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The Perfect Holiday Fundraiser

The holidays will be here before you know it. With the chaos of planning parties and holiday shopping, you also have the Fall/Winter fundraiser to figure out. Here are some classic favorite fundraiser ideas sure to sweeten your season.

Still deciding on which Fall/Winter fundraiser would be best this year? Check out these tips and guidelines for selecting the right one for the season. 

Uncover 2017-2018 fundraising trends. What sells itself, makes great gifts and offers up to 50% profit? Find out what's on the list!

 

Back to School Tips for ALL Types of Moms!

If kids come in all shapes and sizes with varying needs and dreams, so do moms! But every parent has a few similarities – the main thing being not enough hours in the day. (#amiright?)

Here’s where SignUp.com has got your back, smoothing out the school chaos and helping organize all the fun events revolving around your kids this school year. Be a Back to School Hero!

Class Parties, Snack Helpers, Reading Mom, Lunch Servers, Teacher Group Gifts

And don’t forget all the extra-curricular activities that come with the back-to-school season.

Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Swim, Football, Dance, Band, Clubs, Little League

We’ve got a terrific line up of back to school tips for all types of moms!

1. Busy Mom? Amy Barseghian of BestofLifeMag.com says: It’s Okay to say NO, and still be your kid’s hero.
2. From a Teacher who is also a Mom: Carly Brydon of LipGlossandCrayons.com explains 7 ways to volunteer and be your TEACHER’s Hero!
3. First time School mom Molly Budde of RaisingBuddiesblog.com shares ideas on how to ease into the school routine with young kids.
4. Creative Mom Melodee Fiske over at SpaceshipsandLaserbeams.com created a free 1^st day school printable (and an inspired tuna melt sandwich idea to surprise a kiddo for after school!).
5. Victoria Armijo is a former teacher and she gives her insider tips for a smooth transition from lazy summer days to early nights and meet the teacher events! Read all 8 of her ideas over on ABCCreativeLearning.com.
6. Prepared Mom: Do you Visit your child’s school a week before it starts? We think that’s a brilliant idea! Several more pro-mom tips from Michelle Petersen over at TheMumsyBlog.com.

And a few Bonus Tips while we’re at it!

• #aintnobodygottimeforthatdanglist Enjoy this oh so REAL (and hilarious) take on the 4 types of back to school moms – by Jennifer Burby at TheChampagneSupernova.com
• Kelly Tomlinson of LiveLoveTexas.com helps with Kindergarten readiness.
• Did you know SignUp.com is perfect for organizing all your Scouting needs? Use it to make your life easier when you oversee popcorn sales, campouts, Blue & Gold Dinners plus Den & Pack Meetings! Check out Elia Garrison’s Father/Son Scout photos on Conservamome.com.

How is your Back2School season shaping up? Share your back to school photos and grams using #OurBack2School and check out how everyone else is celebrating the beginning of another school year.

SignUp.com Family Code Night

Planning Family Code Night

We all know kids love playing games and watching videos on their devices - experience the magic that happens when they learn they can be creating what they see on the screen! Thanks to our sponsor, Capital One Foundation, we’re proud to be sharing Family Code Night – FREE to elementary school-aged groups everywhere.

Family Code Night is a FUN and exciting, nationally-recognized community building event that sparks interest and support for computer science learning by teaching kids and parents how to code. It’s for groups of all sizes and experience levels - from schools with established computer science programs, to groups wanting to learn what coding is all about. We give you everything you need for any parent, volunteer or teacher to host a successful Family Code Night event - no prior coding experience necessary!

Learn more about Family Code Night in our Idea Center, which includes:

• FREE Family Code Night event kit
• Fun coding activities and games
• Information about CSforAll Initiative
• Why kids should learn to code
• And more!

 

Teacher Appreciation Themes

Teacher Appreciation Week Ideas

Add a fresh, festive touch to this year's Teacher Appreciation Week with a fun and creative theme that weaves all your appreciation elements together - from food to gifts to thank you's! Check out an excerpt of this post on RoomMomSpot.com, 15 Teacher Appreciation Week Themes, and read the entire thing here.

Looking for a creative, fresh theme for this year’s Teacher Appreciation Week? We’ve got you covered with a top 15 list below!

1. Around the World > Take teachers are a much deserved trip around the world with food and festivities to match! Feature a different country’s cuisine every day, i.e. Tacos on Monday for Mexico, crepes on Tuesday for France, pasta on Wednesday for Italy, etc. Build an Eiffel Tower of school supplies and post “Thank you!” in many different languages on bulletin boards

2. Super Hero > Make sure your teachers know how often they save the day with a superhero-themed Teacher Appreciation Week. Feature your favorite super hero’s in the school newsletter, have students write letters to their hero teachers, and decorate the staff lounge with hero inspired signs and action bubbles. More fun ideas from KarasPartyIdeas.com.

