Volunteering Opportunities

The Parent Advisory Board has a number of opportunities for volunteerism in Montessori and in the Issaquah community. Listed below are some of these opportunities:

Scholastic book-order Preschool-Kindergarten

Description: Each year a volunteer organizes the scholastic book club orders. This entails working with scholastic, putting together the order forms, distributing forms to parent cubbies, gathering money, and then distributing books when they arrive.

Time Commitment: This is a yearlong commitment, though it can be divided between two or three people. It takes approximately 5 hours per order; we average 5 orders per year. (Total time: 25 hours). This activity can be done evenings or weekends, before or after school or at school.

Classroom Parent

Description: The classroom room parent acts as the liaison between teacher and classroom volunteers. This is an essential position, as this person organizes, disperses, and schedules volunteer efforts for the individual classroom. In some cases, this person also organizes the class potluck.

Each teacher defines the specific responsibilities and tasks needed to be done in this role. This volunteer opportunity is managed and recruited by each individual teacher.

Time commitment: Each teacher defines the time involved. It is often a yearlong commitment, sometimes requiring the volunteer's presence in the classroom.

Classroom Potluck Coordinator

Description: Some classrooms separate the jobs of Classroom Room Parent and Potluck Coordinator. In this case, the Potluck Coordinator seeks information from the teacher regarding dates, times and spaces available for the classroom's potluck. The Potluck coordinator is then responsible for organizing all other details regarding the potluck including communications (posters, emails, notes in parents' cubbies) and food/supplies sign-up.

Should a given classroom choose to do more than one potluck, the Potluck Coordinator would then be responsible for securing space and covering any rental fees (or asking all parents to contribute. She/he would also organize all other details as described above.

Time Commitment: Each potluck takes 2-5 hours to organize, excluding time to secure a space. This activity can take place anywhere at any time.

Garden Cleaning/Planting Gardener

Description: Botany is an important element in Montessori curriculum. Sunnybrook needs assistance with cleaning the school garden in March and planting flowers for Earth Day in April. Some weekend watering of the plants and vegetables in the hot summer months may be needed during July and August. The lead gardener recruits other gardeners to work with the children in March and in April.

Cooking for Staff Appreciation Week

Description: In the past, the PAB has hosted an on-site luncheon for the school staff. Volunteers are needed on a one-time basis. This entails baking and/or cooking for up to 20 people.

Time Commitment: This usually takes place the first week of May. More than on volunteer is needed. It usually takes 1-2 hours, and can be done at home, at any time. (The food items usually must be delivered to school by 10:30 a.m.)

Cooking with the Children in the Classroom

Description: Many of the classrooms host different cooking projects during the school year. These projects may coincide with seasonal events or with cultures/countries the children are studying. The parent volunteer organizes and supervises a child-driven cooking project. The parent solicits the food items, and comes to the classroom to discuss the project, and helps create the project during class time.

Teachers will recruit volunteers as needed from their classroom.

Time Commitment: This is usually a one-time commitment, though several cooking projects may be done through the course of the year. Each project usually takes 3 hours, and must be done during the school day at school.

Event Assistance

Description: Each year there are events, such as Back to School Curriculum Night, and Picture Day, Musical Carnival, Garden Days, Open Houses, Dads Pumpkin Carving, and Mothers Tea. Some require a volunteer to usher children to and from the event. Others require a volunteer to help prepare market or help at the event.

Time Commitment: This is a one-time commitment. It takes up to 4 hours, and must be done onsite at Sunnybrook Montessori.

Listening to Children Read

Description: Teachers may request a volunteer to be available on a regularly scheduled basis to listen to emergent readers reading aloud. Each teacher will define this volunteer opportunity as it suit the specific classroom. The teacher on an as-needed basis recruits this volunteer opportunity.

Reading Aloud to Children

Description: Teachers may request a volunteer to read-aloud to the children on a regular basis. Each teacher will define this volunteer opportunity as it suits the specific classroom. This volunteer opportunity is recruited by the teacher on an as-needed basis.

Time Commitment: Each teacher defines the time involved. It is often a yearlong commitment, requiring the volunteer's weekly presence in the classroom. It takes place at Sunnybrook during the school day.

Story Transcribing

Description: Teachers may request a volunteer to come in on a regular basis to transcribe stories created by the children. Each teacher will define this volunteer opportunity as it suits the specific classroom. This volunteer opportunity is recruited by the teacher on an as-needed basis.

