Volunteering is a sacrifice of time and sometimes money, but I am always glad I have done it. Through volunteering I feel connected to our greater SLOCA community, I feel more involved in my children’s education and extracurriculars, I forge new friendships and deepen older ones, and the bonus is it feels good to help out.
– SLOCA parent
It’s the start of a new school year and with all the back to school organization, it’s a good time to think about your volunteer hours! Volunteering is highly valued at SLOCA because it helps you be more involved in your child’s community and gives you insight into the parts of our school that you may not have known before. There are many ways of fulfilling it, no matter how young or old your kids are, I (Wei) used to volunteer on the little playground when my oldest started school, and it was a nice way to meet his friends and see how things worked. Being on campus in my first years at SLOCA helped me have those ‘hallway conversations’ that encouraged and inspired our home days. It was also nice to see the character of the older students as they went about their day, and it made me even more encouraged about the years to come.
Today we’d like to remind you that our friendly Volunteer Coordinator Lora Gomes is always in the Front Office to answer any volunteer or Track it Forward questions that you might have, and she is also available via phone or email. It feels harder to be on campus after the past couple of years, but it is worth it!
As well as all the information in our Parent Portal and the information in your Parent Packet, we also have some tips and tricks today to help you start thinking about what you can do.
- Track it Forward is not the only place to find volunteer opportunities; you may also inquire with your student’s teachers, the Den, Library, and not to mention Athletics & Safety Team. They are always looking for reliable volunteers.
- Did you know if you bring helpers with you on a volunteer job, their hours may be submitted in addition to yours. (Bring a helper for Clean Up Day at the start of the year and your hours are doubled!)
- Families who have had a baby may be able to waive a portion of their trimester hour requirements. Contact the volunteer coordinator for more information.
- Families who sign up as Hallway Parents, watering plants, weeding, planting, etc. at just 1 hour/week can earn between 12 – 15+ hours per trimester!! Contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Lora Gomes to learn about other similar opportunities.
- Interested in Office Work? Check in regularly with the NOL’s to inquire on office work available you can volunteer for. Many times we will have something come up that you can sign up for.
- Having a hard time fulfilling your volunteer hours due to financial hardship, job loss, family matters, etc. Reach out to our Director of Parent Care, she may be able to provide some temporary assistance.
- Not sure if you have time to volunteer? How about donating much-needed supplies for SLOCA? For every $20 spent, on approved items, you may submit one volunteer hour. Receipts must be submitted for hours to be approved.
Do you have any other suggestions or favorite ways to volunteer at SLOCA? Leave a comment in the section below!
