Parent Helpers

Please allow us to thank you ahead of time for your time and support. We really couldnt do it without you! In the past we have had volunteers who would love to come in at 11:17 and stay until 2:48. Through the day we can have from three (two teachers and sometimes a high school aide) to five or six adults (with volunteers) in and out of our classroom. Please know that we are so very grateful for your assistance, but the best way you can help us and your child is to come in for your volunteer time, let us all give you a big thank you, give your child a big hug . . . and then treat yourself to a Starbucks for a job well done! This is the year to start letting your child become an independent worker. How exciting is that? Thank you for your understanding and support! Homework Parent This parent will be responsible for copying homework papers and stapling the packets together. This job needs to be done on a Thursday. This is a once a week job which two parents can alternate weeks. Friday Folder Parent This parent is responsible for putting all handouts and homework into the Friday folders. This just must be completed each Friday afternoon by 2pm. Center Parent Center time is a critical time when parents are greatly needed. During this time we will need two parents each day, Monday-Thursday. Center time will usually last thirty to thirty-five minutes each day. After this you are free to go. We really appreciate your help! Our center time will be from 12:15-12:50. Computer Parent Our computer time is Thursdays from 1:20-1:50. It really helps to have an extra adult in the lab to help troubleshoot and help children stay on task. Room Parent A room parents job is to plan parties/activities and organize parent volunteers. Two or more parents can share this responsibility.

Playdough Parent This parent will be responsible for making playdough once a month. This is a job that is done at home. Let me know if you need a recipe. Friday Art/ Game Parent FAME Docent ( F ine A rts M ini E xperience) FAME is a parent docent led presentation. It features six different artists and six different composers. The lessons include biographical information, representation of pieces of art/music and hands-on creation of student art. There is minimal preparation for the lessons and materials are provided through the PTA. There are four to six presentations a year. Two parents can share this job. Library Parent Our Library time is Fridays from 11:30-12:00. It is very helpful to have another adult in the library to help children choose books and help them look through them quietly. Storytelling Parent Kindergarteners love to hear stories. This is a fun job for parents who want to directly interact with the class as a whole. Coming in once a week, likely on Fridays for twenty minutes would be wonderful! Book Order Parent This parent will separate the book orders forms and attach an order deadline and have them ready to send home in the Friday folder. Once the books are delivered this parent will separate and label the orders when they come in for us to pass out. Cage Cleaning Parent This parent will come in weekly and clean Root Beer Floats cage. (Its not too gross!) Well likely coordinate with Mrs. Witts volunteer so perhaps this could be less than once a week. Volunteer Scheduling Parent Amber Ross This parent makes a monthly schedule for classroom volunteers and emails it to them and the teacher. Any changes that need to be made go through this parent.

Parent Helpers Handbook

We have produced this booklet as a basic guide for those parents and helpers who are able to volunteer and help the children in room 3. We value your contribution to the childrens learning and appreciate your help. We hope you find your time with us is rewarding, enjoyable and informational! Health and Safety For a variety of health and safety issues, it is very important that we know exactly who is on the school premises and where they are. We therefore ask that every adult who comes into the school does so via the main office . You will be asked to sign in and will be given a badge with your name on it to wear while you are visiting. Another very important health item that must be completed prior to working in our classroom is a current TB test. Once you have proof of your TB clearance and have filled out the volunteer form from the office, please turn it into the office where they will be reviewed and cleared. Supervising Students The following points are helpful whenever you are supervising the children. 1. Always treat children with respect and in the same sort of way that you would expect them to treat you. 2. Be friendly towards them. 3. Avoid talking in a loud voice. If you speak normally or in a soft voice they will have to be quiet in order to hear what you are saying. This also helps other children around the room complete tasks without much distraction. It is hard for a child to concentrate when there is too much noise. It is a challenge with 32 students, but with your help we can manage a calm, quiet, learning environment. Thank You! 4. Tell them exactly what to do in as much detail as possible. 5. Dont be afraid to quietly and calmly correct a child that is misbehaving. Please feel free to use our behavior system if a child is not listening to you. Please speak with the teacher if you are unsure of what to do. 6. Praise the children whenever possible. 7. Encourage them to be polite to one another. 8. If you are concerned about a child for any reason, have a word with the teacher. PLEASE do not speak directly to the childs parents. 9. Encourage the children to pick up after themselves. Please have them clean their spot at the table before leaving.

Cell Phones and Side Conversations We love to have our classroom be a relaxing place to learn and teach. We love modeling and teaching conversation skills to our little ones. Please be mindful of when the class needs to be quiet or students need to be attended to, and adjust adult conversations accordingly. If you have to take a call, please take it outside both for the learning environment and for your privacy. Confidential Information Occasionally as a classroom volunteer you will become aware of information about children that is confidential or private to the child or their family. This is a delicate matter that requires a great deal of tact on your part. Any information that leads you to believe a child is at risk should be mentioned to the teacher. Any conversation with parents outside of the classroom is a breach of the schools confidence. Even a comment such as, Your Jimmy reads well, could be misconstrued, as others will wonder why you have not said that to them. It is very important to treat anything you hear or see in school with regard to particular children as being in the absolute confidence and entirely a matter with the school. Thank you! Center Caddies Each table should have a plastic caddy. They are filled with pencils, glue and scissors. Feel free to place the materials in the center of the table for children to use. Please make sure at the end of the center time or an activity that the caddies make it back to their home. Encourage students to put the baskets in the appropriate place. If there is free time while you are here please feel free to organize the baskets, such as sharpening pencils, checking glue sticks, etc. There will also be caddies of crayons and pencils when needed. Hearing/Listening to Readers One task you may be involved in is reading with the children. This is an important but consuming task, especially with a group. Here are some suggestions on how to approach the children with different reading levels. Beginning Readers 1. Children should be aware that you read from left to right, turning the pages that way and reading the lines left to right and top to bottom. 2. To start read the book together. 3. Discuss the pictures and the story. 4. Read the book again pointing to each word as you read.

Early Readers 1. Ask the child to point to each word as he/she reads it. 2. Discuss the pictures and the story. 3. Read the story together. 4. Ask the child to find key words which are repeated several times in the book i.e. the, up, in, etc. 5. The children should be aware of full stops (periods) and that you need to pause at a full stop and not to run sentences together. Extended Reading As the children can read more words, try to get them to work out new words by making a good logical guess. Maybe the picture will help. If the child has good knowledge of initial sounds, looking at the first letter or small words within words, sound out the whole word i.e. ing in king. Try to get the child to read to the end of the sentence and then go back to work out an unknown word. Even with competent readers you should discuss the stories and pictures. Also you can try to encourage the children to use expression or put on suitable voices. Discussion Questions The following are examples of the types of questions to use when discussing a story. 1. What was the story about? 2. Who was the main character? 3. What were they doing? 4. What should he/she have done? 5. What part did you like best? 6. What would have happened if . . . ? Thank You Thank you for taking the time to be with us in the classroom. Your help and support are invaluable. In case we ever forget to say thank you please be assured that we really do appreciate your help! THANK YOU!!! Blessings, Miss Jennifer Jones
jjones@fcusd.org 916.294.0334 ext. 103

Volunteer Name: Childs Name: Best Contact Number: Best Email Address:

Please list any of the volunteer options you are interested in helping with this year in Room 3. Please list the day you would prefer to work so our coordinator has a better idea of how to schedule our volunteers. Thanks! 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Additional Information:

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