3. Out of This World > Head into outer space with this Teacher Appreciation Week theme! Decorate your luncheon with stars and planets. Designate a day for teachers to get their “rocket fuel” with coffee and lattes brought in by parent volunteers. Play off phrases like “We’re over the moon about you!” and “You’re out of this world!” for door decs and bulletin boards.

4. Dr. Seuss > Treat teachers to the fun and whimsy of Dr. Seuss with your teacher appreciation events! Add a photo booth to the teacher appreciation party with over-sized props for teachers to pose with. Incorporate kid favorites like Red Fish, Blue Fish and Cat in the Hat to your gifts and festivities. More ideas on TheCelebrationShoppe.com.

5. Celebrity/Star Treatment > Roll out the red carpet for your favorite teachers with a Hollywood-themed Teacher Appreciation week. Decorate hallways and classrooms with star-studded walks of fame, serve decadent gourmet goodies at the teacher luncheon, and post a multi-flavored popcorn bar in the staff lounge.

6. Beach/Luau > Take teachers to paradise with this Teacher Appreciation theme! Don’t forget the umbrella drinks and lei’s for the teacher luncheon, and give . . .

Tons more ideas over on RoomMomSpot.com!
Read the entire post, 15 Teacher Appreciation Themes, here.

 

Also see:

8 Last-Minute Teacher Appreciation Reminders

6 Unique Teacher Appreciation Events

Teacher Gift Do's and Don'ts

 

A New Way to Fundraise?

The Buyout – Pros and Cons

By Angela Pippinger of PaganMomBlog

When fundraising time comes around, you may love picking out fun wrapping paper or delicious chocolates, but you may also see it as a burden on your already busy lives. No matter how you feel about it, it’s hard to argue that fundraising isn’t beneficial to schools everywhere. But did you know that there is a new trend spreading throughout schools across the country? The new Buyout Fundraiser gives you the option to send in money to your school instead of selling wrapping paper or cookie dough. The real question is, is it effective? Read through these pros and cons and decide for yourself!

The Pros
Some families simply dislike the traditional fundraiser and don’t feel comfortable asking friends and family to participate.

Did you know that there are more and more companies are not allowing fundraising in the workplace? Many moms and dads take their fundraiser packets to work, and their coworkers may be crucial to meeting their fundraising goal.  With companies enforcing this policy, many families find it harder to raise the money they once did. With the buyout option, they won’t have to stress about finding new ways to raise funds.

Funds raised from the buyout option go straight to the school. Many of the traditional fundraisers only compensate the school a percentage of the monies raised. The Buyout could mean more money for your school!

No more competing for prizes. Competition can be a great thing. But when children focus too much on raising a certain amount in order to get that amazing skateboard, the purpose of fundraising for their school gets lost. The buyout allows the parent to teach their children WHY it’s so important to support their school.

The Cons

Some people really like the traditional fundraiser. They look forward to their cookie dough and gift wrap purchases each year. These people will likely miss the option to sell and purchase their holiday wrapping paper and chocolate bears. You can turn it into a pro if you can get them to donate to your school without a purchase!

There is always a potential for lost monies due to economic stressors. Depending on how your area is reacting to the economy, schools may see a drop in donated monies as people tighten their belts and have less to give. Some people will be more likely to give if they are receiving cookie dough or wrapping paper in return. 

The effectiveness of this sort of fundraising will be based on the reaction by the families at your school. If you want to test the waters, simply use both methods to see how receptive people are to either option. Hopefully this will help you choose the best fundraising option for your school!

Reasons to Volunteer with PTA

5 OTHER Reasons to Volunteer with PTA {giveaway}

By Fawn Rechkemmer of InsteadOfTheDishes.com (This post originally appeared on Instead of the Dishes Sept. 2, 2013. Find an excerpt below and the entire piece here)

Now that school is back in session, I’ve started volunteering for PTA again.  Actually, I enjoyed it so much last year that they talked (suckered) me into being the Volunteer Coordinator this year. So, I’ve spent some time thinking about what the perks are for volunteering at your kid’s school. Of course, everyone knows the obvious reasons, like helping teachers, improving the academic experience for everyone, and so on, and so forth.  But, I’ve also come up with five OTHER reasons why you should consider becoming a PTA volunteer.

1. There’s a uniform.  Ok, there’s not really a uniform, but most schools have “spirit wear” which is basically a t-shirt with the school’s name/logo/mascot on it.  It’s so nice to climb out of bed and not have to think about what to wear on the days I’m volunteering.  I just put on my spirit wear (hrrmm, the red shirt or the black shirt?) and go!

2. You meet people.  We were new at our school last year. While volunteering, I met lots of other moms and people from the community.  It was an easy way to feel less like a newbie, and it was easy to talk to most of these folks because we had guaranteed things in common – kids in the same school and a vested interest in making that school a great place. I also got to know some of my child’s classmates.

3. It can provide brainless quiet time.  Ok, so working the cotton candy machine at the fall festival turned out to be sooo not brainless.  But, when I work at school during the day making copies and cutting triangles out of construction paper, it gives me a dedicated block of time for quiet.  No cell phone, no laptop.  Just me and my thoughts.

