Online SignUp Blog by SignUp.com

Apps & Tools to Help Any Teacher

Our Fave 5 Teacher Websites & Free Tech Tools

Teachers thriving in the digital age are pioneers in exploring online tools and apps to help manage their classrooms, curriculum, and time. To help, check our our fave 5 sites that all teachers should be checking out (and loving):

1. WeAreTeachers – This can literally be a teachers go-to online trove of information & resources to help with professional and educational development. There are resources on building curriculum, latest news and hot topics for teachers, grants and contests, and so much more. This site will soon offer a My Binder feature to help teachers manage all of their important information. WeAreTeachers also offers community blogs to help connect teachers everywhere! 

2. VolunteerSpot - Quickly and easily manage class helpers, p-t conferences, weekly readers, tutors, class party and field trip helpers, and service learning and exam proctors with free online signups sheets and parent scheduling.  Ditch the clipboards and simplify your life getting more parents involved with the convenience of signing up online from their computer or smartphone. Plus, automated reminders keep everyone on track!

3. EduBlogs – EduBlogs is an amazing blogging service that helps students, teacher and parents communicate in a safe and secure environment. Whether you want to connect with a classroom elsewhere or create your own classroom blog, EduBlogs ensures that every blogs content is for education only and no inappropriate ads or content will be available to the children. Blogging is also a great way to get the kids engaged and revamp classroom learning for the digital age.

4. Carson-Dellosa -  Carson-Dellosa makes learning fun by offering teachers (and parents and students) wonderfully creative products that engage young minds in super fun ways. Activity workbooks, stickers, worksheets, flash cards, puzzles, games and classroom decorations make Carson-Dellosa a one-stop shop for education materials. Commor Core curriculum materials also make Carson-Dellosa leaders in the education field.

5. Twitter -  A home for educators all ove the world, Twitter is connecting teachers of all grades and school types in weekly chats and twitter parties. Talking about best practices, blended learning, common core, flipped classrooms and more, twitter is a haven for teachers and school staff to communicate, collaborate and share. Additionally, Fast Follow by Twitter becomes a simple and reliable alert system for teachers to keep students and parents updated. To use it, all you need to do is setup a Twitter account and ask parents (and older students) to text Twitter’s shortcode of 40404 with the message “follow [your Twitter username].” From there, parents will start receiving all of your updates via text message in real-time.

6. Pinterest - (I know we said 5 tools, but we can't leave out Pinterest!) Last month, Pinterest announced the launch of Teachers on Pinterest, a hub where you’ll find everything from lesson plans for different grades, to classroom decorating ideas, and topics like fun with phonics. They are working closely with Edutopia — an online resource an thought-leader for educators—to build out this education-focused community on Pinterest.

Fundraising Ideas

Fundraising Ideas for Schools, Teams & Clubs

Now entering the ring . . . the heavyweight school carnival and it's opponent, the novelty product fundraiser. Who will duke it out the longest? Who will win?

Forget the battle! When it comes to fundraising for schools, teams and clubs, it doesn't have to be a boxing match between big school community events and fast-money product sales. Bringing the two together is your recipe to go the distance and improve turnout (and profits) for your school!

Check out our favorite ways to match up both types of fundraisers:

1. Walkathon/Fun Run: Full and active participation makes these school events super fun for the whole community and great way to seamlessly integrate a product sale at your registration or water tents. Great fundraising products for active events include reusable water bottles, school spirit wear, and energy snack bars.

2. Concession Stand: Get your team spirit on with those nachos and popcorn! Pump up your booster club and athletic program fundraising with creative solutions from trusted fundraising companies like BRAX Fundraising. With loads of your favorite college and pro football team colors and logos, BRAX's unique line of Spirit Cups will be a hit with your school families! Check them out HERE

3. School Carnival/Festival:  Your community event already has what you need - booths! Add one or two booths towards the entrance of your school carnival where parents can check out what awesome products they can order or redeem tickets for. Consider offering seasonal specialties like gourmet lollipops and pumpkins at the Fall Carnival, poinsettias, bulbs, and toffee at the Winter Fair, and tote bags or luxury sheets at the Spring Festival.

4. Holiday Events: Whether it's a performance, talent show, community night, you name it, the holidays are jam-packed with school family fun. What better way to reach out with a message of support your school through fun, useful products like luxury chocolates, gift items, and wrapping paper?

