The 2024/2025 PTO Board
President – Alex Rolfe – BigelowBulldog@gmail.com
Vice President – OPEN
Treasurer – Rachanee Nelson – bigelowtreasurer@gmail.com
Secretary – Lanni Isenberg – BigelowBulldog@gmail.com
2024/2025 Committee Chairs
School Directory – Heather Thiessen Philbrook
Communications/Website – Elizabeth Apgar
Ten Tables/Fall Fundraiser – OPEN
Big Night Celebration/Winter Fundraiser – OPEN
Online Auction – OPEN
Teacher Appreciation – Laura Goldworm & Jillian Feinberg
Creative Arts & Sciences – Zlatena Simeonova & Susan St. Pierre
Back to School Picnic – OPEN
Back to School Parent Social – Hai Ly & Rachanee Nelson
6th Grade Potluck – Hai Ly & Rachanee Nelson
8th Grade Activities – Rocio Calvo, Margaret Battat Silva, Aileen Pollard, Kate Luethy & Tara Cunningham
Fall Dance – Jillian Feinberg & Nisa Dailey
Winter Dance – Kerri Vonnegut & OPEN
Spring Dance – OPEN
2024/2025 Liaison Positions
PoPS (Parents of Performing Students) – Karen Hite & Jillian Feinberg
METCO – OPEN
SEPAC – OPEN
FORJ – Jeanne Choe-Arrieta, Angela Brooks & Hai Ly Burk
Safe Routes to School – Alex Rolfe
Green Newton School Connections – OPEN
Newton School Foundation Liaison – OPEN
Newton Serves – Elizabeth Apgar
Bigelow Garden – Elizabeth Apgar
Yearbook – Sheryl Rice – 7th grade Social Studies teacher
Bigelow PTO Board and Committees 2024-2025
Would you like to become more involved in the strategic aspect of the Bigelow PTO? Please join us in helping direct and manage the overall program for 2024/25. See below for open positions and email us at bigelowbulldog@gmail.com
| POSITIONS | DESCRIPTION |
| President | Rotating leaders who are accountable for the success of the PTO |
| Vice President | Work with board and committee chairs to coordinate fundraising activities |
| Treasurer | Track budget and finances for the PTO |
| Secretary | Take minutes, keep the PTO calendar current, communication flow |
| Communications/ Website | Maintain info on the PTO website, send newsletters |
| School Directory | Maintain database of parents/students and prepare material for the creation and printing of the school directory. |
| Creative Arts & Sciences | Help enrich the curriculum by planning cultural events for the student body |
| Back to School Picnic | Coordinate the back to school picnic at Franklin Park with the school administration (September) |
| 6th Grade Potluck | Organize the 6th grade community “getting to know you” event (September) |
| 8th Grade Activities | Lead 8th grade parents as they organize the Moving On ceremony and other transition activities for the outgoing 8th graders |
| Ten Tables | Organize our Progressive Dinner fundraiser (Fall) |
| Big Night | Coordinate the planning our Winter fundraiser (Spring) |
| Teacher Appreciation | Organize the teacher appreciation luncheons and teacher appreciation activities throughout the school year |
| Scholarship Fund | Develop the The Cyndi Dailey-Smith and Howard B. Smith Scholarship Fund, which provides support for Bigelow students who might not be able to otherwise participate in cultural and curricular enrichment learning opportunities, such as field trips |
| Nominating Committee | Look for new PTO board and committee members. There are 5 members: the chair and the feeder schools representatives: Mason Rice, Lincoln Eliot, Underwood, Ward |
| LIAISON POSITIONS | |
| Boston Parents | Liaison to the Boston parent METCO families. |
| POPs | Liaison between the PTO and PoPS parents to coordinate events and streamline communications |
| SEPAC | Liaison to the volunteer organization of parents of children with disabilities in Newton |
| FORJ | Liaison to the volunteer organization Families Organizing for Racial Justice (FORJ) helping our children learn about issues of power and inequality and how to stand up for racial justice |
| Safe Routes to School | Liaison to the volunteer organization that encourages walking, biking and taking the bus to school. |
| Green Newton School Connections | Liaison to the volunteer organization that promotes sustainability in schools (reduce, reuse, recycle and climate action). |
| Newton School Foundation | Laison to the Newton Schools Foundation |