Volunteer Job Bank
Looking for a volunteer dream job? Want to find out what the RPs are doing with the GLCs and why the OCs have paint on their hands? Do you have a passion for wearing an apron, pounding nails, or planting flowers? Whatever you like to do, our kids and the SOE staff need your help. The best way to get started is to read through the list and see which jobs appeal to you. Then, fill out a Volunteer Form at a school event such as Meet & Greet or fill it out online.
Volunteers are needed to assist with the Membership Drive table at Kinder Camp, Meet & Greet, and Parent Information nights. Volunteers will make sure PTO membership forms are completed correctly and will collect money from those families who want to be voting members of the PTO. Volunteers will also assist at each PTO General Membership meeting (4 times yearly) at the Membership table where voting members must sign in.
Volunteers are needed to work with our PTO Board Publicist on various areas of communication:

  • Newsletter: Writing and editing articles; proofing layout; working with office to copy and distribute; a committee will be needed to facilitate this.
  • Marquee: Changing out messages.
  • Photography: Gathering and categorizing photographs of students, faculty and volunteers for the yearbook, the web and newsletter.
  • Local Publicity: Working with local media to place articles and photographs supporting SOE programs.
  • Yearbook: Working with selected vendor to write, design, print and distribute yearbooks to students and faculty.
  • Historian: Keeping a working scrapbook of pictures, articles and information regarding the events of the school since its inception; framing keepsake items for the school.
Room Parents
Each classroom has one Room Parent only. If you’re interested in being a Room Parent (“RP”), please indicate your interest by signing up in your child’s classroom at Kinder Camp or Meet & Greet in August. If you’re not able to attend these events, but are still interested in serving as a Room Parent for your child’s class, please notify SOE’s VIPS Coordinator, Gina DiPuma, within the first week of school. RPs are selected by the PTO Board to ensure fair opportunity is given to those interested and so the same people are not selected year after year (unless no one else steps forward).

RPs are responsible for:
  • attending meetings with their assigned Grade Level Coordinator (“GLC”) to discuss procedures and upcoming classroom events;
  • organizing classroom events including Lunch Bunch, December Holiday Party, Valentine Party, Spring Fundraiser Auction Baskets, Field Trips, Staff Appreciation Week, and Field Day as well as any other special events or work assignments as requested by the teacher, teacher team lead, or GLC; and
  • coordinating parent volunteers via phone and/or e-mail for assistance with classroom events and work assignments.
Outclass Coordinators & Outclass Volunteers
Volunteers are needed to serve as Outclass Coordinators (“OCs”) for Library, Art, Music, and P.E.  Ideally, there should be two coordinators for each outclass--one for grades K-2 and one for grades 3-5. OCs are selected by the PTO Board to ensure fair opportunity is given to those interested and so the same people are not selected year after year (unless no one else steps forward). OCs are responsible for organizing volunteers to handle various work assignments:

  • Library: shelving books, assisting with Book Fair sales, and handling special projects
  • Art: assisting with “It’s My Artwork” fundraiser, helping to display artwork, and possibly assisting with starting an Art Club
  • Music: Assisting with rehearsals and other events for the choir
  • PE: assisting with the in-line skating program for 4th & 5th graders and helping with Field Day in the Spring

VIPS Workroom
Working in the VIPS Workroom involves helping to prepare materials for the classrooms (i.e. helping with bulletin boards, die cutting, binding booklets, coloring, gluing, tracing, laminating, and cutting out laminated items.)  Volunteers must attend an informal training session in order to learn how to operate the various pieces of equipment in the VIPS Workroom. Note: Children will not be allowed in the VIPS room this year. There are many items they could easily damage or hurt themselves on.
Teacher Center
Some projects can’t be completed in the school workroom and may require going to the FBISD Teacher Center (on Sweetwater Blvd. near Austin Parkway). *District Policy - Children under 18 may not enter the building.
“Take Home” Work
This is designed for Moms, Dads, and Grandparents who are not able to come to the school to help out during school hours. Your child’s teacher can send this type of work home with your child, and it usually involves tracing, coloring, gluing, or cutting out materials for the classroom.
Dads' Club
This group is called upon for special events, such as a Mom's event, or when something needs to be constructed or moved.  The Dads' Club will also have special fun activities planned where the Dads are involved in programs with the children.
Shared Dreams
This program provides needy FBISD students with school clothes and personal-care supplies that have been collected throughout the district. Volunteers are needed to help organize a clothing or personal-care supplies drive within our school. In the spring, volunteers are needed to help work at the Shared Dreams facility giving out the donations.
School Supply Packs
Volunteers are needed to work with teachers at each grade level to determine supplies needed for the upcoming school year.  Volunteers will work with vendors to provide packages and will also assist with distributing orders. Preparation is April – May and distribution takes place at Meet & Greet.
Long-Term Projects
We need volunteers for this committee who are interested in planning and researching projects that will benefit the school in the near future (the next 2-3 years,) that may require larger sums of money. Ideas from this committee help for future planning of fundraisers for the school.
Grant Research
We need volunteers for this committee to research grants that may be available to the school. This involves working with computer research, community contacts, and local and national organizations. Many opportunities exist that we could incorporate with SOE’s butterfly garden. Organizations like the National Wildlife Foundation offer several different types of grants that only schools with these types of gardens may qualify for. Volunteers would seek out and present potential grant opportunities to the PTO Board.
PTO Membership
General Volunteer Opportunities
Grade Level Coordinators (GLCs)
Each grade level has one Grade Level Coordinator. Typically, GLCs have served previously as a Room Parent at SOE or at another school. GLCs are selected by the PTO Board to ensure fair opportunity to those interested and so the same people are not selected year after year (unless no one else steps forward).