5. 'Green' Programs: Environmental awareness programs, 'green' movie screenings and rummage sales are prime places to set up a pop-up shop for your 'green' product fundraiser! Reusable labels, fair trade coffee and chocolates & designer tote bags help your school raise money while promoting your eco-friendly mission.

 

Image Courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Going Green for Back-to-School

5 Tips for "Going Green" this School Year

Going back to school reminds us of notebooks full of paper, colored flyers with the latest school updates & news being sent home, and countless sheets with math problems and vocabulary words. Is it possible to go back to school while still being eco-friendly? Of course it is! Even the tiniest of steps can make a huge different for the environment, and you can even save your school money on supplies. Keep reading to see what YOU can do to make this year a greener one! 

1. No more printing up sign-up sheets, use VolunteerSpot instead! All online, your free VolunteerSpot signup sheets & calendars keep classrooms paper free and get more parents involved with the convenience of signing up on their own time from their computer or smartphone. Automated 'green' email reminders help keep everyone on track too!
 
2. Encourage your families to attend your fall carnival/festival with their own reusable bag from home. Entice them with prizes or extra tickets just for being eco-friendly.

3. Make every school event a chance to recycle. Have apporpriate bins set up at big school functions and committee meetings (for bottles, paper, etc). Also be sure to encourage families to use their own mugs and cups for their coffee, juices, and hot chocolate at school community nights and fundraisers.

4. Change up your usual fundraisers for ones that feature “green” products like reusable labels, flower bulbs, all natural products, and fair trade coffees or chocolates. A new repertoire can be exciting for school families, help raise more money, and promote an Earth-friendly mindeset.

5. Start a Green Team! This team of parents and staff can help reduce, reuse, and recycle in every aspect of school and really make a difference.  To make things easy, you can use VolunteerSpot to organize the members and their duties. Check out green team ideas and signups, click HERE

 

Back-to-School Night Tips & Ideas

5 Tips & Fun Ideas for PTAs at Back-to-School Night

Back To School Night is one of the most important events for school administrators, educators, students, parents, and of course, your school's PTA. This is a time for the new parents to learn more about the school and connect with their child's teacher; and for veteran parents, it’s all about reconnecting and learning about any changes or additions for the new school year.

With the opportunity to connect with new members of the parent community and rekindle relationships with the more experienced school parents, the PTA must take advantage! So how can you make it an event that is more productive, enjoyable, and less chaotic?

Image Courtesy of Flikr.com

1. Get to the point. For both the veteran and new families, Back To School Night can be chock full of new info and updates, and will quickly become overwhelming. A brief overview of a few of the things that your PTA is focused on (don't ask for money or dive into school fundraisers) is the primary objective. Give the parents just enough that they want to find out more later on as they settle into the year.

2. Have a friendly chit chat and listen. Keep your conversation light but stay focused on the individual parents whom you meet. Friendly chit chat keeps the parent engaged long enough to leave a positive impression of your school and PTA, and encourages parents to be active supports and volunteers. In many cases, you may have that parent tell you that they have are short on time this semester to volunteer. Listen and you might find a different way to get that individual involved!

3. Share your social. Let parents know at Back to School Night how your PTA communicates with parents and be ready for feedback. If your PTA has a facebook page, a twitter account, a webpage, blog, you name it - share those online addresses and social handles so parents can follow you right away and be prepared to hear from you online throughout the year!

4. Don't get dicouraged by a "no". Any  experienced PTA chair or fundraiser can tell you that you often get a lot of no’s before you get a yes. Be patient and don’t take it personally if parents are not gung-ho from the very start of Back to School Night. Sometimes they will come around at a later date, so just let them know that they are welcome to ask at a more convenient time about your PTA.

5. Use VolunteerSpot!  Lose the clipboard signup sheets at Back to School Night. Give your parent community the impression that your PTA is ready to dive into the digital age. Post your online signup links on BTS Night materials, banners, you name it. Or utilitze the "Clipboard" VounteerSpot app for iPad, turning your tablet into a virtual clipboard. Stress the time-saving nature and convenience of an online scheduling tool to really bring your new parent volunteers on board! Get started now, click HERE

 

Image Courtesy of Flikr.com (Barrett ES)

Back to School: 23 Travel Tips For Carpool Safety

Have you ever chaperoned a traveling sports team? Or driven a group of tweens to a dance competition? Did it drive you crazy or were you prepared for the chaos a group of children in your car can present?

Everyone’s number one goal when traveling for a kids’ sports team or a competing dance, band or other type of group is not surprisingly to have fun!

