Volunteer Handbook

Volunteering time and energy is one of the most rewarding ways to connect with your kids at school.

The PTA welcomes and needs ALL parents: moms and dads, working and stay-at-home parents, experienced parents or those new to the Flint Hill community. If you have the interest, we have a way to involve you.

Please review the committee descriptions. If you’d like to volunteer, please sign up through your Pay4SchoolStuff account in early September (this service produces lists of volunteer names and contact information for the committee chairs). Some committees (such as Library and Room Parents) begin immediately – so don’t be shy about signing up! If you have questions or would like more information about the committees, please feel free to email the committee chairs directly.

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New This Year! The PTA Volunteer Pool. Want to connect with Flint Hill but not able to make a long-term commitment? This year the PTA is creating a "pool" of volunteers who can drop in for an hour or two to support various events but aren't able to sign up for ongoing volunteer obligations. Committee chairs in search of short-term volunteers throughout the year will contact volunteer Pool members. Volunteer as much or as little as you can!

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Flint Hill Elementary Room Parents. Room Parents are the strongest links between Flint Hill families and the school community.

They support classroom teachers by:

 They act as the PTA ambassador to Flint Hill families by:

Getting Started. Room parent volunteers will be confirmed earlier than in years past. As soon as possible, meet with your teacher and other room parent volunteers. Decide who will be the point person to communicate with the teacher and PTA.

Classroom Communications. Please personalize a letter to parents (a suggested draft will be provided) and send paper copies home with each student. The letter will request email address information so that you can more easily communicate with parents. Email may not be the best way to reach some families. To ensure you are including every family, please follow up by phone with any parents who do not return the letter.

Classroom Celebrations. Work with your teacher to determine dates and times for classroom celebrations. Include that information in an email to parents (or letter if necessary). Typically, parents volunteer to contribute food, paper goods, decorations and time to classroom special events.

When planning celebrations, remember to include ALL students. You MUST understand if there are food restrictions in your classroom and plan accordingly. Different parents have different approaches to how they handle dietary needs. If possible talk with parents of students with food restrictions and ask for their ideas on how to handle food for the group.

Some tips for classroom celebrations:

  1. Keep it Simple!
  2. Try organizing one game, one craft and one snack. You do not need to offer multiple treats (or even use the “one salty snack, one sweet snack” formula).
  3. Water is best
  4. Get outside if at all possible
  5. Please be considerate of the mess and time involved for celebrations and plan for clean up accordingly
  6. It may be helpful to talk with other room parents for your grade. Sometimes you can coordinate activities and supplies across classrooms.

Birthday Celebrations. Given all the children in class, birthday celebrations occur several times each month. We strongly encourage all parents to find creative non-food ways to celebrate birthdays. This will help cut down on what has become an excess of sugar and junk food in the classroom, and will also be more inclusive of the many Flint Hill students with food allergies or other dietary restrictions. Mrs. O’Connor, the Health Clinic Aide, is a great resource for ideas that can be alternatives to cupcakes and sugary birthday treats. You can reach her at sarah.oconnor@fcps.edu.

PTA Events. Sometimes the room parent is the first resource parents seek to clarify or provide information about PTA events. This year the PTA will hold two fundraisers, an “Armchair Fundraiser” in the fall and an Auction in the spring. The Auction is a whole-school event; entire classrooms contribute projects to auction and all parents are invited to participate in and attend the auction. Other events will include the Falcon 5K and Fun Run. The PTA will provide you with information to keep families up to date about special events.

Questions? Please contact Anne-Stuart Kirkhorn at 703-295-9310 or kirkhorn@cox.net.

STUDENT ENRICHMENT COMMITTEESS

These dynamic committees highlight and introduce art and culture within our community and teach it to our children. These committees are involved in art programs, book publishing, outdoor enrichment, a learning fair, spelling bee, cultural assemblies, and our popular after school programs.  These committees are always looking for new techniques and ideas to teach to our children and introduce to our community.

Grade-Level Special Events (Chairpersons needed):  The chairperson for each event serves as the PTA liaison and oversees volunteers (which will be solicited from each respective grade level) who will help plan and execute each event. 

3rd Grade Chinese New Year Celebration 

4th Grade Colonial Day 

5th Grade Medieval Day 

6th Grade Farewell Party 

Show What You Know Expo (Contacts: Chairperson needed): An annual event, Show What You Know is held in late March. In this enrichment program, students choose topics of interest to them and create displays to educate the rest of us. Topics are limited only by students' imaginations, and can range from sports heroes to foreign countries, and from musical instruments to tornadoes. Anything is fair game. Show What You Know works well for volunteers who are short on free time but who love to see kids enthusiastically share their learning. 

