F E Burleson Elementary School
“Volunteerism strengthens the fabric of our schools.”
F E Burleson Elementary School
Volunteer Handbook
“Vo
lunteerism strengthens the fabric of our schools.”
-Anonymous
The Hartselle City School System
is a student-centered, academical
ly enriching
school system that prepares students for tomorrow.
F. E. BURLESON ELEMENTARY
1100 Bethel Road
Hartselle, AL 35640
256-773-2411
Dear Volunteer:
On behalf of the students and teachers, I want to thank you for your interest in and involvement at F E Burleson Elementary School. We are thankful that you have chosen to volunteer your services to our students. With the support of volunteers such as yourself, the opportunity to meet the individual needs of each child is greatly increased.
All over the country schools are drawing upon the support of their communities to help with the education of today’s youth. Caring members of our community bring new energies and resources to our schools by becoming mentors, working with students, contributing goods and supplies, and even providing needed financial support. Community volunteers in our schools enrich the educational program and strengthen our schools’ relationships with homes, businesses, public agencies, and private institutions.
It is important for our students to observe good role models who are willing to provide a valuable service to everyone in the building and also making a positive statement to our children about the importance of education. This handbook is designed to provide you with practical information that will assist you in your volunteer placement. It is our goal that the time you spend with our students is worthwhile for you as well as the students. If you have any questions that have not been addressed in this handbook, please feel free to call or email me at the contact information listed below.
Once again, thank you for helping make a difference in the lives of the students at F E Burleson Elementary School.
Sherry Calvert
Principal
256-773-2411
Hartselle City Schools Board Policy IFCD
School Volunteers
The Board recognizes that volunteers can make many valuable contributions to the schools and can be used as effective learning resources. Therefore, the Board endorses a Volunteer Program in the School System, subject to suitable regulations and safeguards, including constant monitoring to assure proper management. These regulations shall be developed and promulgated by the Superintendent or staff in cooperation with the faculty of each school.
Helping children is what teaching,
parenting and volunteering is all about.
We are all part of a team:
Volunteers donate time to help students, teachers, and staff. They work under the direction of the principal and the staff member. By inviting parents and community members to volunteer, as a team we can:
• Aid teachers with many non-teaching duties and tasks
• Assist teachers in providing more individual help and instruction to students
• Strengthen relationships and understanding between schools and the community.
Parent Groups - Parent Teacher Organizations (PTO) and Booster Clubs operate independently from, but within the context of the school. Parent Groups work with the principal, teachers, staff, and central office staff to organize, support and fund raise for extracurricular and enrichment activities for students and their families.
School Principals - Principals are responsible for setting guidelines for volunteers working in the school, developing a positive working relationship with volunteers, and encouraging staff members to utilize volunteer help. All volunteer groups and parent group activities must have the approval of the principal.
What the Research Says:
According to A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family and Community Connections on Student Achievement (2002, Henderson and Mapp) students with involved parents, regardless of family income and background are more likely to:
• Earn higher grades and test scores, and enroll in higher-level programs
• Be promoted, pass their classes and earn credits
• Attend school regularly
• Have better social skills, show improved behavior and adapt well to school
• Graduate and go on to post secondary education
Even students who say they don’t want their mom or dad at school thrive on additional attention and involvement.
As you observe and work in the classroom, you will notice that instruction is delivered in many ways. Changes in technology, new jobs and career requirements have changed the way teachers teach and students learn.
Children learn by:
• Doing, not by observing.
• Asking questions and searching for answers.
• Discovering, experimenting and repeating experiences which build confidence.
• Using all of their senses whenever possible.
Volunteers can help students by:
• A relaxed, friendly attitude creates the best atmosphere for learning. Smile!
• Learning their names and using them often.
• Listening carefully to the students.
• Accepting students as individuals.
• Being patient. Refer disciplinary problems to the teacher or an administrator when necessary.
How Do You Get Started?
If you want to volunteer at F E Burleson, or join a parent-teacher organization, contact the school office. Let the school staff know you want to help and how much time you have available to volunteer. A volunteer application is provided at the back of this handbook and is available on the F E Burleson Elementary School website. After you have completed and returned the form, the school will provide you with information on available volunteer opportunities and a scheduled orientations and training needed. Each year all volunteers must fill out a volunteer application, attend a volunteer orientation, complete a volunteer release form and emergency form prior to volunteering at F E Burleson.
If you do not have a child enrolled at the school, but wish to volunteer, please complete the volunteer application and return it to the school where you wish to volunteer. The school will provide you with the information on available volunteer opportunities and scheduled orientations and training.
Choose the way you want to volunteer. Choose what is right for you.
- Volunteering does not mean you have to come everyday.
- Volunteering does not mean you have to stay at school all day long.
- Volunteering does not mean you have to volunteer all year.
- Volunteering does mean you care.
- Volunteering does mean you want to be involved in your child’s school experience.
- Volunteering does mean you are committed to doing your part to make our school and community a better place to live and grow.
A Few Ways to Help at F E Burleson
• Assist students with teacher-planned activities
• Read teacher-prepared instructions to students
• Assist in the school’s media center.
• Work in the school’s Outdoor Classroom.
• Read stories
• Listen to children read
• Help students work on previously taught material, such as math facts, spelling words, sight words, etc.
• Help children to understand and follow directions
• Share a hobby, talent, or experience
• Assist with school parties or special events
• Clerical support - copy papers for teachers, prepare materials for classroom use, collate work packets, etc.