But every parent’s main objective when transporting friends on the team should be all the kids’ safety and well-being getting there and back home again.

VolunteerSpot has teamed up with TravelingMom.com‘s travel experts to share their best tips for carpool safety.

TWITTER PARTY!

Join the Twitter Conversation using #TMOM and #VolunteerSpot Monday night @9PM EST to share YOUR best Travel Tips when transporting other people’s kids and you could win a gift card for your kid’s teacher.  

Click here for details and to RSVP.

23 TravelingMom Tips For Carpool Safety

1. Plan the Food
Pack healthy snacks, plan in advance to find a restaurant with the least greasy options.

“I try to keep a cooler of drinks and fruit handy - staves off requests for cokes and junk food from vending machines and concession stands.”—Teronya Holmes

2. Check for Allergies
“I always ask if they have any food allergies or sensitivities. Unless it's a child I know very well, I always ask each time s/he is with me because things might have changed since I last had them join us w/o their parent.”— Megy Karydes

3. Pack last minute often-forgotten items in a Carpool Kit

The kit might include a pair of scissors, band aids, extra pairs of game socks, hair ribbons for girls, a sewing kit, water bottles, sunscreen and bug spray.

4. Plan Out the Details

Meet with parents beforehand, spell out arrival time, rules and use a site like VolunteerSpot to schedule jobs, tasks, item needed, and even collect fees!

5. Have a Back-up Driver Plan
In case your child becomes ill or for some reason you need to cancel your trip.

6. Bring Water
Bring refillable water bottles and a gallon of water in the car. Keeping hydrated will always be important.

7. Make Reservations
Make reservations in advance if traveling with a large group of team kids. That goes for fast food restaurants too. If you know where you are stopping, alert them ahead of time.

8. Use Online Sign Up Sheets to Organize Snacks on Site
Ask parent volunteers to organize team meals or snacks at game sites or gymnasiums when necessary. Use VolunteerSpot's free online signups to coordinate other parents (who can sign up from their computer or on their smartphone or tablet); plus automated Reminders helps everyone keep their commitments! 

9. Eat Healthy in the Hotel
If staying overnight, give kids fresh fruit, yogurt, granola bars, and juice boxes to eat in their hotel rooms. Avoid late night junk food runs.

10. Don’t Wait Too Long Between Meals
Kids will eat pretty much anything if they wait too long between meals or snacks, help them avoid eating unhealthy food by keeping meals on time.

11. Communicate
Communicate with all the parents, coaches and even the kids throughout the whole journey! Create a list of cell phone numbers in case one of the cars on the caravan gets lost, or there is a change in a game or practice schedule.

12. Protect Yourself with Permission Slips
“I have parents fill out permission slips for me to take their kids’ out of state and permission to get them medical treatment. I have had seven kids in the car with me twice, and five several other times, and we bring a friend or two with us for most roadtrips.”—Julie Cohn

13. Pack a First Aid Kit

Create a safety kit determined by the sport or activity du jour. Band-Aids and antimicrobial creams, moleskin for blisters, ibuprofen (W/ permission from parents to use), bug bite and sun burn relief creams. If kids take prescriptions, get instructions and permissions from parent.

14. Hold Back Some Cash
Avoid problems with the kids’ spending money by holding back $10 from each kid, then later when they have spent everything and need a little to buy dinner you can save them!

15. Save On Breakfast Costs
Choose to stay in a hotel with free breakfast buffet each day.  

16. Save On Local Restaurants
Ask the hotel staff for tips about savings rates on restaurants nearby, maybe kids eat free on Tuesday nights with a paying adult?

17. Save On Gas
Download a few mobile apps like 'Gas Buddy,' that tell you where the cheapest gas stations are located.

18. Schedule Work Vacation Days
Schedule work vacation days for the group travel dates.  You want to be prepared in case your team or band ends up going to an extended tournament.

19. Use Social Media
Create a hashtag for your team and the kids can get in on the fun when sharing to social sites (most need to be 13 year old + to participate). Always be mindful of internet safety etc.