FHES Spelling Bee (Contact:  Tomeka Williams at fhesspellingbee@gmail.com; Co-chair needed): The 2010-11 year will be the third year of the spelling bee at FHES. This event generates HUGE interest from students and parents alike. The committee will plan at least three activities leading up to the FHES School Spelling Bee. We are also interested in starting a Spelling Bee Prep Club. 

GRACE Art (Contact:  Sammye Justice at justall@cox.net):  GRACE Art volunteers teach art appreciation and complete art projects with students in the classroom.  This is a monthly program, and takes approximately one hour of volunteer time in the classroom.  Volunteers are asked to attend short, monthly training sessions during the school day to learn about the featured artist and related art project. 

Reflections (Contact:  Tina Matsukas at tmatsukas@gmail.com):  Reflections is a National PTA program to recognize student creativity through a cultural arts competition. ? Students in preschool through grade 12 are encouraged to create and submit works of art based on a given theme in six areas: ? Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Musical Composition, Photography, and Visual Arts (which includes art forms such as drawing, painting, print making and collage. The 2010 theme is "Together we can...." Volunteers will assist the chairperson in organizing the program, communicating with the FHES community, planning the FHES Reflections Awards ceremony, and coordinating the submission of winning entries to the regional level of competition. This is a great volunteer opportunity that will help you become engaged with the school along with your children.

Publishing Center (Contact:  Sarah Helmicki at sbhelmicki@aol.com):  Publishing Center volunteers help student writers turn their stories into books.  Volunteers interview students for biographies, work with younger students on stories, input stories into the computer and bind the documents into books.  (Note:  There are opportunities to work from home to help with the Publishing Center.) 

Garden/Courtyard (Contacts:  Dawn Brower at jdcbrower@aol.com and Aimee Davis at aimeedav@cox.net):  The courtyard and garden provide outdoor classroom space for our students. Volunteers help coordinate the maintenance, upkeep, and beautification of the FHES courtyard, gardens, and grounds. Committee members also assist with curriculum opportunities for teachers in the courtyard and gardens, in support of FHES becoming an "Eco-School." Parents with an interest in native plants, birds, composting, carpentry, vegetable gardening, and landscape design can also be resources and projects are available for community service groups such as Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. 

After School Programs (contact: Bea Wolman at bkwolman@cox.net): Committee volunteers recruit and organize outside providers of enrichment programs, ranging from art to athletics. The PTA is committed to providing a variety of programs for students in all grades.

PARENT/COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT COMMITTEES

These committees strive to bring our families together for fun, entertainment, and learning. Committee members not only volunteer their time and knowledge but also recruit all those talented parents who have not had the opportunity to get involved in the past.  Parent and Community Involvement committees coordinate staff appreciation celebrations, family events (puzzle night, skate night, bingo etc.), technology, library volunteers, and room parents. Committees also focus on educating our community about our special needs population, child welfare, current laws relating to education, community liaisons to other schools and coalitions, health and safety, and the PTA directory to name a few.  If you have a desire to know any of these areas better or you have something you could contribute, these are the committees for you!

Room Parents (Contact:  Anne-Stuart Kirkhorn at kirkhorn@cox.net):  Room Parents are the strongest links between Flint Hill families and the school community. They support classroom teachers by: planning celebrations around holidays and other events; coordinating classroom volunteers; recognizing teachers’ birthdays; and planning classroom gifts. They act as the PTA ambassador to Flint Hill families by: welcoming and including ALL students and their parents in the Flint Hill Community; communicating PTA information to parents and then parents’ needs back to the PTA; planning Teacher Appreciation activities; and recruiting classroom volunteers to support PTA activities. 

Library (Contact: Carmen Myers at carmenmyers@cox.net): Interested volunteers please note that this is a WEEKLY commitment for an hour to an hour and a half shift. ?Volunteers are assigned to work a shift when their children attend library, and are responsible for helping children find and check out books, checking in books, and shelving books. In addition, library volunteers help out with the Annual Flint Hill Book Fair (typically held the week after Thanksgiving). 

Thanksgiving Lunch (Contact: Susan Whittle at swhittle@ratnerco.com): Are you looking for a way to volunteer but without making a huge time commitment? Would you love to see the cafeteria in action and eat lunch with your child on a special day? Then the Thanksgiving Luncheon on November 18th is the PERFECT way for you to get involved at Flint Hill! Sign up to help for a one-hour shift at the Thanksgiving luncheon. Only one hour of your time, one day of the year--sign up today! 

Falcon 5K and Fun Run (Contact:  Joann Meginley at jjod.neg@verizon.net):  Our first Falcon 5K and Fun Run was a great family day of fun and fitness.  We would love your help as we plan for our second Falcon 5 K and Fun Run this spring. We will need many volunteers to help with this wonderful school and community event. 

