Volunteer Handbook

Volunteer programs in Clover Park School District Schools will:

  • Provide a coordinated means of involvement that will help to raise student achievement;
  • Enhance the learning experiences of students; and
  • Create collaborative partnerships between schools and community
    members.

Link to CPSD Board Policy 4129 Family Involvement

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

WEEKLY/LONG-TERM SUPPORT

Literacy Tutoring

Work one-on-one or with small groups of students, providing them with individualized attention to help them strengthen their reading skills.

Math Tutoring

Work one-on-one or with small groups of students, providing them with individualized attention to help them strengthen their math skills. Improving math performance is a high priority for schools throughout the district.

Classroom Support

Support classroom teachers in a variety of tasks, including small group work with students, materials preparation and field trips.

Lunch Buddies

Serve a positive adult role model as you eat lunch with your assigned student or students every week.

Afterschool Program Support

Serve as a tutor and support for the afterschool program. In some schools this program is organized and led by Communities of Schools of Lakewood. Interested volunteers will be referred to Communities in Schools for more information.

Mentors

Meet weekly with a student who has been identified by school officials as in need of a supportive, adult role model. This program is organized and led by Communities in Schools of Lakewood. Interested volunteers will be referred to Communities in Schools for more information.

Coaching

Lead or support afterschool sports programs. A Volunteer Coaching application must be approved before volunteer coaching can begin.

Translation/Interpretation

Help schools communicate with non-English speaking families by serving as an informal interpreter or parent ambassador welcoming families in their native language.

Library Assistance

Support the librarian with read-alouds, organization, and other library tasks.

Office Support

Work outside the classroom, supporting school staff and teachers with a range of office tasks, including copies, assembling materials for distribution, and preparing for school events.

Classroom Support

Work in the classroom, assisting the teacher with various tasks such as making copies, passing out and collecting classwork, displaying student work on bulletin boards, listening to students read-aloud, or overseeing a class project.

School and District Advisory Committees

Collaborate with school and district staff, parents and community members to support school and district initiatives.

ONE-TIME/SHORT-TERM OPPORTUNITIES

Culminating Project Judges

Serve on a panel with fellow community members, and judge high school students' culminating projects. These multi-disciplinary reflections on one's education are one component of graduation requirements for all students.

Science Fair Judges

This is an annual event in the Clover Park School District at all schools. Judges are needed at both the school level and the district level to judge student work using a judging rubric for content and quality of the project.

Event Support

Sample events include:

  • Family Math/Reading/Science/Fitness Nights
  • Cultural Days
  • School concerts and plays
  • Field Day
  • Book Fairs
  • Open House

Job Shadowing

Invite high school students to participate in a job shadow at your company, enabling the student to learn about professionalism and career options. The job shadow is one element of the Culminating Project, a graduation requirement in
the Clover Park School District.

Presentations

Share your knowledge and skills with students during class presentations and assemblies, and help create connections between what students are learning in school and the wider world.

School Beautification

Join a group for periodic work days focusing on indoor and outdoor projects to make schools more inviting and welcoming to families.

Additional Information

All potential volunteers need to complete a Washington State Patrol Criminal History form each school year before beginning their service in Clover Park School District.

Please note that availability of the volunteer options listed above may vary between schools, depending on need and infrastructure. We will work diligently to place all interested volunteers in service, however, placement is not guaranteed.

For more information regarding the volunteer program, please contact:

Holly Bocchi, Family & Community
Partnership Coordinator
Clover Park School District
[email protected]
253-583-5043

VOLUNTEER RESPONSIBILITIES

Volunteers will:

  • Attend recommended or required orientation and training sessions.
  • Be prompt, dependable and reliable.
  • Provide the volunteer coordinator with as much advanced notice as possible if unable to attend scheduled volunteer shift.
  • Maintain confidentiality related to student behavior and work.
  • Know and understand all regulations and procedures in assigned school (i.e., fire drills, accident reporting, student restroom privileges, inclement weather procedures, etc.).
  • Understand and accept the students in terms of their own background and values.
  • Serve as a positive role model in behavior, interactions and dress.
  • Notify the volunteer coordinator if a student confides in the volunteer about an abusive situation. The appropriate staff person or people will manage the reporting and follow-up process.
  • Discuss problems that arise with the appropriate teacher, staff person and/or volunteer coordinator.
  • Communicate regularly with assigned teacher, staff person and/or volunteer coordinator via agreed-upon communication methods.
  • Serve as an assistant rather than a replacement.
  • Stay engaged in the learning process by muting or silencing a cell phone and refrain from using a cell phone while working with students.
  • Not give students medication of ANY kind. In the event that a student becomes ill, please notify a teacher or other school staff and direct the student to the health clerk or school nurse.

BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP WITH STUDENTS

  • Be patient when working with students. Give yourself time to find your niche.
  • Names are important. Make sure you say and spell the student's name the way s/he wants it to be said and spelled. Likewise, make sure the student knows your name and can correctly pronounce it.
  • Treat individuals with respect and courtesy, and expect the same in return.
  • Show you are interested in the student as a person by listening carefully to what s/he says, and by using caring words and actions.
  • Encourage and support student success. Build self-confidence by praising the student honestly and frequently. Remember that attentiveness and effort can be as important as performance.
  • Avoid making comparisons between students, between teachers and between schools.
  • Be fair, consistent, trustworthy and honest in your approach, attitude and interactions with students.
  • Students, staff and volunteers make mistakes. Reinforce for students that mistakes are a part of learning, and show that you are not afraid to make mistakes yourself.
  • If you know in advance that you will be unable to attend your next session with a student, make sure to inform the student and the volunteer coordinator.

APPROPRIATE INTERACTIONS WITH STUDENTS

These guidelines are provided to volunteers in order to assist them in creating a safe working environment for themselves as well as for the students with whom they work.

Location of work with students

The location where volunteers meet with students will vary depending on the task, the size of the student group and the needs of the staff member. However, in general, volunteers should attempt to meet in areas with limited distractions.

If a staff member asks you to work with a student or students in an empty room, leave the door open and sit in an area with the student(s) that is clearly visible to passers-by.

Physical Contact

It is natural for some students, particularly in the younger grades, to seek affection, attention and contact with volunteers. In contrast, culture, beliefs and personal history may cause other students to feel uncomfortable with physical contact and seek more physical space. All of these situations must be handled with respect and sensitivity.

Appropriate signs of affection (with approval from student)

  • Praise focused on effort, performance, etc. (rather than appearance);
  • High-fives;
  • Elbow or knuckle bumps;
  • Side hugs: if a student approaches you for a front hug, carefully put your arm around his/her shoulder and turn it into a side hug.

Inappropriate signs of affection (this is not a complete list)

  • Front hugs;
  • Allowing a student to sit on your lap;
  • Touching or patting in areas other than the shoulders, upper back, arms or hands; and
  • Any contact that causes a student to feel uncomfortable or unsafe.

Confidentiality

Although volunteers are expected maintain confidentiality regarding student behavior and work, volunteers are required to notify a school staff member if the student reveals, or you suspect, that:

  • The student plans to harm himself or others;
  • The student is currently harming himself or others; and/or
  • The student is being harmed by others.

If a student does confide in you regarding such a situation, please listen respectfully, but do not promise to keep this information confidential. Tell the student that in order to help, you must share this information with a staff member. When your session with the student is over, immediately contact the volunteer coordinator or appropriate staff person to report your conversation.

PROHIBITION OF HARASSMENT, INTIMIDATION AND BULLYING

Clover Park School District is committed to a safe and civil educational environment for all students, employees, parents/legal guardians, volunteers and patrons that is free from harassment, intimidation or bullying. These actions are forms of violence and may be direct or indirect.

Direct or identifiable actions may include:

  • Tripping, shoving or physically harming another person;
  • Verbal threats, name calling, racial slurs and insults; and/or
  • Demanding money, property, or some service to be performed.
  • Indirect actions may be more difficult to detect and may include:
  • Rejecting, excluding or isolating target(s);
  • Humiliating target(s) in front of friends;
  • Manipulating friends and relationships;
  • Sending hurtful or threatening e-mails, text messages, instant messages or written notes;
  • Blackmailing, terrorizing or posing dangerous dares;
  • and/orUsing the Internet to taunt or degrade a target and inviting others to join in posting humiliating notes or messages.

Any volunteer who observes, overhears or otherwise witnesses harassment, intimidation of bullying, or to whom such actions have been reported is urged to promptly make a report to any school staff member. Reports of harassment, intimidation and bullying may be made verbally or in writing.

For questions or more information about the district's harassment, intimidation and bullying policy, please contact the district compliance officer: 253-583-5154.

USING MOBILE PHONES, TABLETS AND CAMERAS

Volunteers are restricted from taking images (photos, videos and audio recordings) of students at school, school sponsored events or on field trips. Student images may not be posted on Facebook or other social media sites, sent via email or distributed using other communication channels.

If a volunteer has received prior approval to take images for school-related use, appropriate district and school procedures must be followed (ask the principal).

Federal law prohibits school districts from releasing student information without parent/guardian permission. Disclosing this information is a violation of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA).

Mobile devices (cell phones) can be disruptive in a learning environment. Please keep cell phones out of sight (put away) and inaudible (silent or muted) while you are working in a classroom or with students.

We understand that emergencies do happen, if you must take a phone call, we ask that you step into a hallway or outside the classroom to accept a call. Please make sure the teacher is aware of the situation before you walk out and never leave students unsupervised.

If you are using a cell phone in a place where students are not present, please be courteous of others in the school building and keep phone conversation to a minimum.

VOLUNTEER CHECKLIST

o Submit Volunteer Application and Washington State Patrol Criminal History Request to school
o Schedule Volunteer Orientation session with school's Volunteer Coordinator
o Attend Volunteer Orientation session

  • Tour school
  • Review Volunteer Handbook
  • Meet with teacher/staff member with whom you will be volunteering
  • Visit area of school in which you will be volunteering
  • Review responsibilities and expectations with teacher/staff member
  • Confirm date, time and location of volunteer session

o Sign in and out at the school's front desk in the volunteer hours log for every volunteer session.