletter - Collects dates and events from the PTA committee chairs and composes and publishes the weekly PTA Dolphin Detail.  Items are sent for approval before it is submitted to the community. 

Newsletter - Collects dates and events from the PTA committee chairs and composes and publishes the weekly PTA Dolphin Detail.  Items are sent for approval before it is submitted to the community. 

IT Administrator and Website - Maintains the PTA IT needs, specifically managing the clespta.org domain name, website, and emails. Information is communicated via PTA President and committee chairs.

Outside Sign (Marquee) - Communicates with PTA President for a list of upcoming calendar/events to go on outside CLES sign. Sign usually updated every week.  

PTA Lobby Case - Update information in the PTA Front Lobby case at least every quarter. Communicate with PTA President and PTA committees to get current PTA Calendar and happenings. PTA will provide a minimal budget for any additional supplies needed. 

Social Media / Memberhub - Manages the PTA Facebook page, Instagram, and Memberhub communications

Outside Sign (Marquee) - Communicates with PTA President for a list of upcoming calendar/events to go on outside CLES sign. Sign usually updated every week.  

PTA Lobby Case - Update information in the PTA Front Lobby case at least every quarter. Communicate with PTA President and PTA committees to get current PTA Calendar and happenings. PTA will provide a minimal budget for any additional supplies needed. 

Social Media / Memberhub - Manages the PTA Facebook page, Instagram, and Memberhub communications

Organizes events including annual Share the Warmth coat drive, Gobble Gobble Give (food donation during Thanksgiving), and Stuff the Bus (spring school supplies donation event). Coordinates advertising for the event, collection of donations, packaging and delivering donated items for distribution.

For a more detailed description of the PTA Community Outreach events click here.

Coordinates with Vice Principal and Principal’s Secretary for Cultural Arts (African Drummers, Magic, Reptile shows etc.) vendors to bring grade-level and all school assemblies to CLES students. Also responsible for coordinating at least one Cultural Arts evening event for our CLES families.

Some of this work is done during the summer months.

The DEI is a joint CLES/BMMS Committee. Works with Administration and PTA committees and leadership to ensure events and activities are welcoming and positive for all participants. This committee includes coordinating bulletin boards, book discussions, the World Showcase, and other events.

Book Fair - Work with Scholastic representative and CLES Media Specialists to bring the Scholastic Book Fair to CLES. The book fair is held for one week in late winter/early spring. Responsible for forming Book Fair Committee, set-up/pack-up of fair, organizing volunteers, organizes “spirit” nights, book fair accounting, coordinating with PTA President and CLES Principal to advertise fair to staff and students.

For a more detailed description of the Book Fair click here.

Box Tops for Education - Advertise and coordinate the collection of box tops from the students at the school. Confirms the box tops that are donated are not expired and submits them. Parents can also donate BoxTops online using the BoxTop App.

Restaurant Nights - Coordinate restaurant fundraising nights with local restaurants - setting up dates, advertising to community, following up with restaurants. Can be done from home and fits easily into any schedule.

Spring Fair - The PTA’s largest fundraiser of the year. It is a springtime Saturday event that takes place at CLES. Events include, but are not limited to, silent auction, teacher experiences, live auction, food, face painting, rides, games, music, performances, dunk tank, photo booth, and used book sale. This event takes many volunteers!

For a description of the Spring Fair click here.

(Projects are subject to change each school year) -

Marker Recycling – This is an ongoing recycling program sponsored by the Crayola Company. The volunteer is responsible for the occasional collection of the markers which are collected and mailed to Crayola for recycling.

Rain Garden - This ongoing project was started to assist with the water runoff and drainage in the back of the school. Plants and trees were donated and many volunteers worked to create a beautiful space. Volunteers are needed to help with watering and weeding the garden.

Citizen’s Advisory Council (CAC) - Citizen’s Advisory Council - Representative for CLES PTA at Citizen’s Advisory Council meetings. Attends CAC meetings and reports back to CLES PTA Executive Board. This council meets once a month and will occasionally meet with the Board of Ed. In the past year, they have looked for input on the Bring Your Own Devise policy and Wellness Policy.

*G/T Advisory Council (GTAC) - Representative for CLES at G/T Advisory meetings. Attends meetings and reports back to CLES PTA Executive Board. Responsible for sharing information about G/T informational meetings with our school community. Keeps in touch with our G/T staff.

Redistricting Committee - Advocate on behalf of the CLES PTA should our districted area be up for redistricting by HCPSS.

Safety – This committee was started to have a designated person to attend all safety forums county-wide as well as have a parent representative on the CLES school safety committee. This committee also maintains the information on county mandated crowd management training including who has had the training, to ensure our PTA is following proper safety procedures at our events.

Special Education Citizen’s Advisory Council (SECAC) –Representative for CLES PTA at SECAC meetings. Attends SECAC meetings and reports back to CLES PTA Executive Board. This council meets once a month and has a focus on Special Education in Howard County Public Schools.

Family Fit Night - Organizes a yearly event at CLES (with the PE department) for the whole family that promotes health and wellness through movement.

For a more detailed description of Family Fit Night click here.

Walk & Wheel - Walk and Wheel Wednesdays once a month in Fall (Sept., Oct., Nov.) and Spring (Apr., May, Jun). Responsible for having Walk & Wheels signs posted in neighborhoods and at CLES. Sends news alerts and newsletter submissions to PTA President, the CLES Principal, and newsletter coordinator. Contacts the teachers of the music department to have a welcoming performance outside. Coordinates with school Boy Scout and Girl Scout troop leaders to have a troop raise the American Flag.

For a more detailed description of Walk and Wheel Days click here.

Social - Organizes PTA social events for the year including the Dolphin Dash, Movie Night, Winter Dance etc.

Staff Appreciation - The Staff Appreciation committee does monthly events (except January) for the teachers and staff. The events are centered mostly on food -- lunches, baked goods, snacks, etc. These events occasionally have raffle items. This committee also coordinates retirement gifts & custodian gifts at the end of the year.

Welcoming – This committee is focused on being available to help new parents be as comfortable as possible as quickly as possible. Volunteers will be available at PTA events to help provide information about the PTA, school and community.

Fifth Grade T-Shirts - This job should preferably be handled by someone with a rising 5th grader as well as a younger child(ren) so that they can do it more than once (after having learned the process). It’s a fun project. Work with t-shirt lady and 5th grade team leader to select the shirt. Send Home order forms. Go in during lunch a few times to get student signatures (appears on the shirt) Process forms and deposit payments. Place the order. Distribute shirts.

Recess Cart - organizes and maintains the recess carts that our children use during indoor recess time.

Reflections - Coordinate participation in the National Reflections program - including advertising to the CLES students and families, collecting the works of art, and submitting them by the deadline. There is also a reflections award ceremony that is coordinated during school hours. Heavy work time is end of November as well as end of January for awards ceremony.

School Supplies - organizes and coordinates the program where students at the school have the option to purchase next year’s school supplies in a pre-set package.

Science Fair - Would work with co-chair(s) to bring the Science Fair to our CLES students. Includes setting a date, location and finalizing details of the fair. Responsible for collecting science fair applications and advertising the fair to our community. Day of Fair - assist with set-up, clean – up, coordinate judges and entertainment.

For a more detailed description of the PTA Science Fair click here.

Yearbook - Compiled throughout the year and published in the Spring. Yearbook Committee is looking for help - Yearbook Design, Yearbook Orders, 5th Grade Dedications, Student Art Contests, Yearbook Photo Manager, Proofreaders.