The Cabot PTO has many committees dedicated to fulfilling our mission to support the school staff, help enrich the educational experience of our children, and build the sense of community here at Cabot.

Get involved by joining a committee – it doesn’t take much time, about 5 hours per year. Take a moment to read the brief descriptions of all the PTO committees, see which interest you, and join us. Please contact the chair of a committee for more information. Or, view a list of current volunteer opportunities.

Note: Commitment indicates the amount of time it takes to chair the committee, not to volunteer for the committee.

PTO Presidents
Oversee PTO committee activities, coordinate with members, the Principal & teachers, & set the PTO's direction. Serves a 2 yr term which overlaps with the incoming co-president for 1 year. Produces the Welcome Packet - Aug-September. Communicates with Cabot families via weekly emails. Keeps Cabot community informed about city-wide school-related issues. Prepares annual PTO budget, & oversees on ongoing basis fund raising & spending. Attend meetings: bi-monthly with Principal, monthly School Council, monthly Newton PTO Council & various School Committee meetings.
Commitment: Average of 12 hours per week, some weeks less & some weeks as high as 25 hours.
Current chairs: Mary Kathryn Fallon [marykathf@aol.com or 617-244-1821] and Archana Vahalia (auvpto@aol.com)

Co-Treasurers
Each serves a 2 yr term which overlaps with incoming co-treasurer for 1 year. Oversees the revenues & expenses of the PTO. Provides financial information & advice to Co-Presidents, & PTO committees. Responsible for expense reimbursements & yearly tax returns. Knowledge of Quicken necessary.
Commitment: Average of 6-8 hrs per week.
Current chairs: Rosemary Thomsen [stewrose@comcast.net]

Vice President of Fund Raising
Serves a 2 yr term. Sets & oversees the PTO fund raising goals with the PTO Presidents. Liaise with smaller fundraiser activities.
Commitment: Average of 6-8 hrs per week.
Current chair: Lori Seuch [lseuch@mefa.org]

Recording Secretary
To be described
Commitment: PTO meeting
Current chair: Rotating

Acknowledgement/Teacher Appreciation
With volunteers, responsible for acknowledgement of teachers & staff throughout year in a variety of ways, from purchasing cards & small gifts to hosting the teacher appreciation lunch in spring.
Commitment: Kick off at start of school year. Average of 2-4 hrs/wk.
Current chair: Sally Brickell

Advertising - Directory & Online
Responsible for generating advertising for the Cabot Directory & managing other advertising needs of the PTO ie. Online.
Commitment: 20 hrs over summer for directory advertising.
Current chair: Rick Reilly and Marc Svensson

Book Fair
Organizes & runs with volunteers a 3 day event in March which allows students & families to purchase books. Includes an ice cream social one evening. Liaises with School Librarian & Bookseller.
Commitment: Approx. 25 hrs from end of Feb to event.
Current chair: Lisa Porter

Cabot Connecting Families
Acts as liaisons between Newton & Boston families who participate in the METCO program. They organize with volunteers social activities to bring together Cabot families outside of school.
Commitment:
Current chairs: Mary Heney [mheney@rcn.com] and Amy Siegel

CASP Liaison
Provides liaison between the Cabot After School Program - CASP - & the PTO. Serves as an aide to parents in the CASP program.
Commitment: 1 yr - attend CASP meetings as necessary.
Current chair: Karen Lumino [family@swain.name or 617-630-5073]

Cabot Community Park
Responsible for the maintenance of the outdoor park utilizing volunteers for necessary planting, weeding & watering.
Commitment:
Current chairs: Chris Kjellson

Cabot Community Supper
Responsible for organizing the Cabot Community Supper
Commitment:
Current chairs: Sue Covitz, Rose Coppola-Flynn, Joy Cline Phinney

Cabot Fair
Serves a 2 yr term which overlaps with the experienced outgoing chair. Runs & organize the annual Cabot Fair in May, overseeing a team of volunteers. Ensure compliance with city & state regulations. Coordinate with committees who run various aspects of Fair - Games, Raffle, Advertising, Treasurer, Cabot Goods, Cabot staff & Teachers.
Commitment:
Current chairs: Laura Dreese and Deb Klein

Cabot Goods
Chair sources, organizes & procures inventory. With volunteers coordinates a rota to sell goods at Cabot events - Welcome Picnic, CASP events, Book Fair, Family Dance, Community Supper etc,. - & fulfill paper orders placed through year.
Commitment: Approx. 2-4 hrs per month.
Current chair: Helen Cao