4. Get to know the teachers.  I’m not talking about creating friendships, because hey, they’re super busy working.  But, I’ve enjoyed learning which teacher teaches what. Of course I tend to pay close attention to the grade levels my children are in and the one they will move up to the following year.  I don’t mean to sound like a hover parent, but I like having a basic idea of what a teacher’s personality is like without having to rely on my children to paint the picture. (Because then all the teachers would be “fine”.)

5. See what kids are learning in the classroom.  When I walk the hallways, I see artwork and writing projects that I wouldn’t otherwise know about. I get a sneak peek of the 3rd grade music program when they practice in the gym.  When I make copies, I find out that my kindergartener will be reading Pete the Cat: I love My White Shoes. I even get ideas for activities to do at home!

There's more! Read the entire post over on InsteadoftheDishes.com!

Also, Find Fawn on Facebook and Twitter

Win $1500 for Your School!

Less Than 1 Week Left to Enter to Win $1500 for Your School

 Update: This sweeps is over as of Monday, Sept. 16th, 2013

Over 3500 schools have entered our $1500 Get Spotted Volunteering Sweepstakes, that's huge! 3 schools will WIN and it's super easy to get extra entries for your school in the final week. (Ends 9/15) Here's how: 

Spread the word! Copy/paste these sample social posts NOW:

Twitter:

Help our school win $1500! It's super easy & takes a few seconds, pledge to volunteer: http://vols.pt/pledge Ends 9/15

Our school could win $1500 via @VolunteerSpot! Click here > http://vols.pt Pledge to volunteer or organize class parents! Ends 9/15

Facebook: 

Help our school win $1500! It's super easy & takes a few seconds, pledge to volunteer! http://volunteerspot.com/pledge

GET MORE ENTRIES!

1. Pledge to volunteer in school! It's super easy, click HERE

* * *
 

2. Register a FREE organizer account to start coordinating parents for your school, click HERE  *Select Teacher/Educator, PTA, or School-Parent Group/Boosters during

registration and enter your school name when promoted.

* * *

3. Start organizing! For every activity signup you create under your school or classroom account, and for every parent or volunteer who signs up on your activities you get an extra entry. Start organizing:

 --

   - Weekly Readers

   - Hot Lunch & Recess Volunteers

   - Class Helpers

   - Fundraisers

   - Concessions & Snack Schedules

   - Parent Teacher Conferences 

* * *

4. Spread the word with these sample facebook posts & tweets, copy/paste:

Help our school win $1500 from VolunteerSpot! It's super easy, take a few seconds to pledge to volunteer: http://vols.pt/pledge Ends 9/15

 

Also check out helpful Back-to-School resources:

> 8 Ways to Use VolunteerSpot at Back-to-School

> 5 Tips for "Going Green" this School Year

> Back-to-School Night Tips & Ideas

> Back-to-School Ideas | Parent Volunteering

> 5 Tools Every Mom Needs for Back-to-School

VolunteerSpot Blog | Best of 2011

Blog Series, Guest Regulars and Wonderful Readers Made 2011 our Best Year Yet!

We want to celebrate and thank our guest contributors for a great year of all things service and giving back.  From insightful perspectives on school parent involvement,  non-profit success and benefit auction how-to's, to volunteer management and social media tips, teacher appreciation and fun class party ideas, employee volunteering and corporate responsibility news, faith group and community-building concepts and so much more - our blog proved to be an ever-evolving foundation for sharing timely and desired content.  

 
A favorite summer blog series, Teacher Tuesdays, was a thrilling opportunity to feature guest posts focusing on parent engagement in education from a teacher's perspective.  

 

Our Summer of Service feature gave us the privilege of featuring leading guest bloggers who shared their unique and personal perspectives on service, volunteering and citizen philanthropy.  Topics ranged from volunteering for kids and volunteer management, to the power of story-telling, employee service, supporting military families and so much more! 

 

The My School My Way campaign brought together over 30 bloggers sharing the highs and lows of parent volunteering, and how they did it their way in their school.  From humourous anecdotes to heart-warming insights, our My School My Way blog campaign had something for everyone, and we were honored to share these wonderful parents and writers with our readers.  Wrap-up and roll call.

_______________________________________________________________

April Welch, our resident Mental Clutter Coach, joined us week after week for Tidy Thursday - bringing fresh ideas and bright new ways to approach organizing our lives!

Worship Wednesday guest posts from Sue Brage were a true blessing.  From a faith-based perspective, her thoughts and words shed light on growing one's faith group and the interpretation of service in doing so.

 

 

Sherry Truhlar of Red Apple Auctions LLC brought us countless helpful tips, ideas and strategies when it came to running a successful auction.  From publicitiy, to gathering volunteers, legal refreshers, and best practices, expert advice made auction fundraisers less of a dream and more of a reality for many readers.

