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Volunteer spotlight: Home and School Association, Science Leadership Academy

Cheers to Home and School Association, The Science Leadership Academy, Philadelphia, PA

Tell us about your role as a volunteer leader.

The Science Leadership Academy is a wonderful inquiry-driven, project-based public high school in Philadelphia, PA that faces budget cuts and reduced funding since its founding in 2006. The Home and School works to make up for some of these deficits through a variety of fundraising endeavors. We also help coordinate parents to help with other school events, such as the open house for prospective families and our interview weekends, where we interview hundreds of prospective students in four very busy weekend days. One of the challenges for parental involvement for our school is that it draws from all over the city.

How do you use VolunteerSpot to coordinate your parent volunteers?

We first used VolunteerSpot when a parent saw Real Simple feature the company on Facebook. We were about to coordinate the annual education conference hosted by SLA, Educon, a national conference attended by educators from all over the country and is our biggest fundraiser.

Student and staff lead the conference, but there are well over 100 parent shifts to fill over three days for jobs including registration, coat check, food service and bringing snacks. We couldn't believe how much easier it was to use VolunteerSpot! It is so user-friendly to set up an activity. 

Volunteer coordinator Lisa Heller appreciates the reminders sent to participants just before the event and the alerts for late cancellations. "I don't know how we ever did this with a clipboard and pencils," she said. "It is so gratifying to watch our wonderful parent community respond. I send out the invitations, and within an hour dozens of shifts are already filled!" 

We also use VolunteerSpot to coordinate our Silent Auction, another major fundraiser with lots of volunteer shifts needed.

What’s one piece of advice you have for parent volunteers out there?

We have found that, when possible, breaking tasks into shorter shifts brings us more volunteers. For instance, at our silent auction, people are more likely to sign up for a one-hour shift selling raffles than a two-hour shift. Then they don't have to miss the fun of this wonderful community event. Some will still sign up for two consecutive shifts, but offering the shorter option has been a plus.

Anything else you’d like our readers to know about your school, event or volunteering?

We see how hard the teachers and staff work to make our school the incredible community that it is. We are grateful to be able to support their work in any way that we can. VolunteerSpot makes this easier!

We salute The Science Leadership Academy and all the other educational programs out there working hard to better the community.  Check out how VolunteerSpot’s Volunteer Software can help you!

8 Holiday Decorating Hacks

Decorating Hacks for the Holidays

Save time, money and stress with these super slick hacks for decking the halls this season!

Holiday Blossoms Scissor Trick from Better Homes & Gardens

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Glue Gun Snowflakes from U-CreateCrafts.com

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Terracotta Holiday Trees from ThatsAlotofScrap.com

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Candy Cane Card Holders from IndustriousJustice.com

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DIY  Scarf Wreath from OneFabDay.com 

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Book Christmas Tree from FamilySponge.com

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DIY Recycled Holiday Cookie Boxes from AuntPeaches.com

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Paint Chip Gift Tags from FullPunch.com

 

Last-Minute Halloween Party Ideas

Class Party Ideas | Halloween

Organizing the fall party this week and scrambling for last minute ideas? We've got your covered! Check out our favorite Halloween-inspired snacks, crafts and printables below >>

Snack Ideas:

9 Witchy Snacks for Fall

10 Ghost-Inspired Snack Ideas

11 Mummy Treats for Kids

Candy-Corn Shaped Treats & Snacks

10 Pumpkin Crafts for Kids

* * *

Signups for Parent Volunteers

Quickly coordinate parent helpers for the class party with free online signups from VolunteerSpot! Schedule the tasks you need help with and items you need brought in, and rely on mobile access and automated reminders to keep everyone track! Get started now

 

* * *

Fall Crafts & Games for Kids

11 Fall Crafts Using Leaves

5 Fab Fall Party Games

10 Pumpkin Crafts Kids Love

Fun DIY Halloween Crafts

10 Pumpkin-themed Games for Kids

 

Don't Say 'No' to Volunteering in School

How to Say No & Mean Yes

Saying 'not this time' to volunteering in school is a practical necessity at times for sure, but the need to refuse helping with another class party, another field trip, another school service project isn't always based purely on schedule conflicts is it? If you find yourself saying no to another school volunteer request, try saying no to these volunteer roadblocks instead:

Say NO to reply-all emails > Lose the inbox clutter and frustrating 'reply-all' mayhem and opt for free online signups and volunteer calendars with automated reminders instead. Try VolunteerSpot today or recommend to your room parent, PTA leader, principal, you name it!

