Please see more information lower down on this page.

Seattle Public Schools will be allowing volunteers this year. For the most current information and to apply or renew, please visit the district volunteer page.

Important: All returning AND new volunteers for the school year are required to have an approved Volunteer Application on file and show proof of receiving the COVID-19 vaccination.

Returning volunteers: If you plan to volunteer in any capacity during the school year, please make sure that your Volunteer Application is approved and up to date before you start volunteering. You must always have proof of COVID-19 vaccination with you while volunteering.

New volunteers:  All volunteers must complete a Volunteer Application Form online which includes completing an online training video (Adult Sexual Misconduct Prevention Safety), and background check, Instructions for updating and completing

Volunteers

• If you have a child currently at our school, please remember that, when you are here, you are here to carry out the task you signed up for.  You can of course say hello to children and acquaintances, but if working to support students, please follow the supervision process and follow the lead of the staff points of contact.  
• Please remember that you are a guest in a teacher’s classroom.  Please be positive, supportive, and model the classroom behavior expectations. 
• Please remember that staff spend a lot of time planning their material.  If you have a question about the material being presented, please reach out to the appropriate staff member.
• If you wish to discuss your child’s progress with a staff member, please follow that staff member’s identified process for setting up a meeting.  We are always happy to partner with you towards your child’s success.

Thank you so much for being willing to volunteer.  We greatly appreciate you!

School Approval

Before your first volunteer shift, the school volunteer program liaison must verify your information in person or through an online meeting (for remote volunteers). Please have the following available: 

• Government-issued photo ID
• Proof of 3-year residency in Washington State if your Washington State ID was issued less than 3 years ago and you chose Category A role. Examples: older/expired ID, lease agreement, utility bill, school records. Make sure this document was issued at least three years ago and features your full name and a Washington State address. If your child attends the school, office staff may be able to review your child’s school registration records (not all staff have access to them). 

Risk management at Seattle Public Schools has Categorizes Volunteers in two different ways.

They are:

Category A Volunteers: 

All school and remote volunteer roles that support the school, staff, or families; can include direct student contact if the volunteer is supervised. District personnel must be on-site and within view if the volunteer will interact with students. Alternatively, another approved adult volunteer must participate in the activity and be present at all times. The standard volunteer onboarding process applies to Category A volunteers. 

Examples: classroom or library assistance, field trip planning, office or recess support, school newsletter editor. 

SPS Volunteer Page

Loyal Heights Elementary is fortunate to already have many volunteers who had completed their applications last school year and are ready to go!  Please check with Mr. Steve in the office sjbeaulieu@seattleschools.org to see if their application is already on file and approved .

Category B Volunteers:

All school and remote volunteer roles that involve contact with students without staff or other approved Category A volunteers present. Additional screening is required for Category B volunteers. Please only apply for Category B if SPS staff specifically requested it.

Examples: math club coach, one-on-one tutor(including remote/virtual), mentor, chaperone for field trips longer than 3 days.  

Field Trip Chaperones & Drivers Only approved Category A or B volunteers can be recruited to serve in chaperone or driver roles. Additional steps (chaperones) and screening – check with the field trip organizer.

When volunteers commit to serving at a Loyal Heights Elementary, students achieve higher grades, have access to more opportunities, and gain community connections to help them thrive.

• Research shows that students who receive direct support from volunteers achieve higher grades, test scores, and are more likely to graduate.
• When volunteers provide support to staff, educators have more time for instruction and individualized support for students working to meet academic standards.
• Volunteers make programs supporting lowest-income students possible: Friday food bank deliveries, preventing weekend hunger, school supply drives, etc.
• Schools with large numbers of volunteers offer students more learning experiences through clubs, field trips, enrichment.

Being a volunteer helps Loyal Heights Elementary achieve our Mission and Vision in a very real way.

1:1 Reading

This can be half hour to one hour once per week. I can work with parents to find a time that works for both of us. Duties will include listening to students read, helping with fluency (stop at periods, pause at commas, etc.), and then asking general questions (that I provide) to help with comprehension.

Reading with Kinders

Reading with kids in the hallway.  You will grab a student and some books at their level and help them read, ask them comprehension questions and write down your observations in a binder.  This is so helpful for getting kids reading all the time, and having an adult listen to them is invaluable!

Writer’s/ Reader’s Workshop

Help kids sound out words and get them written down on their papers, or read with kids during independent and partner reading time. You can sign up for one day and come once a week or every other week, whatever works best for you, but please let me know when you are coming. 

