what pta does

The PTA works with parents and faculty to organize and facilitate programs and events both during and after school hours that serve to enrich our children's educational experiences and build a stronger community. PV is looking to fill leadership roles for the 2023-24 school year. 

​The mission of the Prospect Valley PTA is to support our PV families, teachers, and staff and to help nurture a strong community that promotes connection, inclusion and fun.

​2022/2023 PTA Meetings
Location: PV Library (unless otherwise noted)​​​​

• ​May 4 | 3PM​​

How to Volunteer
As the saying goes “It’s a big job, but many hands make light work.” Please fill out the Volunteer Interest Form to get involved.  

Board of Directors 
The Board of Directors leads the PTA towards specific goals chosen by the members; helps sets the vision for the PTA; appoints committee and event chairs; works closely with the Principal; creates agendas for and presides at Board and General meetings; works on developing and implementing budget; attends monthly Council meeting, serves as ex-officio member of all committees; trouble-shoots in all areas of PTA/school involvement. Review individual descriptions here. 
President | 2 year commitment (typically, 1 year as President-Elect and 1 year as President) Kari Fragnoli
President Elect | 2 year commitment (typically, 1 year as President and 1 year as President-Elect) Hillary Joseph
Secretary | 2 year commitment, with option to extend 1 year (3 year total) Rachelle Dodge
Treasurer | 2 year commitment, with option to extend 1 year (3 year total) Angie Gibson

Committee Chairs
Committee chairs lead the charge for one particular program or event. Some committees can be run with as little as one dedicated volunteer, whereas others require a whole team to pull off an event! Below is an overview of Prospect Valley’s current offerings. Please complete our volunteer interest form and we will be in touch. Even if a committee is currently filled, there are usually opportunities to assist and/or shadow for a year. Review full committee descriptions here. 

Advocacy | Advocating for children and families is a primary mission of PTA. The Advocacy committee serves to link our PTA to the local and national networks of PTAs in order to work together to enhance the experience of all school aged children. The Advocacy Chair has the opportunity to attend regular meetings of the Colorado PTA Legislative Committee. Chair: Open

Arts Night | Formerly the Spring Fling, this event is a very special evening at PV. Families can enjoy dinner and then stroll through PV to see wonderful works of art and creative science displays by our talented students. The evening concludes with the Cake Auction for the Arts, where families can bid on “artsy” cake creations made by PV families and friends. Funds are primarily used to support the arts at PV, including the visual arts and music programs. Chair: Emily & David Harris and Michele Ames

Battle of the Books | Battle of the Books is a reading incentive program in which students read a set list of books and come together in teams to test their knowledge of the books they have read.   The BoB parent volunteer works closely with the Digital Librarian to prepare and host the Battle of the Books literary competition. BOB is a reading incentive program for students in 3rd thru 12th grades. Students read books and come together in groups of 2-3 to demonstrate their abilities and to test their knowledge of the books they have read. The student competitions are usually similar to the TV series Family Feud or Whiz Kids styles of competitions. Chair: Ryann Hardman

Cake Auction for the Arts | Have you ever seen a cake that looks like an impressionist painting, R2D2, or a porcupine? If you’ve been to PV’s Cake Auction for the Arts, you have seen these and many more creations. This event takes place in the spring in conjunction with the Arts Night.  Cakes are auctioned off to the highest bidder, and funds raised go to support PV’s visual arts and music programs. Chair: Open

Carnation Festival Parade | The Wheat Ridge Carnation Festival is one of the longest running festivals in Colorado. Held at Anderson Park each August, the event has always been a free locally driven and family-friendly celebration to support and promote local Wheat Ridge focused nonprofits, service clubs, as well as student and senior organizations. On the Saturday morning of the event, the day starts with a parade that runs down 38th Avenue. Prospect Valley has historically organized a float for the students and staff to participate in. Chair: Samantha Walker

Carnival  | The annual Carnival takes place each spring. This beloved event features tons of great games, carnival food, photo booth, and fantastic prizes! The carnival needs about 150 volunteers to make it all happen. Chair: Becca Higgins

Communications/Social Media | Create Facebook posts (approx. 2-5 posts weekly) of upcoming PTA events and news on the PTA Facebook page. Chair: Kim Davis

Communications/Strategy | Work with committee chairs to compile items for the weekly newsletter, the Flash. Edit the content and share with the office for inclusion. Chair: Michele Ames

5th Grade Continuation & Picnic | Work with Prospect Valley 5th grade team to plan and organize continuation and picnic for 5th graders. Chair: Open

Dance | The Dance is a time for the kids to show their best moves on the dance floor as families enjoy a night of fun music and socializing. This is the perfect chance to reconnect with new and old friends. Snacks, drinks, and sweet treats will be available for purchase. Chair: Samantha Walker

Destination Imagination | Destination Imagination is an educational nonprofit that prepares children for a future that is rapidly evolving. DI does this through a project-based learning experience that applies the creative process across seven different Challenge types—Technical, Scientific, Engineering, Fine Arts, Improvisational, Service Learning, and Early Learning—allowing pre-K through university level students to acquire and practice the skills needed to thrive in school, future careers, and beyond. It is one of the Enrichment Opportunities listed and supported by Jeffco Schools’ Gifted and Talented Program, but DI is open to all students. Previously called Odyssey of the Mind, this program needs dedicated parent volunteers to run weekly meetings Fall-Winter, culminating in an area team competition. Chair: Open

