We need you!
We could not do what we do without our parent volunteers! Thanks to the amazing volunteers at Wood Acres ES, the PTA is able to host many programs and activities. No matter what your interests, talents or available time, there is a volunteer opportunity that can work for you. Whether you can lend an hour or two per year at a community event or school activity, a few hours a month as a room parent, or more time chairing a committee or event, we can help you find an opportunity that will make a difference for our students.
Interested in joining the PTA Board? Every spring, a new Board of Directors is nominated and voted on by the PTA membership. Click here for the Board Position Descriptions.
Want to chair a committee or event? Click out the button below to complete our PTA Volunteer Committee Signup Request form below.
Want to volunteer to help with a specific event or activity? Contact the VP or Committee Chair listed on the PTA Board and Committee Contact list and see below for a list of committees and their responsibilities.
Prerequisites for all Volunteers in the School Building
Abuse / Neglect Training – MCPS requires all school volunteers to complete this on-line training course regarding abuse & neglect, prior to volunteering. It requires approximately 20-30 minutes to complete and can be found at the following link: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/childabuseandneglect/#Volunteer
Vaccination Attestation – As of October 2021, MCPS now requires volunteers to submit a certificate attesting to vaccination status for COVID-19. You can obtain the certificate on-line by following the steps and links found here: MCPS Vaccine Attestation— NEW PROCESS.
This committee coordinates the afterschool programs provided by FLEX (including chess, dance, art, music), FLES (foreign language instruction) and STEM vendors which offer extracurricular, tuition-based classes that meet once a week before or after school.
This committee coordinates the PTA's largest fundraiser of the year. The money raised accounts for over 55% of the PTA budget, and 100% of the donations are used to fund technology, visiting artists, assemblies and supplies that support and enrich teaching and learning at Wood Acres.
One or two volunteers are needed to coordinate the publication of a magazine showcasing the literary talents of our 4th graders.
This committee is responsible for the organization of the annual Spring Art Festival. Volunteers are needed to collect and display art, and to setup and cleanup on the evening of the event.
AtoZ Connect is the PTA's email network. Its purpose is to facilitate the exchange information relating to PTA business, school affairs and educational topics of interest to the Wood Acres ES population. The AtoZ Connect coordinator verifies membership, manages the list, monitors the site for proper usage of the AtoZ Connect policy and intervenes when necessary. Click here to learn more about AtoZ Connect.
This committee arranges for Wood Acres representation at a Bethesda Big Train baseball game. This involves arranging for a faculty member to throw out a first pitch and for discounted tickets. Volunteers are needed to advertise and promote the event.
This group organizes and runs a night of bingo fun for the whole family for the lower grades. Volunteers are needed to help with food booths, call bingo numbers, obtain prizes, and general set up and clean up.
The editor of the Community Announcements receives classified ads or other material of interest to the Wood Acres community, but outside the scope of AtoZ Connect. Approximately weekly during the school year, the editor generates and sends, via AtoZ Connect, a single email containing the Community Announcements accumulated since the last posting.
This committee works with Montgomery County to identify and implement projects for participation by Wood Acres students and the PTA. In the past, students and families have made sandwiches for Martha's Table and provided clothing, food, book and toy donations to our sister elementary schools and other sites. Volunteers are needed to organize and deliver donations and to help students participate in these activities.
This committee monitors issues related to curriculum and testing at the county and state levels, as well as the implementation of the new MCPS grading and reporting policy. Volunteers monitor the work of the MCCPTA Curriculum Advisory committee and the MCCPTA Grading and Reporting Implementation Team, and reports to the Educational Issues group and entire PTA as appropriate.
This committee plans and organizes the Dance Party for grades 3-5. Volunteers are needed to communicate with the deejay, advertise and sell tickets, and to chaperone and help with food sales on the night of the event.
This committee organizes two Pizza Nights each school year, usually at Ledo's Pizza, to benefit our MCPS sister schools, Oak View and New Hampshire Estates.
This committee produces the school directory each fall. Volunteers are needed to collect and input information, work with the printing company, and help with the distribution of directories.
This group works with the PTA Executive Board and MCCPTA representatives to monitor educational issues affecting Wood Acres at the county, state, and federal levels. It reports activity and recommends actions to the Board and entire PTA. Volunteers coordinate parent communication.
This committee provides information and support to families of children in the ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) program. It hosts social events as well as informational meetings particular to the interests of those families.
This committee provides for the faculty a copying, laminating and bookbinding service. Volunteers can sign up to help with any of the above services of their choice for as few as two hours per month. Training is provided for all these services for interested parents. We can use numerous volunteers for this committee.
This committee is comprised of primarily fifth grade parents who plan and execute the 5th grade farewell activities (the pool party, memory book, slide show, etc.) and support the school staff who plan the evening promotion ceremony. A group of fourth grade parents traditionally plan and host the reception after the evening event.
