Welcome to the Volunteer Program Information Page!
There are many opportunities for parents and family members to share their time, skills, and resources to support the St. John’s School community. If you have questions, the school office has volunteer forms and can provide further information.
General Volunteer Information
Why does St. John's have a Volunteer Program?
Studies have shown time and again that students are more successful when parents are actively involved in the school. When parents are involved, students receive a clear message that education is valued. Volunteers also help by keeping costs from spiraling out of control. Whether it's helping a child read or painting a door, a volunteer is doing important work that would otherwise cost the school money.
Who can volunteer?
A St. John’s School volunteer is any person who gives freely of his or her time, skills, talents, and resources to contribute to the lives and education of St. John’s School students. Volunteers include parents, retirees, grandparents, or parishioners.
Volunteer Requirement:
Minimum of 25 hours per family plus 1 mandatory Bingo Sunday per year.
Options:
Minimum of 15 hours per family plus 2 Bingo Sundays per year.
OR
Work 4 Bingo Sundays per year – no additional hours required.
Volunteer Guidelines & Requirements
Sign in at the front office when you come to the school to volunteer.
Volunteers are responsible for logging in their hours. You have two options for reporting your volunteer hours. There is a Volunteer Log book maintained in the school office. Enter your volunteer service hours in the log book on your designated family page OR send in your hours via e-mail at the following address: Click Here. Please ensure you indicate "SJS Volunteer Info" in the subject line of the e-mail) NOTE! Please ensure you record your COMPLETED bingo volunteer hours in the Volunteer Log book or by e-mail.
Check in/sign in with your Activity Coordinator when volunteering for a special event activity. If there is a concern regarding volunteer efforts, the Activity Coordinator will be contacted for verification of hours. Coordinators are not responsible for logging in parent volunteer hours.
Working With ChildrenFor our children’s protection, the Archdiocese of Washington requires that all volunteers (as well as school employees) be fingerprinted and pass a criminal background investigation before having any contact with children in the school. This includes parents who wish to accompany children on field trips as well as those who serve as volunteer teachers, coaches or club leaders. Volunteers must also attend a “Protecting God’s Children for Adults” educational workshop.
Fingerprinting appointments must be made through the Archdiocese of Washington and fingerprinting forms can be picked up at the school office. The cost of the fingerprinting is $36 (non-profit processing fee). Call 301-853-4513 to make an appointment. To attend the educational workshop, you must first register through the Archdiocese of Washington website at www.virtusonline.org.
Once a volunteer has been fingerprinted, the following must be submitted to the school office:
- Fingerprinting receipt (provided at time of fingerprinting)
- Criminal background investigation results (these will be mailed to you)
- Signed acknowledgement form (provided when you attend the Child Protection Workshop).
All of these requirements must be met in order for active involvement in your child’s school. NO EXCEPTIONS.
For more information on currently scheduled workshop sessions, click here.
Bingo
Bingo generates a significant source of revenue to fund the school’s operating costs.
Bingo is managed by the Home and School Association. Melissa Higgs is the Bingo Coordinator and is responsible for managing the bingo volunteer schedule. For information about scheduling or working a bingo, contact Melissa Higgs by email or at 301-475-9093.
When it is your scheduled date to work bingo, you will receive a reminder phone call the Friday before your date. The upcoming Sunday bingo workers are also listed in the weekly Wednesday bulletin. A helpful checklist of what you need to do if you are a BINGO worker is provided in the link below.
As you can imagine, our commitment to provide volunteers is taken very seriously. If you cannot attend on your assigned date, you are responsible for finding a substitute.
Any family member 18 years of age or older can work bingo. Any family that fails to honor their commitment to work bingo will be fined $750. Though this may seem like a severe penalty, this is consistent with other Catholic schools that work bingo and will help guarantee that we will provide the necessary volunteers.
View Sep 2008 BINGO Schedule
View 2008 Oct/Nov/Dec BINGO Schedule
View 2009 Jan/Feb/Mar BINGO Schedule
View 2009 Apr/May/Jun BINGO Schedule
View 2009 Jul/Aug/Sep BINGO Schedule
View BINGO worker checklist
The "Fix-It" Corner
In partnership with the Home School Association, St. John's faculty is graciously asking for help in assisting or completing various tasks in and around the school and classroom. Many parents look for additional ways to help out around the school but are unaware of any task that each teacher may have. Many of these tasks are too small to assign as a major job; therefore, many go incomplete for many months and even years.
Therefore, if you are self motivated and would like to see happy teachers working with happy kids, this is the “Fix-It” corner. This is an avenue to accumulate volunteer hours for any one choosing to do so.
The list will be continually updated as new requests are added and some tasks are completed. This list is primarily for tasks requiring time, talent, and maybe a little bit of money.
All of the big jobs (most are already documented) will remain on the organized forums already in place and will not be included in this list
In an effort to keep list current, please email Craig Oliver at deerecraig@gmail.com for an update on any completed task. Staff or parents wishing to add to the list can email requests as well.
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