Volunteers Make a Difference at TAPS 

• A volunteer is a member of the community who works within the school under the direction of a teacher or the principal.
• A volunteer agrees to undertake activities or tasks which support the school without remuneration.
• A volunteer is willing to commit time to the school on a regular basis.
• A volunteer maintains confidentiality about children and staff and helps build self-esteem in children.

At school, a volunteer may:

• Assist groups of children with learning
• Read to and with children
• Be active in School Council events / meetings
• Fund raise for the school
• Assist with the School Breakfast Programme
• Assist teachers with classroom duties
• Prepare materials for teachers and classes
• Assist with supervision of trips
• Share special interests with children
• Coach teams
• Assist children in publishing their writing
• Assist with technology / computers
• Prepare bulletin board displays
• Assist on special days or in special events
• Laugh, have fun, and enjoy themselves

Classroom Volunteers
Teachers can always use volunteers in the classroom. The types of work teachers require varies—from working with students to help them learn in small groups, to photocopying and preparing materials for the classroom. Often volunteers are needed to listen to children read, and to read with children. Persons interested in volunteering in a specific classroom are encouraged to speak directly with the teacher. Our teachers at TAPS recruit their volunteers for their specific classrooms.

School Volunteers
There are some programs which the school runs that need volunteers. The Breakfast Programme requires volunteers to prepare and serve breakfast to students before school starts. Often the school needs people to assist with coaching school teams or refereeing games. Special food days, such as hot dog days, require volunteers to prepare and distribute the lunches. If you are interested in volunteering in the manner mentioned above, you should contact the school office and speak to the principal.

School Council
The School Council advises the principal in school matters and organizes a number of special events that support the children and community. Volunteering to be a part of the School Council involves attending monthly meetings. In addition, the Council is always looking for volunteers for their many projects, such as helping out at a Special Event or School Barbecue. The Council also does fund raising to raise money for the students. If this is of interest to you, please attend the next School Council meeting or contact the school.

Some things to think about when considering volunteering:
Pre-schoolers may not accompany volunteers to school. Child care arrangements need to be made. In this way the volunteer‘s attention and energy can be focused on the needs of the students.
By their very presence in the school, volunteers become knowledgeable about the school, the staff and the students. Knowledge is gained about students’ behaviour, learning abilities, personal and social development and personal relationships. In some cases, teachers need to impart private information to volunteers to assist working effectively with a child. Volunteers will likely form personal opinions about children, their families, or staff. There is nothing wrong with that, however, in no case should such knowledge and conclusions be shared with anyone. Students should not live in fear of having others in the community know about their personal lives, behaviours or achievement. Care must be taken to refrain from expressing comments harmful to the reputations of students or staff.
Incidents of suspected abuse must, by law, be reported to C.A.S. and the school principal

To become involved in your child’s school, you may want to directly contact the teacher for whom you wish to volunteer. If unsure as to how you wish to volunteer, contact the school and talk to the principal. If you are unknown to the school, the principal will require some documentation as listed below:
The Lambton Kent Board requires volunteers to complete the following , which can be obtained from the school office:
Volunteer Interview Form
Volunteer Reference Form
Request for Police Records Check
Then meet with the principal for orientation and general guidelines.

Insurance:
The Board’s insurance covers volunteers for Board approved and school approved activities. For example, if a volunteer were working with a child and an accident occurred, the Board’s liability insurance would cover the volunteer and the Board for up to the $20 million policy limit. The Board does not have “loss of income” insurance for volunteers.

Vehicle Liability:
The school appreciates that volunteer drivers are sometimes needed to transport children to sports events and field trips. Volunteer drivers must complete the appropriate volunteer driver form, hold a valid driver’s license, and have up-to-date car insurance. The Board liability insurance will kick in after the driver’s insurance has been exhausted, to a combined total of $20 million coverage.

Call the school if you are unable to meet your commitment for that day. Absenteeism can reduce the effectiveness of a volunteer programme.
Refrain from discussing children or staff outside of the school. Confidentiality is imperative.
Maintain a positive attitude towards the children. Give positive feedback and encouragement to children. Refer discipline matters to the teacher.
In-class volunteers must remember that they are responsible to the teacher. The teacher will provide direction for your volunteer activity.
Discuss problems or suggestions with the teacher or the principal in a timely manner and in a private location.
Be aware that a volunteer is not a substitute for a staff member, but a valuable support for the teacher.
Dress like the staff—always within the school dress code.
For your own protection, always work with children with the door open or in open areas
Remember that the principal has the ultimate responsibility for all personnel, policy and programmes in the school, including volunteers. If there are any concerns—be certain to discuss them with the principal.

Act as a positive role model by
- using appropriate language
- following school rules
- demonstrating manners that students are encouraged to use (knocking before entering, using please / excuse me etc.)

Enjoy yourself!