 

___________________________________________________________________ 

VolunteerSpotlights gave us a chance to shine a light on the amazing individuals and organizations who use VolunteerSpot to make a difference in their community.  From school parent leaders to festival organizers, conference coordinators to humane societies, congregational volunteer leaders to regional homeless shelter organizers - the willingness to do good was colorful and widespread and we were honored to share each and every story.

Additional Guest Regulars included:

Chris Jarvis of Realized Worth brought us insights into workplace volunteering, corporate social responsibility, and employee volunteer programs.

Andrea Patten of What Kids Need to Succeed illumined top tips, best practices, fun stories and helpful hints when it comes to running a successful nonprofit.

Myrdin Thompson of RootsandWings Library and MomCongress provided a keen and astute perspective from everything grant-writing, to literacy promotion, and advocating for more school involvement.

Susan Wells of SteveSpanglerScience joined us to share super creative and much-needed ideas incorporating science into the classroom, whether for a class party, school science fair, or the "dreaded science project."

A variety of incredibly talented and knowledgable contributors made our array of free e-books available as a highly sought-after resource for countless volunteers, organizers, teachers, team moms, and room parents!  From healthy snack ideas, to parent-teacher conference, class party, volunteer recognition, bake sale, school carnival, fundraising, talent show, and family volunteering ideas and tips, our e-books continue to be a fun and helpful resource for our readers and we are thrilled to be able to share them on our blog.

Family Friendly Volunteering: Service Project Ideas from A-Z

View more presentations from VolunteerSpot

There are so many more favorite posts and contributors in addition to these listed and we hope you take the time to look around.  Of course, our blog would be nowhere without our amazing readers and those who help promote and share our posts.  2011 was an incredible year and we are sure 2012 will prove to be even better - many thanks and here's to a New Year!

My School My Way | Wrap Up & Thank You

Across the nation kids are officially "BACK TO SCHOOL"!

Moms (and dads!) around the country are collectively releasing a giant sigh. Here at VolunteerSpot headquarters we are proud to have brought you 30+ bloggers who shared the good (and the guilty) of all things School-Parent Volunteering!

Please help us thank the WHOLE list of bloggers involved on our Roll Call.

We set out to host a diverse buffet of voices.

Bloggers support THEIR school... THEIR WAY.

Including:

• The uber mom volunteer who steps up and presides over her school's PTA or PTO.
• The mom who is scared just a little bit because it's her child's first year in school and fearful what that will bring!
• The mom who has done it all, seen it all and is ready to let someone else DO IT FOR A WHILE!
• Even the dad who spends time in the classroom... because he can.

And all the mom's in-between...

Three themes emerged from our cornucopia of bloggers.

Guilt

Moms seem to be made of it. We always worry that we aren't doing enough. That we could be doing more. We worry that one more pan of brownies should have been made, that one more hour of mystery reading should have fit in our lunchtime or one more school carnival should be notched on our belt.

But what's more important is that we take stock of what's most important in our own families, right now. No one argues that you should do more if it doesn't fit with your family.

{Support your school your way: In a way that works for your family, right now.}

Creative Solutions

Many bloggers shared that the knew what they could NOT do and instead of refusing to do anything, jumped in and found a creative way to volunteer that made sense for them.

Volunteer from home, make sure your kids are well fed, and well prepared for school each day, sometimes the small things mean more to your kid and your school in the long run.

{Support your school your way: By remembering that small things are still worth doing. }

Dedication

So many parents tackle time consuming volunteer jobs and do it with little fanfare or praise. We understand that not everyone can lead the PTA year after year. But to those who run school events, step up to help fundraise and  lead by example, we stand up and salute you.

We see your passion for volunteering and we see you use your skills and talents for the betterment of all kids not just your own.

{Support your school your way: By letting your passions lead the way.}

From the whole team at VolunteerSpot, WE THANK YOU!

You've inspired us all to take {personally} meaningful action and SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS!

 

Click to see the whole shebang of Parent Voices in the I Support My School... My Way series!

***

VolunteerSpot's FREE online signup sheets make it easy to organize parents and signup to help for just about anything: classroom helpers, snack schedules, carnivals, library volunteers, parent-teacher conferences and more.... No more 'Reply-All' email chains or clipboard sign up sheets! Please share with your room mom, teachers and parent leaders…

   

 Enter Now

You could WIN $500 in school supplies for your favorite school!

 

Give your Fall Fundraiser a BIG Boost with Social Media

Raise More Money and Boost Turnout with Social Media

What's your school's big fall fundraiser? A carnival, fall festival, auction, wrapping paper sale? Whatever it is, social media tools like facebook and twitter can rally parents, extend your reach, recognize sponsors and boost profits!

This is the fifth post in our series about activating your school -parent group through social media. We've covered power facebook tips and Twitter tips for PTAs and PTOs, and how to recognize volunteers using social channels. Let's put it all together in creating a Social Media Plan for big events.  

