PTO Elections Information

Nominations for the 2024-2025 PTO Board Elections are now open through April 1st! Please email election@pvapto.org if you are interested in a board position!  Voting will take place at the next General PTO meeting on April 17th at 9 am, this will only be held in person with no virtual attendance option. 

Positions not up for re-election:

Past President- Beth Gassner

Treasurer- Brittany Hulsey

Positions up for re-election:

President

Elementary School VP

Middle School VP

Corresponding Secretary

Recording Secretary

President Elect

Candidate Bios for open positions:

Amy Stellwagon- President Candidate 

My name is Amy Stellwagen. I am from Westchester County, NY. I attended Marist College for my undergrad and Mahnattanville College for my masters in general and special education. My husband and I reconnected after high school and got engaged while living in NYC. After we were married we moved back to Mamaroneck and had two boys Chase, currently in 4th grade and Parker, currently in K at PVA. While pregnant with our 3rd son, Drew, (he will be in PVA in 2 years) in 2019 we decided to move our family out of NY. Since we had never lived anywhere else, after a lot of research on neighborhoods and schools, we chose to relocate to Nocatee. The great schools were what sold us. We live in 20 Mile and absolutely love it. I work with Order & Co, a locally owned company that implements home organizational systems, as well as staging for selling homes. When not working I have enjoyed volunteering at PVA and have taken on roles such as Volunteer Coordinator, Kindergarten Breakfast co chair, and Bobcat Bolt co chair. I am excited to get more involved and hoping to make PVA even better than ever!!! 

Brittany Dunning- Co-Recording Secretary Candidate

My name is Brittany Dunning and I live in The Crossing in Twenty Mile.  My husband and I moved here in 2017 with our two dogs and love this community.  My oldest daughter is in Kindergarten at PVA and I also have a three year old.  .  I currently work, remotely,  in Human Resources for an Insurance Company.  Our family spends a lot of time enjoying all Nocatee has to offer and in my free time I enjoy reading and going to Burn Boot Camp. 

Wanwisa Chanasit- Co-Recording Secretary Candidate

My name is Wanwisa Chanasit I'm originally from Thailand. Before moving to Florida in July 2017 W' E' Me, my husband and my daughter Meika who is attending 5th grade at PVA lived in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania until 2017. Before becoming a full time mom I was working for R&D departments which supplied equipment and service maintenance for the cosmetic company while studying telecommunications engineering. Before we chose Nocatee as our home we had no idea what life in Florida would be like but once we lived here we know this is home. Meika loves going to school seeing friends, teachers until these days she has still revisited her every grade teachers. Personally l try to volunteer at school any chance possible. I Volunteer at the cafeteria at lunch is the best part of the day, I can see Meika's suprised face and a big smile every single time when she sees me at lunch. Hope Ican help with this opportunity in this organization.

Emily Britt- Corresponding Secretary Candidate

Hi, my name is Emily Britt and I’ve always been super excited to join the PTO since I was little before I had my own children. I am currently a stay at home mom to my two year old daughter, Everly and I also have a six year old son, Westin, who is in Kindergarten. While at home, I am studying to become a professional health and wellness coach and create my own business. My family and I are new here from Charleston, SC. I love coffee, long walks, the beach, music, waking up early, and basically anything outdoors. I can’t wait to see the impact we will make next school year! 

Laura Granados- Elementary VP Candidate

My name is Laura Granados. I have had the opportunity to watch this beautiful area grow over many years. I am a St. Johns County "native" graduate from Nease High School. From there, I earned my bachelor's from Florida State University in Family and Child Sciences. Longing to be back at the beach, I returned to Jacksonville for my Masters in School Counseling. I have worked in St. Johns County School District as a middle school counselor for 8 years prior to being home with my girls, now ages 7 and 5. Sofia is a rising 2nd grader at PVA and Lily will be entering kindergarten this fall. In between all of the fun activities with family, you can also find me teaching at taking classes at Pure Barre Ponte Vedra. Within the school, I have served as room parent. At my daughter's preschool I served as the Parent Association President for one year and also served on the preschool-school board for 2 years. Being involved in the school in one way or another is something I always intended to do. To do what I can to best serve the school and community. It would be an honor to be a part of the Bobcat community in this role to help our school be the best it can be!

Barbara Hager- Middle School VP Candidate

My name is Barbara Hager.  I was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA. I attended college and law school at Temple University. I am currently working as in-house counsel for a national mortgage servicing company where I manage litigation for the company.  I am married to my husband Glen and have a son, Jacob, who is 15 and a sophomore at Nease High School and a daughter, Jordan, who is 12 and in seventh grade at PVA.  We moved to Twenty Mile in 2020.    I am the President of the Band Boosters here at PVA, was on the committees for the middle school dance and fall tailgate this year and volunteer for the NJROTC Boosters at Nease.     I am excited about being more involved in the PVA community for my daughter’s eight grade year and look forward to bringing families together to make this next school year the best one for the PVA community.

