Volunteer Handbook 

T.E.A.M. – Together Everyone Achieves More 

Volunteer Letter / Mission Statement / Success As A Volunteer /

Types of Work / Volunteer Police Check / Building Policies /

Nitty, Gritty Details / Volunteer Responsibilities / Working With Students

 

Volunteer Letter

Dear Volunteer: 

Thank you for volunteering.  You are about to make a vital contribution to the success of our school.  The reason for your being here and our being here is to help the students learn the skills necessary to be successful.  It is something that will take all of us working together to accomplish. 

This handbook is designed to help you be successful in your ‘job’ as a St. Mary Catholic School volunteer.  We hope this information is helpful in your job as volunteer at our school. 

Thank you for your help.  We know that the future success and happiness of our children depends on the education they receive today.  Our students will receive a better education because you volunteered your time and talent at St. Mary Catholic School. 

Thank you and congratulations! 

The St. Mary Staff

Mission Statement

 

The staff at St. Mary Catholic Elementary School is dedicated to providing the best education possible for each and every child in our care.  We will endeavour to create an atmosphere that will address the spiritual, intellectual, physical, social and emotional needs of your child while providing them with the basic skills, intellectual honesty and social conscience that will allow them to face the uncertain challenges of the future with hope and confidence.  Christ will show us the way and our children will lead.  Students, parents and teachers should unite to work as a community for the betterment of all.  Our school is your school.

 

We expect:

• Students to experience success and to acquire self-confidence, self-direction and independence.
• Students to develop respect and trust for themselves, others and their environment.
• Students to learn the skills needed to be successful and responsible citizens.
• Parent and community involvement in our students’ education.
• Educators to provide and use the best instructional strategies that address individual needs of students.

 

We  believe:

1. In the development of the whole child – academically, physically, aesthetically, emotionally and socially.
2. In heterogeneous grouping and multi-age organization of students and uniqueness of each individual.
3. In dedicated and highly trained educators.
4. Schools and educators can make a difference in a child’s life.
5. That all students can learn and achieve.

We expect teachers to teach, students to learn, parents to participate and the community to support our school in order to meet our mission.

 

Success As A Volunteer

 

As a volunteer, you will gain a feeling of satisfaction from your work because you bring with you:

An interest in your people 

The ideal volunteer…

• Believes in each child’s ability to learn and grow.
• Accepts children of all ages, abilities, backgrounds and personalities.
• Recognizes that well-educated children are our greatest natural resource.

A desire to teach, to learn, and to help

The ideal volunteer…

• Has time and willingness to serve.
• Has, or is willing to acquire, the skills and talents that can enrich the educational process.
• Supports the school’s efforts to educate each student to his or her potential.

Commitment, dependability and flexibility 

The ideal volunteer…

• Is reliable and prompt and realizes that the teacher and students count on him or her to be there.
• Is capable of adjusting to the teacher’s way of doing things.
• Is friendly, enthusiastic, and positive.
• Understands and appreciates the work of the school, staff and the volunteer program.

Confidentiality

The ideal volunteer…

• Respects the confidentiality of his or her relationship to the school.
• Is careful to ensure that a child’s work and behaviour in school are held in confidence.

 

Types of Work

 

Volunteers can work in a variety of places – the classroom, library or as a tutor.  Some activities are listed below.  Be sure to let us know what you would like to do. 

• Arranging bulletin board displays
• Assisting in the computer room
• Binding books
• Collating and stapling papers
• Correcting papers
• Cutting paper for art objects
• Chaperoning on field trips
• Helping with plays and programs
• Helping pupils who were absent catch up on missed work
• Helping with parties
• Assisting with art projects
• Typing students’ stories for books
• Tutoring in Math, Reading or Writing
• Working with a small group of students
• Sharing your special talent or interest
• Most anything

Volunteer Police Check

 

• All volunteers must submit a Police Check to the School Administrator.
• Volunteers should always work with children in areas that are in sight of staff.

Building Policies

 

• All volunteers must sign in and sign out at the school office.
• Volunteers should wear nametags while in the building.
• Smoking or using any kind of tobacco product is prohibited on all St. Mary Catholic Elementary School property.
• Any volunteer who is injured at school should report to the office staff and administrators immediately.
• Only emergency telephone calls should be made.  Personal calls while volunteering are discouraged.

 

Nitty, Gritty Details

 

Absences:  It is understood that there may be times when volunteers are not able to come to school.  Volunteers can leave a message for their teacher letting the teacher know that they are not able to come in on a given day.

Volunteering in your child’s class:  Children react differently when their parents are in the classroom.  Some demand more attention and others ignore their parents.  You will want to discuss your role as a volunteer with your child.  You may want to explain that you will not be able to give your child all of your usual attention or meet all of his/or her needs while you are volunteering.

If you find that you or your child cannot separate the roles of parent and volunteer, you may want to postpone your involvement as a volunteer in your child’s classroom.  This does not mean you should not volunteer.  The solution may be simply matching you up with a different volunteer opportunity.  If you wish, you may even choose to help by doing volunteer work for St. Mary Catholic Elementary staff at home.

 

Volunteer Responsibility

As an adult in the school our children will look you up to.  Children naturally imitate the adults they see. This makes it important to know and observe the school and classroom rules and regulations.

Be Dependable

• Reliability is one of the most important requirements of a volunteer.  It is important to arrive at the appointed time on your scheduled day as the children and teachers will be counting on you.
• If you are unable to come as scheduled, please call the school.  Office personnel will relay the message to the teacher.  Please do not feel you must come to school if you are ill.

Be Confidential

• It is very important that you keep information about children confidential.  It is important that you not discuss children or their progress with others – even their parents.  Do not make reference to children’s abilities in front of other children.  The only person who should be told about a child’s work is the teacher.
• If parents ask about a child’s progress, suggest in a friendly way that they contact the teacher.  Most parents will appreciate your position and are usually just expressing an interest in your work.

Be Flexible

• There will be occasions when schedule changes, absences of particular children, conditions of equipment, or availability of materials make adjustments necessary.  Being able to change plans, alter programs and shift assignments is an advantage to you and to the teacher.

Be Professional

• Just as you are asked to respect the confidentiality of the child’s progress, you are also asked to be respectful of the teachers.  Please do not publicly question or criticize the teacher or the methods used.  If you have questions about methods or programs, privately ask the teacher about them.  Do not speculate with friends or appear doubtful about the teacher’s judgment.
• If you approach the teacher directly, most questions will be answered satisfactorily.  Usually the explanation will give you the necessary background for understanding and help you gain confidence in the program.
• If, after talking to a teacher, you still have unanswered questions or reservations about a particular method or school policy, please contact the principal.  This effort to maintain open and honest communication will build trust and rapport between you and the school staff.

Working With Students

Developing a positive relationship with students will make your volunteer experience more enjoyable, as well as more beneficial.

Getting to Know Students

It is a lot more fun when you learn the students’ names.  We also want to be sure that all students know your name.  Get to know each other by first talking about things the students like, then sharing something you like with them.

Let students take their time warming up to you.  Make yourself accessible to the children and be kind – students gravitate toward these qualities.

Working in the classroom

• Be a good role model.
• Emphasize what the student does well before talking about his or her weakness.
• Encourage students who struggle academically and give them hints, but don’t give them the answer.
• Don’t compare one student to another.
• Be careful not to favour one or two students more than others.
• If a student is difficult to work with, ask the teacher for assistance.  The teacher is responsible for the discipline of students.
• If you are not certain about an answer or method of instruction, check with the teacher.  You are not expected to know all of the answers.
• Relax and enjoy the students.