Volunteer Spotlight

 

May 2024: Danielle Ascione 

Introducing the Mays Chapel Elementary PTO Volunteer Spotlight of the Month, Danielle Ascione:

  • Hometown: Fairfield, Connecticut 
  • Your elementary school mascot: Stallion 
  • Children/grade: Sisley (grade 3); Dominic (grade 6 Ridgely, Mays alumni) 
  • When did you start volunteering at MCES? 2022
  • What you do as a volunteer: Bookfair and a-MAYS-ing Race 
  • Why did you get involved in volunteering? Volunteering is such a meaningful way to contribute to the community and make a positive impact on the lives of others. Providing them with well-maintained and enriching spaces fosters their development and ensures they have safe and enjoyable environments to learn and play in. Volunteering not only benefits the current students and staff but also lays the groundwork for a brighter future for all. 
  • What you love most about MCES: The diverse community, my children have made some amazing friendships that will last a lifetime as well as I. I am always learning from the rich experiences and perspectives of others in the community. 
  • How do you spend your free time? Hiking, playing soccer, crocheting, gardening 

 

April 2024: Amanda Wood

Introducing the Mays Chapel Elementary PTO Volunteer Spotlight of the Month, Amanda Wood:

  • Hometown: Parkville, MD
  • Your elementary school mascot: Oakleigh Elementary Owls
  • Children/grade: Jack/grade 6 at Cockeysville Middle School and Maddie/grade 3 at MCES
  • When did you start volunteering at MCES? 2017 when Jack was in Kindergarten
  • What you do as a volunteer: Organize the annual adult night and helping at various events throughout the year
  • Why did you get involved in volunteering? To be a part of my children's learning
  • What you love most about MCES: I love being a part of the Mays community. I have loved watching my children grow and thrive under the amazing care and instruction of the teachers and staff.
  • How do you spend your free time? cooking, baking, reading

 

March 2024: Mike Gillispie 

 

Introducing the Mays Chapel Elementary PTO Volunteer Spotlight of the Month, Mike Gillispie:

  • Hometown: White Hall, MD
  • Your elementary school mascot: A deer
  • Children/grade: Sarah, 8th and Megan, 5th
  • When did you start volunteering at MCES? My wife and I have been volunteering here and there for a while.
  • What you do as a volunteer: Currently helping plan movie nights
  • Why did you get involved in volunteering? I like helping with whatever is needed.
  • What you love most about MCES: The community and faculty have been awesome to be around since day one.
  • How do you spend your free time?: Looking for fun activities that are deceptively educational.

 

 

 

February 2024: Chelsea Ortega  

 Introducing the Mays Chapel Elementary PTO Volunteer Spotlight of the Month, Chelsea Ortega:

  • Hometown: Hurlock, MD
  • Your elementary school mascot: Huskies
  • Children/grade: James/4th, Owen and Bryce/2nd
  • When did you start volunteering at MCES? When James was in Pre-K (2018)
  • What you do as a volunteer: Help in the cafeteria, staff the book fair, and serve as the Secretary of the PTO
  • Why did you get involved in volunteering? I wanted to share in my children's school activities and help the MCES community 
  • What you love most about MCES: The people! The teachers, staff and administration make MCES a wonderful place for every child. 
  • How do you spend your free time? With family, reading, and taking walks with our dogs

 

 

January 2024: Dani Ryan 

Introducing the Mays Chapel Elementary PTO Volunteer Spotlight of the Month, Dani Ryan:

  • Hometown: I grew up in Lutherville, MD, we now live in Cockeysville, MD. 
  • Your elementary school mascot: Dolphins (When I went there it was Lutherville-Timonium Elementary School. Now it's just Timonium Elementary)
  • Children/grade: Maddie (4th) & Liam (Kindergarten) 
  • When did you start volunteering at MCES? 2021
  • What you do as a volunteer: PTO Treasurer
  • Why did you get involved in volunteering? My career is in Finance and when I heard the PTO needed a new Treasurer, I knew I could help. After COVID, especially, I wanted to join the PTO so that I could be involved in bringing back some of the fun and excitement of school. The things that I remember and cherish the most about my elementary school experience, I wanted my kids to also have those experiences.
  • What you love most about MCES: The amazing staff and the lifelong friendships that my kids have made. 
  • How do you spend your free time? Usually on a soccer field or basketball court watching a kids game. 