Say NO to drama > Focus on the important work of volunteering in school and NOT the drama of mom cliques or parent-teacher group bureacracy. Practice these school volunteer guidelines for not getting distracted and making the most of your vital time in the classroom.

Say NO to not feeling useful > If you're showing up to help at school and have no clue where you're needed, ASK for direction, make up a job for yourself, or relay the miscommunication to your room parent or volunteer coordinator so it doesn't happen again.

Say NO to paper phone trees and lost directories > Check out the only school directory app out there, DirectorySpot! Carry all the contact and school info you need right on your mobile device; customize with school colors and logos, and even share a sponsorship page. Learn more

Say NO to volunteering in the classroom > So you really and truly cannot make it in to the classroom to read, chaperone or help - that's ok! Lose the guilt trip and find creative ways to volunteer from home - update the classroom blog or social accounts, manage the school Pinterest boards, or make cutouts for the teachers door or bulletin board. More ideas here

Say NO to another school fundraiser > Budgets are tight and contributing to another school fundraiser simply isn't in the cards. You can still help donate for FREE with awesome apps and online tools like Shoparoo (scan and upload receipts) and Bing in the Classroom (search with Bing and earn rewards).

Going Green at School

Make the Most of Recycling at Your Child’s School

By: Jess Littman of Revivn.com

Recycling is one of the easiest ways that every individual can have a positive impact on the environment. Learning the proper methods of recycling at an early age can help kids retain the habit throughout their lifetimes, and inspire a passion for environmentalism.

Here are a few tips on how to get your child as involved as possible with recycling at school and at home:

1. Help kids build better programs.

Your child’s school probably has a recycling program of some sort - but maybe they recycle only paper, or don’t separate metal and glass. This leads to inaction for many environmentally-conscious parents and students: if there was no recycling program, you’d probably start one, but since it’s already there, what can you do?

Actually there’s a lot you can do - but it’s even better if your child takes the lead. If he doesn’t seem to understand recycling at school, or points out that you do it differently at home, work with him and his teachers on ways to improve the program - like adding more categories for separation, or offering more lessons to students on why they should care about recycling.

2. Come up with fun ways to distinguish between bins.

Most school systems require clearly labeled bins, but for younger students, a written label is often not enough. Instead, lobby the school (or better yet, help your child lobby her teacher) to color code bins and use mnemonic devices to remember (glass in the green bin, plastic in the pink bin, etc). When kids can recycle on sight, without stopping to read several labels, they’re more likely to do it correctly.

3. Recycle at home.

Your child can probably learn more about recycling at school, where many teachers devote classroom time to the topic. But in order to understand that recycling is beneficial all the time, they need to know that it’s not something that just happens at school. Learn as much as you can about the recycling program at your child’s school, and try to mimic it at home.

4. Show kids why recycling is important through the power of repurposing.

The concept of recycling is difficult to grasp: a plastic bottle goes into the bin, travels to a factory, and reappears as something completely different. You can bring this process to life by repurposing recyclables in your own home or your child’s classroom, showing them that what we call waste still has value. Spoonful has how-to’s for crafting and educational projects you and your child can easily complete using old bottles, cans and newspapers.

--

About the Author:

Jess Littman is Revivn’s Communications Associate. She shares knowledge about repurposing, recycling, technology, social enterprise, and how the Revivn mission combines all four via social media and Revivn’s blog, Rewritten. She is currently in her senior year at New York University.

About Revivn:

Revivn is a new kind of company dedicated to changing the world through the power of business. They repurpose technology that companies are done using, keeping it from becoming electronic waste, and give it to schools and community programs to increase access to technology around the world.

 

 

Check out Revivn on: 

Twitter

Facebook

LinkedIn

Instagram

Website

Blog

5 Cold & Flu Season Musts for Busy Moms

Prepping Your Family for Cold & Flu Season

Brrrr! Those dropping temperatures quickly remind "mom" that sniffles, runny noses, and coughs aren't far behind. Prep your family NOW and stay ahead of cold and flu season with these 5 tips:

 

1. Immunity Boosters: Prep for cold and flu season with immunity boosters like Sambucol® Black Elderberry Extract for Kids! Pumping up immune systems for cold and flu season can be tough with picky eaters - but kids need it more than anyone! Now you can get all the goodness of Sambucol Black Elderberry Extract in a special immunity boosting formula for kids aged 2 to 12. Great-tasting, and free from dairy, nuts, eggs, grains and gluten. Save on Sambucol® for Kids now

 

 

2. Know Your "Cool Season" Crops: Jam pack those family meals with healthy vitamins and nutrients - know what to look for in the grocery store during winter and fall months; and use meal planning apps like eMealz to plan (and save time) accordingly. We love this helpful cold season crops list from Sunset.com!

