Volunteers

Nearly 4,000 volunteers annually leave their mark on education by providing academic support and enrichment opportunities the district might not otherwise be able to offer.

District volunteers help in areas ranging from mentoring to providing office help to serving on committees. Others help teachers create bulletin boards, help staff coordinate special events and fundraiser, chaperone field trips or read books to elementary students.

Volunteering Pays! Many companies are providing matching donations for people who make contributions to their schools or donate their time as volunteers.

Each of the schools has a parent involvement coordinator. This individual fills requests for volunteers from a list of parents who have offered their time and talents. People interested in volunteering can call Gigi Fitzpatrick, district volunteer resource coordinator, to get started, 651-748-7252; or send an e-mail indicating interest to gfitzpatrick@isd622.org.

The volunteer opportunities listed below represent some of the ways people can get involved in their school community.

Tutor: Students
Tutor students as basic academic skill reinforcement. Daytime; one hour a week for a minimum of three months.

Tutor: Adults
Tutor adults learning basic literacy skills or working toward their high school diploma. An understanding of the subject area is necessary. Evenings, once a week, for a minimum of six months.

Classroom Assistant
Work in a classroom under the teacher's direction. Daytime, one to three hours; once or twice a wek for a minimum of three months.

Health Screening
Test vision and hearing for Early Childhood Screening; Thursday or Friday mornings during the school year. Flexible commitment. Required training available in October or January.

Recreation/Enrichment
Assist children and adults with developmental and/or physical disabilities during sports and recreation activities, enrichment classes or parties. One evening a week, 6-8:15 p.m.; seven-week commitment.

Puppeteer
Four-person team needed to present puppet performances to K-3 students. The topic is understanding disabilities. Flexible commitment. Once a month.

Meals on Wheels Delivery
Deliver Meals on Wheels, 10:30 a.m. to noon. Regular commitment needed; must be licensed driver.

Junior Achievement
Teach the Junior Achievement program to elementary students; 30-40 minute lessons for five weeks. Lessons, materials, training provided.

Mentor/Friend
Befriend a child, age 11-13, who is having trouble at home or in school; one hour a week, training available.

Committees
Parent, curriculum, leadership and advisory committees seek volunteers to serve one to two years. Help determine focus and direction of district curriculum and education goals. Evening meetings.

Community Resource Speaker
Share your hobby, interest, career, skill or travels with students ing rades K-12 in a classroom presentation. One-time, flexible commitment for a 30-60 minute session.

Listener
Talk with and listen to students, ages 11-14, in an informal setting during school. Students share problems, ideas and topics of interest. Thursdays for two hours; once a week or once a month, for nine months. Training is available.

Fine Arts Enrichment
Help children discover art, music and literature. Only the love of the subject is necessary. Training is provided. Sessions are 30 minutes, four to five weeks; flexible schedule.