At the March 10, 2021 membership meeting, J.F. Cooper PTA elected the Nominating Committee that will be conducting elections for PTA officers for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years.
At the June 3, 2021 membership meeting, J.F. Cooper PTA will be electing new officers for the following positions for a term of two (2) years. The following positions will be vacant:
VP of Programs & Events
Schedules events with the board for the school year
Leads the following committees/chairs under Programs & Events to keep on schedule: Assemblies, Talent Show, Valentine’s Day Event, Science Fair, Fall & Spring Family Events
(if any). Events are subject to change each year.
Collects flyers and information from chairs for monthly communications to parents
Performs the duties of the President in the absence of that filled position
VP of Ways & Means
Schedules fundraising activities with the board for the school year
Leads the following team of chairs in charge of fundraising to keep on schedule: Dine Outs, Fall/Spring Fundraiser, RaiseRight, Spirit Wear, Fall & Spring Family Events (if any)
Requests/updates flyers from chairs for monthly communications to parents
Keeps track of fundraising goals & reports progress at each PTA meeting
Performs the duties of the President in the absence of that filled position
Secretary
Keep minutes from all PTA General Membership and Board meetings
Keep attendance records from all meetings
Present prior minutes for approval at all PTA meetings
Maintain a copy of current bylaws, standing rules, and a current membership list
We are seeking candidates who are focused on serving the Cooper Community with a common goal.
All of these roles rely on a sense of responsibility, dependability, a positive attitude, a sense of organization, the ability to work with a team, and excellent communication skills.
NJ PTA training and guidance will be provided for each role. Please see the JF Cooper PTA Bylaws and NJ PTA Leadership Guides for more details about role expectations/requirements.
You can read the NJ PTA Nominating Committee Handbook to understand the process of how candidates are selected. The committee is required to seek out the best candidates available.
You must be a PTA member to submit nominations, run, or volunteer for office. If you have not yet submitted dues, please visit our PTA store online from this website.
Apart from nominating others, you are permitted to nominate yourself if you are interested in a position. Please complete either of the following forms:
You may submit more than one form if you are nominating more than one person.
If a nominee is not selected by the Nominating Committee after their confidential deliberations, that nominee is still allowed to run. The nominee will simply need to reach out with the intent to run for the position at least 5 days prior to the election so that a ballot can be prepared.
If you have any questions about the roles and their expectations or time commitments, contact Shazia Ansari at vpofwaysandmeans.cooper@gmail.com.
If you have questions about nominations, contact Bridget Moore, Lindsay Emple, Ramona Hamill, and Josie Hong at jfcooperptaelections@gmail.com.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
(Source: NJ PTA Nominating Committee Handbook)
Nominations from the Floor
Q: What if a person who wants to serve in an office is not nominated by the nominating committee?
A: Every qualified person has the right to be nominated from the floor in the event she or he wantsto run for an office and is not on the nominating committee’s slate of candidates. This is a protection which assures that if any member feels the nominating committee ignored the best qualified candidate for a position, that person can still be nominated and run for office. The choice of who is elected rests, as always, with the members. In order to run for election for a local PTA, candidates must be a member of this PTA at the time of elections. They must also send notification in writing, by the prescribed date listed in your bylaws (Article 6, Section 8) to the President, Secretary, and Chairman of the Nominating Committee.
Q: What if the nominating committee is unable to find a candidate for a position?
A: The nominating committee should submit its nominating committee report on time withthat position left blank. It is better to find a qualified nominee rather than submit the name of someone unable to fulfill the duties of the position. When the election of officers is being held the president will solicit nominations from the floor as occurs with all of the positions. If there is still no one to fill the position,
the board of directors (see your bylaws) has the authority to elect someone to the position.
Purpose of the Nominating Committee
Q: Why is the nominating committee elected?
A: This committee is elected to seek, on behalf of the members, the best qualified candidates for future leaders of the PTA. Election by the membership to the nominating committee is a very high honor. This is the one committee on which the president is not an ex officio a member.
Q: What is the duty of the nominating committee?
A: The responsibility of the committee is to identify, recruit and nominate the best qualified candidate(s) for each elected position. To do this, the committee members must be committed to PTA; be willing to invest time to make it the best possible association; and be capable of holding candid discussions about the potential nominees, knowing that all conversations are confidential.