 

3. Cold & Flu Box: Take 30 minutes now and be ready later for whatever the kids bring home from school, scouts, practice, you name it! Our friend and vlogger Amy Volk is showing you how to prep your cold and flu ready-box or organizer in minutes, see more >>

 

4. Teach Kids How to Capture Germs: Busy moms know how easy it is for kids to pass on those yucky cold germs to one another. Teach kids the best way to sneeze and cough to prevent transferring and catching germs - sneeze into your elbow and cough into a tissue, throw it out and wash your hands! Check out this great germ etiquette post for families from SheKnows.com, click here

 

5. Take Care of Yourself: Busy moms often forget about themselves when they're trying to keep everyone else in their lives healthy. It's important to get lots of sleep to maintain a healthy immune system and limit stress (which can be so hard during the holidays). Try time-saving apps like VolunteerSpot to coordinate all the people and projects that keep you busy during cold and flu season; stress less and still stay involved in the important parts of your kids lives!

 

Save $2 on  Sambucol® for Kids now, click here

 

 

 

VolunteerSpotlight | Blood Drive Volunteer Scheduling at Union Grove Middle School

Cheers to Jennifer Roden, Union Grove Middle School, Killeen ISD, TX 

As a math and pre-journalism teacher, yearbook advisor and soccer coach, Jennifer Roden is very familiar with the additional task of volunteering and trying to schedule volunteers. In addition to constructing lesson plans and enriching her classroom’s atmosphere, Jennifer coordinates with parents for all of the organizations she leads and understands the challenge of working with an abundance of different schedules. Learn about Jennifer’s account and how VolunteerSpot helps her keep everything organized in an effortless fashion.

Tell us about your role as a parent volunteer leader.

I'm a teacher at Union Grove Middle School. Each year I coordinate a blood drive with Scott & White Blood Center to help the patients in our community who need blood.

How do you use VolunteerSpot to coordinate your parent volunteers?

Before I heard about VolunteerSpot, I gave parents an electronic way to sign up for a donation time. It was a huge success; however, prior to that time, parents would call to make a donation time. This was challenging because, as a teacher, I rarely have access to my phone. So, people would leave messages and I'd have to return phone calls hours later. Using VolunteerSpot allowed our donors to conveniently signup without ever having to contact me directly! It was great!

Why did you decide to use VolunteerSpot?

One of my friends used it for a high school booster club.  She recommended it to me, and I, in turn, showed the hospital blood center staff. They were so impressed they plan to show it to other volunteer coordinators!

What’s one piece of advice you have for parent volunteers out there?

VolunteerSpot is incredibly easy to use. It took me about 10 minutes to figure out the concept and about 15 minutes to get my "activity" set-up.  After that the program ran itself!  It easily saved me at least 10 hours on the phone!

We salute Jennifer and all the other teachers and volunteers making a difference in their communities.  Check out how VolunteerSpot’s Volunteer Software can save you time and stress and boost parent involvement in your school. Take a tour today!

7 Fun (and Educational) Rewards for Students

Teacher Tuesday | Class Reward Ideas

Encourage acts of kindness, good behavior, responsibility and dedication with these sugar-free, real-life rewards for students.

 Homeworkopoly via Monarch Madness

Join school assignments with favorite board games to create the ultimate student reward. When your students complete and turn in their homework, give them a chance to roll the dice and land on spot, granting them a community lunch, homework pass or other custom prize they can use during the week.

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 QR Codes via Teachers Pay Teachers

It’s time to face the music and embrace the unavoidable digital age in the modern classroom. This program allows teachers to print out QR codes on that correlate with a reward. When you want to tell your students “good job,” then have them randomly select a QR code and reveal their prize using technology.

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 Student Coupons via Teachers Pay Teachers

Take the traditional route and create your own custom coupon cards students can redeem when they complete assignments, clean their area or don’t get in trouble for the week. Be as creative as you like and even let students swap roles with you as well.

