How?
COMMUNITY AND HEAD START PARENT VOLUNTEERS CAN DO THE FOLLOWING:
Assist with Screenings There are many ways to help with screenings - help walk children through, help with paperwork, help with children waiting
Assist in the classroom If you are working or going to school, sometimes you can have a grandparent or friend go into the classroom
Ways to help in the Classroom:
- Demonstrate a hobby skill or talent
- Join with us on field trips
- Help setup art, music, or science activities
- Assist in cleaning up
- Help with lunch and snack activities
- Read to the children
- Assist on the playground in outdoor fun
- Play catch with the children using a ball or a beanbag
- Hold a child's hand while going for a walk
Assist with Activities
Ways to help with activities:
- Enhance family literacy skills by volunteering at Family Fun Club held monthly at local libraries.
- Volunteer to assist with parent trainings in areas of health education, child development, safety, nutrition, CPR, and more.
- Most require only a commitment of a day or evening
Be A Board Member Excellent programs have excellent Board of Directors, whose membership is made up of a cross-section of the community and professionals
HEAD START PARENT VOLUNTEERS CAN DO THE FOLLOWING:
Do activities at home Anything we ask you to do you can count as volunteer hours
Ways to help at home:
- Help the teacher with assigned projects, such as:
- Color stories
- Make visual aids
- Help make games
- Cut out curriculum materials
- Stuff parent packets
- Repair broken toys
- Read health as well as other stories to your children
- Phone other parents on Heartland Head Start matters
-Be a classroom parent officer Each Heartland Head Start class has a President, Vice President, Secretary, and other officers needed.
-Serve on the Policy Council The Council helps decide on many of the parent activities. They also help with many of the Head Start policies and procedures.
-Be a Community Representative on Policy Council
-Substitute The lunch and bus aides are filled by parents when staff are absent.
-Be a phone parent Keep communication strong in your classroom.
-Attend parent meetings Keeping informed can be one of the most useful tools you have to help you become an active part of your child's Heartland Head Start experience.
-Attend all activities You will be amazed at how much you will learn all at no or very low cost. Watch for information in bulletins