20. Pack Ear Plugs
“Tween girls and boys are LOUD!” –Deb Jamtot

21. Seatbelt Safety Reminders
“Make seatbelts mandatory even if you are carting teens. Don't assume your kids' friends will automatically buckle up. They "forget." For us, it requires an announcement.”—Kim Orlando

22. Pack an extra booster Seat
Keep an extra booster seat or ‘Travel Vest’ in your car in case a younger kid is riding with you or is too short for seatbelt guidelines. –Karen Heffren

23. Eavesdrop
“Turn the radio up in the back and down in the front. The kids have to talk louder and you can hear everything they say. Great way to get insight into what you may be missing in your kiddo's lives.”—Barb Likos

* * *

We would love to hear all your travel stories and best organizing tips on Monday night, August 26^th @ 9PM EST. Click HERE for details

Follow #TMOM on Twitter.com or go to TravelingMom.com for details and to RSVP. If you don’t have a Twitter account it’s easy to create one! Follow @TravelingMoms and @VolunteerSpot for more tips.

 

 

About the author:

Carissa Rogers publishes her good and crazy stories on her personal blog GoodNCrazy.com. She also writes for TravelingMom.com and she is the TravelingMom Facebook Engagement Expert as well. When she isn’t traveling with her family you can find her volunteering in her new community in the Charlotte area! Connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.

Use Social Media to Help Boost Your Fundraising Efforts

3 Reasons Social Media is the Hottest Trend in Fundraising

If you’re using VolunteerSpot to organize your fundraisers and events, you’re already embracing the biggest trend in fundraising. Want to ramp up the dollars coming in without increasing the volunteer workload? Try Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media platform where your volunteers and their friends and family are active. The word-of-mouth marketing power of online social networks translates to new sources and increased donations for your school or charity.

Here's why:                

- 24/7 Access to your audience

Just like VolunteerSpot, Facebook and other social networks are always on, and always working to help you achieve your fundraising goals at any time. It’s a lot more convenient to click a link to make a donation online than it is to open a door at dinner time and make a decision about peanut butter crunch vs. snickerdoodle cookie dough. The trick is pushing the message out over and over. People need to hear or see something multiple times before they really hear or see it.

- Can you say viral?

Remember that old Faberge shampoo commercial? “She’ll tell two friends, and she’ll tell two friends, and so on, and so on…” That’s the power of social media! Forward a link to your school and personal networks and ask those contacts to do the same. To up the odds that your links get clicked, use a site like PicMonkey to create a cute graphics with text that attracts the eye and send a clear, actionable message.Try a Facebook ad to increase exposure, too. Ads can be purchased for as little as $5 and significantly improve the odds of your post getting the attention it deserves.

- 6 Degrees of separation

You never know who your people know. Not all schools and non-profits are lucky enough to have an established, supportive donor base. A lot of donations trickle in $10, $20, $50 at a time. Using social media can quickly multiply those small amounts. However, online networks can also introduce your cause to others outside the direct circle of supporters. Someone’s long lost high school pal might just have cash on hand and the need for a healthy tax deduction.

Bottom line: Social media is an easy, inexpensive, and effective way to boost your bottom line. So get to posting! 

Don't Miss:

Boost Fundraiser Profits & Turnout with Social Media Strategies

Social Media & Fundraising: How To & Why

Volunteer Scheduling | Association of Music Parents

Tools & Tips for Organizing Booster Club and Music Parents

VolunteerSpot is proud to partner with the National Association of Music Parents (AMP) this year to support the coordination and GOOD work of parent leaders and volunteers in Music Education. AMP and VolunteerSpot aim to make scheduling, signing up and reminding music parents a less time-consuming task, so ensuring that music and the arts remain an integral discipline within the education of students in America always stays the mission.

Booster Club & Band/Choir/Orchestra Parents have scheduling committments that extend beyond the traditional classroom hours. Check out our top tips for Music Parents to save time (and stress) in coordinating their activities and events.

1. Meeting with the director or coach (take advantage of those pre-school year meetings and rehearsals to get early buy-in from parents and get the calendar organized).

• Capture the groups needs - both on & off campus
• Build a calendar on your PRIVATE & FREE AMP VolunteerSpot page with weekly, monthly and special events & the related volunteer tasks
• Decide on best communication tools for the educator and parents - email, phone, newsletter
• Set a budget, if required
• Create committees, if needed - equipment/instruments, transportation, meals, permission slips, spirit

2. Publishing the calendar and communicating on many channels

• Send parents an email update from those early rehearsals letting them know a calendar and available jobs will be a Back to School night PLUS the can sign up early online or on the go!
• Post your calendar of events on Facebook & Pintrest - link to the private AMP signup on VolunteerSpot 
• Have parents ready with iPads or tablets to signup volunteers at Back to School night
• Let VolunteerSpot send your reminders for you!

