The PTSO has many leadership and support roles, and we’re looking for enthusiastic, creative parents, guardians, and staff members to fill them! We all pitch in together to give our students an experience that is above and beyond what DCPS can provide. If you’re interested in learning more or getting involved, please reach out to the current chairs, whose emails are listed below.

 

Our PTSO Committees

 

Communications Committee

Chair: Theresa Westover
Email: communicationschair@capitolhillmontessorischool.org

  • Develops a comprehensive communications strategy;
  • Discovers ways to reach all of our Capitol Hill Montessori families and staff;
  • Publishes and distributes regular communication from the PTSO to keep the community informed about school events, volunteer opportunities, and other topics of concern;
  • Keeps the CHM website and school calendar current;
  • Manages our social media accounts; and
  • Gathers photos, videos, and written content to share.

 

Fundraising Committee

Chair: Justin Benson
Email: fundraisingchair@capitolhillmontessorischool.org

  • Develops a multifaceted fundraising plan;
  • Finds and submits proposals for national and local grants;
  • Spearheads the PTSO’s Annual Giving Campaign and “Loot for Logan” donation drive;
  • Develops the PTSO’s sponsorship portfolio; and
  • Coordinates fundraising events.

 

Garden, Health, & Wellness Committee

Chair: Alpha Lillstrom Cheng
Email: ghwchair@capitolhillmontessorischool.org

  • Tends our school gardens, and contributes to the beautification of both our indoor and outdoor spaces;
  • Encourages home gardening and nutritional wellness; and
  • Supports physical and mental health of all students during the school day and outside of school

 

Anti-Bias Anti-Racist (ABAR) Committee

Chair: Lower Elementary Guide Tonya Wiley
Email: abarchair@capitolhillmontessorischool.org

  • Discovers opportunities to increase racial equity, inclusion, and awareness within the CHM community, including at school and in the PTSO;
  • Develops and proposes action steps to CHML’s Administration and to the PTSO Board in support of racial justice; and
  • Facilitates and supports racial justice in our neighborhoods, city, nation, and world.

 

Middle School Committee

Co-Chairs: Danica Petroshius & Shelley Carr Brown 
Email: middleschoolchair@capitolhillmontessorischool.org

  • Supports the needs and sustainable growth of the middle school (MS) community and culture;
  • Develops annual budget requests to the CHML PTSO to support the MS;
  • Advocates for a strong, well-supported MS community and culture;
  • Plans and supports MS events, celebrations, and signature activities/trips;
  • Expands and supporting extracurricular offerings;
  • Deepens parent engagement in the MS; and
  • Strengthens communications between the MS and PK3-5th grade communities.

 

STEAM Committee

Chair: Andy Turner
Email: steamchair@capitolhillmontessorischool.org

  • STEAM is about how science, technology, engineering, arts, and math connect and enrich our lives.
  • Re-enforces and supports the study and love of STEAM subjects to the entire student body from primary to middle school.
  • Involves and encourages families who are interested in any of the STEAM fields to participate in our community.

 

Each of these committees has a chair, who is appointed by the PTSO President every year. As soon as possible after they are appointed, the chair and the committee’s members create a work plan, which they present to the Board for approval, as no committee work can be undertaken without the consent of the Board. These standing committees themselves are never dissolved although the specific people who make them up will change from year to year.

No experience is required to join, and every parent or guardian of a Capitol Hill Montessori student, and every CHML staff member, is warmly welcomed!

If you’re interested in leading or joining, please click on the links above and fill out our form. If you have questions or thoughts, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our PTSO President at president@capitolhillmontessorischool.org and our VP at vicepresident@capitolhillmontessorischool.org.

 

Propose a New PTSO Committee

Additionally, we invite you, our community members, to identify needs and propose additional committees as you see fit. Here are the steps to take:

  • Create a proposal for a committee that includes your title, objective, goals, members, and preliminary steps (a proposal template is linked below).
  • Submit the proposal by sending an electronic copy to president@capitolhillmontessorischool.org and vicepresident@capitolhillmontessorischool.org.
  • The Board will consider the proposal as soon as possible, then approve it, approve it with stipulations, ask for revisions and resubmissions, or reject it.
  • Once your special committee is approved, submit a detailed work plan to the Board (a work plan template is also linked below).
  • The Board will consider the work plan as soon as possible (no committee work can be undertaken without the Board’s approval).
  • Once that work plan is approved, the Board can help the committee further publicize itself, recruit more members, and identify CHML staff who can support and incorporate the committee’s work. The Board may also be able to support the committee financially (as the budget allows) and with other resources.

TEMPLATE: Proposals for Committees

TEMPLATE: Work Plans for Committees