• Assist with bulletin boards throughout the school
Volunteer Information
• Identification:
In an effort to increase safety and security, all volunteers need to wear their volunteer name tag at all times when in the building. Adults not wearing proper identification should be directed to the school office.
• Signing in and out:
Please sign in and out of the building when you volunteer. Volunteers should sign-in at the school office and pick up their volunteer name tag. All volunteers should schedule this time through the office, classroom teacher, or library.
Reasons for signing in and out:
• Safety and security of students, staff, parents and community.
F E Burleson Elementary School includes the number of volunteers hours contributed to our school in the annual Continuous Improvement Plans of each school and in Quality Assurance Review Reports for Accreditation.
• Volunteer hours statistics may be used in grant applications qualifying under in-kind contributions.
• Volunteer statistics may be needed for verification of volunteer match grants. If you are volunteering at home, please keep track of your volunteer hours and turn them in to your school principal or the school volunteer coordinator.
• Sight and Sound
All volunteers shall operate under the direction of a licensed staff member and shall be within sight and sound of a licensed staff member while working with students. This applies to parents as well as non-parent volunteers and is for the safety of students, staff, and volunteers.
• Professionalism
Although the job is voluntary, the commitment is professional. Besides being responsible for maintaining an attitude of mutual respect and confidence, you should also become familiar with school and classroom policies and practices. Working with the teaching staff requires flexibility and a willingness to follow directions.
• Dependability & Punctuality
Students, teachers and staff members rely on the services performed by volunteers. We ask that you contact the school if you are unable to volunteer on your scheduled day.
• Student Discipline
Discipline of students is solely the responsibility of the teacher. Volunteers
should in no way discipline students. Should student misbehave in your
presence, you should report this immediately to the teacher in charge. The
teacher will then determine the necessary course of action. Also note that
we expect students to treat volunteers with the same level of respect given
to other school personnel. If you feel that students are not being respectful
towards you, do not hesitate to discuss the matter with the teacher or the
principal. Volunteers should intervene if the safety of a child is in question, however volunteers should not discipline students.
• Confidentiality
Volunteers must protect the teachers’ and students’ right to privacy. The word “confidential” has Latin origins which translates to “with faith.” Indeed, that is how the school and volunteers should view one another; with faith, belief, and trust in personal integrity.
Discuss student problems or concerns only with the teacher, staff member with who you are working, or the principal. You may not disclose school information or personal matters, which you may have overheard. Remember that you are perhaps only seeing a small portion of the “big picture.” Therefore, it is important that you avoid making judgments and generalizations. Respect the right of privacy of ALL students and staff members. You will be serving in a unique capacity with our students. There may also be a time when a student shares something with you that causes you some concern . . . concern about their personal safety. If this should be the case, please immediately contact the classroom teacher, school counselor, or principal. That person will know the proper procedure to deal with this situation.
Expectations
What the teacher/school expects of the volunteer:
• Be reliable. If you have a scheduling conflict, please notify the teacher/school as soon as possible.
• Sign in when you arrive and when you leave. We ask that you wear a volunteer badge when you are in the building volunteering and a visitor badge when you come to visit, eat lunch, or attend a school function.
• Smoking is not permitted on the school grounds.
• Please do not carry around or drink soft drinks in front of the students.
• Please do not bring candy or edible treats for students without first talking to the teacher about providing these to students. All snacks provided must meet the state nutritional guidelines.
• If you are working in a classroom, try and learn the names of the students . . . it is important to them.
• Show you are interested in children by listening carefully to what they have to say.
• Praise student for appropriate behavior.
• All adults are to use appropriate language with children and other adults.
• Volunteers should be punctual. Please arrive by your assigned time, ready to work.
• Please follow the district dress code for teachers.
• While we hope you will establish new friendships from your involvement in the volunteer program, remember that you are here to do specific tasks. Please don’t spend the time socializing with friends and neighbors, as our primary purpose for school is student learning.
• Please remember the school office is a place where the business of the school is conducted and it is important to not use it as a place to “hang out.” Also, remember that the telephone is to be used for school business only.
• Please remember to silence your cell phones when working with students.
• Be sensitive to teacher’s time and needs, as well as non-disruptive to the classroom. Don’t use your volunteer time as an opportunity for extra parent-teacher conferences. Schedule those at a time convenient for both you and the teacher.
• Avoid trying to be an amateur school psychologist and diagnose learning problems that you may suspect. If you see a student having specific problems, please make sure you discuss it with his/her teacher.
• During your volunteer time, please work with the teacher you are assigned. Please do not interrupt other classes.
• The office workroom is for school staff only. Volunteers may use the workrooms on the main hall and in the fourth/fifth grade area.
• Volunteers are able to use copy and other machines only after they have been trained on the equipment.
• If a teacher needs to run copies when you are at the copier, please finish the set you are working on and then let the teacher run his/her copies. Our teachers only have a limited time in which they are free to make copies.
• Please do not bring your preschool children or other children to school with you during your volunteer time.
What the volunteer expects of the school and staff:
• Provide materials and necessary instructions/expectations for assigned tasks and has them ready at the volunteer’s assigned time.
• Treats volunteers as professional assistants, with a friendly and welcoming attitude.
• Notifies the volunteer about any schedule changes, which may interrupt their regular schedule.
• Assigns tasks volunteers are capable of doing and gives assistance, as needed.
• Accepts creative ideas and suggestions from the volunteer.
• Offers constructive criticism, but not in front of the students.