Volunteer – Sign up Here

Volunteer – Log Commitment Hours Here 

 

Welcome !

Volunteering is a great way to learn or practice a skill as well as a great way to get to know the staff, students, and other parents at Crown Pointe.  We realize that your time is valuable, and as you scan the many opportunities to get involved, remember the importance of volunteering.  As Stephen R. Covey put it, “Time is not the real issue, it is the level of commitment that determines where time is spent.”  We know you are committed to volunteer your time because you have chosen this school for your child(ren).  This handbook will give you ideas and guidelines on how to participate in your children’s education.  If you have any questions about a particular position or opportunity, please call the school office for the name of the contact person.

COMMUNITY SERVICE IDEAS

What is a Volunteer?

A volunteer is someone who gives of his or her time without monetary compensation.  Volunteers are expected to be responsible for maintaining a professional attitude of respect and confidence.  Volunteers show concern for and acceptance of all children.

Benefits of Volunteering

Student Benefits:

Lower student/adult ratio

More individual attention for students

Enrichment opportunities

Staff Benefits:

Freedom to work with smaller groups of students

Opportunities to provide more supervised activities

Less time spent on clerical activities

Volunteer Benefits:

Personal satisfaction

Greater awareness of school events

Insight into the daily events of your child’s school day

Contributing to the greater good of all children and our community

Hour Commitment per Family

60 hour commitment:

  • Two parents in the family (stepparent included)
  • Two households with 2 parents in each family / one or more students

30 hour commitment:

  • Single parent

Instructions

1.   Look through the different opportunities to volunteer.

  • Complete the volunteer sign-up sheet and the agreement of responsibilities located in the registration packet and return it to the school.

You may be called when there is a match to your skill or interest and our need, but please do not wait for a call.  Watch for information in the newsletter, speak with a staff member, and check the bulletin board outside the office to find volunteer opportunities.  You are welcome at all meetings, they are open to anyone interested in being involved.

Responsibilities of a Volunteer

  • Enter building through main office door
  • Sign in and out at the office
  • Obtain and wear a volunteer badge
  • Record volunteer hours on your time sheet and turn them in promptly each month

Confidentiality

Use good judgement and respect the privacy of the students and staff.  Student performances and behavior should not be discussed with anyone other than the classroom teacher.  Only school officials and a child’s parents may view student records.  If a child confides in you, keep this information private unless you feel it is necessary for the school to have this information.  If this is so, please inform the classroom teacher or the director.

Dress and Behavior

Casual attire is fine; however, we ask that your attire be neat and conservative.  Remember that because you are working with children who are impressionable, your attire, speech, and behavior should serve as a good model for them to follow.

Dependability

The teacher, staff, or committee is relying on your attendance.  If you are unable to make a commitment, please call the teacher or committee chair ASAP and inform them that you will be unable to make it.  Plans may need to be changed for everyone if you are unable to attend.

Discipline

Volunteers may not discipline students.  If a situation occurs where you are working with a child and he/she misbehaves, inform the teacher immediately.

Communication

Communication is of utmost importance to the success of our volunteer program.  As you volunteer in a classroom, please make sure that you understand the teacher’s expectations of the students and expectations of you.  If you are serving on a committee, contact the chair of the committee with questions or concerns.  This will help make your volunteering experience more beneficial and rewarding to all.

Siblings/Young Children

Please do not bring young children with you when you volunteer in the classroom or on field trips.  Classroom parties are an exception.

Volunteering During School Hours

Building Relationships with Staff

  • Get to know the staff with whom you will be working.
  • Communicate: If you are unclear about something, ask!
  • Let the staff know what you are comfortable doing and not doing.
  • Be dependable.
  • Understand the importance of what the staff is asking you to do and why.  If you are unsure –ask!

Building Relationships with Students

  • Get to know the students.
  • Call students by their name.
  • Reinforce good behavior but do not discipline.
  • Encourage and praise the students.
  • Be firm, yet warm and friendly.

Classroom Procedures

  • Speak with individual teachers about their expectations.
  • Do not let yourself be alone in a closed room with any child at any time.
  • Please refrain from engaging the teacher or assistant in a conference during your volunteer time.  Conversations with other parents in the classroom are also distracting to the learning environment.
  • Respect the privacy of the students and staff.
  • Please turn off and/or refrain from using cell phones while working with students.
  • Classroom volunteers are in the classroom to help all students. Please refrain from focusing solely on your child.

Workroom Procedures

  • Respect staff priority when making copies.
  • Make sure you are clear on how to operate any machinery.  If you are unclear, ask.
  • If a paper jam occurs while copying, do not attempt to fix it yourself.  Get help from a staff member.
  • If the copier runs out of paper, get help from a staff member.

Office Procedures

  • Check with the office staff on expectations and what help is needed.
  • Do not view any student records or give out personal information.