Creating a Social Media Plan

As you're planning your big event, put some dedicated thought into how you will use social media before, during and after the event. Think about what you will post and who will post it.  Enroll your inner-circle of parent leaders who are already using social media to particiapte as a way to show early traction. Not only is a school carnival or auction a terrific opportunity to engage parents and your community online, you can also attract new parents to your online communities during these events.

Facebook

4-5 Weeks before the event:

• Make announcements about ticket sales

• Setup the "Event" using the Event App on your school facebook page and invite the school's fans to the event. This way parents RSVP-ing to the event will feed to their facebook pages and their friends will see they're attending. Make note that this RSVP does not take the place of an actual registraiton - but 'likes' to the school carnival will certainly boost visibility to the event. {To setup an event,login as an administrator, click "Edit Page" then "Apps" then choose "Events".}

1-3 weeks before the event:

• Post teasers about the event sharing fun details about entertainment, food options, activities and ask poll questions to build interest.

• Post links to online fundraising partners so parents who can't come in person can donate or make a purchase online.
• Thank community and corporate sponsors with links to their businesses. First login as the school's website and 'like' the partner's facebook page.  Then when you mention their company name in the post details, it will also post to their facebook page so they see it.
• Put out additional calls for volunteers.  Make it actionable with links to the volunteer interest signup sheet on VolunteerSpot.

Week-of the event:

• Post last-minute information, calls for volunteers and important details. 
• Post links to ticket sales and donation links.
• Thanks sponsors.
• Post a bonus teaser in take-home news: "Like" us on facebook for last-minute ticket bonus and special carnival prize information".  Then followup by announcing a 'secret' prize or booth surprise for facebook fans.  "Facebook fans get 10 bonus tickets, use codeword "facebook fan" to claim your prize at the ticket booth!
• Create "Like us on facebook" posters with the school's facebook address.  Consider using a free QR Code so parents with smartphones can grab all contact information quickly.

During the event:

• Announce the event is starting so parents who may have forgotten can quickly adjust.
• Coach volunteers to encourage parents to join the online communities. E.g. "While you're waiting in line, it's a perfect time to pull out your smartphone and "Like" East Elementary on Facebook."
• Offer special bonuses for parents who show they 'like' the school on their smartphone. E.g. "Like"us and get a 10 bonus tickets! 

Day after the event:

• Post fun photos of parents in action and invite parents to also post their photos. {Avoid photos of kid's faces without permission. Tag parents so the photos show up on their facebook pages too.}
• Thank volunteers for their participation. See these 5 Sensational Social Media Recognition Ideas.
• Thanks sponsors.

Within a week of the event

• Post the results of the event.  Include how many people attended and how much money was raised, and also fun statistics like number of hot dogs consumed or pounds of ice-cream eaten.
• Seek feedback. Post a link to a formal online survey from Survey Monkey, or use the Question feature on your facebook page to find out parent's most and least favorite booths, what they liked, and what they would like to see changed for next year.

Twitter

The Twitter campaign will follow similar steps to the facebook time-line, but limited to 150 characters. The same guidelines apply for announcing tickets, posting items of interest, bonuses and acknowledging sponsors and volunteers. A few additional suggestions:

• Create and publish a hashtag to identify the event.  Publicize it in all printed event materials before and during the event and put it on posters so parents using Twitter tag their tweets to the event.  E.g.: #EastElemCarnival  #EastElemAuction

• When thanking sponsors and volunteers be sure to use their proper Twitter handle so they see you thanking them and have an opportunity to tweet back, e.g:

Thanks @GroceryStory, we're having a Gr8 day at #EastElemCarnival because of you!

 Don't miss Principal A. in the dunking booth at 2pm! Big fun @ #EastElemCarnival. Thx 2 r sponsor @GroceryStore!

@MildyManicMom - you rocked the cakewalk! Thx for baking BIG for #EastElemCarnival! <link to photo>

We hope these social suggestions make your event more fun and profitable and boost your online communities.  This is all so new and we know your parent groups will get even more creative than these suggestions. Please let us know what you try and learn over on our VolunteerSpot facebook page.  Happy Fundraising!

***

VolunteerSpot's FREE online signup sheets make it easy to organize parents and signup to help for just about anything: school carnivals and auctions, classroom helpers, snack schedules, library volunteers, parent-teacher conferences and more.... No more 'Reply-All' email chains or clipboard sign up sheets! 

 ***

 You may also like:

Activate the Parent Community at Your School with Social Media

Facebook Power Tips for School-Parent Groups

10 Twitter Tips for Savvy Schools and PTAs

5 Sensational Social Media Recognition Ideas

I Support My School My Way | Day 12

 

Welcome to Day TWELVE of
I Support My School... My Way, VolunteerSpot's back-to-school campaign and Sweepstakes celebrating parent involvement in schools!

Today is the LAST installment of our very fun-very impressive (over 30 bloggers!) story campaign.  All sharing their stories THEIR way.

We conclude with 3 bloggers.

(Check out all the stories from the whole series!)

 

Please Meet:

Lorraine of RunWifeyRun.com

Lorraine is a mother and a runner (what a suprise from her blog title, eh?).