As part of the Educational Issues branch, this group monitors issues related to gifted education at the MCPS and MSDE levels. It monitors GT issues through MCCPTA and Gifted and Talented Association (GTA) listservs and meetings, as needed. The volunteers report activity and recommend actions to the Educational Issues group and entire PTA, as appropriate.
This group promotes environmental awareness within the Wood Acres community by encouraging recycling and energy/fossil fuel conservation, supporting the student Green Team and reducing waste.
This committee coordinates the supermarket and product fundraising programs sponsored by Giant, Safeway, Campbell's Soup and General Mills Box Tops for Education.
This person works closely with the school secretary and the MCPS rep of the ICB (Interagency Coordinating Agency) to coordinate and submit requests for building space usage for PTA events. This person must go to a one-time training session.
This group arranges for a winter family evening of ice-skating fun at Cabin John Ice Rink. Volunteers are needed to advertise and sell tickets for the event.
International Night is a celebration of Wood Acres’ multi-cultural diversity. This very popular event takes place once every two years and features food, performances and exhibits from many countries of the world.
This committee organizes a community Spring JogFest, which offers a 5-K run, and fun runs and walks for all ages. Many volunteers are needed to obtain sponsors, order t-shirts and medals, secure food donations, distribute race packets and to marshal the course on the morning of the event.
This committee periodically sorts through and displays the items collected in the Lost & Found bins and alerts the school community via AtoZ Connect to search for lost items. The committee also coordinates the donation of any items not claimed.
This committee is responsible for organizing training and scheduling the many volunteers needed to assist in the lunchroom and at recess.
This committee consists of volunteers who are scheduled (generally for two hours every other week) to staff the checkout desk, re-shelve books, assist students with finding books and perform other responsibilities in the Media Center as requested by the Media Specialist.
This committee conducts a PTA membership drive at the Open House in August. Volunteers are needed to collect membership forms and dues, and to distribute directories through the fall.
The committee provides targeted information and support to families of diverse cultural, racial and ethnic backgrounds. It hosts social and informational events to promote networking, support, information sharing, cultural awareness and also serves as a liaison to other local MCPS community groups relating to race and equity.
This group oversees the Planetarium program by recruiting parent volunteers and scheduling classes throughout the year. Planetarium volunteers are required to be trained on the planetarium equipment and in various topics of astronomy. The training program for new volunteers is offered at various times, usually in October and November. Most new volunteers attend two sessions to learn the equipment and absorb the experience of our very capable trainers.
This volunteer is responsible for recruiting coordinators to organize the room parents for each grade level (three or four room parents per class). This committee is responsible for organizing email lists for each class and for designating a coordinator for each grade. This committee is also responsible for working closely with the PE teacher to coordinate Field Day activities (a year-end event) and recruits volunteers to help at this outdoor event.
This committee organizes our annual science fair which encourages students from K-5 to create and display an age-appropriate science fair project. The committee needs volunteers to set up and judge the fair.
Every two years this committee organizes a fun-filled evening of games, contests, experiments, and activities celebrating space, astronomy, and our very own Planetarium. Many volunteers are needed to make this evening a success.
The committee provides targeted information and support to families of special education students. It hosts Special Needs Parent Network meetings and serves as advocate and liaison on issues regarding programs for special education students.
This committee acknowledges holidays, staff changes, birthdays and other special events for the teachers and school staff. It also organizes an end-of-year luncheon for faculty and staff.
The STEAM committee creates fun and educational opportunities for learning about science, technology, math, and engineering for our students. Please join us as we're constantly searching for new ideas and volunteers to offer more STEAM opportunities for our students and be sure to check out the STEAM classes we are currently offering!
This committee selects, schedules, and coordinates the arrangements for cultural arts presentations (poets, authors, opera singers, visual artists, etc.) to students, and, separately coordinates programs for established artists to come into the classroom to teach workshops related to their field of expertise.
This volunteer (or team of volunteers) is responsible for updating and maintaining the Wood Acres PTA website. This volunteer posts content received from the PTA committees and school staff about upcoming events, activities, and other news. The website administrator works closely with Communications VP.
Each week through the school year, this volunteer produces the Wildcat Week Ahead — the PTA's weekly news brief — and sends it to the Wood Acres ES community via AtoZ Connect. The Wildcat Week Ahead contains information relating to the PTA and school-related activities, such as family fun events, fundraising events, charity efforts, volunteering opportunities, important dates and other announcements. The Wildcat Week Ahead is typically circulated on Mondays and is also posted on the homepage of the PTA website.
This group organizes and hosts newcomer evenings for families new to the school and are available to answer questions to new families throughout the school year. The committee also supports the administration in hosting and setting up for an hour long open house the Friday before school opens for the new school year.
This group oversees this extracurricular, fee-based event for 4th grade students in the spring. Click here for more information.
This committee is responsible for the school yearbook. We need volunteers to take and collect photos throughout the year, use creativity to layout the book and work with the yearbook company to make sure that all deadlines are met.