Paramus High School PTA

“Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” –Helen Keller

Board Members & Executive Committee

The Paramus High School Executive Board would like to thank all volunteers, parents, and teachers who have supported the efforts of the PTA over the last two years and welcome our new executive committee. We look forward to their new ideas to continue advancing our Paramus High School community!

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In addition to the duties and responsibilities outlined in the bylaws and standing rules, the executive board also meets in private to plan PTA agendas, review plans and budgets, and brainstorm ideas and strategies to improve our PTA and Paramus community.

Full Disclaimer: We are not a source of legal, accounting, tax, or medical advice.

Project Graduation

Project Graduation is the official community send-off of our graduating seniors. It is our gift of safety and one last party – organized and paid for by the parents of the graduating class. The purpose is to give our graduates a memorable night together – one that is alcohol and drug-free. This is separate from all other senior activities, such as prom, yearbook, senior mania, senior fashion show, etc.

The entire project takes four years of planning, and the cost varies. The committee starts freshman year. The chairperson coordinates with a team of about ten parents to find the venue, entertainment, and food – which usually finalizes in junior year. The venue and plans are top secret. Volunteers are needed to chaperone and assist in all preparations. All volunteers and committee members must be a PTA member in good standing with their dues paid in full.

Previous Project Graduations include barbeques, casino night, Met Life Stadium, Great Adventure, etc. The price depends on the plan – but should be as reasonable as possible to maximize that all students can participate.

Senior graduation is at the high school on the last day of school, around 6:00 p.m. As the ceremony ends and family pictures are done, all seniors report to the cafeteria to check in for project graduation. Once they are inside the school, they cannot leave. They are escorted onto a bus and taken to a surprise location, where they party the night away until they return to the school in the early morning hours. Paramus Police Department provides us with two police officers for security, and the board of education provides us with bus transportation.

Fundraising to offset the cost is technically allowed; however, it must be planned carefully and with plenty of time so not to interfere with any other graduating class or sports or club fundraisers.

The Paramus High School PTA encourages no fuss, one-price ticket for Project Graduation. However, we do maintain our 503c(3) status, a not-for-profit organization that lends its umbrella of liability insurance, gaming licensure, tax-exempt status, assistance with permits, etc., to maximize funds for our seniors!

Please see the link for your child’s graduating class, stay up to date, and volunteer to help in any way (big or small) as your time permits. Please share your ideas with your class chair.

PTA Mission

The mission of the PTA is to advocate for the interest of the Paramus High School community. This includes fostering good relations with the administration, teachers, students, and parents. The goal is to recognize the value in our community’s education, embrace our diversity and always seek opportunities to improve.

The PTA is a 501(c)3 organization that is recognized as a charity and non-profit by the State of New Jersey. In order to maintain the benefits that come as a result of this status, we must follow the bylaws and standing rules. We are a private, not-for-profit, equal opportunity professional organization funded by the membership. The Paramus High School PTA files 990 EZ with the IRS every year to maintain our tax-exempt status. [Note: To maintain our status as a non-profit, we are not allowed to distribute monies collected to members for any reason].

The PTA does not establish educational policies, nor do we participate in the administration of the school. Instead, we build relationships with the board of education, superintendent, and principal in a united effort to advance the high school experience for our children. We set the example for our children as we organize volunteer efforts for a positive experience.

Our objective is to continue to modernize our organization by promoting effective communication with our community. We support our student body and collaborate with the administration to deliver community goals. In this spirit, we have established a new website that everyone can access on the Paramus High School website under PTA. There will be a survey at the end of the school year to evaluate our progress.

Membership and Dues

Please use our member hub for membership and dues.

PTA Meetings

The PTA meetings follow the Roberts Rules and are about 20 minutes long, with a transition into a town-hall style event dedicated to a specific class. For example, in September there will be a meeting for incoming freshman parents. At this meeting, the PTA will introduce our mission and objective and promote membership. The PTA will also explain project graduation and seek committee members for the class of 2025. Following, we will transition into a town hall with Principal Kiem, vice principals, teachers, and staff to answer all freshman questions. The focus of the meeting is everything freshman. We welcome any questions you have the week before the meeting so we can have answers and information ready. The best way to communicate questions is on our email.

In the future, we will advertise all PTA meetings on our website, and we expect to have a virtual option to maximize your ability to attend and participate.