PTO Board Positions

All Board Members

• Attend meetings.
• Attend and help with PTO functions and events.
• Represent the school and its PTO in a positive and professional manner.
• Oversee and guide their assigned committee chairs, initiatives, etc. and ensure that tasks are completed. Report to the board on the standing of all assigned committees and/or initiatives.

PTO Board positions up for election for the 2024-2025 school year:

President Elect

Length of Term: 2 years (First year as President Elect, second year as President.) This person will spend the first year learning from the President, and then serve as President the following year.

• Assist the president.

• Perform such other duties as may be delegated to him/her.

• Perform the duties of the president if the president, and co-president if applicable, is/are absent.

• Transition to the President role for the following school year (2024-2025).

Vice President of Upper School

Length of Term: 1 year 

• Assist the President.
• Perform the duties of the president if the co-presidents are absent.
• Oversee development and coordination of PTO activities focused on and associated with the Upper School.
• Help guide the activities and communications for the middle school. Serve as liaison to the middle school teachers.
• Oversee and guide assigned committee chairs, initiatives, etc. and ensure that tasks are completed. Report to the board on the standing of all assigned committees and/or initiatives.
• Specific committee oversight includes: Bobcat Brigade, Color Run, two upper school dances, including 8th grade dance, and 8th grade promotion activities.

Vice President of Lower School

Length of Term: 1 year

• Assist the president.
• Oversee development and coordination of PTO activities focused on and associated with the Lower School.
• Oversee and guide assigned committee chairs, initiatives, etc. and ensure that tasks are completed. Report to the board on the standing of all assigned committees and/or initiatives.
• Specific committee oversight includes: Bobcat Bolt,Teacher Appreciation, Book Fair, Fall Family Night, 5th Grade Celebration, and Spring Fun Fest.

Corresponding Secretary

Length of Term: 1 year 

• Create, coordinate and execute communication plan for members which can include, but is not limited to, methods such as broadcast emails, social media, PTO newsletter, etc.
• Create, coordinate and execute communication plan for general school population which can include, but is not limited to, methods such as the school newsletter, school messenger system, school flyer distribution system, school marquee (if approved), local media, bulletin boards, social media, PTO webpage, etc.
• Oversee and guide all communication related to social media, webmaster, press parent, etc. to ensure the communication plan is executed. (NOTE: There is a separate webmaster. This position collaborates with the webmaster.)

Recording Secretary

Length of Term: 1 year

• Record the minutes of all General PTO Meetings, distribute them to the other board members in a timely fashion for review and approval to post. Once approved, send meeting minutes to webmaster for posting on the PTO site.
• Keep records of Executive Board meetings and make sure records are available upon the request of any Member.
• Act as custodian of PTO records, maintaining a permanent file of all minutes, agenda, reports, the charter, the by-laws and any correspondence.
• Conduct the correspondence of the PTO as requested.
• Perform such other duties as many be delegated to him/her by the President and/or the Executive Board.

Positions not up for election for the 2024-2025 school year:

Past President
**This is not an elected position, the prior President serves in this role. 

Treasurer
**The Treasurer position is not up for election for the 2024-2025 school year. 

Length of Term: 2 years (July 2023 - June 2025)

• Lead the annual budget development process.
• Be responsible for the timely deposit of PTO funds.
• Be responsible for the maintenance of the books of accounts and records.
• Keep a full and accurate account of the receipts and expenditures.
• Make disbursements in accordance with the approved budget or financial expenditures:
• Make available a financial statement at all General PTO Meetings and at other times when requested by the Executive Board.
• Provided monthly reconciliation and Quickbooks reports at the Board meetings.
• File annual IRS return required for 501(c) (3) groups.
• Renew the PTO incorporation with the state.
• Strictly adhere to the guidelines and protocols that govern the St Johns County school district with respect to all aspects of the handling of funds and audits.
• Follow any specific guidelines set forth in the Palm Valley Academy PTO Standing Rules.
• Perform such other duties as may be delegated to him/her.

President

**The President position is not up for election the 2024-2025 school year.  The President Elect will fill this role.

Length of Term: 1 year 

• Preside at all scheduled General PTO Meetings and Executive Board meetings.
• Recruit, place, and organize all chairpersons of standing and special committees.
• Delegate appropriate duties to the elected officers.
• Exercise contract-signing authority for the Palm Valley Academy PTO.
• Serve as the official representative of the PTO at meetings outside of the organization, authorized to act on behalf of the PTO.
• Be an ex officio member of committees except the Nominating Committee.
• Coordinate the work of the officers and committees of the PTO so the objectives for the year may be accomplished.
• Perform duties required to effectively plan for, operate, delegate, measure, develop, and achieve the goals and objectives of the PTO.
• Co-sign or initial all Palm Valley Academy PTO checks with treasurer.
• Review and renew the Palm Valley Academy PTO insurance policy annually.
• Meet with the Palm Valley Academy Principal and serve as liaison between the PTO and school leader.