The
following is a list of the many volunteer opportunities that exist at West
School for parents interested in getting involved and promoting a culture of
excellence and learning at West School!
For more
information about volunteer opportunities,
please contact VP of Volunteers Jinah Banatao or Liz Koo.
Please visit West's Konstella website for access to the online sign up sheets.
Art in Action
Two Docents and 2 or 3 assistants for
each class help lead 5 to 6 Art in Action sessions each year, in consultation
with the class teacher. Each session usually lasts about 2 hours, and art
materials are provided. Docents are required to attend one training session
held by Art in Action at the beginning of the year, where they will learn about
the artists that each grade will study, and the art pieces that each grade will
produce for the year.
Bingo Night
This annual themed social event,
featuring a delicious buffet dinner and Bingo with loads of prizes, is exciting
and entertaining for the entire family! Volunteers on the committee will work
with the co-chairs to choose a theme, secure a caterer, procure decorations and
Bingo prizes, produce and collect RSVP forms, and help set-up and clean-up on
day of event.
Book Fair
The West School Book Fair, featuring the
latest in children's books, games, crafts and toys, will be held for a week in
December and proceeds from the book fair will go directly to support the West
School library. Volunteers on the committee will work under the direction of
the co-chairs and librarian, & assist with set-up, sales, and break-down
Disaster/Earthquake
Help to ensure that West is prepared in case of an emergency by
coordinating our effects with state codes.
Halloween Parade
There is no spookier, more exciting place
to celebrate Halloween than at West School's Halloween Parade each year!
Volunteers on this committee will help the co-chairs decorate the school for
Halloween, devise, and manage the route that teachers and students will take
for the Halloween Parade, and organize games and activities on the blacktop.
HTV
Hillsborough is unique compared to other
school districts in that it has its own television station, HTV. Volunteers on
this committee will take video footage of classroom activities, presentations
& celebrations as well as field trips, musicals and other West school
events that will be aired on HTV. This is a great opportunity for those of you
who like to be in the classroom! Video camera and training will be provided to
all volunteers and no previous experience is required.
Hospitality
Volunteers with this committee are helping to directly benefit the
statff. Duties involve planning food and
drinks for Trustee and Superintendent Meetings and keeping the teachers lounge
stocked.
Choicelunch
Choicelunch is the lunch service provider for Hillsborough schools. Choicelunch's slogan is "We make scrumptious, nutritious lunches that lead to healthier lives." We need volunteers during the lunch
hour to help distribute lunches daily to students who ordered them. Each time you volunteer, you also get credit towards the purchase of a lunch!
Library
Volunteer
Students at West School are indeed lucky
in that they have unlimited access to a modern, well-organized library with an
extensive collection of children's books, magazines, reference texts and
audio-visual resources at their school. Students in each class spend one or 2
hours each week with the library specialist, where they learn about library and
research skills among other things. Volunteers are needed for each class to
help the students check in and check out books during their library time, as
well as to assist the librarian with various sorting and organizing tasks.
New Parent
Reception
The New Parent Reception is a wonderful
event, held at the home of a West family, to welcome Kindergarten and new West
families, to provide an opportunity for them to meet other longtime West
families; and to learn more about the wonderful events, activities, classroom
experiences, & volunteer opportunities that await them at West school! Volunteers on this committee will work
with the co-chairs and host, in finding a caterer, creating, and collecting
RSVP forms, and in event logistics on the day of the event.
Picture Day
Help capture our children’s portraits on this memorable day. Volunteers help organize and coordinate classrooms
with the picture taking process.
Staff
Appreciation Week
What makes West school outstanding is the
incredible commitment and caliber of staff and teachers who strive every day to
promote a culture of learning and excellence. Each year in May, West School
honors its teachers and staff during the Staff Appreciation Week, a special
week where staff are treated to goodies such as a morning coffee cart,
breakfast, flowers, cards and other surprises. Volunteers are needed to help
with the planning and coordination of these week-long activities.
Staff
Appreciation Holiday Coffee
Volunteers on this committee will bake
and cook delicious pastries and breakfast treats for West school teachers and
staff to enjoy on a December morning along with some specialty coffee, and will
also help with event logistics.
Variety Show
Volunteers
will help organize and coordinate the students involved.
Teacher
Appreciation Luncheon
The Staff Appreciation Lunch is the
culmination of the Staff Appreciation Week, a luncheon to celebrate and
recognize the wonderful staff and teachers at West school. Volunteers on this
committee will assist the Co-chairs with invitations, decorations, teacher
gifts, as well as set-up and clean-up on day of the event.
Traffic/Safety
and Lost & Found
At West School, the safety of our
students is our number one priority. To this end, Volunteers are needed to
assist children in and out of cars during the morning drop off in the loading
zone at the front of the school, to ensure child safety and smooth traffic
flow. If you enjoy seeing the children's smiles in the morning, working with a
group of dedicated and fun volunteers and working with our principal, then
traffic & safety is the job for you!
Wee Care
Wee Care is a wonderful program which
joins students, teachers and parents together in supporting children and
families in need throughout San Mateo County. Every month, West families join
force to collect and donate a specific group of items, details of which will be
announced ahead of time in a flyer and in West World. These donations are
collected in large bins at the front of the school. Supporting the Wee Care
program is an excellent way for West children to develop a sense of community
awareness, and to support others in need. Volunteers on this committee will
assist the co-chairs in designing and distributing flyers for specific
collection drives, and assist in transporting the collected donations to the
charity site.
Welcome Back
Carnival
The Welcome Back Carnival is an
incredible West community building event which brings together whole families,
including dads and grandparents; and gives the West families a chance to
reconnect at the beginning of the school year. Volunteers on this
committee will assist the co-chairs in organizing the food and activities, event promotion and publicity, and in set-up, management and clean-up
on day of the event.
Yearbook and
Yearbook Photographers
The West School Parent Group compiles and
produces a full color, all school, distinctive yearbook, that is available to
each West family that pays West Parent Group Dues. In order to ensure that all
children at West School are represented in the yearbook, numerous volunteers
are needed to photograph classroom events & activities as well as school
events, and assist with design and layout for this special project.
5TH GRADE GRADUATION ACTIVITIES
Each year, a number of festive activities
and events are planned to celebrate the graduation of the West school fifth
grade children from elementary school into middle school. Some of these
activities include: Field/Fun Day when 5th grade children will engage in fun
water activities and field games; Adults Cocktail Party for parents of
graduating fifth grade children; Graduation Breakfast and Ceremony; and Pool
Party to give the graduates one last time to celebrate together as a graduating
class. Several volunteers are needed to assist the co-chairs with the organization and smooth implementation of various graduation
activities. If you are the parent of a fifth grader and want to ensure that
your child has a fun-filled & memorable 5th grade graduation, then this is
your chance!