Malcolm X contacts:
Principal: Cheryl Chinn
Secretary: Loren Nakamura
Home Sch. Liaison: Lisa Cullen
Curriculim: Jai Waggoner
Records: Maru Hiratzka
Phone: 510-644-6313
Fax: 510-644-6297

The Berkeley PTA Council

Malcolm X PTA volunteer opportunities

2006-2007 school year
The families in the Malcolm X community are a big part of the reason Malcolm X is a California Distinguished School. We have a large, active and committed group of parent volunteers who help make this school a wonderful place to learn. Listed below are some ideas on how you can join us. Feel free to create your own as well. Volunteer now.

Help in the classroom
Sign on as a room parent or classroom volunteer. This is the first and perhaps most important place where you can make a difference. Classroom teachers may need school-time help with filing and photocopying, displaying artwork, supervising projects, or one-on-one tutoring. They may also want help with tasks that you could do from home like calling parents to round up chaperones for fieldtrips, seek donations of materials for the classroom, or organize snack calendars. To sign up as a room parent or classroom volunteer, talk to your child’s teacher. Or contact MX room parent/volunteer coordinator Julie Randolph: 548-3130.

Join a Malcolm X Committee
There are several ongoing committees at Malcolm X. Some raise money, others figure out how to spend it. Some enrich the lives of our children through after-school classes or by beautifying the school environment.

School Site Council & Berkeley Schools Excellence Project (BSEP): These are funding advisory committees. Folks on these committees make recommendations about how to spend money receivee by the school for a variety of purposes. Contact: Matt Eccles, 898-1786.

Afterschool Classes Committee: This group helps schedule and coordinate PTA-sponsored after-school enrichment classes taught by community instructors. Contact: YaVette O’Shea at 204-9959.

Malcolm X Garden Committee: Help keep our garden beautiful and provide a wonderful environment for children to learn about food, flowers and fun. Contact: Rivka Mason, Garden Teacher, at 524-2916.

Keep Malcolm X Beautiful Committee: This year the PTA has decided to help spruce up the yard at Malcolm X using decorative art and tile mosaics. We’ll also be organizing regular yard clean-ups. Want to help make sure the school looks great? Contact: Alfonzo Alvarez, 845-8865for yard clean-up. For the mosaic and art project, contact Dawn Kaiser, 849-8821.

Join Community and Fundraising Events
Help to organize fundraising activities like eScrip and T-shirt sales, as well as annual events such as the walk-a-thon, ice-skating party, raffle, or spring fair. Or if you have limited time available for volunteering, but can devote a couple of hours to making calls before the event or have a few hours you can work on the day of the event, take a look at the list below. Your help will be much appreciated!

Contacts:
Walk-a-Thon (October): Kimi Kodani-Hill, 848-5714
Family Heritage Night (November): Holly Scheider, 849-3288
Ice Skating Party (February): Catherine Lazio, 665-4169
PTA Raffle (March): Kathy Burns, 601-6241
Spring Fair (May): Laila Ibrahim, 845-4504
T-shirt sales (throughout the year): Julie Randolph, 548-3130
E-scrip sales (throughout the year): Michael Alvarez-Cohen, 654-4596
Berkeley Bowl Scrip: Melanie DeGiovanni

Other MX/PTA volunteer jobs
There are many tasks that need doing in and outside of school hours. You choose: Take on something large or small. It may be a one-time project or require an on-going commitment that you can take on yourself, or share with another parent. Below are just a few of the MX/PTA needs for this year:

Performance Arts Assistance: Help with classroom technology needs, inventory costume stock and expand the collection, or lend technical expertise and set-building skills for school performances like the all-school choral. Contact: Jai Waggoner, MX Art Teacher at 644-6313

PTA Membership Meeting Food Coordinator/Childcare Coordinator: Arrange for food (pizza delivery) and beverages for PTA membership meetings. Or arrange for childcare for PTA Membership meetings. Contact: Cheryl Eccles, 898-1786.

MX communications: Are you computer savvy? The MX website could use your skills. Contact: Russell Kilday-Hicks, 841-5252. Want to help the school’s public information officer get the word out about school events and activities? Contact: Melanie Curry, 845-8865.

Kindergarten tours: Show prospective parent around MX and answer questions about what our school has to offer. Tues and Thurs mornings November through February. Contact: Jai Waggoner, Curriculum Coordinator, 644-6313.

Staff appreciation lunch: Help out at a thank you lunch in May honoring the teachers and staff of MX. Bring food, set-up, serve, clean up, help with flowers or decorations. Contact: Kyra Subbotin, 655-7205; and Ed Valenzuela, 540-0687.

MX administrative needs: Lend a hand to Loren Nakamura, school secretary, or Lisa Cullen, home-school liaison, in the front office: filing, phoning, special projects and the like. Contact: Loren or Lisa at 644-6313.

MX Library: help shelve and repair books or work on special projects with school librarians. Contact Carol Thorp or Pat Smith at 644-4558.

Want to help but not sure what you can or want to do? Contact Julie Randolph, volunteer/room parent coordinator, 548-3130. I’d love to talk with you and help you figure out where Malcolm X can use your skills and enthusiasm. Together we can!

Want to help and you already know how? Download this form, print, fill out, and have your child bring it to his or her teacher or come to the next PTA meeting.