3. Remember, get creative, have fun and be proud of your GOOD work!

School Volunteer Calendar

Online School Volunteer Calendars & Parent Scheduling

An active and successful school year requires an active, on-track parent volunteer community to help staff the library, cafeteria and hot lunch programs, school store, and so much more.

Coordinating parent volunteers in the digital age is an absolute cinch with VolunteerSpot's free online volunteer calendars and parent scheduling tools. Check out sample signups below and take a free demo today, click HERE!

Organizers, setting up your recurring volunteer calendars is as easy as 1, 2, 3.

1. Schedule your volunteer needs for your base, or initial, school day.

2. Copy that first day's schedule to future school days where volunteers are needed.

3. And you're done! 

Invite volunteers to sign up with invitations or shareable signup links in email, social media, school websites, you name it.

* * *

Parents can access the signup calendars from their computer, smartphone or tablet via the invitation or signup link provided by the organizer and fill spots in a few seconds.

Parent volunteers receive automated reminders and can check/change their spots anywhere at anytime by reaccessing the signup. This convenience of getting coordinated is proven to get more parents involved and lift much of the time-consuming burder off of school organizers.

There's no question about it - online volunteer calendars are THE answer this school year.

Get Started Now!

Online Signup Sheets | Literacy Book Club

Volunteer Spotlight | Judy Pantelides

In July 2008, the City of Hampton unveiled the Hampton Mayor's Book Club, addressing early literacy and focusing on the idea that reading is a core value.  Last year, the efforts of their volunteers made it possible for the Hampton Mayor’s Book Club to bring over 300 readers into the classrooms, contributing hundreds of volunteer hours.  Over 14,000 books were distributed to Hampton’s children.

Today, our Volunteer Spotlight shines on Judy Pantelides, who uses VolunteerSpot's online signup sheets to organize volunteers who read in preschool classrooms.

----

Please tell us about your organization and your volunteer needs. 

I organize volunteers to read in 93 preschool classrooms in Newport News Public Schools each month from October to May.  Our volunteers are community leaders from Kiwanis, Rotary, many area businesses such as the Jefferson Lab and Old Point National Bank, as well as community lay persons who read to 1674 children each month.  They read to the children and, when funds are available, we provide a book for every child to take home.  The readers sign the books for the children to take home.

Explain how you use VolunteerSpot to coordinate these volunteers.

I set up the volunteer site and ask volunteers to sign up online to read at one of four preschool centers locate in Newport News.  VolunteerSpot makes it easy because once volunteers are set up, they receive reminders as well as follow-up thank yous for the reading they perform.

What’s one piece of advice you have for volunteers or their leaders out there?

Be sure you know how the volunteer system works or you may delete all of your email addresses and have to start all over!

Why did you decide to use VolunteerSpot?

I used the site several times for community service projects that I was involved with and it was very easy to use.  The reminder email with the cumulative total of your work for the year for tax purposes was a very nice bonus!

Anything else you’d like our readers to know?

VolunteerSpot is easy for organizers to set up, and it's easy for even the least technologically-savvy volunteers to use!

---

To learn more about the Mayor's Book Club, visit http://www.mayorsbookclub.org

We salute Judy and all the other volunteer community leaders out there making a difference in our world. If you're using VolunteerSpot, write and tell us about what you're doing and give us a chance to shine our Volunteer Spotlight on you!! Just email us at [email protected].

Back-to-School Ideas | Parent Volunteering

How to Be That Parent

Getting into the groove of back-to-school is no easy feat for parents. With these helpful tips & bright ideas, however, you'll be getting involved in no time. Check out an excerpt from guest blogger Allison McDonald below and click here to read her entire post.

By: Allison McDonald of NoTimeForFlashCards (This post originally appeared August 3rd, 2013 on NoTimeForFlashCards.com)

Last year my oldest went off to kindergarten and I didn’t have nearly as much time to volunteer in his class as I’d hoped. Parents are busy but kids and teachers need us to be involved. Children get more out of school when there are deep school to home connections.Volunteerspot works hard to make those connections easier than ever to make.

I was thrilled to hear about Volunteerspot’s free online signup sheets and scheduler to make organizing activities easier and faster for everyone. When they asked me to help promote their amazing back to school sweepstakes I was happy to jump on board.

Before we get to the rad sweepstakes let me share my 10 tips to be a great and involved parentthis year.

1. Get your kids prepared. The whole school year will be smoother if your kids are ready for it from day one.

2. Fill out your calendar NOW. Add items as they are emailed and sent home in notices but don’t forget the main calendar from the school district. That mid winter break in February won’t sneak up on you if you take the time to add it to the calendar now.

