About Q300 PTA

[See the Q300 PTA information in Mandarin Chinese or Spanish ]

Thank you for visiting the website of the Q300 Parent-Teacher Association. All parents and guardians of Q300 students as well as all teachers are automatically members of the Q300 PTA. PTA meetings are held monthly. Our goal is to work together to create and maintain a welcoming community for all Q300 families and to support the administration and faculty in building a school that provides outstanding education to our students based on the values of inclusion, inquiry, and responsibility.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Q300 Parent-Teacher Association is to enrich and improve the educational, emotional, and social lives of Q300’s students by providing the following:

  1. Supporting activities that foster the core values of Q300: Inclusion, Inquiry and Responsibility;
  2. Providing support and resources to Q300 for the benefit and educational growth of its students;
  3. Developing parent and staff leadership, fostering and encouraging participation at all levels of the Association, and providing opportunities to participate in school governance and decision making;
  4. Promoting a cooperative working relationship among the Q300 parents, families, staff, and administration;
  5. Providing a forum where parents and staff members discuss innovations and implementations of curricular and extra-curricular activities that afford each student an opportunity to acquire the core values of Q300.

Q300 PTA Photo Gallery

2023-2024 PTA Board Members

PresidentsMauricio Lopez Camperopresident@q300pta.org
Executive Vice PresidentYvette Choyyvettec@q300pta.org
Co-SecretariesKate Swearengen & David Wangsecretary@q300pta.org
Co-TreasurersSophia Peng & Amy Wongtreasurer@q300pta.org
Co-VPs of FundraisingLisa Christopher & Christina Leefundraising@q300pta.org
Co-VPs of CommunicationsEmanuella Drummond & Betty Ruancommunications@q300pta.org
Co-VPs of MembershipAfrosa Amin & Luz Muy-Lemamembership@q300pta.org
Co-VPs of Community AffairsSalua Baida & Janet Perezcommunityaffairs@q300pta.org
Co-VPs of Lower DivisionAlisha Arthur & Erica Soto Engldrep@q300pta.org
Co-VPs of Upper DivisionSunlida Caraballo & Jacqueline Leamerudrep@q300pta.org


Committees

2E Group CommitteeEllie Rabinovich
Auction Committee (Under Fundraising)auction@q300pta.org
Audit Committee (under Treasury)The Audit Committee conduct an audit of all financial affairs of the Association, with the assistance of the Treasurer who shall make all books and records of the Association available to the committee.Treasurers
Budget CommitteeThe Budget Committee develops and proposes the PTA budget and prepares a written review of the prior year’s budget.Treasurers
Bus Advocacy Committeehttp://q300pta.org/resources/bus-info/
Communications CommitteeThe Communications Committee facilitates and implements communications among the Association and the parents and staff.VP of Communication
Community Affairs CommitteeThe Community Affairs Committee oversees the PTA’s efforts to reach out to the greater Q300 community and to participate in and report on community based meetings and forums, and committees and councils of the Department of Education.VP of Community Affairs
Direct Appeal CommitteeThe PTA Direct Appeal Co-Chairs develop our annual direct appeal strategy and outreach plan, distribute information about our campaigns and use of direct appeal funds, solicit donations from the community, track donations and issue tax receipts.directappeal@q300pta.org
Diversity Committeediversity@q300.org
Enrichment Committeeenrichment@q300pta.org
Fundraising CommitteeThe Fundraising Committee plans and executes all fundraising activities including donation solicitations, fundraisers, and grant writing to further the mission of the Association. Learn more about volunteering here.VP of Fundraising
Grant Writing CommitteeLynn Kennedy at LynnK@q300pta.org
Green Teamannam@q300.org
Library Committee Committee (under Membership)VP of Membership
Membership CommitteeThe Membership Committee encourages parent and staff participation, outreach, and recruitment.VP of Membership
Nominations Committeenominations@q300pta.org
One School Committee (under Community Affairs)VP of Community Affairs
Wellness CommitteeThe Wellness Committee is a group of parents, students, staff who work together with the school administration to promote a healthy school environment.Gina Reis at ginar@q300pta.org and Lynn Kennedy at lynnk@q300pta.org


Q300 PTA: How Much has Changed

In the spring of 2014, the 100 or so families who elected to send their children to Q300 could not even tour the school, because it did not yet exist.

Q300 would open its doors for the first time that September. At the time, the newly formed school did not yet have a PTA. There was no one to raise funds. No one to arrange community gatherings. No one to bring families together and represent their interests.

Five years later, so much has changed.

With the support of an engaged community of families, the Q300 Parent Teacher Association has provided nearly $900,000 in financial support for school enrichment programs, teaching assistants, and community events since its founding. The PTA also organizes celebrations for Q300 students, families, teachers and school leaders.

“Q300’s welcoming and energetic PTA has built and sustained an inclusive, engaged school community,” said Mara Cusker Gonzalez, mother of a fifth-grader who has attended the school since its first year. “In addition to being thoughtful and innovative in raising funds and keeping parents informed, the PTA devotes endless hours to making sure we have numerous opportunities every year to come together as a school to share ideas, laugh, and learn from each other.”

In the summer before the school opened, though, the Q300 community of families was starting from scratch, with just two kindergarten classes, two first grade classes and one sixth-grade class.

Some of the families met for the first time in June 2014 at a gathering at Athens Square Park, where children spun each other on the merry-go-round as if they had been friends for years. More gatherings followed, including a picnic in Rainey Park.

An energized group met that fall to select a 16-member PTA executive board. The board quickly drafted bylaws, applied for 501(c)(3) not-for-profit status and began raising money, seeking creative ways to fundraise for enrichments while adhering to Q300’s goals of inclusion, inquiry and responsibility.