Call Back Coordinator
Organizes a rotation of parent volunteers who check absent messages against class attendance lists. Place calls to student families not in school. A city-wide program to ensure the safe arrival of students.
Commitment:
Current chair: Ann Manaktala

Core Values
To bring Cabot School’s core values of: Life-long learning,Respect for self and others, and Commitment to school and community to life for students and their families and for the faculty and staff. To consistently make these values part of the way we in the Cabot community conduct ourselves. This committee of parents and faculty meets with the principal to identify ways to reinforce Cabot’s core values.
Commitment:
Current chairs: Sally Brickell

Creative Arts & Sciences
A city-wide program that brings Language Arts, Science, Arts, and Social Studies enrichment programs into Cabot classrooms. Co-chairs organize & facilitate parent volunteers who coordinate programs for a particular grade.
Commitment:
Current chairs: Sandy Connors [sandyconnors@gmail.com or 617-916-9577]
and Faith Witte [faith.witte@rcn.com]

Directory
Oversees the compilation & printing of Cabot Directory of all Cabot staff & students. This Directory is intended only for use by Cabot families to facilitate social activities & communication.
Commitment:
Current chair: Jenny Gamson and Marya Van't Hul

Family Dance
Co-chairs organize an annual free Dance for Cabot students & their families in February.
Commitment:
Current chairs: Suzy Enyeart, Julie Lindstrom

5th Grade Activities
Chairs work with Principal, & 5th grade families & teachers to co-ordinate a seminal year of noteworthy activities.
Commitment:
Current chair: Karen Clay, Andrea Plotkin, Alice Cunningham, Kim Spencer

Gift Wrap
Organizes annual major fund raising sale of gift wrap for Cabot.
Commitment: Approx. 20 hrs September - October
Current chair: Kate Johnson [kate@textreviews.com or 617-527-3670]

Grant Writing
Resource to the Principal, teachers & PTO in identifying & applying for educational grants.
Commitment:
Current chair: Kathy Chivian [Kathleen.carroll@yale.edu or 617-796-9884]

Hospitality
Arrange for refreshments at various PTO events (day & evening) throughout year. Work a rotation of events with volunteers.
Commitment:
Current chair: Roberta Hing [rohing@comcast.net or 617-964-5645]

Human Differences
To be described
Commitment:
Current chair: Pat Abbott

Invention Invasion
Coordination of annual event open to all Cabot students that promotes & displays inventiveness.
Commitment:
Current chairs: Karen Jauregui [kjauregui@repligen.com or 617-527-3154] and Vicki Gartland [gartland@comcast.net or 617-244-9415]

Jabberwock Editors
In rotation with other editors, compile, edit & publish monthly email newsletter for Cabot community. Liaise with Webmaster to ensure update information available on website.
Commitment: Approx 10 hrs every 3 months
Current chairs: Kim Spencer, Ann Duvall, Liz Lehrer

Kindergarten Registration
Host in March the parent Kindergarten orientation.
Commitment:
Current chairs:Tera Hirsch [terahirsch2003@yahoo.com or 617-796-0168] and Sarah Hemphill [sarahhempill@rcn.com or 617-795-0491]

Library Liaison
Recruits & oversees volunteers for Cabot library & coordinates activities with School Librarian. Hosts a coffee for library volunteers at start of year, trains & orients volunteers, & runs a thank you coffee for volunteers at year end.
Commitment: 1-2 hrs per week during school year
Current chair: Kate Johnson [kate@textreviews.com or 617-527-3670]

Nominating
Organizes nomination of PTO officers, committee chairs & School Council. Recruits through use of contact with current chairs, knowledge of acquaintances across grade levels, Jabber & word of mouth. Manage school council elections in April/May.
Commitment: 20-25 hours between January and May.
Current chair: Jo Doherty

Photography Coordinator & Volunteers
Photograph school events using digital photography with help of volunteers. Help archive & organize photography for the school. Coordinate with chairs of special events (Community Supper, Cabot Fair, etc.)
Commitment: ½ hour per week, & available for special events.
Current chair: Doug Hoffman

Playground
Responsible for improvement & maintenance of Cabot's playground.
Commitment:
Current chair: John Fitzgerald

Political Issues
Keeps the Cabot community informed of political issues affecting the school. Attend School Committee meetings & other as necessary. Inform Cabot community of current issues & actions needed through use of the PTO website & Jabber. Coordinate activities with PTO presidents, Principal & School Committee.
Commitment:
Current chairs: Sarah Ecker [sarahecker@comcast.net or 617-243-9845] and Sue Covitz [suecovitz@rcn.com or 617-558-9838] and Isabelle Thacker