3. Find time to block off for each child’s class. This might be twice a year or twice a week but being involved is much easier if you have set time aside.

4. If you are allowed to bake, cook or bring snacks make sure you have an updated list of food restrictions and allergies before you even think about what to make or bring in. Let’s all make it easier on families with restrictions by limiting how many times kids need to be excluded or put in potentially dangerous situations.

5. Label everything. EVERYTHING with your kids’ names. That way when your kids lose something ( and they will ) it’s easier to get it back.

6. If you can don’t just send gifts to your child’s classroom teacher, send them to specialists, office staff, bus drivers… and simple thanks are just as much a gift as any expensive item. This doesn’t have to cost you a cent.

 

There's more! Read the entire post HERE

[INFOGRAPHIC] What Teachers Really Want from Parent Volunteers

Survey data shows times are changing and parents & teachers need to adapt

A recent survey by VolunteerSpot & WeAreTeachers of 1000 school parents and teachers reveals key data in understanding the need and use of parent volunteers in schools - where they can be most useful in the classroom, how they impact the learning environment, and where disconnects in communication and coordination lie between teachers and parents.

---

Click the image on the right to view the full infographic, and check out the 3 key takeaways below:

---

1. Parents are online! Where 64% of teachers are sending physical notes and flyers home with updates and announcements, parents largely want to be notified online - via email and with signup links to online volunteer calendars.

---

School parents are parents on-the-go, so notices which they can read on their smartphones and mobile devices are vital for alerting, updating, and getting them involved. When teachers need help in the classroom or have news about assignments, school events, and parent-teacher conferences, they are likely to get a better response when reaching out via digital methods.
 ---

2. School budget cuts hurt! Where teaching aides and assistants used to be the norm, school budget cuts have wiped out this necessary presence that gives students more one on one time in regards to their learning. Not only that, but teachers are losing their jobs across the country at a time when schools are more packed than ever.

---

Teachers vitally need assistance with tutoring, learning centers, one-on-one reading and other curriculum support from class parents. Survey data shows parents show up in droves for field trips, class parties and donating items to the classroom, but it's these more education-based volunteer jobs that leave teachers wanting.

---

3. Community Fundraisers are a hit! School parents love community fundraisers,with 71% reporting they most like to attend bookfairs, 66% school community nights and 62% carnivals and festivals.

---

This data can help schools in understanding how to get more parents involved in fundraising by turning the annual wrapping paper or magazine subscription sale into something more unified and familial for school families. Check out our top ideas for adding your product fundraiser to school community events HERE.

* * *

Embed this infographic:

<a href="http://www.volunteerspot.com/Parents-Volunteer-In-The-Classroom"><img src="http://vspot.s3.amazonaws.com/social/Parents-Volunteer-small.jpg" alt="VolunteerSpot: Parent Volunteering Infographic" title="VolunteerSpot: Parent Volunteering Infographic" style="width: 315px; height: 2150px; border: 0;"></a>

* * *

About the Survey

This 2013 survey was conducted in two parts.  Volunteer Spot conducted an online survey of 500 parents from their volunteer database. WeAreTeachers conducted an online survey with 661 educators. (Email invitations were sent out to 150,000 K-12 grade classroom teachers, school secretaries, and librarian/media specialists.)  Data collection took place in late May and early June.

About WeAreTeachers

WeAreTeachers was founded with the mission to connect educators with the resources they need to be successful inside as well as outside the classroom. Whether it's offering financial resources through grants and contests, providing inspiration with teacher-created lesson plans or empowering teachers with professional development opportunities, we strive to be a source of innovation and ideas for educators so that they can, in turn, inspire learners.

About VolunteerSpot 

Launched in 2009, VolunteerSpot simplifies the volunteer experience with free online coordination tools that empower a legion of busy parents, teachers and community leaders to easily recruit and organize volunteers as well as fundraise. VolunteerSpot supports more than 3 million users nationwide. VolunteerSpot’s new iPhone App, “Sign Up”, was a Top 10 Productivity App in July. VolunteerSpot was recognized by Inc. magazine as the number one Top Time-Saving App for Moms in 2012 and as a Cool Mom Pick - Coolest Websites for 2011. 

