Thank you for taking on the role of Class Coordinator!  This role is important in helping facilitate communication between the teacher and parents, and helps a classroom run efficiently through the use of volunteers.
 Responsibilities:

  • Work with your teacher to identify classroom volunteer needs (days, times, description/responsibilities, # per shift, etc.)
  • Create a class volunteer calendar.  Typically three calendars are scheduled: Fall, Winter, Spring
  • Schedule classroom volunteers (by assigning shifts or allowing sign-ups)
  • Communicate special teacher appreciation events to class parents (Teacher Appreciation Week in May)
  • Organize a class End of Year Recognition for the teacher (or designate another parent to do so)
  • Role model BSD Volunteer Expectations and Responsibilities and communicate them to class volunteers.
  • Optional:  Plan a small recognition of the teacher on his/her birthday (if appropriate)

Volunteer Schedule/Calendar:
In creating your classroom volunteer calendar, work with your teacher to understand his/her volunteer needs and preferred schedule.  Findley’s recommended scheduling system for classroom volunteer scheduling is www.signup.com (formerly known as VolunteerSpot).  This intuitive scheduling tool provides quick online instruction to help you create your own calendar in minutes and includes the following features:

  • Allows parents to sign up for dates/times they are available
  • Allows you to schedule volunteers
  • Sends automatic reminders
  • Allows you (the organizer) to send a calendar link within an email you create, or to use an automatic send.
  • Option to print monthly schedule
  • No password or account required for volunteers (as organizer, you must set up an account/password)
  • Sends the upcoming week’s schedule each Friday, which can be forwarded to the teacher.

Typically you will need to schedule three calendars at different points throughout the year:  Fall (Oct-Dec), Winter (Jan-Mar), Spring (Apr-May).  Consider holidays and no-school days when creating your calendar (consult the Findley and BSD calendars).  It is also helpful to note days which may have schedule changes due to assemblies, Art Literacy lessons, field trips, conferences, Spring Break, or school-wide events (Dragon Dash, Field Day).

Teacher Questionnaire:
It is helpful and fun to know some of your teacher’s preferences!  Download a copy of the Teacher Getting-to-Know-You Questionnaire and send these questions to your teacher at the beginning of the school year.  You will find the answers helpful throughout the year!

Teacher Appreciation and End of Year Recognition:
In addition to managing the class volunteer calendar, your role as Class Coordinator puts you in a position to coordinate teacher appreciation activities and a class End of Year recognition for your teacher.  These are your responsibilities unless you delegate them to another class parent.  (Note:  It can be helpful to contact other coordinators in your grade level to ensure some level of equality in your plans.  Share great ideas!)

Teacher Appreciation Week activities are set and communicated by the school, so your role is simply to help communicate them to gain maximum participation from your class.

End of Year Recognition for your teacher can be a simple show of appreciation that involves the students in the class.  Some examples are:

  • Encourage students to bring in a note to fill a mailbox for the teacher.
  • Write a poem where every student in the class says a line.
  • Write a song for the students to sing to the teacher.
  • Make a craft that includes a contribution from each child (fingerprint art, student quotes, etc.)

This is extra special if you can incorporate the teacher’s personal taste into a theme.  Simple is divine!

Beaverton School District reminds us that teachers can accept a gift up to $50 in value per individual parent per calendar year.  Under BSD direction, a Class Coordinator, or other parent, cannot collect money for a teacher gift in excess of $50.

Resources
Here are some useful links to help you communicate with other Class Coordinators, grade-level Party Coordinators, and with the team of Art Literacy volunteers for your classroom.