A brief description of each board position is presented below. Incumbents are identified in italics, and all are more than willing to entertain any questions you may have. If you are interested in volunteering for a position, or in shadowing an incumbent looking ahead to the 2009-2010 academic year, please contact a board member. Efforts to fill open positions are ongoing.

President. The president presides at meetings of the NSPA members and Board (usually held monthly) and has the general powers and duties of leadership and management usually vested in a board president. The president provides overall structure and guidance to Board activities and operations but is dependent upon the kindness of others (Board members, NSPA members, NSNVA families) for carrying out discrete activities throughout the course of the academic year. Organizational and planning skills are helpful; access to John Potter is an added benefit! (Tom Grumby)

Vice President. The vice president performs the duties and exercises the powers of the president in the president's absence. The vice president may also assume significant programmatic responsibilities in his/her own right (e.g., implementation of a scholarship program, long-range planning). Knowledge and understanding of The New School philosophy and goals, as well as creative problem solving skills, have been invaluable. (Nancy Vibert)

Secretary. The secretary is expected to attend all Board meetings and to record all votes and minutes of proceedings. Minutes are prepared in advance of the following month's meeting so that they can be voted on and approved for posting on the NSPA website (www.newschoolpa.org). Ability to attend meetings and attention to detail are highly desirable. (Betsy Sue Scott). There is also interest in creating an Assistant Secretary position to share these responsibilities (vacant).

Treasurer. The treasurer is responsible for collecting and accounting for all funds that come into and are disbursed by the NSPA and for depositing all income into the NSPA bank account. He/she is to keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements, and reports to the Board at monthly Board meetings. Although no accounting expertise is required for this position, some familiarity with fiscal responsibilities would be helpful. (Ross Gorte).  There is also an Assistant Treasurer (Patti Oehmke).

Class Reps (Senior, Junior, Sophomore, Freshman, Junior High, Elementary). All class reps serve as central coordinators and points of contact on behalf of their respective grades. When the Board wishes to coordinate such things as Wednesday faculty snack assignments, or contributions to all-school parties or other events, the class reps are called upon to reach out to their corresponding parents. Certain Class Reps have also traditionally had other responsibilities. For example, the junior class rep (and sometimes co-rep) have often assisted with the high school prom and the senior graduation reception; the sophomore rep has often assisted with the talent show. Enthusiasm and inter-personal skills are enormously helpful! (Donna Kraemer, Senior Rep, Caitlin Lhommedieu, Junior Rep, Brenda Mutchler, Freshman Rep, Melissa Dana, Junior High Rep, Katherine Ginsbert, Elementary Rep).  The Sophomore Rep position is currently vacant.

At-Large Rep. The Board has tried to use the at-large rep position to serve as a liaison with the international student/family community and has coordinated closely with Culver Fortna in fulling this position. (Patti Oehmke)

Alumni Rep. The purpose of this position is to cultivate and sustain ties to NSNVA alumni students and families. There is great potential here. (Joanna Cole)

Faculty Rep. This position is invaluable to the Board's sustained relationship with the NSNVA faculty and administration. The faculty rep brings to the table faculty interests and concerns and takes back to the faculty NSPA questions and determinations, thereby keeping all informed on matters of mutual interest. (Maril Levy)

Volunteer Coordinator. The beauty of this position is the opportunity it provides for getting to know the extended New School family. Ideally, work begins over the summer in helping to pull together an August NSPA mailing which includes a call for volunteers for activities throughout the year. Enthusiasm, team spirit, organization, and ability to delegate are all desirable qualities for this position. (Clare Dean)

Website Coordinator. The NSPA website contains information on upcoming events and activities, and we are looking for ideas to continue to develop this outreach and community-building vehicle.  (Mike McGurrin)

We are also hoping to find volunteers to undertake the following, which are a few of the activities in particular need of long-term planning:

Fall Parent/Faculty Potluck Chair (usually a late-September event; Nancy Vibert);

Rudolph Red Nose Run Overall Chair & Race Day Chair (race scheduled for December 6, 2008);

Spring Auction Chair (likely a March 2009 event).