Parent volunteer requirements

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Parent volunteer requirements

by Misty

May 19, 2010

We are trying to get our parents to become more involved in the school. We are think about having the parents to become responsible for a certain number of volunteer hours. Have you used this in your school?

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Jo On 5/19/10, Misty wrote: > We are trying to get our parents to become more involved in > the school. We are think about having the parents to > become responsible for a certain number of volunteer > hours. Have you used this in your school?

Once it is required it is no longer volunteer. I have such a hard time when schools say ...See More

May 20, 2010

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Jo Go Blow Well Jo, Thanks so much for you thoughts. I just love it when jerks like you can't write a decent response to a question. Why did you even respond if you didn't have anything positive to contribute? You need to read the post again. I said RESPONSIBLE not required. Maybe you need to get a grasp of the English language. The purpose is to have the par...See More

May 20, 2010

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Jo Oh, I guess I misread the title of the post which is "Parent volunteer requirements". How silly of me to think it meant requirement and associate your idea of making parents responsible for the "requirements" to actually mean requirement meant requirement.

I'm sorry my opinion wasn't positive, but if I was a parent at your school and I had...See MoreOh, I guess I misread the title of the post which is "Parent volunteer requirements". How silly of me to think it meant requirement and associate your idea of making parents responsible for the "requirements" to actually mean requirement meant requirement.

I'm sorry my opinion wasn't positive, but if I was a parent at your school and I had a "Parent volunteer requirement" as the title read I would be asking why I had to work for free if I didn't feel obliged. Now, when you state "Parent volunteer requirement" and you get those parents who are not happy with your request that they be responsible to fulfill the requirement, you will have already been warned to expect this pushback.

Also, if you only want comments that agree with your idea, why post at all?

As for being a non-profit school, that doesn't necessarily mean inexpensive. OK, it is run by parents or does it make the term parent volunteer requirement anything less than an oxymoron. Things can be either volunteer by definition or required by definition. They cannot be both.

Have to love the handle and the name calling! Very professional.

On 5/20/10, Jo Go Blow wrote: > > Well Jo, Thanks so much for you thoughts. I just love it when > jerks like you can't write a decent response to a question. Why > did you even respond if you didn't have anything positive to > contribute? You need to read the post again. I said > RESPONSIBLE not required. Maybe you need to get a grasp of the > English language. The purpose is to have the parents involved, > not "work for free". The school is non profit and run by the > parents! > > > > > > On 5/20/10, Jo wrote: >> On 5/19/10, Misty wrote: >>> We are trying to get our parents to become more involved in >>> the school. We are think about having the parents to >>> become responsible for a certain number of volunteer >>> hours. Have you used this in your school? >> >> Once it is required it is no longer volunteer. I have such a >> hard time when schools say such silly things. I thought they >> were supposed to have some common sense and a grasp of the >> English language. >> >> I'm all for encouraging parental volunteering, but please, >> please, please, don't call it a requirement then call it >> volunteering. Be up front - we want you to work 30 hours a >> year for free in addition to your outlandish tuition.

May 20, 2010

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maureen On 5/19/10, Misty wrote: > We are trying to get our parents to become more involved in > the school. We are think about having the parents to > become responsible for a certain number of volunteer > hours. Have you used this in your school?

Misty: I have never done this but I know of other schools, often the large ones who have...See MoreOn 5/19/10, Misty wrote: > We are trying to get our parents to become more involved in > the school. We are think about having the parents to > become responsible for a certain number of volunteer > hours. Have you used this in your school?

Misty: I have never done this but I know of other schools, often the large ones who have these in place. The parents log in their hours. I guess I have always looked at it from this that this is a parent/school partnership and if parents are aware of the need of volunteering up front, they will be more likely to be the type that does volunteer. I just have a long list of suggestions and have parents sign up for what areas they might be interested in like sewing, fixing or making materials, sharing a hobby, helping with classroom events, etc. I try to offer a variety of opportunities so if someone is unable to come in the classroom due to work restrictions or just had a new baby, they might sign up for picking up library books or help on an occasional field trip. I am a one man show so if parents don't help me, I do it and sometimes it gets overwhelming. It is more a matter of having the time to do all the little things that need to be done. I have never really had a problem with parents wanting to help. There is always the occasional family who is just there and not involved, but I find those more rare then common.

