Routine

Parking: The Colonel J. Fred Scott School parking lot is full. It is best to park on the street or at the Whitehorn Community Centre.

Check In: Please report to the main office when you arrive to volunteer, sign in the volunteer book (placed outside of the main office) and wear visible identification provided.

Valuables: Avoid bringing valuables into the school unless absolutely necessary. Keep wallets/purses with you. The CBE is not responsible for lost or stolen personal property.

Washrooms: You should only use washrooms designated for adults or staff members.

Emergency Procedures: Every school has a plan to deal with emergency situations. You are encouraged to ask about specific protocols in the event of a lockdown, evacuation, or bomb threat. In the event of an emergency, the teacher in charge and/or school administration will provide further direction to you. You are expected to participate fully in fire drills or other safety-related training conducted during the school day.

Discipline or behavior issues

As a school volunteer you may notice students disobeying school or classroom rules. Your responsibility is to call such matters to the attention of the teacher or other supervising school personnel. Never take corrective measures into your own hands as the staff is trained and know the children’s educational and emotional background to deal effectively with the situations at hand.

There are many ways in which schools are alike; but because schools must fulfill educational needs of students from many diverse backgrounds, each school has a personality or culture of its own. Volunteers should be informed about the school's general disciplinary procedures to avoid any misunderstanding.  Once again please become familiar with the first few pages of the student agenda particularly the Student Expectations section.

Swim Program

The Swim Program instructor will go over safety rules while at the pool.  Some of the rules will include:

a) No running b) No diving into the shallow end  c) No fooling around/joking around d) No pushing others into the pool e) No dunking other students into the water f) Any participants with infected cuts or open sores should not be permitted into the water

Supervision

All volunteers perform under the direction and supervision of school personnel. Volunteers should know and follow school policies and rules. The CBE, in its discretion and without a statement of reasons, may suspend any volunteer from further volunteer activities pending any background check. No statement by the District establishes a property right to perform volunteer work.

Communicate

As a school volunteer, it is crucial that the lines of communication stay open and clear. Remember the saying "no question is a dumb question?" Believe it! If you are unsure about what's expected of you, or how to use certain office equipment, please ask someone for direction.   Also, please become familiar with the first few pages of the student agenda where you will find valuable information such as hours of operation, playground safety and student expectations to name a few.

What to wear

Wearing appropriate, practical, and comfortable clothing when you volunteer is one more way you can be a role model. If you have a question, feel free to ask for a copy of the school's dress code or to talk with the principal, an administrator, teacher, or another school volunteer.

Who is doing the teaching?

If you are volunteering in a classroom, make sure you and the teacher are clear on your responsibilities and that you are both comfortable with your duties. The real value for a teacher in having a volunteer is that it frees the teacher to teach. If you are spending more time making copies or preparing for activities than is satisfying to you, please talk with the teacher about other ways you can help as well.

Language and attitudes

Just as we expect students to refrain from using inappropriate language and/or displaying attitudes which are non conducive to a learning environment while at school, we also expect the same from teachers, staff and volunteers. Most adults realize how easily children pick up on what we say and do. But, keep in mind that what is a harmless slang term to you may be offensive to another adult or student.

Our commitment to you

While there are certain expectations from volunteers to help things run smoothly, we realize you also have expectations from school staff. We are committed to working with you to make sure volunteering is rewarding for everyone.

Following are some of the commitments we make to our volunteers:

Efficiency

We respect your time commitment and will make every effort to utilize your time efficiently. If you have any questions or suggestions to help us, please share them.

Interests and talents

We want to make the best match we can between volunteer opportunities and your interests and talents. Let school personnel know how you can best contribute. Examples of talents may include speaking a second language, expertise/experience in a certain topic and first aid certificate are some examples. Your input may lead to the development of additional volunteer opportunities.

Volunteer hours

School volunteers help in schools during regular school hours, namely the same hours that the school office is open. If volunteering after school, the school office must be accessible or school personnel must be present who have access to it. It is essential that there is access to the first aid kit, a phone, and emergency contact information.

Volunteer absence

If you are unable to make it to school when you are expected, please call the school and  leave a message. Similarly, school staff will contact you if your time is canceled or changed for any unforeseen reason.

Transportation of students

Volunteers are not allowed to provide transportation for students unless they have prior approval and have completed the required forms.

Volunteers in the upper grades

Sometimes volunteers do not feel as needed or welcome by students or teachers in upper grade levels. Be assured, however, that your presence and assistance is still welcome and needed. Volunteering with older students is just as important as in the early grades; it simply has to be adapted to the developmental and educational needs of the students. If you would like to volunteer with older students and are unsure how, please feel free to speak to the principal, other administrator or a teacher for specific ideas.

Confidentiality

What you hear and observe about students, families, and staff while volunteering in a school is confidential. Repeating a seemingly harmless comment can lead to misunderstandings and hurt feelings. For schools to provide the best environment for learning, everyone's privacy must be respected.

Child neglect and abuse reporting

School volunteer are obligated under mandatory child reporting laws to report any suspected child neglect or abuse. If you suspect child abuse, immediately contact the school principal or assistant principal.

Recognition

The CBE is grateful for the thousands of hours contributed yearly by our volunteers. Schools recognize your work in a variety of ways ranging from acknowledgement in newsletters to certificates to volunteer teas. But we believe that the greatest reward for you will be seeing students benefit from your time and effort. Thank you for volunteering - you make a real difference in helping the CBE to accomplish its mission: learning, as unique as every student.

We hope that this guide helps you to understand how valuable you are to our school, some of your duties, as well as some rules and regulations around volunteering at Colonel J. Fred Scott School.

* This document includes segments of the Information for Volunteers in the Calgary Board of Education and modified segments from the Washoe School County District, USA.