My absolute favorite event to chair is our Variety Show. The 3 days of rehersal are insane, but the night of the show it just all comes together. The kids love it, the parents love it, and it is just one of those events that people talk about for days. It is also the only event I have never heard a negative remark said about and that is a miracle!

I have a few.

I love our monthly market day committee. We have fun and talk while getting everything sorted out.

Author visit in the fall is fun. We have childrens authors come in, do a presentation, sign books and have a special luncheon with food mostly prepared by the teachers. The parents on the committee put the spread out, supply the desserts and order in hoagies from a special local store. There's also a simple breakfast just before school starts so the teachers and committee can meet the author before the days events begin. The fifth graders get a free signed book.

Earth day is held in mid-May. We do it later then the National one so the chance of warm weather is greater. On this day every grade has ecology related activities, mostly outside. Parents and teachers work together with students to celebrate and learn about the earth. It's really cool! We have a woods and stream and a wetlands behing our school so one grades test the water, one grade does a swamp stomp and one grade mulches the path to the stream.

The family socials are fun too. We do a holiday social in December where kids make crafts, decorate a tree (we are 99% protestant), 4th and 5th grade kids sign up and play the piano, desserts are served pot-luck style, and anyone can visit the holiday shop open down the hall to purchase inexpensive gifts. We get the hs key club to help with this.

We also do a family game night that is very, very casual. Although we have a sign-up, this year many people just came and were also welcomed. Families bring games, snacks and everyone plays for about 1 1/2 hours and then go home.

Our PTA is great. With a board and a membership where there is usually a consensus and quite a few second stringers that help out but don't want to be in charge, it's just a pleasure to be a member.

I think it really depends on what the person is interested in or has a special talent for.

Last year my position as Activities Director included all school activities as well as fundraising. For this current school year I told the board that I could not do both again. When they asked which part I wanted to keep I quickly said the activties (carnival, craft fair, kids craft workshop, teacher appreciation, used book sale). But I enjoy the planning and organizing, the creativity and for teacher appreciation I ususally choose a theme which is always fun. Luckily we were able to find a kinder mom who was willing to take on the fundraising. And she is great at it. She is very outgoing, enjoys talking to people, etc...but doesn't feel she is very creative.

Another example for us is our historian. We found a mom who loves scrapbooking. She comes to all of the events, takes pictures and does a wonderful job putting together a scrapbook for us each year. Before her we didn't have anything.

So it all depends on what they enjoy and what they have time for.

Hope this helps!!!

I really enjoy the community/social events. My school's PTA did a Health and Safety fair that brought people all the way in from Susanville, CA. Most of the things offered were free.

I've organized dinners and lunches in the past (hospitality is my forte) and I really enjoy getting our parents and children together on this level. It really brings us closer together and forges a stronger community feeling. I haven't chaired Teacher Appreciation but I have enjoyed helping with it.
I'm currently working on Leader Appreciation for our Council. Not a school event. During convention and the trainings, there is just a little time to talk and compare notes. There's a luncheon and gifts and there isn't going to be any fundraiser presentations, trainings, speakers, or work for them. It's strictly fun and I have enjoyed setting it up.
I also enjoyed setting up the In-service trainings. Organizing the food, (sensing a theme here )
I know that most of this is council specific but I'm sure it can translate to something at the school level.
You didn't ask for this, but I was book drive chair this year. I didn't really like this one. It was a lot of heavy lifting, (back aches) and I had boxes of books all over my living room floor for weeks. I enjoyed the look of gratitude and knowing that they really needed them, when I delivered them to the sister schools but I wouldn't exactly jump up to chair it again, I'd help but not chair...

Personally I think fundraising is the best but i'm the chair and I love doing it. I think if you are personally willing to donate a lot of time and at some times a lot of work it's the committee to be on. The results (the kids having so much fun) is such a large payoff it makes the hard work not seem as hard as it is.

What has been the best activities at school to be involved with and why? I'm curious to know what volunteer experiencs are more fun, rewarding or just make you want to come back. I would like to know why as well. This is both for my personal use and to use in trying to find ways to make the committees I'm in better.

Thanks for any input.