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 Blue Strip Rewards via Teacher 2 Teacher Help

Give your students something they can collect, such as blue strips they can accumulate to redeem for one big reward. From stickers to donuts to lunch on the teacher, your students will want to keep earning strips to go big or go home.

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 Classroom Lottery via Simply 2^nd Resources

Have your students test their luck by giving them a scratch off when they complete their homework assignments at the end of the week. Watch their excitement as they unveil a show-and-tell opportunity, new crayons on extra time on the class computer.

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 Warm Fuzzy Jar via A Love for Teaching

Instill kindness in your classroom by rewarding your students specifically for acts of kindness. Every time your students commit a considerate deed, give them a fuzzy ball they can contribute to the class jar. When each student adds to the jar and it becomes full, reward the class with a party they’ll love.

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Build a Rainbow via Pinterest

Create a bulletin board in the classroom and give students a piece of a rainbow they can build on the board, as they show improvement in their behavior, practice sharing and keep their area clean. If students complete their rainbow by the end of the week, reward them with sticker book, a homework pass or let them read their favorite book to the class.   

 

Opting Out in a Digital World | #TechMeTues

The other day a friend posted a link to a site where you can digitally "opt-out" of internet ads.

You know, like opting out of catalogs or various marketing lists back in the good ole days?

Now there is an internet version of those marketing lists.

Here's the Opting Out lowdown:

First you go here:

You then look through the list populated based on the computer you're viewing the site on

Note
the idea here is to identify the "ad spiders" that are building their little cobwebs in the background of your computer. Where they hope to catch various pieces of information about your "surfing" habits.

In other words ...

Ever wonder why the Facebook ads will show you items you've recently shopped for on Amazon?

That's why.

Creepy, I know.

Back to opting out ...

once you've selected the item(s) on the list you would like to STOP sharing your privacy with, you'll click submit.

I found, in my browser (Chrome), I was getting a "crash" error message.

I decided to let the site try to recoup itself and went to do other things {like organizing the pictures on my desktop that have needed proper filing for awhile} and then came back.

This seemed to work.

Sort of.

The browser recovered on it's own and the opt-out was complete.

Here's what my report said:

Interesting. I had checked ALL the boxes and yet 33 still remained with a message stating "opt out not completed".

Did you Notice?

Google & Microsoft were unable to be opted out of.

I definitely tried again.

Another crash error message.

Once the browser recovered 2 more had been removed.

An imperfect process, but a process just the same.

The Opting Out bonus?

My ability to remove Facebook from any ad permissions.

Since with every update release they seem to take my privacy settings and change the meanings as well as the intention, I plan to "run" the opt out again.

And again.

And from time to time after that, because I completely expect the companies to find their own ways around this new sense of control I've discovered.

The downside of Opting Out?

There are plenty of reasons sharing your habits can be a good thing.

For example:

• the creation of useful apps
• search engines giving you results that you're actually interested in
• items of relevance popping up in the "you might also like" section of shopping carts

While I was adament to remove Facebook from viewing my web surfing style, I actually don't mind Amazon seeing it.

I do almost ALL my shopping on Amazon.

If they want to recommend additional (useful) items, I'm grateful for the time saver assistance.

 

Now, keep in mind, the ability to opt-out has always placed fear in the boots of marketers. The collection of data is how they measure success for job security.

But opting out allows the consumer to maintain control of what they are exposed to and hopefully keeps the integrity of our growing technological world.

 

Let's chat over on the VolunteerSpot Facebook page:

Are you excited about opting out digitally?
Will you be running the diagnostic & removing sites from your "permissions" list?
Or do you appreciate "ads" guiding you through the digital age?

 

Promote Your Fall Fundraiser with Social Media

Boost Turnout & Raise More Money this Fall

Is your PTA pulling off a big fundraiser this fall like a carnival, chili cook-off, book fair or rummage sale? Take note! Amplifying your school's reach on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram can rally more parents, spread the word, help recognize sponsors, volunteers AND boost profits! Get started:

1. Prep!  Starting planning 4-5 weeks before the event, mapping out a detailed Social Media Plan and identifying who will be posting, on what platforms, and when.  Get specific – e.g.

One week before:  Betty will post photos of Silent Auction Baskets on a Pinterest Board and post links to it on PTA Facebook and Twitter. 