Time Commitment: Each teacher defines the time involved. It is often a yearlong commitment, requiring the volunteer's weekly presence in the classroom. It takes place at MCH during the school day.

Making Classroom Materials

Description: Some of the classroom materials require preparation time such as cutting, training, coloring or copying. Teachers will recruit parent volunteers as needed, often using the classroom coordinators to organize these efforts.

Time Commitment: Hours will vary by project. Often this activity can be done anywhere, at any time.

PAB Board Member

Description: In addition to officers, the PAB seeks to have "Board Members at Large" participate in monthly meetings. The meeting will last between 1 and 2 hours. Members at large contribute their opinions and ideas, share their own children's experiences, and assist in planning PAB activities. Members at large may also volunteer to chair a PAB event.

Time commitment: This is a yearlong commitment. PAB meetings take place at Sunnybrook Montessori in the evenings and last between 1 to 2 hours (time may increase depending upon what activities the board member volunteers for).

PAB Educational Enrichment Chair

Description: The PAB organizes on-site educational school year events such as "Police Officers" and "Fire Fighters," and other special guests. The PAB Enrichment Chair serves as the key organizer of these events she/he works with teachers to establish which events to host and when, calls different vendors to solicit prices and schedule times, and reports their findings back to the PAB. This Chairperson also manages the Educational Enrichment budget. The PAB votes yearly on which events to host and how much money to spend in the Montessori community. Parents and friends of the school can also be available to the children.

Time Commitment: This is a yearlong commitment. It takes approximately 10-20 hours for phone calls and organizations. Additionally, this Chairperson needs to attend PAB meetings. Organization of the events can take place anywhere, at any time. The meetings can take place at MCH in the evenings.

PAB end of Year Party Chair

Description: At the end of the school year, the PAB hosts and all-school party and Kindergarten graduation ceremony. The End of Year Party Chair seeks information from Head of School regarding dates, times and spaces available for the party, promotes the events amongst the school community, makes and sells tickets, works with the PAB to establish pricing for the tickets. This Chairperson also works with the PAB and teachers to identify and schedule the Party events.

Time Commitment: This is a one-time commitment that takes place in the spring. The planning takes approximately 10 hours over 4 weeks. This Chairperson needs to attend at least a few PAB meetings. Organization of the events can take place anywhere, at anytime. The meetings take place at Sunnybrook in the evenings.

PAB Event Break-down or Set-up

The PAB may host Speaker events at different locations. These events often require people to help transport, set up, and take down chairs, tables, the sound system and other materials supplies. Events may require additional set-up or breakdown. Parent volunteers are recruited through their classrooms as needed. Often a sign up sheet is made available.

Time Commitment: This is an event-based commitment that takes place at various times throughout the school year. It usually takes about one hour for set up and one hour for break down. It takes place on location of the event.

PAB Sally Foster Chair

Description: Sally Foster is a commercial fundraiser that the PAB sponsors in the fall. 50% of all sales from sally Foster catalog go directly to the PAB. Chairing this event entails establishing a time frame for the sales, distributing catalogs to all families, promoting the event, communicating total funds raised. Upon arrival of products, the Sally Foster chair distributes products to the families that purchased them.

Time Commitment: This is a one-time commitment that takes place in the fall. The planning takes approximately 10 hours over 4 weeks. This chairperson needs to attend at least the first two PAB meetings. Organization of the event can take place anywhere, at any time. The meetings take place at Sunnybrook in the evenings.

PAB President

Description: The PAB President attends and leads all PAB meeting, prepares the agenda, and posts the meeting announcement. She/he promotes PAB activities, and delegates tasks as needed. For more complete description of the duties of this position, see the appendix to the PAB bylaws titled "Board Organization and Functioning."

Time Commitment: Ideally, this is a two-year commitment. The year prior to taking on the role of President, this person agrees to serve as Vice President. The President needs to attend each PAB meeting throughout the school year. The meetings take place at Sunnybook in the evenings, and can last anywhere from 1-2 hours.

PAB Vice President

Description: The PAB Vice President takes on the President's duties when s/he is unavailable. For a more complete description of the duties of this position, see the appendix to the PAB bylaws titled "Board Organization and Functioning".

Time Commitment: Ideally, this is a two-year commitment. The Vice President agrees to serve one year as Vice President and the next year as President. The Vice President needs to attend each PAB meeting throughout the school year. The meetings take place at MCH in the evenings, and can last from 1-2 hours each.

