John Muir PTA
The John Muir PTA is made up of volunteer parents and teachers, and our mission is to support our teachers, families, and students.
We aim to be representative of our community, dynamic to its needs, and ethical in our work.
Anyone (family, friends, community members, and students) can join the PTA, attend meetings, and volunteer.
No one gets paid and the time commitment is completely up to you.
We are registered with the California PTA and are a fully compliant a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
Contact the PTA leadership at info@johnmuirelementary.org
Join the PTA and share your thoughts through this form
❋ We raise funds
For all kinds of support and activities at the school to enrich our students and fill any gaps the district or state doesn't cover.
We especially aim to support our most vulnerable students.
This includes funding for literacy, dance, physical education, music, art, English as a second language and family engagement, library books, school site improvements, mini-grants for teachers, and more.
Many of these programs receive partial or no support from the district, and we make up the difference to make sure our amazing teachers and support staff can teach our kids!
❋ We build community
Through school events, social gatherings, and programs including:
After school IntraMUIRals for students
The adult-only annual event Art Night Out
Our beloved spring tradition of May Fair
Outdoor school for 5th graders
Monthly parent coffees
GrandFriends Day, when older friends can visit the school
The Grizzly Gazette, a weekly digital newsletter
Teacher appreciation efforts, including Teacher Appreciation Week in May
❋ We create links
We are a bridge between teachers, families and the greater community.
The PTA makes sure there is good communication and resources to support our community.
We help to coordinate room parent volunteers and organize a range of other opportunities for parents to pitch in throughout the year.
From November-January we organize and lead weekly tours of John Muir for prospective families.
How does it work?
We have a small elected executive board that leads our efforts, and a large community of volunteers running events & programs, volunteering their time and skills, and coming up with new ideas.
We talk regularly with teachers, Principal Furlan, BUSD, and other PTAs.
The PTA will hold several general meetings throughout the year (dinner & childcare provided) where we will discuss upcoming events, our budget, and other ways to invest in our school and support students.
We also host coffee after the first Friday assembly each month – come chat with us! We want to keep hearing from parents about what they need and want our school to be.
Get Involved!
Join the PTA so you can receive school updates and event reminders and vote on budget items.
Volunteer! There are a wide range of volunteer opportunities with the PTA ranging from small to large time commitments. There are many events and programs that would benefit from your time and will provide a chance to meet other parents and have fun. We share more about the current volunteer needs at our first meeting of the school year at Back to School night.
Donate! Our major annual fundraiser is called The Grizzly Fund, and it will be kicking off at our Back to School night. The money raised through the Grizzly Fund and throughout the year makes possible a huge number of resources for John Muir students – thank you in advance for your support!
Share your ideas! Do you have an idea for a new initiative you think the PTA should take on? Do you have a particular interest or skill that you’d like to share with the PTA? We welcome your ideas and want to hear from you! You can contact the PTA leadership at: info@johnmuirelementary.org
Parent volunteer at science night
Supporting Walk/Roll/Bike to School Day
Auction at the 2025 Art Night Out
PTA Events Timeline
Fall
Back to School Night
Students and families gather on campus and get to visit classrooms.
First PTA meeting held in the library before the festivities begin.
Pizza, fruit, and veggies available for free for all families.
Winter
School Tours
Weekly school tours given to prospective families on campus.
Organized and run by parent volunteers.
Spring
Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week
A week in May to show appreciation for our wonderful teachers and staff.
Gifts and activities are organized by the room parents and vary per classroom.
Holiday Gift Fund
An annual collection that’s an opportunity for families to say “thank you” during the holiday season.
By donating to this school-wide fund, we can distribute the donations to all of the part-time and full-time staff members.
May Fair
A tradition that’s over 100 years old! An evening lawn gathering that includes games, a cake walk, climbing wall, food trucks, face painting, and more!
Free to attend. Students can sell tickets for the event’s raffle to help fundraise for our school.
Grizzly Fund
John Muir’s biggest fundraising campaign! Over 60% of our annual budget is made in the 1st month.
The 2025 Grizzly Fund raised over $200,000 to support our many programs, including our dedicated art teacher.
Individual donations and corporate matches are critical to our success.
Literacy Week
Book donations are gathered at school for the Student Free Book Exchange.
A week of school-wide events including Pajama Day with donuts & DEAR (drop-everything-and-read), Dress Like a Book Character day, Author Visits, Buddy Reading, and Thursday evening Literacy Night.
5th Grade Promotion
Daytime event celebrating the graduating 5th graders.
Outdoor School
One of the most important and anticipated parts of the 5th grade learning experience at John Muir.
Hiking, gardening, dancing, campfires, and music-making are all part of the outdoor education experience.
John Muir is committed to sending every 5th grade student and the PTA helps with scholarships.
Read-A-Thon
An at-home, two week reading extravaganza fundraiser that takes place in mid-February.
Families sign up for an account to log their minutes and accept donations for their reading from friends and family.
Funds raised support literacy coaches and other school programs.
Art Night Out
An adults-only festive fundraiser to celebrate community and creativity at John Muir.
Held at St. John’s church in Berkeley, with childcare offered at John Muir.
Includes cocktail hour, live music, a silent auction with community-led activities and items, and a live auction during the buffet dinner with student-created artwork.
Grizzly Day
A school-wide field day hosted by the PTA on the last day of school.
2025/26 PTA Leadership Team
| Position | Lead(s) |
|---|---|
| Co-Presidents |
Sam Olivieri
Josie de Janvry
|
| Treasurer | Lou Riordan |
| Secretary | Elizabeth Kneebone |
| VP, Fundraising | Orli Cotel |
| Fundraising Coordinator | Kartikay Mehrotra |
| Financial Secretary | Brent Rowe |
| Financial Auditor | Fabrizio de Pasquale |
| Room Parent Lead | Trish Crawley |
| PTA Council Rep | Anna Tellez |
| Communications Leads | Sarah Wolfman-Robichaud Allison Landa |
| VP, Technology | Michael Wallman |
| IntraMUIRal Program Leads | Lindsay Anglin Jen Pierson |
| Green Team Leads | Sue Dykstra Jesse Greenspan |
| Teacher Liaison | Carrie Johnston |
| Family Resource Leads | Mimi Main Rohini Haar |