At my granddaughter's new charter school she is attending in the fall, we had to sign a "volunteer" contract that expects each family to contribute 40 hours total for the year. The entire extended family can contribute and the volunteer opportunities are pretty easy to fulfil. I know some schools have a "per hour" fee for hours not volunteered for and some parents prefer to just pay then use up their time.

I guess I would wonder why there would be a need for this in your school. I would look into your family recruitment program to see why you are attracting families who do NOT want to partcipate I have found that parents of this age child usually want to contribute. Of course the ones who are the busiest are often the ones who do the most. Figure that one. maureen

May 20, 2010

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MC Jo- I hope you don't work directly with children. Your sarcasm and negative demeanor should stay out of the classroom.

Misty- I agree with Maureen. I feel participation hours should be strictly on a volunteer basis. I usually only have one or two families every year who choose not to get involved. Otherwise, they're offering help constantl...See MoreJo- I hope you don't work directly with children. Your sarcasm and negative demeanor should stay out of the classroom.

Misty- I agree with Maureen. I feel participation hours should be strictly on a volunteer basis. I usually only have one or two families every year who choose not to get involved. Otherwise, they're offering help constantly. At our Back to School BBQ, I put out a Volunteer List with available involvement opportunities with blank lines under each one. The parents then write one name on each line. I offer "jobs" such as: laundry parent, art assistant, guest reader, career parent (shares career w/children), sewing, library parent, seasonal assistant (helps w/holiday parties)...

Again, I don't feel parents would respond well to the requirement. Good luck!

On 5/20/10, Jo wrote: > Oh, I guess I misread the title of the post which is "Parent > volunteer requirements". How silly of me to think it meant > requirement and associate your idea of making parents responsible > for the "requirements" to actually mean requirement meant > requirement. > > I'm sorry my opinion wasn't positive, but if I was a parent at your > school and I had a "Parent volunteer requirement" as the title read > I would be asking why I had to work for free if I didn't feel > obliged. Now, when you state "Parent volunteer requirement" and > you get those parents who are not happy with your request that they > be responsible to fulfill the requirement, you will have already > been warned to expect this pushback. > > Also, if you only want comments that agree with your idea, why post > at all? > > As for being a non-profit school, that doesn't necessarily mean > inexpensive. OK, it is run by parents or does it make the term > parent volunteer requirement anything less than an oxymoron. Things > can be either volunteer by definition or required by definition. > They cannot be both. > > Have to love the handle and the name calling! Very professional. > > > > On 5/20/10, Jo Go Blow wrote: >> >> Well Jo, Thanks so much for you thoughts. I just love it when >> jerks like you can't write a decent response to a question. Why >> did you even respond if you didn't have anything positive to >> contribute? You need to read the post again. I said >> RESPONSIBLE not required. Maybe you need to get a grasp of the >> English language. The purpose is to have the parents involved, >> not "work for free". The school is non profit and run by the >> parents! >> >> >> >> >> >> On 5/20/10, Jo wrote: >>> On 5/19/10, Misty wrote: >>>> We are trying to get our parents to become more involved in >>>> the school. We are think about having the parents to >>>> become responsible for a certain number of volunteer >>>> hours. Have you used this in your school? >>> >>> Once it is required it is no longer volunteer. I have such a >>> hard time when schools say such silly things. I thought they >>> were supposed to have some common sense and a grasp of the >>> English language. >>> >>> I'm all for encouraging parental volunteering, but please, >>> please, please, don't call it a requirement then call it >>> volunteering. Be up front - we want you to work 30 hours a >>> year for free in addition to your outlandish tuition.

Jun 20, 2010

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