She admits it. She is a 'party parent'.

"Oh, and I do field trips, too. I’m all for hopping on the bus and getting the kids out to see the world." I love her attitude. You don't have to be the weekly 'in classroom' volunteer to support your school!

She has this wisdom to share: "I know my strengths and think its smarter to use them rather than force myself to volunteer in ways that aren’t a good fit for everyone involved."

Read more about Lorraine's favorite part of volunteering: 'Mystery Reader'!

Follow Lorraine on Twitter @AskWifey.

***

Ponn of AmericanMuslimMom.com

Ponn's mission is to: "enlighten, educate and empower moms, especially American Muslim Moms living in America and abroad, to take action."

She is an impressive mother and advocate for her religion and goals. But take a minute and read through her 79 (!!) creative ways she has supported her school. You'll agree. This is an amazing woman.

First it's a fascinating story to read about how while they are fundamentally committed to homeschooling—this Muslim family made a hard decision to invest in their local school due to family issues. And in only 4 months they gave more than some give in years.

They jumped in feet first and with enthusiasm to help in many (many!) different ways. Here's just a tiny fraction:

• Meet the principal...
• Meet every single teacher...
• Meet & help substitutes... (read why, you'll be impressed with this thought!)
• Offer to teach a lesson plan... (WOW)
• End of year cleaning...

Seriously this is ONE amazing volunteer list! Read all of it right now!

Follow Ponn on Twitter: @PonnSabra

***

Cindy of MildlyManicMom.com

Cindy works full time and is the manic mom of two kids: one tween daughter and a son in high school. 

She says she spent years hiding from volunteer sign up sheets because she 'didn't feel (she) had much to offer'... or time we might guess.

She then asks this question:

"So, what's a guilty feeling, full time working mom to do?"

Easy, she came out of hiding long enough to read through the multiple lists of subcommittees in her PTSO and landed on the one thing she could be part of without being IN the building during working hours. Wanna guess what it was?

Hospitality Committee!

Read more about how Cindy learned you 'don't have to be the room mom to be a good volunteer'.

Follow Cindy on Twitter @MildlyManicMom

 

Click to see the whole shebang of Parent Voices in the I Support My School... My Way series!

***

VolunteerSpot's FREE online signup sheets make it easy to organize parents and signup to help for just about anything: classroom helpers, snack schedules, carnivals, library volunteers, parent-teacher conferences and more.... No more 'Reply-All' email chains or clipboard sign up sheets! Please share with your room mom, teachers and parent leaders…

   

 Enter Now

You could WIN $500 in school supplies for your favorite school!

 

I Support My School My Way | Day 11

Welcome to Day ELEVEN of
I Support My School... My Way, VolunteerSpot's back-to-school campaign and Sweepstakes celebrating parent involvement in schools!

Today we have two bloggers and a couple terrific stories!

(And a whole lot more from the previous three weeks!)

 

Please Meet:

Melissa of ImaginationSoup.com

Melissa is the parent of 2 girls and an education blogger, she is a former school teacher and it shows!

She tells in her "I Support My School" article that she got called to the principal's office. Why?

No, not for spitballs. In a word: ADVOCACY. She was working hard to make a change in her schools. Especially when it came to the continuted use of a curriculum she felt was outdated and simply wrong. And you can hear the frustration in her typing...

She explains: "As I considered my options, I really didn’t want to change schools or home school. I wanted to stay at my neighborhood school and work for change — change for the better. People told me it would never work, that the school would never change but I thought I at least needed to try. I hoped that the school would listen to me with openness and work with me for a solution."

I don't want to ruin the story. But I will say I'd like Melissa advocating for MY kids! Click over to find out whether her kids were able to stay at her local public school. 

Follow Melissa on Twitter @ImaginationSoup

***

Kristin from ZiggityZoom.com

Kristin is the mom of 3 boys and she is the co-author of Parenting Without a Paddle. She is a fireball of energy and has helped her schools by speaking at events, using her own busness to help and guide as well regular old volunteer time in the classroom.

You'll appreciate her insights on how to pace yourself and navigate through volunteering, a few examples:

• I have said NO to more things than I say yes to...
• I am clear and communicate how I am able and willing to volunteer...
• I split up responsibilities with my husband

And then she goes one step beyond just volunteering: "But most of all, I help our school by meeting other parents and letting them know that our school is a better school because of all the parent involvement, whether through the PTA or attending school events."

Read more about how Krstin is also a Lunch Buddy!

Follow Kristin on Twitter @mommie911, @ziggityzoom.

 

Click to see all the {awesome} Parent Voices in the I Support My School... My Way series!

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VolunteerSpot's FREE online signup sheets make it easy to organize parents and signup to help for just about anything: classroom helpers, snack schedules, carnivals, library volunteers, parent-teacher conferences and more.... No more 'Reply-All' email chains or clipboard sign up sheets! Please share with your room mom, teachers and parent leaders…

   

 Enter Now

You could WIN $500 in school supplies for your favorite school!

