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Location: Chapel Hill, NC, formerly NoVA and Phila
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Parent volunteers were very popular in my kids' former school district in Fairfax County, VA (outside DC) and are also very popular in our current smaller school district in Chapel Hill, NC. There are always parents in and out of the school doing various activities. Parents are also welcome to eat lunch at any time with their kid in the cafeteria (in both districts). Neither district required background checks. I've volunteered in both - sometimes doing simple work for the teacher like making photocopies and other times helping the children with logic games, reading, etc. in small groups.
To answer the OP's question...no I don't volunteer in my child's school. I worked there for a time, and would have volunteered for special events like field trips (which didn't happen) but no, I didn't take time off my job to volunteer at the school. Yep, I was one of "those" parents.
Last edited by Jaded; 07-20-2013 at 11:32 PM..
Reason: Post copied to new topic under Education; removed off-topic content
I have not volunteered in my daughter's school. She is in 2nd grade now, and I feel like I will need to do something, maybe chaperone a field trip or something, this year because I feel like every other parent volunteers all the time. I don't know how they all do it though. I feel like I take so much time off work to go to events like the Mother's Day celebration or the quarterly awards ceremonies and then there are the early release days too, not to mention doctor's appointments and things like that too. I feel like I take a LOT of time off at work to do things that my kids need, and I guess volunteering at the school to read a book to the class for "mystery reader" is just not high on my list of things to do. And I know they aren't exactly lacking in volunteers, so I guess I don't feel too bad about it - other than when my daughter asks me in that pitiful way when am I going to come to her school for XYZ like all the other parents do.
To answer the OP's question...no I don't volunteer in my child's school. I worked there for a time, and would have volunteered for special events like field trips (which didn't happen) but no, I didn't take time off my job to volunteer at the school. Yep, I was one of "those" parents.
The school my kids have been in for the past few years is a charter school that is truly the lesser of the evils when it comes to school choices for us.
Somehow they have managed to develop an atmosphere of "stay away". Parental involvement is next to nothing but it really seems unwanted. I signed up every year to volunteer but I was never called or contacted. Heck, half the time I didn't even know about an awards ceremony or whatever until the last possible HOUR.
It was a very very different experience when they were in private school and I spent so much time there it felt like we lived there. We sometimes even had some food items in the staff fridge. From day one, though, not only were parents welcomed, it was made clear that parental involvement was *vital* to the school and everyone was expected to participate and contribute, and they did. For some, that meant being there several times a week. For others, it meant showing up once a month for yard work days, or once every few months to help build new garden raised beds or work on a fundraiser but I never really resented it, it was like a large extended family. Compared to their current school, it's like night and day.
I was always at the elementary school in some capacity. I was a classroom volunteer, paid yard duty/office assistant, field trip chaperone, t-shirt sales coordinator, you name it. Once my kids got to middle school I barely set foot on campus. Burnout. Although I did co-chair my youngest high school "Grad Night" party...I figured it was my last chance to be involved in something. LOL.
His first year at the school I volunteered a lot. Went on two field trips and helped out at the school. This past school year I just did take home stuff; cutting & stapling/washing blankets/sending supplies. I think parent involvement is great & although I have no proof I feel like the teachers work more with my son because they know I'm invested in his education. I overheard 2 teachers talking once (I was in the teachers lounge area) and one commented that she didn't make a student take home his work because she knew it wouldn't come back anyway. The other said something like he could complete it tomorrow during recess but the first basically said she didn't care because tomorrow during recess he'd have to do the work he didn't finish from that morning...sorry veering off topic.
I have not volunteered in my daughter's school. She is in 2nd grade now, and I feel like I will need to do something, maybe chaperone a field trip or something, this year because I feel like every other parent volunteers all the time. I don't know how they all do it though. I feel like I take so much time off work to go to events like the Mother's Day celebration or the quarterly awards ceremonies and then there are the early release days too, not to mention doctor's appointments and things like that too. I feel like I take a LOT of time off at work to do things that my kids need, and I guess volunteering at the school to read a book to the class for "mystery reader" is just not high on my list of things to do. And I know they aren't exactly lacking in volunteers, so I guess I don't feel too bad about it - other than when my daughter asks me in that pitiful way when am I going to come to her school for XYZ like all the other parents do.
The way it seems to work around here is SAHM's volunteer in the classroom on a weekly basis. Working parents volunteer to chaperone field trips that are a one-time thing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sally_Sparrow
The school my kids have been in for the past few years is a charter school that is truly the lesser of the evils when it comes to school choices for us.
Somehow they have managed to develop an atmosphere of "stay away". Parental involvement is next to nothing but it really seems unwanted. I signed up every year to volunteer but I was never called or contacted. Heck, half the time I didn't even know about an awards ceremony or whatever until the last possible HOUR.
It was a very very different experience when they were in private school and I spent so much time there it felt like we lived there. We sometimes even had some food items in the staff fridge. From day one, though, not only were parents welcomed, it was made clear that parental involvement was *vital* to the school and everyone was expected to participate and contribute, and they did. For some, that meant being there several times a week. For others, it meant showing up once a month for yard work days, or once every few months to help build new garden raised beds or work on a fundraiser but I never really resented it, it was like a large extended family. Compared to their current school, it's like night and day.
Interesting. I know some of our charter school require parents to volunteer a certain number of hours. That is one of several ways charter schools don't really work for families with 2 working parents.
Interesting. I know some of our charter school require parents to volunteer a certain number of hours. That is one of several ways charter schools don't really work for families with 2 working parents.
I think it's about ego of the main person in charge, honestly. Parental input would keep her from doing everything her way. She's kind of a control freak, lots of issues there. Years ago, for example, she told the art teacher he could not allow the children to take their work home (high school) because she had paid for the materials so the art was hers. The art teacher ended up quitting over the issue. When there are school events, like fall festivals, there will sometimes be live music, and it is always someone she knows personally or a family member. Many of those who work there are related to her or her daughter. DD's previous teacher (3rd grade) quit over a teacher aide that was assigned to her but talked on her cell phone all day, but who kept her job because she was related. It's nutty. Glad we are moving.
I live in a fairly affluent urban neighborhood. The public school is crawling with parent volunteers. I mean all the time. It's sort of an unspoken rule that all the families find a way to contribute. Parents run pretty much half of what the school done.
I was a weekly volunteer for each child's kindergarten and did a few field trips and worked some PTA events and fundraisers in the later grades.
It is an excellent school. It is true parent involvement is usually a predictor, probably because its tied so closely to income level.
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From day one, though, not only were parents welcomed, it was made clear that parental involvement was *vital* to the school and everyone was expected to participate and contribute, and they did. For some, that meant being there several times a week. For others, it meant showing up once a month for yard work days, or once every few months to help build new garden raised beds or work on a fundraiser but I never really resented it, it was like a large extended family. Compared to their current school, it's like night and day.