Directory | Work with PV families for inclusion in the family directory. Chair: Open

Family & Staff Support | The Staff/Family Support Committee helps to provide care and support to PV community members during major life events. The committee provides meals, goodies, cards and notes in times of illness, birth, surgeries, accidents, and death affecting our staff members as well as for PV families suffering significant tragedies. We also provide little gifts for the teachers throughout the year to show how much we love our amazing staff! Chair: Open

Fun Run | Plan and organize PV’s largest fundraising effort. Chairs: Alia Nicholson, Leslie Weinstein, Rachelle Dodge & Laura Clase

Garden | Setting up and maintaining community garden. Chair: Open

Hospitality | The Hospitality Committee is in charge of organizing and setting up refreshments for PTA-sponsored functions. (More information in Hospitality Committee Details page) Chairs: Katie Critchfield and Marycate Brickey

Landscape Committee | Chair: Open

Load the Lounge | Coordinate monthly treats in the staff lounge to show our appreciation! Chair: Ashley Palubinksi
Membership | Drive PTA membership growth and retention among Prospect Valley families and staff. Chair: Open

Original Works | Original Works displays your child’s artistic masterpieces on products that you can use or admire every day in your home!  These make great holiday gifts, and this fundraiser directly supports PV’s visual arts program. Chair: Aimee Hammer

Parents on Patrol | Prospect Valley is currently looking for volunteers (parent, guardian, grandparent) to add an extra adult presence at PV on a regular basis. Parents on Patrol may be asked to greet visitors at our front entrance, monitor the crosswalks near the school or provide extra eyes at large PV events. Chair: Isabel Everett

Prospector Post | Prospect Valley’s in-school postal service. Students in the 4th and 5th grades will run the weekly program with supervision. Prospector post promotes responsibility, basic writing skills, and education of the postal service. Students, faculty, and parents are highly encouraged to write letters to other children and staff using this school-wide communication system. Chair: Hillary Joseph

PV Partnership | Solicit appropriate sponsorships and execute on benefits promised. Chair: Cara Jakab and Kristin Bellini

Read-at-home Program | The Read-at-Home (RAH) Book Program sends a book that is at your student's individual reading level home on a regular basis. After your student is done with a particular RAH book, they can bring it back and receive a new one to read, so students are continuously being exposed to new reading material. Chair: Renee McDermed

Reading Challenge Week | Each year PV invites a guest author to school to lead assemblies that encourage reading and writing. The author may also lead writing/illustrating workshops. Chair: Annie Bonati

Reflections | Oversee planning and implementation of the Annual PTA arts program. Chair: Open

Room Parent Coordinator | Coordinates room parent(s) for each classroom teacher. Chair: Becca Higgins

Safety and Security Committee | The annual Safety and Security meeting takes place during Safe Schools week and is a great opportunity to learn what is being done to keep our school safe. Discover how to spot potential red flags and have your questions answered by our team of experts. Chairs: Kari Fragnoli and Andrea Thompson

Science Fair | The PV Science Fair offers kids an opportunity to create an individual driven experiment.  Students can submit project entries using the scientific method to test a hypothesis.  All projects will be on display the week of PV’s Arts Event in the Spring. Information to register will be sent home.  Upon registration students will receive a detailed packet including the Scientific Method and Project Rubric. Chair: Laurey Mattox & Alex Rossi

Special Person’s/Grandparents’ Day | On Grandparents’/Special Person’s Day, you have the opportunity to invite Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles or family friends to PV to spend time in your student’s classroom. Many people support your child(ren), and this day is a way to recognize them and introduce them to PV staff. Each class creates a meaningful activity to do with our guests. Chair: Allison Windes

Spelling Bee | Students in grades 4 and 5 are eligible to compete in the first round of the Spelling Bee, the written exam, which usually takes place in early January. Top spellers then move onto the Oral Spelling Bee, where friends and families are invited to watch our spellers compete! The top 3 school spellers advance onto the Wheat Ridge Area spelling bee (typically held in February). The winner of the Wheat Ridge Area Bee may qualify for the Colorado State Spelling Bee Championship (usually held in March). Chair: Jeff Kent

Staff Appreciation Week | Staff Appreciation Week gives us all a chance to give back to our fabulous teachers and staff. We make sure that our staff feels appreciated the whole week long by providing special meals and gifts for them each day of this week. Chair: Moniquea Reef

Volunteer Coordinator | This position helps match volunteers to various PV PTA committees and programs. Chair: Leslie Weinstein

Walk/Bike to School Day | This is an international day held in October to celebrate increased physical activity and healthy lifestyles as we encourage the PV family to walk or ride their bikes to school! Chairs: Kari Fragnoli & Laura Clase

Website | Maintain Prospect Valley PTA website. Chair:  Shannon Thomas

Wishlist | provides a way for families to donate small items to our teachers and staff for their classrooms throughout the year. Chair:  Melissa Granillo

Yearbook | Work with Lifetouch to design the yearbook and solicit images from events throughout the year. Chair: Celeste Cardoso​​