PAB Secretary

Description: The PAB Secretary attends all meeting and takes notes. She/he also writes a summary of the notes to be included in the monthly newsletter. The Secretary also organizes Thank-You note writing, either writing the notes, or soliciting assistance from other PAB members (thank you notes are sent in response to donations and other volunteer contributions).

Time Commitment: This is a yearlong commitment. The Secretary needs to attend each PAB meeting throughout the school year. The meetings take place at Sunnybrook in the evenings and can last from 1-2 hours each. Other writing duties take approximately 2 hours per month.

PAB Treasurer

Description: The PAB Treasurer attends all meetings and presents a financial report at each. She/he manages the PAB accounts, writes checks, and deposits money. It is preferred that someone with financial experience (budgeting, accounting, etc.) serves in this position. For a more complete description of the duties of this position, see the appendix to the PAB bylaws titled "Board Organization and Functioning".

Time Commitment: This is a yearlong commitment. The Treasurer needs to attend each PAB meeting throughout the school year. The meetings take place at MCH in the evenings, and can last from 1-2 hours each. Other financial duties take approximately 2-5 hours per month.

PAB Staff Appreciation Chair

Description: This chairperson works with the PAB and Head of School to organize our Staff Appreciation event every spring. In the past, this event has been a weeklong appreciation, with different activities on each day (such as hosting an on-site breakfast, washing and detailing cars, and sponsoring a "gift-card day/flower"). The PAB Staff Appreciation Chair serves as the key organizer; she/he works with Head of School to establish which activities to host and when, recruits volunteers to participate in the activities, and works within Staff Teacher Appreciation budget. The PAB votes yearly on which activities to host and how much money to spend depending upon budgetary and Board decisions.

Time Commitment: This is a one-time commitment that takes place in the spring. The planning takes approximately 10 hours over 3 weeks. This Chairperson needs to attend at least a few PAB meetings. Organization of the events can take place anywhere, at any time. The activities take place at MCH during the regular school day.

Photography

Description: Candid photos of the children are needed for the website, classroom projects, and for display in the classroom. A volunteer photographer would take photos of the children, have them developed, and provide prints to the teacher or Head of School. Alternatively, a CD with digital photos can be submitted.

To protect the privacy of Montessori families, the photographer agrees not to distribute, propagate or share these images with non-enrolled families. (Of course, photos may be used in the photographer's own family albums, etc.) Furthermore, the photographer agrees not to use the photos for any commercial gain.

(Please note that Sunnybrook Montessori families who do not want their children to be photographed are asked to submit this request in writing to Sunnybrook at the beginning of the school year)

Time Commitment: This is a project-based commitment, which needs to be organized in advance with the school administration and teachers. Special events are of particular interest for photography. It can take up to 3 hours per event, including developing the pictures. Taking the photos will be done at Sunnybrook or at off-campus, all-school events.

Special Guest Speaker (presenting to the children)

Description: Teachers may request that parents with skills, hobbies, jobs, or experiences that match a unit of study visit the classroom and speak with the children. Each teacher will define the specifics of this volunteer opportunity. It is managed through individual teachers and is recruited on an as-needed basis.

Time Commitment: Each teacher defines the time involved. It is requires the volunteer's presence in the classroom. It takes place both in and out of Sunnybrook Montessori.

Teacher/Parent/Community Partnership

Description: Teachers and administration may request that parents with skills, hobbies, jobs, or experiences that match an educational need of staff to present a training session. Such educational needs may include (but are not limited to): computer skills, First Aid/CPR, gardening, music, sign language, Spanish, and visual arts.

Time Commitment: Together with teachers, Head of School will define what kind of training is appropriate, the time involved, and when and where the training will take place.

Website development

Description: Sunnybrook Montessori hosts a website, www.Sunnybrookmont.com which occasionally needs updating. Some of these updates include: adding photographs, editing content, and updating newsletters. Parent volunteers are recruited by the Head of School as needed.

Time Commitment: This is a project-based commitment. Time will vary. It can be done anytime, anywhere.

New Parent Orientation in August

Description: Members of the PAB, including the President are available for the New Parent Orientation meeting. The President gives a brief overview of the PAB, and other members are available for an informal Q&A session.

Time Commitment: This is a one-time event that takes place in the late summer. It happens onsite at Sunnybrook Montessori. It takes about 2 hours.