Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteerism is one of Explorer Elementary Charter School's great strengths. Parents and other community members give of themselves in countless ways by volunteering at Explorer for both short-term and long-term projects. Busy working parents have many opportunities to help the school on short-term projects such as afternoon or weekend building and clean-up events, or by doing small take-home jobs for teachers. Those who are able to devote time on a weekly basis will find many opportunities as well, from serving school lunches to helping children learn to read in the Everyone a Reader program, to assisting in the classroom.

For more information on volunteering at Explorer, see the Explorer Elementary Charter School Volunteer Survey 2005-2006.



•Volunteering for the Parent Council

School Spruce-Up Volunteers work on two Sundays in August to provide painting, minor repairs and cosmetic improvements to the school. Adults and students second grade and up are welcome to attend one or both weekends.

New Family Link Volunteers are paired with a new family and make themselves available to answer questions and help them through any difficulties they may have adjusting to Explorer. This position involves phone calls, and an informal meeting with new parents on the first day of school, as well as informal follow-up calls.

Pizza Tuesday Volunteers gather at Explorer on Tuesdays at 11:45 – 12:30 to pass out pizza and fruits and vegetables to students who have ordered pizza lunch. Volunteers may work weekly, biweekly or monthly.

Hot Lunch Volunteers distribute hot lunch to children who have ordered it from 11:45-12:30 one or more days per week.

Purchasing Volunteers purchase paper goods for Hot Lunch/Pizza programs on a monthly basis.
Hospitality Committee volunteers provide refreshments and paper goods as needed for
some school events on an occasional basis.

Gift-Wrap Fundraiser Volunteers distribute order forms to each student in September, collect payments and order forms from students, place a school-wide order with the gift wrap company, and distribute ordered goods to families in October.

Back to School Picnic Volunteers can help organize, help set up, or help clean up this once-a-year event on a Sunday in early September.

Everyone a Reader Program Volunteers are trained to help children learn to read. Volunteers work with children on a weekly basis in small groups or one on one, in one hour sessions. Volunteers are also needed to coordinate the program.

Harvest/Thanksgiving Celebration Volunteers coordinate classroom desserts, entertainment, decorations, and help set up and clean up the event, which is held in November before Thanksgiving.

Craft Fair/Explorer Family Business Fair Volunteers coordinate this event in which families with businesses, as well as crafters, are invited to sell their wares after school before the Thanksgiving holiday.

Scholastic Book Fair Volunteers help with sales and set up on the days of the book fair, which lasts for four days in November. Volunteers are also needed to plan and coordinate the event.

Yearbook Volunteers take pictures at events and throughout the school all year, lay out pages, find economical printers, collect money and order forms, get yearbooks printed, and distribute the beautiful results of their labor at the end of the school year.

Art from the Heart Auction Committee Volunteers do a multitude of tasks to prepare the Art from the Heart fundraising event in May. Volunteers secure donations from businesses/social connections, help with set up, help with decorations, help with food, help with the silent auction, help with invitations, help with clean up, and help classes and the art teacher create items for auction.

Teacher Appreciation Luncheon Volunteers may help organize events for teachers, including a luncheon in May. Help is needed cooking food, coordinating student activities, and supervising in the classroom or on the playground during the event.

Last Day of School Celebration Volunteers help by purchasing ice cream sundae ingredients and paper products, and setting up and cleaning up before and after the ice cream social. Mid-June.

Assistants to PCEE Communications Coordinator help type up, lay out and create graphics for the Explorer Elementary School Newsletter.

eScrip Program Coordinator assists Explorer families in getting signed up for the eScrip program.

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• Volunteering at School

Lunch Supervision Volunteers supervise children on the playground once a week or occasionally during lunch hour.

Field Trip Drivers drive students to field trips, supervise them during the event, and then drive them back to school.

Room Parent Volunteers coordinate a multitude of tasks for each teacher and classroom, from organizing parties to coordinating field trip drivers to purchasing class gifts for teachers and others.

Classroom Volunteers help out in countless ways in the classroom on a weekly, monthly, or occasional basis.

All classroom volunteers are required to attend a parent-education class for classroom volunteers with the Social-Emotional Curriculum Coordinator and teachers in order to clarify expectations, as well as get a state-mandated TB test. (See individual teachers for more information as to specific schedules and volunteer needs.) Year around.

 

• Helping the School:

School Bulletin Board volunteers update bulletin boards once a month.

School Photo Day volunteers help organize children and classes on picture day in October.

Administrative Tasks volunteers assist office staff when needed on an occasional basis for mailings, copying and more.

School garden volunteers help maintain the school garden.

School Improvements volunteers help with painting, carpentry, repair, installation, purchasing discounts and more throughout the school year.

Grant committee volunteers research funding sources, or provide business and social connections to foundations and/or corporations, and write grant proposals to secure funding for countless Explorer needs.

 

 

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