Parent / Volunteer Resources

 

Volunteer Orientation

All VLCS volunteers must participate in a volunteer orientation every 2 years. IF you renewed your volunteer status during the 2021-22 school year, you DO NOT need to complete the training again this year.

Dates and locations for volunteer trainings are as follows:

  • Parent Volunteer Training - 8/16/22 at 5:15 pm @ Akers in room A8

  • Parent Volunteer Training - 9/20/22 at 5:15 pm @ Akers in room A8

  • Parent Volunteer Training - 10/18/22 at 5:15 pm @ Walnut in the Owl's Nest

  • Parent Volunteer Training - 11/15/22 at 5:15 pm @ Akers in room D5

  • Parent Volunteer Training - 1/17/23 at 5:15 pm @ Akers in room D5

  • Parent Volunteer Training - 2/21/23 at 5:15 pm @ Akers in room D5

  • Parent Volunteer Training - 3/21/23 at 5:15 pm @ Akers in room D5

  • Parent Volunteer Training - 4/18/23 at 5:15 pm @ Akers in room D5

*Parent Volunteer Trainings are immediately before Parent Group Meetings on the 3rd Tuesday of each month. Feel free to stay and participate in all the exciting things the Parent Group is doing for VLCS!

Coffee & Conversation + Volunteer Training - 1st Friday of the month.

Take this opportunity to sit and sip coffee with the VLCS administration. This is your opportunity to chat about topics related to VLCS and connect with the VLCS community. Volunteer Training is provided as another opportunity to complete the process for parents if needed.

  • Coffee & Conversation - 9/2/22 at 8:15 am @ Akers in room D4

  • Coffee & Conversation - 10/7/22 at 8:15 am @ Akers in room D4

  • Coffee & Conversation - 11/4/22 at 8:15 am @ Akers in room D4

  • Coffee & Conversation - 12/2/22 at 8:15 am @ Akers in room D4

  • Coffee & Conversation - 2/3/23 at 8:15 am @ Akers in room D4

  • Coffee & Conversation - 3/3/23 at 8:15 am @ Akers in room D4

  • Coffee & Conversation - 4/14/23 at 8:15 am @ Akers in room D4

  • Coffee & Conversation - 5/5/23 at 8:15 am @ Akers in room D4 *Tentative

*Please remember dates are subject to change and should be checked on our Master Calendar.

Parent Group Meetings

Parent Group meetings are held on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 5:45 pm directly following the Parent Volunteer Training. Childcare TBD.

The Parent Group is in charge of many exciting school events such as Tears & Cheers, Fall Carnival, Pastries with Pals, Tricky Tray, Teacher Appreciation Week and the Scholastic Book Fair, just to name a few.

If you're interested in joining the Parent Group community, contact President, Hope Bowers at Parentgroup@vlcs.org

Engaging Parents

Our goal for volunteers is to engage our parents and community. This helps to enrich the lives of the students. Parent engagement has been documented to improve the child’s well-being, literacy, and math skills (Gross et al., 2020).

“The USDE defines it as the participation of parents and educators in “regular, two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities” (United States Department of Education 2015). The Center for Disease Control and Prevention defines parent engagement as parents and schools working together to support and improve students’ learning, development, and health (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2012). The National Association for Family, School and Community Engagement defines parent engagement as a shared responsibility to actively support children’s learning and development (National Association for Family (n.d.)).”

Ways VLCS parents can be involved: Volunteering in the classroom, assisting the teacher with material preparation, reading to students in the classroom, volunteering in the office, serving on the parent group team, serving in the lunchroom, chaperoning field trips, attending school activities and events, creating a quiet place for your child to read at home, or do homework, attending student-led conferences, teacher meetings, sports events, and assemblies. We also have specific needs such as fundraising, working at the carnival, working at Tricky Tray, assisting with performances, attending coffee and conversation, as well as attending the parent group meetings. As a leadership/performing arts school, when you take your children to a live performance, musical, or other culturally enriching activity, we also consider this as being engaged in their education.

When you come on campus, you must sign in through Raptor. If you come for an IEP meeting, or any other reason, you are engaging in your child’s education, and the time logged through Raptor is included in our “volunteer hours”.

If you are engaging in your child’s education, and are not on campus, you can log your volunteer hours through Parent square. You can also log materials purchased towards their education, time spent in enriching educational activities, or donations to the school through Parent Square.

Parent Square

References:

Gross, D., Bettencourt, A. F., Taylor, K., Francis, L., Bower, K., & Singleton, D. L. (2020). What is parent engagement in early learning? Depends who you ask. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 29(3), 747-760.