Morning of: Kim will post this on PTA Facebook and Twitter  -  Don't miss Principal A. in the dunking booth at 2pm! Big fun @ #EastElemCarnival. Thx 2 our sponsor @BigStore!

2. Tag & Hashtag!  Designate a hashtag for the event and print it promiently on all pre-event communication (eNewsletters and flyers) as well as signs and materials used during the event.  For parents who have forgotten or were't sure about attending, when their social feeds fill with fun shouts from the fundraiser, they'll get the kids packed up and over there right away! Bonus: Don't leave your parents guessing, post your school's social handles everywhere so they can connect on the spot.

 

3. Recruit! Find and sign up volunteers quickly and easily using VolunteerSpot’s free online sign-ups with reminders.  Plan your needs and post a sign-up link right in your social media feeds.  Parents will pick a shift and sign up from any computer, tablet or smart phone; then VolunteerSpot will remind them when it’s their turn to pitch-in. Try it free today

 

4. Buzz! Ask your school parents who are active on social media to engage with your schools posts by commenting, sharing photos, and tagging friends in the days leading up to the fundraiser, for example:

Look what I made for the Cake Walk tomorrow! #EastElemCarnival 

Kids can’t wait for Movie Night @EastElemPTA!  #FrozenSingalong

5. Incentivize!  Set up rewards and incentives to get people posting and socializing about the fundraiser. I.e. give out free popcorn when people check in on facebook, hand out raffle tickets to people who take a selfie with the school mascot and use the event hashtage.

 

 

 

Feel Good Friday | October 2014

We're 'falling' for all the GOOD news stories of kindness and generosity spreading this season. Check out our faves below:

Doctor thanks her former Dairy Queen boss in heartfelt letter
(via Hooplaha)

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Stranger Donates Kidney to Father in Need
(via HuffingtonPost)

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Young People Mentor Senior Citizens on Technology
(via DailyGoood.org)

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Animeals Program Feeds Pets of House-Ridden Residents
(via Hooplaha)

 

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Neighbors Brighten Sick Man's Day with Holiday Lights
(via GoodNewsNetwork)

 

 

Alos see:

Feel Good Friday (May)

Feel Good Friday (June)

Feel Good Friday (July)

Feel Good Friday (August)

 

5 Ways to Encourage Teens to Volunteer

Service Ideas for Teenagers and Young People

Encouraging teens in service and helping others can be a tough sell when there are football games to get to, choir and soccer practices to juggle, and homework loads to sift through. Serving in the community and giving back to others are key experiences, however, during those formative years. Help your teen find a way to fit volunteering in with these 5 ideas:

1. Join a  school service group or club: Talk to your teen about clubs at school that interest them and focus on giving back. Interact, Kiwanis and Acts of Kindness clubs connect youth with local service organizations and volunteer opportunities while allowing them to serve their community with their friends and peers.

Related: 6 Easy Ways to Give Back Over Winter Break

2. Invent their own: During the month of October, anyone, including teens, can submit a service project idea in the My Fresh Page Project contest from YMCA. Your teen could win a grant worth up to $5,000 to make their idea come to life! Any creative  and thoughtful idea counts (and teens can encourage their family and friends to vote for them), more info here.

3. Find a way to help from home: Service isn't always hands on in the soup kitchen or food bank. Active students can also find ways to give back from home - virtual and micro-volunteer opportunities offer students the chance to put their tech savvy to use for nonprofits and community groups who need help managing social accounts, websites, and more. Try SkillsforChange or VolunteerMatch to get started.

4. Pursue their passions: The purpose of volunteering is not just to help others, but to help teens discover new interests and things about themselves. Inspire your teen to think about how they would like to give back and help them find a way to do so at least once a semester incorporating their special skills and interests. For example, if you teen loves pets, connect with a community animal shelter for volunteer opportunities. If your teen loves to cook, assist them in preparing a meal for an elderly neighbor.

5. Join with friends: Serving the community takes a community, and what better way for teens to socialize and practice teamwork than by committing to giving back together. Challenge your teen and their friends to find a way to make a difference together - maybe it's holding a yard sale and donating the money together, hosting a bake sale to end childhood hunger, donating their childhood storybooks to the library - the ideas are endless.

Related: 10 Family Service Ideas

YMCA Grant Opportunities

$20,000 Available for Schools & Community Groups

What could your school do with an extra $2,500? How would your community put $5,000 to work? The YMCA wants to turn your passion for helping others into real opportunity this October with the My Fresh Page Project.

