SanTan
“An award-winning publication” A publication of the
FAMILY FUN
PAGES 2-3
SanTan Family Fun Calendar
PAGE 5-6 College tours 101
PAGE 8 Just 4 Kids Sponsored by
City of Chandler Recreation Division
Pa by Alison Stanton Volunteer resources
Parents interested in volunteering in their child’s classroom in the Chandler Unified School District should speak with or email the teacher to offer their time and see what type of help might be needed.
Websites:
Getting Involved at Your Child’s School:
www.kidshealth.org/parent/ positive/learning/
school.html
Tips for both parents and teachers on volunteering:
www.educationworld.com/a_ curr/voice/
voice094.shtml
Books:
“My Experiences from Kindergarten to Graduation: A Tongue-in-Cheek Guide for Parents and Volunteers,” by Joanmarie Smith
“Engage Every Parent!: Encouraging Families to Sign On, Show Up, and Make a Difference,” by Nancy Tellett- Royce
Every week, up to 125 parents arrive at Tarwater Elementary School in Chandler ready and willing to volunteer their time.
For some, it might mean helping a group of first-graders focus on their independent center activities while the teacher works on literacy or math with a small group of students.
February 2012
For others, it might involve teaching a lesson about a well- known artist, followed up by a fun painting project. And for many, it could include boarding a bright yellow school bus along with dozens of excited third-graders who are going on a field trip. As Tarwater Elementary Principal Jeff Hensley observes, although the jobs the parents do every day at the school may vary, the volunteers all share some very important things in common: they all play a critical role in helping not just teachers but the entire school, and they help build a sense of community. “Volunteers are a huge component of our school,” Hensley says. “They allow the
Parents make make dif erence
difference in ththe c
teachers to do their instruction to a greater degree.” For example, he says, 37 parent volunteers faithfully keep the Junior Achievement program running smoothly, instructing students of all ages on economics and basic business principles.
And, 56 volunteers currently help run the school’s Art Masterpiece program, which involves parents coming into the classroom and teaching art lessons to the kindergarten through sixth-grade students. “Just because of our volunteer commitment, Tarwater’s Art Masterpiece program is one of the strongest in the district,” Hensley says.
Wanted, welcomed In addition to these two organized programs, Hensley says both moms and dads can find ample ways to help their child’s school by volunteering in the classroom.
From a mom who can come in a couple of times a week to a dad who can make it in a few times a year, Hensley emphasize that all parents
e classroom
are welcome to volunteer and any help they can provide can definitely make a difference. “We tell our parents that we really want them to be involved and we want them here on campus,” he says, adding that parents are not allowed to simply observe in a classroom – they need to be working.
“That makes a difference for them to hear that, and at our school we also try to make it as warm and inviting as possible to help make the parents feel comfortable, and then that translates into them coming in here more to volunteer.”
Even as kids get into the higher grades, Hensley says, parent volunteers are still needed.
Recently, he says he went by a sixth-grade classroom and was happy to see two parents busy helping the students. And parent volunteers were a huge help when the fifth- graders worked on a science lesson earlier in the year that involved taking a mousetrap and making it into a car.
See Parents Page 4
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