There are so many ways to volunteer, we’d love for you to get involved!

We have a great school community of volunteers helping to support our teachers and students at Cornelius Elementary. Below is a description of committees at CES, their chairperson(s) and commitee members for the 2025-26 school year. We are actively seeking volunteers for this year and need your help! Volunteering is a wonderful way to get involved at CES, and to meet new people. We will be happy to help you find a committee that works with your schedule and interests. Indicate your interest to find out more! 

Art Expo

Committee Chair– Ashlei Holton, Committee members – Michelle Balch, Melissa Mizrahi, Julia Mehaffey

Every March, Ms. Gibson and the Art Expo committee transform the halls of CES into an art gallery. Each student from CES has a featured art piece. 600 unique and beautiful creations are displayed for family viewing during Cornelius Celebrates the Arts! Volunteers are needed to help hang the art.

Advocacy Fund

Committee Chairs– Amanda Knipp & Ashlei Holton

The Advocacy Fund provides financial assistance to our students in need; this fund is administered by our School Counselor. The fund chairperson serves as the liaison between the Executive Board, the Fund and the school counselors. This committee operates year-round.

Book Fair

Committee Chairs – Allie Spencer & Kate Curll, Committee Members: Michelle Balch, Elizabeth Pratt, Corie Thomas, Julia Mehaffey, Melissa Mizrahi, Marissa Pogue, Sandra Bucklin, Emily Derrick, Katie Williams, Robin Ortez

CES holds one annual book fair in the spring. Many committee members work to make these events run smoothly for teachers and students. Volunteers help set up and break down book fairs, volunteer to help with class preview days, and volunteer during purchase days to help students find books and run the registers.

Celebrate the Arts

Committee Chair – Alyette Keldie, Committee Members – Lauren Pleiss, Colleen Wanemacher, Robin Ortez

This special event celebrates our students’ talents in art, music, dance, and more. Committee volunteers help before, during, and after the event by coordinating Talent Show, securing food vendors, securing event sponsors, and helping on the night of the event. This committee meets at the first of the year to prepare for the event in mid-March.

Daughter Dance

Committee Chair – Erica Stanczuk, Committee Members: Sarah Atkins, Jessica Borowitz, Jackie Davenport, Melissa Mizrahi, Lisa Szafarcayk, Bekah Wyman, Emily Derrick, Frances Stevens, Marrisa Pogue

This Committee works to transform our school cafeteria into the year’s theme and create a night of fun. This committee does everything, including decorating, hiring a DJ, selecting food, managing ticket sales, and coordinating volunteers for setup and clean-up.

Fifth Grade Fun

Committee Chairs – Amanda Knipp & Holly Sun, Committee Members: Melissa, Mizrahi, Laurie Schwinn, Bekah Wyman

The Liaison works closely with the 5th grade team to ensure the promotion experiences are memorable for our students. They order class t-shirts, secure party sponsorship(s), and coordinate event volunteers. This committee is active in the second half of the school year. 

Grounds/Beautification

Committee Chair – Kate Curll, Committee Members: Lucy Adikhari, Rachel Noreika, Heather Strianese

This committee works to keep the grounds beautiful and the school and surrounding area clean. Committee members assist by hosting Beautification Days, maintaining flowers at front of school and identifying potential improvements to the school. This committee is active year-round. 

Holiday Cookie Walk

Committee Chair – Julia Mehaffey, Committee Members – Michelle Balch, Laurie Schwinn, Corie Thomas, Colleen Nogouski

This committee works alongside Principal Holbrook’s 12 Days of Christmas to help facilitate a cookie donation from CES students for our teachers and staff to enjoy in the teacher’s lounge. A few parents or even older CES students can help to receive cookies in the morning car line and bus arrival area, and then set up a sweet dessert spread.

Online Silent Auction

Committee Chair – Lisa Szafarczyk, Committee Members – Amy Hennen, Allie Spencer

This committee compiles an array of fun, unique experiences for our annual online fundraiser aimed to spark memorable access for CES students, families and community members. This is one of our two major fundraisers for the year! It’s a wonderful way for parents to support the PTO financially. Committee volunteers help before, during, and after the event by requesting silent auction donations, helping with school communication, and distributing auction items once the auction is complete.

Room Parent

Committee Chair – Jen Sipp

Be the beacon of all things “Room Parent” for our group of amazing classroom volunteers. Assist with all communication regarding quarterly PowerTime with a Purpose events, holiday, and end of year parties. If you are interested in becoming a room parent, please be sure to check the box on your Parent Interest form.

Son Event

Committee Chair – Jen Sipp, Committee Members – Larysa Gruner, Larissa Neifeld, Lauren Pleiss, Lisa Szafarcayk

Each year CES hosts a Son Event. This committee works closely together to create a fun event, identify a date, send registration forms to students, collect RSVPs, collect ticket money, and distribute tickets before the event, to ensure a seamless event night. This committee is active in February – April. 

Staff Spirit Team

Committee Chair- Jackie Jenkins, Committee Members – Michelle Balch, Elya Dickins, Katie McIlreavy, Chloe Slattery, Gypsy Brafford

This committee is responsible for sparking joy for our hardworking CES teachers and staff by planning various staff lunches and “monthly” treats in our teacher’s lounge.

Teacher Appreciation Week

Committee Chair – Michelle Balch, Committee Members – Suzanne Landers, Colleen Wanemacher

This committee works alongside the Room Parent Coordinator to come up with a theme for Teacher Appreciation Week. Each day during that week (5 days total), our teachers and staff (about 70 people total) are treated with special offerings in the teacher’s lounge such as a breakfast, lunch or unique snack. This committee is in charge of designing, sourcing, executing and cleaning up the offerings for each day.

Yearbook

Committee Chair – Marissa Pogue

Our Yearbook Committee works with our school’s vendor to produce our CES yearbook using the provided software. The committee works together to collect photos from parents and staff members, coordinate school club photos, conduct a Yearbook Cover Contest, handle yearbook sales, and lay out the yearbook with captions and names. This committee work can primarily be done from your home and is most active during the months of January – April.