Long Range Planning Sub-Committee: Advocate for City & State funding for major renovations at Cabot.
Commitment:
Current chair: Sarah Ecker [sarahecker@comcast.net or 617-243-9845]

Modular Classroom Sub-Committee: Advocate for temporary space to relieve overcrowding at Cabot.
Commitment:
Current chair: Isabelle Thacker [isabelle@thackers.net or 617-795-2332]

Enrollment Projections Sub-Committee: How does the enrollment projection process in Newton work.
Commitment:
Current chair: Sue Covitz [suecovitz@rcn.com or 617-558-9838]

Cabot Work Crews: Provide practical help at Cabot by painting, packing up classrooms etc,.
Commitment: 6 to 12 hours per month. Attend bi-monthly School Committee meetings (Monday evenings).
Current chair: Sally Brickell [brickland6@rcn.com or 617-527-5438]

Program Enrichment
Solicit ideas & grant recommendations for materials, & programs to enhance the Cabot learning experience for the greatest number of students. Advertise grant opportunities, talk with principal, copy forms, send out letters, & spread sheets, recruit teachers & parents to join the committee, hold meeting to decide the allocations.
Commitment: Total 20 -24 hours. Grant meeting takes 2 hours. September through November.
Current chairs: Heather Mehra, Amit Nisenbaum, Cindy Callaway

Public Relations
Commitment:
Current chair: Carolyn Eggert [Beggs69@aol.com or 617-630-1501]

Room Captain K-2 & 3-5
Recruit room parents for each classroom to assist the teacher in various activities & events & communications throughout the year.
Commitment:
Current chairs:K-2 Lori Knowles
3-5 Chris Kjellson

School Store
Responsible for procuring inventory for & running school store every Thursday morning before school. Proceeds benefit 5th grade activities.
Commitment:
Current chair: Karen Lumino [family@swain.name or 617-630-5073]

Small Fundraisers responsible for:
- Boxtops for Education - Isabelle Thacker [isabelle@thackers.net or 617-795-2332]
- Papa Ginos - several times per year - Julie Stonehill [jastonehill@rcn.com or 617-964-4937]
- Learning Express Store - Julie Stonehill [jastonehill@rcn.com or 617-964-4937]
- Coffee Pond Family Photo Day - Sharon Dwyer [jsordwyer@rcn.com or 617-641-2342]

Social Action Committee
Organizes & advertises activities that benefit communities & organizations in need of assistance such as food & clothing drives.
Commitment: Kick-off meeting to determine calendar of activities & then 2-5 hrs per month.
Current chair: Lisa Porter and Kelly Phillips

Special Education Liaison
This volunteer serves as a resource for questions about Chapter 766, the State Law that guarantees all children the right to an education regardless of capabilities, & relays relevant information to Cabot community.
Commitment: Attends meetings of city-wide committee.
Current chair: Lisa Spagnuolo [Spags70@peoplepc.com or 617-527-4660]

Technology Committee
Identifies technology needs at Cabot. In liaison with Principal, school staff & the Newton Schools Education Center technology staff decides how best to spend PTO budget.
Commitment:
Current chair: Richard Wright [richard.wright@parexel.com or 617-244-9021]

Understanding Our Differences
Presents programs about human differences to G4th students. Attends citywide training program. Recruits & coordinates parent volunteers to assist in presenting the program to students. Arranges the speakers & materials used in the classrooms.
Commitment: 6 hours per month September thru March
Current chair: Rick Reilly, Ann Duvall, Marueen Mullowney

Webmaster
Responsible for managing the Cabot PTO website and the Cabot Community mailing list.
Commitment:
Current chair: Mie-Yun Lee [mylcabot@gmail.com]

Wellness & Safety Committee
Provides guidance regarding food safety at school events (Community Supper & Cabot Fair). Responsible for organizing bike safety dates for 3rd Grade in spring & 4th Grade in Fall. Oversees Blue Zone safety
Commitment:
Current chair: Daphne Potter [dfpotter@rcn.com or 617-795-0540] and Jen Borhegyi

Welcoming Committee
Send out letters in July welcoming new families to Cabot. Match new families with buddies over the summer. Coordinate & attend Welcome picnic early Sept. Act as a resource for new families as needed.
Commitment: 20 hours total shared by chairs during summer. Work home-based at your discretion during summer.
Current chairs: Barbara Perlo [bperlo45@hotmail.com or 617-964-6486] and Jina Pierce [jpierce@rcn.com or 617-527-7598] and Judy McMorrow [mcmorrow@bc.edu or 617-332-3006]