 

December 2023: Dana Cline

 

 

Introducing the Mays Chapel Elementary PTO Volunteer Spotlight of the Month, Dana Cline:

  • Hometown: Cortland Manor, NY
  • Your elementary school mascot: Lion
  • Children/grade: Kaylee 7th grade at Ridgely, Natalie 5th grade and Jamie, 3 years old
  • When did you start volunteering at MCES?  2018 When Kaylee was in first grade
  • What you do as a volunteer: Attend PTO meetings, organize community events, and support other parents organizing events
  • Why did you get involved in volunteering? I got involved to bring the community together and to support events that create memories for Mays Chapel students
  • What you love most about MCES: I love the teachers, community and extracurricular activities. My children love to participate in "Girls on the Run", the school play and Race for Education. 
  • How do you spend your free time? I spend my free time with my family and friends. I enjoy being at the beach, traveling, running, being outside and watching my children play sports. 

 

November 2023: Dori Wojtowycz

 

Introducing the Mays Chapel Elementary PTO Volunteer Spotlight of the Month, Dori Wojtowycz:

  • Hometown: Born and raised in Baltimore.
  • My elementary school mascot: I graduated from Timonium Elementary (formerly Lutherville-Timonium Elementary) - Go Dolphins! 
  • Children/grade: I have two children at MCES this year. Ginny is a 4th grader and Tommy is in 2nd grade. 
  • When did I start volunteering at MCES?  I have been volunteering and on the MCES PTO since Ginny was in Kindergarten. 
  • What I do as a volunteer: Currently, I am on the board and am the lead of MCES spirit wear and am organizing the development of the first school store at Mays. 
  • Why did I get involved in volunteering? I’ve always wanted to be involved in my kids school experience- a “sunshine mom” of sorts, so I really enjoy being a member of the school community and helping out where I can. The teachers and staff do so much for our kids that it feels good to give back as a volunteer. 
  • How do you spend your free time? In any free time I can scrounge up, when I am not carting a kid to dance or soccer, I am an avid reader - I love finding something new and interesting to read. I also love to take trips to the beach - Ocean City, MD is my second home! I’m looking forward to a school year full of fun PTO activities and events! Paws Up! 

 

October 2023: Anne Hoffman

 

Introducing the Mays Chapel Elementary PTO Volunteer Spotlight of the Month, Anne Hoffman.

  • Hometown: Columbia, SC (but I moved to the Pacific Northwest when I was 22 so that sort of feels like I grew up there too.)
  • My elementary school mascot: North Spring Crickets
  • Children/grade: Beatrice (3), Opal (7) Opal is a former MCES student
  • What I do as a volunteer: I've been on the board for the past several years in the communications role. I maintain the Facebook page as well as maintain the website.
  • Why did I get involved in volunteering?: I am a firm believer that schools are enriched with parent involvement.
  • What I love most about MCES? The thing I love most about Mays is the diversity of the student body. Mays in particular is a very diverse school from socio-economic to religion to ethnicity. I appreciate that my children are a part of a community that is welcoming and inclusive.
  • How do I spend my free time? What free time? :) I spend most of my time shuttling my kids to various activities because aren't we all just unpaid Uber drivers at this stage? I travel quite a bit for both work and pleasure. I think between me and my husband we have been to 9 countries and over 25 cities just this year with at least 3 more countries and several more cities being added to that list by the end of the year.

 

 

 

 September 2023: Amanda Reisz

 

Introducing the Mays Chapel Elementary PTO Volunteer Spotlight of the Month, Amanda Reisz. 

  • Hometown: Baltimore, MD
  • My elementary school mascot: The Wildcats
  • Children/Grade: Tyler, age 9 - starting 4th grade at MCES and Brandon, age 12 - a graduate of MCES - starting 7th grade at CMS
  • What I do as a volunteer: I run the book fair in the fall and Spring, serve as the grade liaison for my kids grades, have served as room mom, planned/coordinated the end of year grade level celebration and assist wherever else I’m needed (i.e.: teacher appreciation week, race for education, grade level picnics, organizing mailings, helping in the classroom, and more).
  • Why did I get involved in volunteering?: Supporting and giving back to my community has always been important to me, and volunteering at MCES is the perfect opportunity to do that. It’s important to model this for my kids and we volunteer as a family in a variety of ways. Although I spend a lot of time working, I always swore I would make time to be an active part of my kids education and school experience!!!
  • What I love most about MCES: The teachers have all been amazing!!! We also LOVE the diverse community at MCES!!!
  • How do I spend my free time?  When I’m not working or volunteering at MCES, I can usually be found spending time with family and friends. We can often be found at the Ice Hockey rink where Brandon, Tyler and my husband Dave play, or attending sporting events, supporting the Ravens, Orioles and Capitals. We also spend a great deal of time traveling, road tripping, cruising and exploring.