Junior Olympics Chair Overview

  • Updated May 2013, Marcia Chmyz 
  • Updated October 2014, Kathleen Vitakis

September

  • Confirm Pearl Garvin, pgarvin@lasdschools.org is returning as PE Specialist Liaison AND Pat Koren, pkoren@lasdschools.org is returning as Meet Director.
  • Work with Pearl and Raquel Matteroli, RMatteroli@lasdschools.org, at LASD to select event date.  It is usually the last Saturday in April. Check with MVHS for potential conflicts such as SAT’s, performing arts programs, etc. 
  • Reserve MVHS by filling out a Facility Use application. Contact at MVHS is Marivic Cagatao marivic.cagatao@mvla.net.  (The school district will notify you when the fee is due, about 30 days prior to the event.)
  • MVLA High School District will contact you to review the facility contract details. Contact was Judy George judy.george@mvla.net. You will need to get a certificate of insurance and an additional insurance endorsement for the high school. LASD contact for insurance was Sandra Bush sbush@lasdschools.org.
  • Confirm the date with LASD administration and make sure it gets onto their calendars and the official district calendar.  Ask each school’s JO committee to get the date onto their school’s calendar.
  • Put together an updated contact email list with representatives from each school. Group email link can be added to website as the following:   mailto:example1@gmail.com,example2@aol.com
  • Arrange for a treasurer hand-off meeting. There will need to be a change at bank of signing authority for new chairs and treasurer.
  • Visit jochairlasd@gmail.com google drive to find files from 2014 and to start a folder for 2015. Most documents are WORD, but some are google docs and must be copied and resaved first to prevent changing original.
  • Contact all local sporting groups and give them the date for JO. Advise them that all 4th-6th graders in LASD will be busy all day and ask them not to schedule games. Also contact Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and anyone else you can think of!  Sports groups to contact: Pony Baseball, Little League Baseball, MVLA Soccer, Red Star Soccer, MVLA Softball, Tomahawks Lacrosse, AYSO 43 Soccer, AYSO 45 Soccer.
  • Contact Foothill Covenant Church and arrange to reserve their parking lot for the day. They do not charge a fee, but do require a form and an insurance certificate. In 2014, they double booked this day for a small event at the church, but reserved the spaces they needed.
  • Set up monthly JO District Committee meetings, making sure that the schedule works for Pearl.  Reserve the board room at the district with Marcy Birnie, mbirnie@lasdschools.org.

October

  • Remind school with secretary responsibilities that they need to take and post notes for each meeting. Good to remind them prior to the meeting.
  • Treasurer to prepare budget based on previous year’s actual.
  • Hold first JO District Committee meeting. Handouts at first meeting:  action items from previous year, calendar of current year, budget, school responsibilities chart, list of District Committee members, paper for name tents.
  • *Afternoon event times on schedule need to be discussed. Suggestion is to have the start time of the finals only.
  • Discuss budget, including per student amount to be paid by each PTA.  Fee has been $2 per student, due in March. Suggestion is an increase to $4 for 2015.
  • Pass out binders, and prompt each school to meet with the school last year that had the same responsibilities.
  • Bring key to the JO shed in case anybody wants to check it out after the meeting.

November

  • Hold Meeting at MVHS and offer walk through for anyone unfamiliar with campus.
  • Prior to meeting, have PE Specialist review equipment list for school training.
  • Training equipment purchased in 2014 should be listed in last year's treasurer records.
  • Handouts:  budget, equipment lists for school training.