Lunchroom Procedures

  • Assist students as necessary.
  • Report any misbehavior to the supervising staff member.

Serving on Committees

Most committees meet in the afternoon or evening.  A committee consists of a Chair, a Secretary and the committee members.  Membership on a committee is an excellent way to make a positive impact on the school.  Meeting days and times are determined by the membership at the beginning of each school year.

Please note that the time spent attending meetings counts toward volunteer hours.

Academy Board

The Academy Board is the governing body of the school.  It consists of 7 members; 4 parents elected by students’ parents and up to 3 members from the community.  The Board is responsible to see that state and federal laws are followed and that the charter contract with the district is met.

Board Committees

Long Range Planning

Help the Academy Board develop forward-looking strategies to guarantee CPA’s success.

Policy Committee

Assist the Academy Board in developing and writing policies for our school.

Public Relations Committee

Assist the Academy Board in monitoring and broadening community awareness of CPA.

School Committees

Building Accountability Committee (BAAC)

Work with the director to make recommendations regarding the expenditure of school money, look at academic achievement, provide data and report on educational performance and discuss safety issues.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)

Help with fund-raising events, social events, and help to bring educational opportunities into the school for parents.  Opportunities to help through the PTA include Yearbook, Harvest Festival, Holiday Gift Shop, Book Fair, Ice Cream Social, and others.

Technology Upkeep Committee

Assist the technology teacher with advice and general upkeep of our school computers.

Technology Curriculum Committee

Help align Crown Pointe’s technology curriculum to the district standards.

Volunteer Committee

Help organize volunteers and pass on volunteer information to the rest of the committees.  One parent from each grade in addition to the officers is needed.

Uniform Committee

Help make recommendations to the uniform policy of the school.

Middle School Social Committee

Middle school students enjoy social gatherings.  Help plan activities for the middle school outside the regular school hours.

Other Volunteer Opportunities:

Assist with Maintenance Jobs

  • Raise or lower desks
  • Help hang maps or overhead screens
  • Plumbing
  • Move heavy furniture
  • Clean carpets
  • Clean classroom chairs/desks/tables/cubbies
  • Up-keep of school grounds (pull weeds, sweep pebbles, etc.)
  • Clean out lockers and re-set locker combinations at the end of school

Room Parent

  • Plan class parties
  • Help call parents
  • Check in supplies on the first day of school
  • Publish class snack calendar or volunteer schedule

Classroom Volunteer Coordinator

  • Attend Volunteer Committee meetings
  • Call parents when volunteer needs arise (can be done in the evening)

Assist in the Library

  • Help with bar coding
  • Cover books
  • Re-shelve books

Organize Workroom

  • Keep the workroom neat and clean on a regular basis

Assist with Classroom Needs

  • Listen to a child read
  • Read to a child
  • Help children with corrections
  • MentorTutor
  • Research field trips
  • Assemble books or packets
  • Tear pages out of workbooks
  • Create bulletin boards
  • Wash art shirts
  • Sharpen pencils
  • Peel crayons
  • Cut paper, string, letters shapes, etc.
  • Check puzzle or game pieces
  • Cover books with Contac paper
  • Clean toys, pillows, etc.
  • Check markers
  • Make copies
  • Check in work
  • Laminate
  • Make die-cuts
  • Make props for plays
  • Assist with crafts or projects
  • Sew (quilts, pillow covers, costumes, curtains)
  • Painting
  • Make baked goods
  • Speak to the class about your career
  • Help with science projects in the classroom
  • Help file

Note:  These are just some of the tasks required.  There may be other needs as determined by the area in which you are volunteering.

Brown Bag Volunteer

Do you work during the day?  Committee work is a great way to fulfill your hours.  You could also sign up to be a “Brown Bag Parent”, completing projects for the school or classroom at home.  Please let the classroom or specials teacher know that you are available for this type of service.

Community Volunteer

We encourage and welcome community members to volunteer at Crown Pointe.

If you are a volunteer who is not a parent or legal guardian of a CPA student, we need to have you fill out the volunteer information form located in the office.  This form asks for references and allows Crown Pointe Academy to contact those listed as references as well as giving CPA permission to do a background check.

Logging Hours

Regularly logging hours spent volunteering is of the utmost importance.  Log sheets are available at the front office or by submitting your volunteer hours to volunteer@crownpointeacademy.org.  Please return the sheet to the office every month so an accurate tally of the month’s total hours can be counted.  There has been concern that the amount of volunteerism at CPA has diminished.  Perhaps it is not the number of hours spent making sure the students have a quality education and a quality school, but the hours recorded that has decreased.  Please help us turn that around, record your hours and turn them in.  Thank you for your help in this matter.

 

In education, as in life, success and

fulfillment depend on family, school, and

community, working together as one.

Independently, as teachers, administrators,

support staff, and parents we strive to do the

 best for our children, yet,

TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!