How to Establish Volunteer Programs in Elementary Schools
Elementary schools today face ever-increasing challenges of doing more with less. As class sizes increase and funding stretches to the limit, schools must get creative to enrich student learning. Therefore, schools rely more and more on volunteers willing to lend their time, talents and resources to support the school community. A well-organized volunteer program ensures volunteer efforts pour into the school instead of slipping out the door quicker than students at the end of the day.
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Instructions
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Establish a Framework for a School Volunteer Program
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Talk to the school administration. Find out if your school district has any volunteer rules and regulations. Some states require background checks on all school volunteers. Individual schools may require volunteers to sign in at the front office and wear name badges. Set up a system to help volunteers complete all necessary paperwork and get identifying name badges if required.
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Appoint a volunteer coordinator. Some schools appoint staff members to this position while other schools have volunteers fulfill this role. A volunteer coordinator serves as the primary contact for all volunteer correspondences and oversees program logistics such as scheduling, communication efforts, recruiting and training.
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Establish general volunteer rules and procedures. Gather sample volunteer handbooks from neighboring schools to use as a guide to customize your own volunteer handbook. Your handbook should include procedures surrounding topics such as the volunteer's role, student confidentiality, managing student behavior, parking, use of the staff lounge, bringing younger siblings to school and silencing cell phones in the classroom.
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Implement systems before volunteers being working. Have a three-ring binder or sign-in computer ready to go if volunteers must sign in at the front office. Find out where volunteers can work on clerical projects and with what supplies. Set up tables and chairs in hallway or the library for volunteers working with students outside the general classroom.
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Provide necessary training. Train volunteers on how to use the copier, laminator, die-cutter or other office equipment to avoid costly repairs. Inform recess supervision volunteers of playground rules and expectations. For volunteers reading with students, model a sample reading session or provide a list of phrases and tips to use with students. Clearly explain emergency procedures to each volunteer.
Recruit Elementary School Volunteers
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Determine classroom and school needs. Download sample volunteer interest surveys for ideas on ways volunteers can contribute to individual classrooms and the school. Customize and distribute a teacher/staff survey to determine where the greatest need for volunteers exists, both within the classroom setting and for the school as a whole.
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Host one to two informational volunteer meetings during the first two weeks of school. Post flyers advertising the meeting in the school lobby and send home a flyer with each student. At the meeting, talk about volunteer opportunities and invite parents to sign up.
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Recruit volunteers through multiple avenues. Send home a parent volunteer interest survey with every student. Include a space for parent volunteers to indicate available days, times and areas of interests on the form. Highlight areas of need identified in the teacher/staff volunteer survey. Place volunteer sign-up sheets at back-to-school nights and parent-teacher conferences. Include volunteer requests in school and classroom newsletters.
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Match volunteer skills to needs. If a parent wishes to volunteer in the classroom, pass this information along to the teacher. Ask the teacher if they want to make contact with the parent or if the volunteer coordinator can help. A parent with library experience might make a great library helper. Likewise, a parent who works full-time might volunteer to cut out gingerbread men for an upcoming art project.
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Maintain a running database of potential volunteers and upcoming events. Use the list to call upon volunteers to chaperone field trips, plan class parties or help with vision/hearing screenings as events occur. The list can cut down on the need to send home special volunteer requests all year long.
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Tips & Warnings
Elicit the support of school administration before starting a volunteer program. Collaborate with the principal to establish volunteer guidelines, roles and responsibilities for each newly created volunteer position.
Think outside the box when it comes to recruiting volunteers. Tap into local church communities, senior centers or gardening clubs. Volunteers don't always have to come from your parent community.
Establishing a volunteer program takes time and continual effort. If your program starts out small, don't give up. Send out additional volunteer surveys after the winter holiday break to remind parents of volunteer opportunities.
Build volunteer recognition into your program from the start. Find creative ways to give back to volunteers who donate their time and talents to the school community. Consider hosting volunteer coffee mornings a few times a year and get students to make thank you notes to recognize volunteers as well.
Solicit help when needed and if something isn't working, change it.
Conflicts can arise between volunteers and students. Find out beforehand how much authority volunteers have in managing student behavior and the school's preferred conflict management strategies.
Volunteers may see or hear things that will give them cause for concern. Have a system in place where volunteers can share their concerns with the volunteer coordinator or appropriate staff member.
References
Resources
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