5 Tools Every Mom Needs for Back-to-School

5 Back-to-School Mom Must-Haves

Another school year, another exciting whirlwind season of meeting new teachers, coordinating busy family schedules, running here and there and trying to keep it all together. Stress less and be prepared with our top 5 list of mom must-haves:

1. A Planner

Every mom needs a great planner. If you like an electronic version, we highly recommend Cozi. This free amazing app makes it easy to keep track of your family’s appointments and daily schedules. Sign up for a shared family account to stay current on what’s happening, where it’s happening, and what’s needed to make it happen.

Features include family calendar and journal, shopping and to do lists, meal planning and compatibility with multiple devices. If you prefer something tactile, check out the gorgeous new Erin Condren line. Whichever you choose, take some time to plan your year, month by month. The holidays will be here before you know it, and come January it’s practically time to start planning for next summer!

2. A Travel Cup

Chances are your favorite traveling cup is broken, leaky, or lost. Considering the amount of time many of us spend in our cars or public transportation, or at the orthodontist’s office, moms deserve the small luxury of a great travel cup. 

3. One Great Bag

Moms get instant style with a great handbag or tote. And face it, you’re toting plenty. Splurge on something you love, or get something fun, current, and inexpensive. (Looking at you, Target!) Then get organized with zip pouches that keep things tidy and mobile so you can switch it up depending on the needs of the day.

4. VolunteerSpot

We know you know that VolunteerSpot's free online signups are hands down the easiest way to organize any group or event. We just wanted to remind you that we’re not just for class parties and soccer snacks. Use VolunteerSpot to organize all kinds of important things in your life—charity runs, meals for friends with new babies, and that critical Moms Night Out.

With VolunteerSpot's mobile tools, you can use your smart phone or iPad to coordinate sign-ups and keep track of all event details in one place. And never, ever sift through a long chain of Reply-All emails again.

5. eMeals

Not sure what to make for dinner, much less how to actually make it? If meal planning isn’t your gig, let someone else do it for you. The eMeal subscription service offers up dinners for the week complete with recipes and shopping lists. Best of all there are several plans to choose from. You can choose plans for classic, low-fat, paleo, or busy family favorite—crock pot!

Volunteers Rock!

We're over halfway through the year, and in celebration of all the amazing volunteers, we wanted to share a roundup of all our VolunteerSpotlights so far this year.

From schools and booster clubs to faith communities, animal shelters, food banks and soup kitchens, public television organizations, sports teams, and so many more, the good work groups of people are doing in their communities is astounding. Check them out!

Candy Barnes, Humane Educator/Volunteer Coordinator  Rockingham/Harrisonburg SPCA

Julie Kerr, Homeroom Mom, Pittsburgh, PA

Masuma Virji, UMF Co-Founder & Director, United Muslim Foundation

Whitney Brandt, Parent & Community Relations, Cornerstone Charter Academy, Belle Isle, Florida

Becky Roe, Coordinator, Cookstone Soup Kitchen in Wadsworth, Ohio

Joanna Keiss, Library Media Specialist, St. Joseph School

Joel Harris,  Hartland/Lakeside School District, Hartland, WI,  Watch D.O.G.S. program "Top Dog"

Jo Anna Bradshaw, Chair, FGCU Campus Food Pantry Steering Committee, Florida Gulf Coast

Mandy Joyce, P3 Co-Room Parent Coordinator, Pantego Christian Academy, Arlington TX

Mr. Jamie S. Dent, Senior AmeriCorps Program Officer, Tennessee State Commission on Volunteering

Kim, Speech Team Competition Parent Volunteer, Fishers, IN

Tara Hunsberger, President, River Valley Educational Foundation, Lakeside, CA

Roger Biesel, Founder & Director, Animals Healing People-Therapeutic, Inc., Elizabethtown KY

Ana Rojas, Room Parent, Westchester Elementary, FL

Jeane Larkin, Food for Thought - Denver, CO

Lisa Abrams, SoccerTeam Parent Organizer

Judith Cassel-Mamet, parent and artist/educator, East High School, Denver, CO

Angela Arroyo, Indoor Track and Field Volunteer Organizer, Birmingham, AL

Polly Rickard, Project Graduation, Westlake High School

Michelle, Volunteer Mom, Wake Forest, NC

Lee Johnson, Public Access Television, Bloomington, IL

Jen Turner, LSC, PTO Parent, Chicago, IL

Jeanette Miller, Bartlesville Band and Orchestra Boosters, Bartlesville, OK

Julie, Volunteer Coordinator, HS Welcoming Team and 4-H, Chaska, MN

 ---

We salute all the volunteer leaders out there making a difference. If you're using VolunteerSpot, write and tell us about what you're doing and give us a chance to shine our Volunteer Spotlight on you!! Just email us at [email protected].