 

I Support My School My Way | Day 10

Welcome to Day TEN of
I Support My School... My Way, VolunteerSpot's back-to-school campaign and Sweepstakes celebrating parent involvement in schools!

We are wrapping up the last week of this amazing blogger-extravaganza with Five bloggers and five amazing stories! All sharing their stories THEIR way today.

(And a whole lot more from the previous three weeks!)

 

Please Meet:

Lolli managing editor for 5MinutesForMom

Lolli has 5 kids and is a former school teacher as well! She found after her first kiddo went to kindergarten that she really missed being in the classroom and found a mom to share babysitting of younger sibs in order to volunteer and get her classroom 'fix'!

"I found that the teachers gave me insights into my kids’ strengths and struggles as I spent time in their class – insight that I would have missed had I waited for the twice-a-year parent-teacher conferences." —Lolli tells how rewarding simply helping in the classroom can be.

Read about what Lolli thinks is the bests reward for volunteering in her kid's classroom.

Follow Lolli on Twitter @1Momof5 and follow @5minutesformom.

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Loralee of LoraleesLooneyTunes.com

Loralee is a mother to 4 boys. And she spent many years on parent organization boards. But soon came to find out:

"After so many years and gazillion hours of serving as PO President, when I was done I had to take a major step back for several years from EVERYTHING volunteering." Plus her whole family went through the horror of losing a small infant.

And now she keeps it real in her family by figuring out what works for each individual. Some in charter school, some homeschooled, some in public school!

What she has to say about the guilt of stepping down for a while: "And, while I do feel guilt about it, I am also fine with it because right now, it is what works best for us all."

Read more about how Loralee describes the 'beauty of it' and figuring out what her next round of elementary school will bring! 

Follow Loralee on Twitter: @LooneyTunes

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April of TheMentalClutterCoach.com 

 What could be better than a whole program to help your middle schooler get more organized?!

Our own Tidy Thursday author and Mental Clutter Coach—April Welch has helped create exactly that. It's called the Organizing Fundamentals Curriculum    and April has offered to help any parent group implement this program in your school!

She describes details about how the program works: Qualifying, Assemblies and Volunteering, plus a whole lot of fun.

Helping kids overcome their own organizing problems is a huge reward. April describes one student in the program: "I’m proud to report now, as a high school student, she immediately beams with pride every time she sees me. Usually she is pulling out her binder to show me how she still is using the techniques we worked on. Our conversations quickly lead to her plans for college and how her grades are staying up."

Read more about this program and the way April Supports Her School.

Follow April on Twitter @Mental_Clutter

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Whitney of MommiesWithStyle.com

The art of walking a fine line seems to be a recurring theme in our My School My Way series. Whitney finds herself dividing her time between her work and her volunteer wishes.

"It’s a busy schedule and it’s often tough to juggle all the various volunteer schedules!"

She does her best to give of her time when she can and understands the importance of mom 'face' time for her kids.

Read more about how Whitney Supports Her School.

Follow Whitney on Twitter @WhitneyMWS

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Julie of AngryJulieMonday.com

Julie is also known as AngryJulie and she has one angry child as well as one angry husband.

She volunteered at her school's 'jogathon' last year by being the photographer. Which has turned into being the Chair of the 'jogathon' this year! Good luck Julie...! (But who will take the photos?)

She also spends several hours in AngryKid's classroom each week.

Read more about why she thinks it's important to Support Her School.

Follow Julie on Twitter @AngryJulie

 

Click to see all the {awesome} Parent Voices in the I Support My School... My Way series!

***

VolunteerSpot's FREE online signup sheets make it easy to organize parents and signup to help for just about anything: classroom helpers, snack schedules, carnivals, library volunteers, parent-teacher conferences and more.... No more 'Reply-All' email chains or clipboard sign up sheets! Please share with your room mom, teachers and parent leaders…

   

 Enter Now

You could WIN $500 in school supplies for your favorite school!

 

I Support My School My Way | Day 9

Welcome to Day NINE of
I Support My School... My Way, VolunteerSpot's back-to-school campaign and Sweepstakes celebrating parent involvement in schools!

We have a special treat today. FOUR bloggers all on one day! All sharing their stories THEIR way today.

(And a whole lot more over the next few weeks.)

 

Please Meet:

Jill Berry of Musings From Me

Jill has had kids in school since 1998! She was a working mom with two kids at home, but then decided her kids were what she really wanted to dedicate her time to. She became a volunteer enthusiast!:

"I relished volunteering in my daughter’s kindergarten classroom. With a full room of squirmy kindergarteners, the teacher needed an extra person to go over sightword lists or do craft projects with small groups. While I was never a room mom, I volunteered my time to class parties and sent in snacks and juice bags."

Jill has volunteerism fever! She volunteered at all different kinds of school functions:

"As a volunteer I was very willing to sign up for this activity or volunteer to chaperone that field trip. I wish I had known about VolunteerSpot back in the early 2000s…my life and the lives of my fellow PTA members would have been so much easier."