With 10 prizes up for grabs, ranging from $500 to $5,000, the *YMCA’s Fresh Page Project is a great way for schools, community groups, neighborhoods, even families, to submit a creative and engaging service project idea they need funded.

 

In mirroring the focus of the YMCA, imagine all the ways your community could work to empower the development of children and teens, support and improve community health and well-being, or create an opportunity to assist individuals or organizations in need.

Turn thoughts into action with the YMCA!
Submit your idea today

5 Easy Ways to Turn Your Idea into a Submission:

1. Get creative: Where could your community use a helping hand? Think of creative ways to pull off your goals, e.g. boost healthy living with a community garden or free cooking classes for families, fight childhood hunger with a backpack food program for schools, support lacking graduation rates with free tutoring services and engaging educational programs.

2. Call your friends: Find other school parents or group members who you know are actively 2. involved in bettering the community. Let them know about this grant opportunity and set a time to get together, put your Fresh Page Project into words, and submit your idea.

3. Use Technology to Communicate: Collaborate with others to put a visual spin on your submission. Take some photos or shoot a short video to include with your submission to make it stand out from the rest!

4. Involve kids/students: If your community really is looking to turn a fresh page, involve the young minds and hearts of students and kids who are actively looking to make an impact in their community. Encourage and support young people in your community in their submissions and help them refine and realize them!

5. The Sooner You Enter the Better! Mark your calendar, October 24^th is the FINAL day submissions are accepted for the YMCA My Fresh Page Project and the earlier you enter the more time you have to secure votes. Once you submit an idea use social media to get the word out and get the votes in!

*The Y’s My Fresh Page Project invites individuals across the country to submit their idea for a community improvement or service project to carry out in their hometown. Every day until October 24, visitors to the ymca.net/freshpage will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite idea. After the voting period closes, the Y will review the most popular ideas and award 10 prizes of $500, $2,500 or $5,000 to help winners launch their projects.

VolunteerSpotlight | PTO Volunteer Scheduling

Cheers to Kathy McCommons, Ellwood City Elementary PTO President, Ellwood City, PA

Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) committee members understand the ins and outs of volunteering and convincing their peers to do the same more than anyone.

This week’s spotlight celebrates Ellwood City Elementary PTO President, Kathy McCommons. She represents P.I.E.C.E. (Parents in Ellwood City Elementary), embodying their motto ECE PTO: Building a strong school community one piece at a time. From coordinating schedules to overseeing students, Kathy gives us an insight to her day-to-day responsibilities and reveals how VolunteerSpot acts as her sidekick through it all. 

Please tell us about your role as a parent volunteer leader. 

This is the third year that I was elected as the Ellwood City Elementary (ECE) PTO President. As ECE PTO President, I oversee just fewer than 1,000 students and three schools. 

I am fortunate to work with very supportive principals and teachers, amazing custodians who always put a smile on their face (even in the middle of our PTO messes), the best secretaries who answer countless PTO questions and allow me to interrupt them daily with PTO-related issues, a wonderful PTO executive board that makes fair, hard decisions to improve our schools, and 20 hard-working committees with great chairs and vice chairs.

We have some truly amazing, selfless volunteers who work hard to help make our schools better; I am humbled by these people!

How do you use VolunteerSpot to coordinate parent volunteers?

VolunteerSpot has been an essential component to our new PTO. It allows us to organize, schedule and maintain all of our PTO activities in one easy-to-use format. We use it for 100% of our PTO activities.

We have 20 committees monitoring three schools; without VolunteerSpot, it would take hours and hours to schedule and coordinate the needed help. VolunteerSpot dramatically cuts that time down and makes running our large PTO manageable.

Why did you decide to use VolunteerSpot?

I spent many hours looking and researching the best ways to organize a large group effectively.  I stumbled upon VolunteerSpot one day; it was love at first sight!  

One major concern was how to communicate, schedule and effectively organize three different schools.  We wanted to establish a fair, friendly and consistent organization.  [With VolunteerSpot] everyone who wants to help can take the initiative and sign up for the activities that best suit their schedules and interests. We offer more than 250 volunteer options typically in one month. In addition, we have before, during and after school opportunities to meet mostly everyone’s schedule. 

VolunteerSpot removes the possibilities of the dreaded PTO “clique.” With the online signup, parents are the ones selecting and choosing when and where to help.  It is wonderful and has expanded our PTO - those that want to help will.