Math Centers 

Lead a math center, helping students stay on track and use their math brains!  (Ideally, 2 people for this job, weekly commitment, can share in needed).  It is always helpful to have adults in the room to help manage groups of kids working in different centers. 

Problem Solving Friday

Two to three parents who will come for one hour on Fridays during our math block. These parents will monitor a station such as logic, problem solving, or games. This job can be shared with another parent. Stations stay the same for two weeks, so two weeks on two weeks off if shared.

Help in the Classroom During Specific Subjects

This can be flexible around the volunteer’s schedule and they would not have to commit to every week if they were not able too. Most often teachers need classroom volunteers during literacy centers and math centers, writing time, and complicated projects.

Room Parents

Plan class parties, often working with room parents in other classrooms to plan grade level parties. In the past we have had a Halloween party, a winter/snow party, and an end of the year party.

Party Planner

Plan and organize all those fun parties throughout the year.  This volunteer would work closely with the Room Parent.

Help with Teacher Stuff

Copying, filing, hanging artwork, taking artwork down, etc…help with sanitizing desks and dusting classroom. At the end of the school day, wiping desks and chairs down with Lysol wipes. This is flexible and can be done after school on days that work for the volunteer. Dusting the classroom doesn’t need to happen all that regularly, a couple times a year or when it works for you.

Folders

Some classes use folders to house paper communication to and from school and to send home projects in. First thing in the morning, it is wonderful to have a helper check through all the students’ folders and remove notes/papers for teachers, and stuff the folders with any communication that needs to go home that day. 

Clerical work

Projects and activities take a lot of time to prep. Parents will offer to come once a week or so, and make copies, file, laminate, and cut out things to help take the load of prepping!

Book Order Helper

Teacher can train you after school one day so you can learn how to do this job.  It’s a fun one, since you get to be the one that passes out the books, and kids love new books!

Library Organizer

Come in once a week and organize the classroom library, make the books look tidy, put books back in the correct level.

Art Docent

Lead a lesson about art 1-2x/ month.  Get support from the art docent leaders at L.H. You can also volunteer to be a helper, since art projects can get messy in Kinder.

Science Kit Helper

We get 3 science kits a year and we need to inventory them when they get here and when it’s time to send them back to the district.  This job can be done any time during the day or before and after school.  It’s just 6 times a year and takes about 30-40 min each time. 

Music Room Helper

Help with visuals in the hallway (beginning of school year). Someone with a vision!!

Organizational help with file cabinet (left over from years ago) (anytime) and back room A Marie Kondo!!

Sanitizing recorders (possibly).

Extra hand in class (rarely).

Chaperones for Field Trips

Each class takes around three field trips a year and we need around 5-8 chaperones for each.

Lunchroom Volunteers

Help in the lunchroom during lunch period

Roots of Empathy Instructors

Are you looking for a fun and meaningful way to get involved at Loyal Heights this year? We are looking for community members who are interested in becoming a Roots of Empathy instructor! Roots of Empathy is an evidence-based classroom program that teaches social/emotional competence and helps increase empathy for students. The program is centered around regular visits from a baby and their parent and will be taking place in each of our five kindergarten classrooms. The training is required to become an instructor.  After the training, there is a commitment to teach a lesson once a week for the duration of the school year. If you are interested or have additional questions, please contact Brittney Rider at bmrider@seattleschools.org.

Roots of Empathy Families

Do you have a newborn or know someone who does? Our Roots of Empathy program is looking for families to volunteer with their baby in one of our kindergarten classrooms. The program includes regular classroom visits from a parent with a baby to teach these skills. The baby should be two to four months old at the beginning of the program (end of October through mid-November). The parent or parents commit to visiting the classroom with their baby once every three weeks during the program year. This is a rewarding experience and so fun to see students learn from the baby throughout the year. If you are interested or have additional questions, please contact Brittney Rider at bmrider@seattleschools.org.

Art room volunteers

Help with clay and printmaking projects.  Come and help in the art room for 35 minutes.  If you want to stay for two classes about 1.5 hours.  Help in the room with students while they are creating clay and printmaking projects (clean up, distribute supplies).  Need 1 volunteer for every grade and class- 1-2 times per year.

Come help with Kindergarten lessons such as: watercolor, clay, and printmaking.  See your students in action and/or help with another Kindergarten class.  35 minutes in the room with students.

Art prep help 1-2 hours a week.  Cut paper, clean watercolor sets, organize and prep supplies for lessons.  Need about 2 volunteers a week.