Read more about how Jill supports her school.

Follow Jill on Twitter @MusingsFromMe.

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Mariana of The Domestic Buzz 

Marina has come to the same realization as many parents:

"It’s no secret that with budget cuts, our children’s schools need parents more than ever, but writing check after check isn’t in our budget right now."

Check out some of the ways that Mariana is making a difference at her school without breaking the bank!:

• I joined the PTA. Not only became a member, but I took a position as Bilingual Liaison, hoping to reach out to our Spanish-speaking community.
• I’m helping in the classroom. I’m looking forward to chaperoning at least one of my daughter’s field trips. Hoping to make it in once or twice to read a book to the class. Walking the Diabetes walk along with Maya. Providing food and goodies for class parties. Obsessively cutting Box Tops. Whatever I can do to help.

Read more about how Mariana supports her school through creative and cost-free ways.

Follow Mariana on Twitter: @ohmariana

***

Kelli of Parenting Squad

  Kelli states right off the bat that she's neither a room mom or a PTA parent, but she still does her part to support her school. Here are some of her suggestions on how to help out at school"

  Let the teachers do their job.
 

  Don't confuse strict with strychnine.
 

  Keep communication lines open.

  Remember, teachers are human, too.

And we especially like this one:

  Ask how to help.

Some teachers want parents in the classroom every day. Others cringe at the thought and prefer that parents help by doing administrative tasks at home. Don't assume you know what assistance the teacher needs. Find out on the first day: "What can I do to help you this year?"

Read more about how Kelli supports her school.

Follow Kelli on Twitter @ParentingSquad.

 

Barb of BeTweenTalk

As Barb's kids have gotten older, they really didn't want mom at school anymore. But Barb has done her part to support her schools and educaiton of all chilren - through politics!

"...one thing I have always been is an educational activist. Most recently, I have been helping to stir the pot up about the Dougco school voucher issue and Science Education in the US. Because I believe that no matter where you sit on the side of school choice vouchers or educational reform, the conversation is the most important part."

Read more about how Barb uses her "voice as a blogger to bring to light these discussions on the politics of education."

Follow Barb on Twitter @Chaotic_Barb.

 

***

VolunteerSpot's FREE online signup sheets make it easy to organize parents and signup to help for just about anything: classroom helpers, snack schedules, carnivals, library volunteers, parent-teacher conferences and more.... No more 'Reply-All' email chains or clipboard sign up sheets! Please share with your room mom, teachers and parent leaders…

   

 Enter Now

You could WIN $500 in school supplies for your favorite school!

 

I Support My School My Way | Day 8

Welcome to Day EIGHT of
I Support My School... My Way, VolunteerSpot's back-to-school campaign and Sweepstakes celebrating parent involvement in schools!

We have two terrific bloggers sharing their stories THEIR way today.

(And a whole lot more over the next few weeks.)

 

Please meet:

Lela Davidson of After the Bubbly

  Lela wrote a book entitled Blacklisted from the PTA, and so she seems to be an unlikely user of VolunteerSpot's online signup sheets.

But wait...

"Because I spend enough time devoted to my children already I’m a reluctant participant in any of your clipboard-worthy activities. However, I will be a dutiful worker bee. That’s right, after you ask me two or three times I will be happy to work a shift or bake a cake or whatever else it is that chips away at the greater good. I will show up with a smile and I won’t even spend the entire time talking smack about the other PTA parents. Not the whole time, anyway."

Read more about how Lela supports her school, at least when the volunteer position doesn't have "field" or "monitor" in the title...

Follow Lela on Twitter @leladavidson.

***

Andrea Fellman of SavvySassyMoms.com

Andrea is facing a dilemma that many parents share at the beginning of the school year: Should she volunteer to be her son's room mom?

"You see, I was my daughter’s room Mom when she was in Kindergarten two years ago and I kinda feel like I should do it for my son too.  I’m an organizer by nature, love to plan parties, research themes, crafts, make the flyers, e-mail, get everyone involved and excited.  I realize that the room Mom can sometimes be annoying, but what’s more annoying is a Room Mom that sucks."

We love her suggestion that:

"Not everyone has the time to do everything and no one should feel pressure to do it all (at least not by themselves).  So maybe I will ask if there can be Co-Room Mom?  Divide and Conquer!?"

Read the rest of Andrea's post, and find out what decision she came to at SavvySassyMoms.com

Follow Andrea on Twitter: @SavvySassyMom

Click to see all the {awesome} Parent Voices in the I Support My School... My Way series!

**

VolunteerSpot's FREE online signup sheets make it easy to organize parents and signup to help for just about anything: classroom helpers, snack schedules, carnivals, library volunteers, parent-teacher conferences and more.... No more 'Reply-All' email chains or clipboard sign up sheets! Please share with your room mom, teachers and parent leaders…

   

 Enter Now

You could WIN $500 in school supplies for your favorite school!