What are some additional activities you’re involved in?

Although being PTO President takes up most of my volunteer time, I am also a Sunday School teacher and serve on the Steering Committee for the school district.  All of my other time is spent being a mom of three little ladies. 

Prior to becoming a mom, I was a full-time teacher. Through my own experiences as a teacher, I gained an understanding of the rigors of being a teacher and try to lead the PTO in a way to support not just the students but also the teachers.

What is one piece of advice for parent volunteers?

There is a big need for volunteerism, please find something that interests you and give it a try! 

We salute Kathy and all the other PTO leaders out there working hard to give our children the best school year possible.  Check out how VolunteerSpot’s PTO Volunteer Software can save you time and stress and boost parent involvement in your school. Take a tour today!

Caring for All Kinds of Learners Part 2:

Parent Tips for Inclusive Classrooms

"There are many ways to define and sustain an inclusive culture where all students feel that they are accepted and supported as an essential part of the classroom and school community, and where all [adults] share the responsibility for making that happen."

-Sara Stone, Co-Director of Community Roots Charter School in Brooklyn, NY

By: Teaching2gether

As a continuation of our series on Inclusion, we would like to offer a few tips as fall gets into gear to get ready for the school year with inclusion in mind.   

To do this, we have prepared a glimpse in to the mind of Maureen “Mo” Serrao Cole, the managing director of a media firm and mom of a 5^th and 3^rd grader in Austin, TX.  She’s currently a Parent-Teacher Organization officer and previous room mom with over 5 years of experience working alongside teachers in inclusive classrooms.

Do you think all students can benefit from being in an inclusion classroom?  If yes, how so?

“Absolutely. Having children with any number of learning challenges can not only teach kids, at a base level, that we're all in this together but also brings the idea of kids with challenges to the norm. In other words, everyone together means kids without these challenges become very used to evolving in the same ecosystem as children with disabilities. This helps both sets of kids with their comfort levels in being around people who are different than they are and that inclusion and understanding will extend into adulthood. That's an extremely beneficial byproduct of inclusion in my opinion.”

Are there any helpful conversations you can suggest to have with your child around inclusion?  Have you had any with your own children that have made a big impact?

“Yes and yes. Just talking through the specific challenge (in detail) without making a big deal out of it or creating a kind of forced sympathy. Explain certain behaviors so that they can fully understand why a child might be acting a certain way (not a choice in most cases). Just the facts. Kids are capable of getting this--don't underestimate them.”

As a room mom, what did you consider or do differently when planning parties and events for an inclusion classroom?  What about as a mom hosting and planning play dates?

“Talk to the teachers.  I really didn't have to take much into consideration [beyond the recommendations of the teachers]. However, if there had been a child with a mobility issue, for example, I would certainly have taken that into consideration and made sure that any destination was ADA compliant and that the activity was appropriate for all students. It's really not that hard to plan for when you think about it.”

T2G note: Kudos to Mo for using People-First language, meaning she described the behavior not the person.  (“a child with a mobility issue”)

Any other tips for room moms or parents of students in an inclusion classroom?

“Be conscientious but there's absolutely no reason to make a big deal out of this. Kids with learning or physical challenges are included so that they can experience a regular classroom. By going overboard to accommodate (within reason of course) you can potentially take that experience away.”

Essentially, Inclusion is many things but it is at its greatest a classroom culture.  Whether you are a teacher, room parent, parent of a child with a disability or any combination of the three, you can be the one to get the conversation started and ensure that everyone in the class has access to a successful classroom experience with their peers. 

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Caring for All Kinds of Learners Part 1

 

 

About: Teaching2gether

At Teaching2gether we believe that professional collaboration is the key to successful inclusive education.

When educators work well together, students with special needs flourish alongside their typically developing peers. At Teaching2gether we are committed to delivering exceptional professional development as a means to achieve these goals. We offer consulting services, on-site and virtual coaching, webinars, and interactive workshops to support all stakeholders working to provide access to a quality educational experience for students of all abilities.

When developing our services for teachers, administrators, technologists or parents we draw on both current, research-based practices and our combined backgrounds as inclusive educators and consultants in New York City and Texas. Previous clients and employers include Community Roots Charter School (NYC), PBS Kids, BrainPOP.com, G&R Learning, and Region 13 Education Service Center in Texas.