January

  • Follow up with sports leagues & athletic clubs MVHS about possible conflicts.
  • Get the following from PE Liaison:
    • Music staff contact for Opening Ceremonies
    • Any changes to PE Specialist jobs for the day of the event
    • Any changes to relay guide, relay team selection, or training guide
    • Schedule the Train-the-Trainers Meeting (could this first week in March / same week as time trials?) - February is too early.
    • Schedule Parent Relay Training
    • Schedule Timer Training
  • Update and send JO Announcement to LASD Personnel. Mail Chimp (jochairlasd@gmail.com / Torch_chair54) was used to distribute 2014 announcement. All 2014 LASD 4,5,6 grade teachers, principals, LASD Board of Trustees, LASD Superintendent's Office Admin, 2014 committee members are on distribution list. This list needs to be updated and reviewed prior to sending if using again. I would recommend sending only to committee members and PE liaisons and then forward to Marcy Birnie at district and ask her to forward to all those listed above. She will have the current list. Here is last year's announcement. 
  • Distribute Torchbearer Guidelines to all schools - This Document is linked to JO Announcement in step above. It is also in the google drive.
  • Save the Dates should be sent to all Parent Communities via Newsletters. This should include event date, and school chair contact information and link to lasdjo.com.


February

  • Review relay rules and 2014 updated process and gather feedback for any required changes.
  • Meet with Lynn Ewald, Assistant Principal at MVHS
    • With this year's track remodel, find out any significant changes that will effect JO (can we chuck the orange fencing and reduce the number of hurdles we use to secure track?)
    • Verify sprinklers will be off on Friday & Saturday
    • Verify custodian support on Friday & Saturday
    • Find out if new PA is installed and if we are allowed to use it.
    • Discuss track usage for relay practices
    • Confirm if front parking lot will be available for JO parking (it usually is NOT)
    • Secure time for setup on Friday
    • Provide details of any scheduled deliveries (dumpsters, port-o-potties, equipment, etc.)
  • Offer to hold 1:1 meetings with each school to answer questions and review progress. This was only done last year in the case of major changes.
  • Order walkie talkies. We rented 20 in 2013. This information is in the Info Booth binder.

March

  • Update Final Packet and distribute.
  • Have treasurer collect checks from each PTA treasurer.
  • Get cell phone numbers for day of contact list.
  • Verify that VIP invitations have been sent to school board members, principals at Jr. Highs, and mayors of LA, LAH, and MV.
  • Meet with Opening Ceremonies chairs to review plans and script.
  • Remind Committee that Torchbearer / Flag bearer / Color Guard / Mascot names are due.
  • Confirm that treasurer has paid MVHS.
  • Event selections should begin last week in March for 5th and 6th graders. 4th graders may require more time to learn events
  • Permission Slips to Parents (Notice #3 email) sent March 24, 2014.

April

  • Notify police and fire departments of upcoming event, and contact Mountain View Public Works to make sure that there is no construction planned or anything else that would cause congestion.
  • Put together cell phone contact list; distribute to committee members at Friday setup along with lanyards.
  • Organize walkie talkie list and arrange for sign in/sign out at Information Booth.
  • Update announcer’s script.  Get updated Opening Ceremonies Script from OC Chair.
  • Confirm plans and names for thank you gifts. Purchase gift cards and thank you cards. Good to have most ready to hand out the day of the event, but some may not be known until after the event.
  • Remind chairs to get event selections in database. 
  • Verify that good neighbor letter has been distributed by Publicity chairs.
  • Follow up with Judy George at MVLA District to be sure that everything is in place as far as insurance and payment.
  • Schedule wrap-up meeting/lunch
  • EVENT DAY
    • Other than marching in the Opening Ceremonies, chair duties are to address any/all issues that may come up. 
    • Overseeing track, timing and results posting is important.
    • For any questions that arise concerning actual athletic events, consult with Pearl & Pat.

May

  • Record all issues from event in days that follow
  • Conduct wrap up meeting / lunch
  • Clean out chair binder / Update Chair page
  • Collect binders and store in JO shed
  • Reconcile budget and communicate any proposed changes to per student fee to PTAs for inclusion in their budgets. This took awhile for treasurer to wrap up in 2014. Had to finalize payments and invoicing. 
  • Arrange for handoff meeting: Chairs to Chairs
  • Set date for following year. Confirm with MVHS and put on LASD calendar. Consider filling out request form before school is out.