Thank you for volunteering to join us in our classroom and school to help make this a joyful and successful year for all of our children.

In order to provide the best possible environment for our students, guidelines have been established for classroom and field trip volunteers. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with these guidelines.

Before going to the classroom, all volunteers must sign in at the school safety desk at the main office. We provide volunteers with special green lanyards that must be returned at the end of their visit so that we know who is permitted in the building. This is for the safety of all children.

School discipline guidelines:

• We follow the basic pattern of discipline by remaining students of appropriate behavior, reinforcing good behavior, and redirecting children who are not following the rules.

• If students do not listen, please let a staff member know. You should never be in a position where you need to discipline children.

• It is important to not get involved in your child's dispute. Ask a staff member to assist your child.

General Guidelines:

• Our school is a safe and happy environment: We respect each child’s individual rate and style of learning.

• We are respectful of the privacy of our children and their families

  • Do not talk about individual students outside in any language - many teachers, students, and other parents are multi-lingual

  • Do not take photographs of students without teacher permission.

•  Our school is a cell-free zone. For the safety of our children, we ask that cell phones and PDAs be turned off and stowed for the duration of your work in the school.

• Younger siblings should be left in the care of others while you are working at school

• Your commitment is valued. Please be on time and provide adequate notice if you cannot keep your scheduled time

Working with Children:

• As a volunteer, you are committing to support all children in the class.

• Encourage the children to do as much of the work as they can. Invite them to tell you about what they are doing. Assist only when you feel a child has done all he or she can; then provide the support the child needs to be successful. 

• If you are working with a small group, move from child to child, giving each child special attention, and engaging them in conversations. Give positive, encouraging feedback.

• Please remember to focus on the children and save adult conversations for later.

• Be enthusiastic and enjoy the children. Know that your work makes a difference in the lives of our children and the richness of our classroom and school.

Other volunteer opportunities:

• In classrooms: Talk to the class teacher or class parent if you would like to volunteer. Activities can include support during center time, teaching a specific skill or hobby (knitting, art, etc), organizing Scholastic book orders, chaperoning, and organizing field trips.

• Science: Help with Science activities, comporting, gardening.

• BPC Library: Help make our library amazing for our children. Family volunteers are always welcome to shelve books, organize the library, help out with books fairs and special events, lunch clubs, and more. For more information, send an email to basia.tov@bpcschool.org