Child Welfare & Mentoring (Contacts:  Wanda Grove at groversan@verizon.net and Tomeka Williams at tomeka.williams@gmail.com):  This committee serves as PTA liaisons to the FHES guidance staff for our school-based mentoring program, where FHES staff and selected volunteers from the community mentor recommended individual students on an “as needed” basis.  The committee volunteers assist with two hospitality events for the mentoring program and coordinate gift cards during the holidays for Flint Hill families in need. 

Parents’ Group on Learning Differences (PGOLD) (Chairperson needed):  PGOLD is a parent-led support group.  Informal meetings are held to discuss common issues and resources.  Outside speakers are often brought in to provide information. 

Parent Programs (Contact:  Pam Rao at pamreardon@hotmail.com):  This committee plans parent-education programs on various topics of interest to meet the needs and concerns of our school and parent community. 

Positive Behavior Support (PBS) (Contact:  Dot Artz at dartz@cox.net):  This committee works with FHES administration and staff to monitor the continued effectiveness of our school-based Positive Behavior Support (PBS) program, as described in the FHES Falcon (Student) Handbook. 

Legislative Affairs (Contact: Scott Garrod at scottgarrod@yahoo.com):  The Legislative Committee monitors local, state, and federal legislation relating to child/school issues, and shares relevant information with the PTA Board and PTA members. This year, Legislative Affairs will focus on the impact of state and county budget issues on Flint Hill Elementary.

Staff Appreciation (Chairperson needed):  This committee coordinates staff appreciation events during the school year, such as Teacher Appreciation Week, retirements (if any), Custodian Appreciation Week, Administrative Assistants Day, and Teacher Workdays.  Volunteers assist at specific events with set-up, clean up, serving, supplying food and drinks, etc. 

Family Events (Contacts:  Pam Waldron at p.pamwaldron@verizon.net and Jean Duffy at duffydesigns1@verizon.net):  Committee members create, organize and plan various family-centered events during the school year, such as (but not limited to) Family Movie Night, Bingo Night, and Skate Night.

Health & Safety/Blood Drive (Chairperson needed):  This committee provides support to any child health and safety events at FHES, such as the INOVA Blood Drive(s), hearing/vision screenings, and clinic training. 

Ambassador Program for New Families (Contact:  Stephanie Schubring at Stephanie.schubring@fcps.edu) Members of this committee welcome new families to the Flint Hill community and look for ways to support new students and parents during their transition into a new school. 

Ambassador Program for Kindergarten Families (Contact: Carrie Miller at btmcfm@verizon.net):  Members of this committee welcome kindergarten families by scheduling summer park play dates and other social activities.

Safe Routes to School (Chairperson needed):  Committee members work with the PTA, school and community to improve infrastructure and traffic safety, educational initiatives, and communication to make bicycling and walking to school a safer and more appealing alternative means of transport. 

School Supply Kits (Contact: Carmen Myers at carmenmyers@cox.net):  This committee provides a convenient option for purchasing school supplies. The committee coordinates publicity, orders and distribution of school supply kits.  Kits are usually ordered in June, and distributed at the Open House the following September

FUNDRAISING COMMITTEES

Our fundraising committees power our ability to do all the wonderful things we offer to our community!  These talented volunteers devote their time to developing innovative ways to circulate money back to our school. In 2010-2011, we will scale back fundraising to Rebate Programs, a Fall Fundraiser and the biannual Spring Auction. If you have a little or a BIG idea for these fundraising events – let us know!

Rebate Programs:  Rebate programs provide an important and easy way to raise funds for PTA programs. Each committee administers and promotes their respective rebate program within the FHES community. 

Sally Foster (chairperson needed): we are moving this popular wrapping-paper fundraiser online for 2010. Committee members would serve as an information liaison between Flint Hill families and Sally Foster.

Fall Fundraiser (contact: Jennifer Lippman at lippmaninva@yahoo.com). We are currently organizing a Fall Fundraiser. Committee members are needed to help distribute information to parents, collect donations, and report back to the school community.

Spring Auction (Contact Kim Gatchel at viperkim1@gmail.com): Our 2009 Spring Auction was a smashing success and a great night out for Flint Hill families. This is an active and fun committee that will organize and begin work in the fall. Enthusiastic volunteers are needed for the following committees: marketing, computer/software management, solicitations, ticket sales, correspondence and classroom creations. The auction is only successful because of the efforts of many volunteers. Lend your talents by getting involved, meeting other parents and making this year’s auction a success! 

Flint Hill Elementary School
Statement of Volunteer Responsibilities

(in accordance with the regulations of Fairfax County Public Schools)

Most importantly, a school volunteer is there to promote a positive working relationship with the school for the benefit of the students. All staff, students and volunteers work together to achieve our school motto: “We Pursue Excellence Every Day in a Respectful Environment.”