NOTE: The opportunities described below are for a typical school year. Please contact your child's teacher for classroom opportunities or the PTA First Vice President for PTA opportunities.
Volunteers coming to CLES or chaperoning a field trip are required to complete two training sessions. Please follow the steps below to complete and submit the training certificates.
Step 1: Complete the required Confidentiality Training for volunteers & chaperones.
https://www.hcpss.org/parents/volunteer-information/
Step 2: Complete the Confidentiality Training Certificate to verify you completed the training. https://www.hcpss.org/f/parents/volunteer-confidentiality-certificate.pdf
Step 3: Review the Training Powerpoint about How to Report Child Abuse
MD State Law & HCPSS Policy 1030
Step 4: Complete the Abuse Training Certificate to verify you completed the training. Abuse Training Certificate
Step 5: Complete and submit the Volunteer & Chaperone Google form to submit your certificates. https://forms.gle/EJwVvp2sqq4isZS98
For any questions on the opportunities below, please contact PTA President at president@clespta.org.
Classroom Volunteers: For most grades at CLES, classroom teachers will seek parents to volunteer. Some examples of duties for these parents may include the following: organizing paper packets, setting up a bulletin board, cutting, working with children or organizing laminated pieces for a learning game/project. The sign up for these opportunities is typically done at Back to School Night. Afterwards the teacher will set up a volunteer schedule typically on a monthly basis at a set time of the week designated by the teachers and para educators of that grade. Please note-each grade and/or teacher varies in times and responsibilities. Talking with your child's teacher will ensure the most accurate information.
Room Parent: Each class will have one or several parents designated as the Room Parent. This/These individual(s) will help the teacher organize special events for the class including but not limited to holiday parties (Halloween and Valentines Day), special events (ie: Thanksgiving craft, Winter party/craft, Gingerbread house making, Dr Seuss Birthday, 100th day of school), will coordinate possible teacher/para educator gift giving for winter and end of the school year, and help with the end of the year Team Fun Day. To volunteer to become a Room Parent, one would sign up at Back to School Night or contact their child's teacher.
Field Trip Volunteers: Students attend approximately two grade wide field trips during the school year. Often times, the classroom teachers would like parents to chaperone a group of students on the field trip. The duties of the chaperone are to guide the designated group of students through the field trip, as well as keep track of and ensure the safety of the students on the field trip. Often times the chaperone also carries the lunches for the students. Parents are expected to ride the bus to and from the field trip with the students. To volunteer to be a field trip chaperone one would sign up at the bottom of the permission slip that comes home with their child. The teacher then contacts you afterwards to communicate that you will be attending the field trip as a chaperone and give you arrival and departure information.
Lunch Volunteers: At the beginning of the school year, Kindergarten parents are encouraged to come to school to assist in the cafeteria during lunch. Children often need help opening food items during this time. This is only encouraged for Kindergarten and will be coordinated by the Kindergarten Volunteer Coordinator using Sign Up Genius. Kindergarten teachers will communicate with families on signing up for cafeteria help.
Technology Volunteers: In Kindergarten and sometimes in 1st grade, the Technology teachers are in need of parent volunteers during technology class. This volunteer is a monthly obligation where the volunteer helps the student type in their name and password, and assists with computer questions during the class. Room parents or the Kindergarten Volunteer Coordinator will communicate when Technology volunteers are needed and will assist with sign up using Sign Up Genius.
Library/Media Volunteers: Media Center volunteers assist the Media Specialists with checking in and checking out books, assist with inventory and provide any needed general assistant to maintain organization on the Media Center shelves and in the Media Center. The Media Specialists will send out an email asking for assistance at specific times.
One time Volunteer Opportunities:
PTA events: The PTA holds several events throughout the year including both social and academic events. They often require volunteers to make the events run smoothly (set up and clean up crew, people to hand out items, volunteers throughout an activity). To volunteer to help these events the PTA committee will reach out with a Sign Up Genius link. Following that link online shows the available volunteer opportunities. If you would like to get more involved in events and activities, you can join the PTA.
Classroom Needs: The Room Parent of your child's class will seek volunteers to donate items needed for events that will be held in the classroom (parties and activities). The Room Parent may also need people to come into the school to help out at a classroom party or event. They will often send a note home in your child's take home folder or email a sign up link through the website sign up genius. Some teachers will ask at Back to School night for emails of parents interested in donating items or volunteering to attend a party. Throughout the year, the PTA also organizes a sign up genius that will list classroom or staff supply needs.
Band/Orchestra: Volunteers are needed during the band and orchestra concerts in the winter and spring to help the children organize and set up and pack up. The band or orchestra teacher will ask for volunteers via email.
SCH: Fifth graders participate in a Simulated Congressional Hearing project in May. The 5th grade teachers seek volunteers to be judges of presentations; more information on SCH and presentation judges will be sent home later in the school year.
Field Day: Centennial Lane's Physical Education Department puts on a fun day in May for the students. It consists of games played both inside and outside. Half of the school has field day in the morning and the other half in the afternoon. Many volunteers are needed to run the games and help the children. Look out for an email sign up link through the website sign up genius in May.
Spring Fair: This PTA fundraiser in June requires many donations and volunteers to raise money for the school. One could participate with a monetary donation towards the spring fair in several ways (sponsor a booth, donate items for the auction, donate money for their grade basket, bake a cake or other dessert). One could also volunteer their time during the spring fair to run a game, help in the kitchen or work the silent auction . Fliers and email links through sign up genius are sent in May for these many volunteer opportunities.
Team Fun Day: During the last 2 weeks of school each grade hosts a fun day that lasts half of the school day. These fun days are grade specific. Volunteers are needed to run games, pass out popsicles, and help with art. Your child's Room Parent or teacher will solicit these volunteers.