Welcome to the Freedom Park School Volunteer Training Workshop

Objective – The purpose of this training is to inform parents, grandparents, guardians and the people in our community of the importance and the necessity of volunteers in our schools. - We will explain the procedures on how to become a volunteer and provide the necessary forms you will need to fill out to become a volunteer. - We will also provide information on what a volunteer is and the many different ways you can be a major factor in a child’s education.

What is a Volunteer? – One who comes into the school setting and assists the teachers, staff and faculty. Volunteers may or may not interact with students one-on-one. Volunteers can serve in many different ways… Help in the office, library, classroom, music, P.E., lunchroom, fundraisers and many others.

What is a tutor? – One who helps a student become proficient in one or more school subjects, working in an one – on – one or a small group setting. What is a Mentor? – A positive role model who supports a student’s growth in character and competence and encourages the student in acceptance of himself. A mentor may work in an one-on- one or small group setting.

Requirements of a Volunteer  Attend a Volunteer Workshop  Have a GCIC (background check) every 2 years. This is required only for those who are mentoring, tutoring, participating in field trips, working in the school office, media center or classrooms.  Always sign in at the school in the volunteer log book. Please make sure you make note of your work location in case you receive a phone call or someone needs to find you.  Always wear your Volunteer Name Badge while in the school and return it before you leave to its appropriate box.

Tips for the Volunteer Be Honest in your approach and attitude. It will aid in developing trust. Be Patient when working with students. Don’t add additional pressure when they are having difficulty with a subject. Be Flexible in responding to the needs of students. Everyone has an off day once in a while. Be Consistent in dealings with students. Be Friendly with a smile and thank you, you can accomplish miracles. Be respectful treat individuals in the same manner you wish to be treated.

Freedom Park School Volunteer Guidelines 1.Encase of an accident or an emergency; notify the teacher or a staff member as soon as possible. 2.If you are tutoring students, please use the media center. There are plenty of quiets places to work in. 3.If you decide to eat a school lunch the cost is $ If you need to make a phone call you can use the phone in the office. 5.Dress Professionally. Observe what teachers and paraprofessional’s wear and follow their example. 6.Cell phones must be silenced/turned off when in the school setting. 7.Most of all, we are happy to have you here and want you to be happy while you are here. If there is anything we can do to make your volunteer experience better, please let us know.

Ethics and Confidentiality Policy Remember, confidentiality is a must! Respect our program, students, staff and other volunteers. When becoming a volunteer in a school you are accepting full responsibility for maintaining the confidential and private records and matters of our school. “CONFIDENTIAL!”

Getting to Know the Staff 1.Establish a relationship with the teachers or staff members you are working with. 2.Observe the way they work or do things and follow their methods closely. 3.Respect the teacher – ask for advice and accept suggestions. Clear new ideas ahead of time before doing them with the student. 4.Please give the teacher or staff member you are working with your phone number so they can get in touch with you if needed. Please call the school and let the teacher or staff member know if you cannot come in. 5.Be dependable and be prepared for each time you come in. 6.Believe in what you are doing. You do make a difference!

Achieving A Good Relationship with Our Students Learn their names. Be Friendly, but firm. Treat each child as an individual. Be enthusiastic. Encourage student participation. Find ways to capture their interest. Find out what they like to do. Teach each lesson, observe errors before going on to a new one. To make a child feel successful, praise the work well done. Always find something to praise, even if it’s done incorrectly. Perhaps the student put in a good effort. Please schedule times with Teachers ahead of time.

Discipline Please consult with the teacher you are working with on handling situations. Be firm, set discipline standards from the very beginning. Explain directions. First time a student misbehaves, leave him/her alone. If the student continues to misbehave, return the student to the classroom.

Teamwork “A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove – but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child.”

Thank You for Attending This Volunteer Training Workshop. We at Freedom Park School are very happy to have you here today. We look forward to working with you as you volunteer to help make our students and our school the very best it can be. You also can receive 3 free hours of babysitting at Fort Gordon day care when you volunteer at our school.