In 2019, the PTA raised over $300,000 to provide Upper Division enrichments such as professional development for teachers, enrichment electives, Chromebooks, and other supplies, and Lower Division programs such as art, music and teaching assistants in kindergarten through fourth grade. The PTA also successfully advocated for the New York City-funded renovation of the upper division science lab and the construction of a hydroponic lab.

Sonita Ramkishun was appointed as the Principal in 2020, after having served as an Assistant Principal prior to this new role.

Third-grade teacher Maria Panagiotakis said her teaching assistant “has enabled me to work closely with students in smaller groups and provide individual attention. They are an invaluable resource.”

Upper division ELA teacher Jean Kim said, “It is great to see the students who are interested in music, drama, or acting shine in new ways during the musical theater elective. The PTA enabled these students to develop their artistic talent in school.”

“The PTA has helped subsidize the Lego robotics elective with purchasing extra kits and materials to help support the overwhelming student interest,” said Scott Waldman, technology teacher in the Upper Division. “The funds that I have received from the PTA s helped me purchase equipment and other items for recess as well as storage units for my classroom. Thank you.”

PTA initiatives such as the Halloween Costume Party, Winter Potluck, and Stepping-into-Summer Dance Party draw cheerful crowds. Events such as Zumba-thons and movie nights also have helped build bridges between the PTA and the parent associations in the buildings Q300 shares with PS 17 and IS 126.

Today, the PTA continues to look for opportunities to build community and strengthen the culture of the school. The annual PTA survey gives families (parents, guardians and middle school students) an opportunity to inform the decision-making of the PTA and the school administration. New initiatives continue to emerge like Park Day in Spring 2019 when the lower division came out to clean up Athens Park and the upper division organized a faculty-student basketball tournament! These initiatives are key to supporting our school and administration in addressing the changing needs of Q300 students.

Written by David Wang on Saturday, January 18, 2020. [Updated on Saturday, November 13, 2021]


Frequently Asked Questions

  1. How do I become a member of the PTA
    The following individuals are automatically PTA members: (a) birth parents, adoptive parents, step-parents, legally appointed guardians, foster parents, “persons in a parental relation” as defined by the Department of Education and designated persons having a relationship to a child or children currently attending Q300; and (b) all eligible Q300 teachers and instructional full-time staff members, with the exception of the Principal and supervisors.
  2. How do I become involved in the PTA or volunteer during school?
    You can attend monthly General Membership Meetings, volunteer by organizing or helping at events and fundraisers, serve on a Committee or run for an Executive Board position. Please fill out the PTA Volunteer Survey (https://forms.office.com/r/w5AyLUWShk) to learn more about volunteer opportunities. For those interested in a position on the Executive Board, elections for open positions will be held at the October General Membership Meeting. Please email membership@q300pta.org for further details. It’s never too early nor too late to get involved with the Board.

  3. What are the PTA committees on which I can volunteer?
    • Membership Committee encourages parent and staff outreach, volunteering, and participation.
    • Fundraising Committee implements fundraising, such as the Direct Appeal, raffles at events, business kickbacks, auctions, grant writing and other related events.
    • Communications Committee facilitates communications among the PTA, parents and staff, including preparing regular newsletters, email bulletins, web-based maintenance, and translation.
    • Community Affairs Committee oversees PTA’s efforts to reach out to the community outside Q300, including our co-located partners P.S. 17 and I.S. 126, and our local elected officials.
    • Budget Committee drafts the PTA budget and maintains the financial records.
    • Enrichment Committee researches, coordinates, and evaluates in-school/extracurricular enrichment and liaises with school.
    • Audit Committee conducts an audit of all financial affairs of the PTA.
    • One School Committee advocates for a long-term plan to locate Q300 in one school building.
    • Teacher Assistant Outreach Committee helps expand outreach to potential Lower Division teaching assistant candidates (including reaching out to educational degree programs).

  4. What happens at the monthly PTA General Membership Meeting and when is it held?
    PTA meetings include reports from the President, the Principal, the School Leadership Team, Committees, and any member of the Q300 community. The Board Meetings are tentatively scheduled at 9:00 a.m. on the first Friday of every month. The General Membership Meetings are tentatively scheduled at 6:30 p.m. on the third or fourth Thursday of every month (pending results of a meeting date survey that will be sent out in September).

  5. What does the PTA fund?
    Funding has included (a) Lower Division teacher assistants; (b) K-5th grade music; K-4th grade visual arts; K-1st grade creative movement; 2nd grade architecture; K-2nd grade Chess and 3rd_4th grade dance, journalism and musical theater electives; 5th-8th grade clubs such as Debate Club, Math Team, Storytelling and Spelling Bee; (c) Chromebooks, color printers, and other equipment, and (d) teachers’ wish lists.

  6. How does the PTA raise funds?
    The PTA coordinates the Direct Appeal; a Fall Costume Party; a Thanksgiving Pie Sale; an International Winter Festival; Picture Day; a Zumba-thon and Movie Nights with Public School 17; a Spring Party and Auction; a Summer Read-a-thon; bake sales; and other activities. The Direct Appeal, which
    Q300 Family accounts for over 80% of monies received, raises money directly from families and friends.

  7. Are donations to the PTA tax-deductible?
    The PTA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Yes, your charitable contribution is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

  8. How do I contact the Board?
    Please visit https://q300pta.org/pta/about-us/ to find contact info for all Board Members and Committees.

  9. How do I get timely info from the PTA?
    If you don’t receive regular updates from the Q300 PTA (such as the bulletins and newsletters), please provide your contact info to the PTA’s Membership Committee at membership@q300pta.org.