Back to School Teacher Gift Ideas

10 Simple Back-to-School Gifts for Teachers

It’s that time of year again and what better way to acknowledge your teacher than with a small, appreciative gift to kick off another great year! Our best advice? Keep it real simple and include your child as much as possible to give it that personal touch.

1.  A card created by your child including a short note on their favorite school subject and what they can’t wait to do in the coming year. Parents can add a handwritten note as well to share any personal info that is pertinent for the upcoming year.
 
2.  A ‘back to school’ snack pack just for the teacher. Include granola, popcorn, tea bags, mini chocolates, and energy bars in a small bag for the teacher to use for a quick pick me up in the afternoon.
 
3. Does your child like to draw or write stories? Encourage them to create a small book featuring their best work for the teacher to enjoy on his/her most difficult days. Extra points if the art includes the teacher!
 
4. Decorate a reusable water bottle or coffee mug with stickers or a colorful tag with the teacher's name.
 
5. A pencil box full of stickers, small erasers, mini rulers, and small toys for the teacher to use as rewards later on in the year.
 
6. Magazine subscriptions for artwork or with educational material appropriate for the class are always needed and appreciated!
 
7. Hand sanitizer, clean wipes, tissues and other 'hygenic' items the teacher will certainly keep in the classroom make great gifts for the start of th year.
 
8. Collect coupons to all the local stationary supply stores and educator/teacher shoppes (be mindful of expiration dates!). You may want to consider a small gift card as well.
 
9. Create a craft box full of leftover yarn clippings (if you know someone who knits/crochets, they can help you with this!), glue, colored pencils/markers, crayons, glitter, and googly eyes.
 
10. Give the gift of time! Offer to help manage free online signups & schedules for classroom parties, snack schedules, weekly readers, tutors/learning center helpers, or field trip chaperones. Mobile 24/7 access and automated reminders will have the teacher (and parents) singing your praises! Try it out now, click here.

Boosting School Parent Participation

6 Tips & Tools For Getting More Parents Involved This School Year

With the right tech tools and go-to tips & ideas, getting more parents involved and participating in the classroom and at school-wide events is a breeze this year. And by 'more parents' we mean new, fresh faces that help relieve the load the same ten parent volunteers oftentimes end up carrying. Don't miss these top 6 best practices:

Go digital -  Emails, eNewsletters, school websites, class blogs and social media are your friends when it comes to building a loyal and active parent volunteer community. Strategize this school year with your IT director and socially savvy parents, and focus on reaching parents where you know they are at - online. Check out how to use Facebook for Volunteer Engagement & Twitter for Volunteer Engagement

Get creative - Ask parent volunteers where they would most like to help out and provide jobs and volunteer opportunities that call on everyone to share their special skills and talents. Keep in mind some parents may not feel that they can be of any real help with a particular event or position that you need covered; for instance, a father might feel like he sounds like Ben Stein when reading a story to the Kindergartners, but he loves sharing his fix-it skills and can lead the bird feeder building craft time. Or a mother might actually hate baking but is dying to help with the community garden. Read Back to School Volunteering

Get 'talking' – Find out how your parent community is communicating and make sure that you are involved in the same methods. Some people don’t do anything beyond reading their email while others depend heavily on Facebook. If you offer all the options you can to make communication easier, you are more likely to be seen, heard, and helped. *Note: If some parents never respond to your tried and tru methods, reach out to them on an individual basis. 

Give parents a voice – Ensure methods for feedback that help parents know they are heard. Have a specific school email set up for parent feedback or an online google form they can fill out post-volunteer activity. Everyone needs to know what works and what doesn’t to prep and strategize to make the next go-around even more successful.

KISS (Keep it simple silly!) – Make signing up for events as simple as possible with VolunteerSpot's free online signup sheets! The freedom and convenience of signing up from their computer or on-the-go from their phone means more parents have the opportunity to get involved; and automated reminders help everyone keep their commitments! No more lost paper sign up sheets that always get lost or endless email threads that tend to veer way off topic. 

Mind Your P’s & Q’s – A little gratitude goes a long way to keeping people involved and loyal to the GOOD work your school is doing. Personal thank you cards, emails, videos and special social media shouts are easy but meaningful ways to recognize your school parent's hardwork. However you do it, be sure to show appreciation and do it regularly!