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Around here parents who can volunteer during school hours might chaperone on field trips. They are not typically allowed to volunteer beyond that in their own child's classroom. They must pay for and pass the same background check as any school employee (and I think that is a vitally important item all schools should do).
There were more outside of school hours volunteer thing. Fairs, dinners, auctions, extracurricular events, etc.
It's been quite some time since my kids were little but I volunteered throught their elementary school years. During the day, in the school doing everything from chaperoning field trips to planning year end field days, assisting in small group activities and stuffing "Thursday folders" that went home with each child every week. We did not do background checks then and I have no idea whether they do them now. Since I wasn't ever with kids on a 1-1 basis I don't think it was a big deal and I doubt I'd have a concern about that if I had a current elem school student. I do remember at one time having to sign something regarding privacy in the event I might inadvertently see or become aware of a grade or incident. I know our schools benefit greatly from having a large base from which to draw volunteers, which frees up time for the teacher to focus on teaching rather than some of the other minutia which can be so time consuming. When the kids were older (high school) volunteering obviously wasn't in the classroom but more in the form of booster club or prom committe or the occasional field trip or groundwork for arranging speakers etc.
I think it depends on the economic status of the school. I've volunteered at my kids' school - public elementary - but not so much at the middle school. When the younger is out of elementary I'll have time to do MS/HS (they want after hours volunteers and our schedule doesn't permit it right now) - I know I'll be a band booster in HS when the time comes). Currently I volunteer in the cafeteria and library and as a team manager for destination imagination. I've run the book fair before. I've also helped in the classroom. I much prefer interacting with the kids; I'm not much on workroom copying, etc.
We have background checks. Even if parent volunteers are not 'allowed' alone with kids, I feel more comfortable with checks.
On holiday parties, graduations and other special events there is no available parking because of all the parents; many of the families have both parents at the school.
I've worked in districts that had little or no parent participation. That is much worse.
I have volunteered since my kids were in kindergarten. Class mother, PTO positions, library, fund raising, etc. Once they reached high school the volunteering was much less classroom oriented, and much more sports support.
Even working parents have been heavily involved in the various districts we've lived in. I only see it as a positive.
To volunteer at the charter school my kids will be attending, all parents have to have a background check. It's called PALS, I think? I'm not sure what it entails; I have the form here somewhere but haven't really looked at it yet. I'll get to it before school starts. I'll probably volunteer in some aspect. The kids are in the 5th and 7th grades, though, so I guess they probably don't need classroom volunteers at that point? I don't really know, to be honest.
I'm sure everyone is also running background checks on their neighbors and babysitters (even teens) and relatives who have significantly more time around your children than a volunteer stuffing envelopes and grading papers while your child is at lunch or on the playground or sitting with 4 other kids and you are supervising scissor work. Right?
I mean, I understand the schools need to protect themselves (which is the point of the background check) but I also think it can go overboard. JMHO though.
I'm sure everyone is also running background checks on their neighbors and babysitters (even teens) and relatives who have significantly more time around your children than a volunteer stuffing envelopes and grading papers while your child is at lunch or on the playground or sitting with 4 other kids and you are supervising scissor work. Right?
I mean, I understand the schools need to protect themselves (which is the point of the background check) but I also think it can go overboard. JMHO though.
I understand your point, but would like to point out that you over simplifying what volunteers sometimes do at schools. In all the years I helped at our school, I spent hours upon hours with the children. I was not in an empty classroom grading papers or exiled to the copy machine room while class was in session. Even with 4 other kids there...would you really want someone with a record supervising them?
I would like to think that it is the school protecting the children...and not necessarily themselves when they run background checks.
I live in a fairly affluent, upper class development and I would say we have a fair amount of parent volunteers. I am active in their school and chair a committee w/the PTA.
I will say, it is the same people over & over again, not many new faces.
We just redistricted and there are many new families now, a bit of. Varying demographics, but for the most part, I think we have a great % of parent involvement.
I live in a fairly affluent, upper class development and I would say we have a fair amount of parent volunteers. I am active in their school and chair a committee w/the PTA.
I will say, it is the same people over & over again, not many new faces.
We just redistricted and there are many new families now, a bit of. Varying demographics, but for the most part, I think we have a great % of parent involvement.
I hear ya on the same people over and over. It's that way in our school too. But without the wonderful people who commit their time, due to the budget cuts in our district, our school would do very poorly indeed.
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