GLCs are responsible for:
  • Meeting with the VIPS Coordinator in August to review expectations for the school year.
  • Meeting with the Teacher Team Lead for assigned grade level (as soon as possible after meeting with the VIPS Coordinator) regarding:
  • Holiday and Valentine's Day Parties; Teacher classroom requests; Volunteers for major events (i.e., plays, parties, etc.); Special grade level projects, if applicable; and Help with PTO fundraisers and events.
  • Communicating regularly with the Teacher Team Lead in order to keep pace with expectations and what is needed for the assigned grade level
  • Overseeing assigned Room Parents and arranging at least 3 meetings during the school year (September, November, and January) with them to discuss procedures, teacher requests, and plans for upcoming events.
  • Relaying other information as needed throughout the school year to Room Parents via phone and e-mail in a timely manner, and
  • Turning in any necessary receipts for reimbursement, along with a Payment Request Form, in a timely manner to the VIPS Coordinator.
Students will be selling Sally Foster gift wrap, other holiday items, and Entertainment Books this fall.  Help is needed to tally orders (Sept./Oct.) and to distribute orders when they come in (Oct./Nov.)
Sally Foster (Fall Fundraiser)
Volunteers will be needed to assist with decorations, food/venue, auction, publicity, baskets, and corporate sponsors/donations. Some of the Dinner & Auction and Fun Run positions will be shared.
Dinner & Auction (Spring ’09)
Volunteers will be needed to assist with publicity, corporate sponsors/donations, Sienna rules and regulations, carnival, class baskets, race information/specifics, event set-up, food/equipment, and auction.
Fun Run (Spring ’09)
Volunteers are needed to count Box Tops at the end of each month for the monthly contest between grade levels. This is something that can be done at home. Volunteers will need to make reminder flyers to send home with students. Volunteers also will be responsible for mailing the labels to the companies for school credit and for keeping track on the applicable website.
Box Tops for Education
This is a great “at-home” volunteer opportunity. Volunteers are responsible for creating or obtaining flyers from selected vendors for placement in the students’ Friday Folders and for following up with the vendors for participation tracking.
Dinner Nights
Carnations are pre-sold to be delivered to the classrooms on Valentine’s Day. Help is needed with taking orders during lunch times in late January and early February. Help is also needed to sort the flowers and to deliver them to classrooms.
Valentine Carnation Sales  
Help is needed to sell spirit wear some mornings during the school week as well as during some school events (i.e., Kinder Camp, Meet & Greet, Fall and Spring Parent Information Nights, PTO General Membership Meetings.)
Spirit Wear
Volunteers are needed to work at the Scanlan Oaks School Store some mornings during the school week as well as during some school events.  The school store sells Scanlan Oaks specialty items as well as other school-related items.
School Store
Educational Enrichment Volunteer Opportunities
Help students to develop their reading skills to be on par with their grade-level peers. Volunteer positions: Committee chair (organize committee, organize volunteers and volunteer schedule, coordinate with reading specialist, report status/progress monthly to PTO Educational Enrichment Coordinator); Reading mentors (initial training followed by weekly 30-minute sessions with an assigned student)
Reading Mentors
Help students to develop their math skills to be on par with their grade-level peers. Volunteer positions: Committee chair (organize committee, organize volunteers and volunteer schedule, coordinate with math specialist, report monthly to PTO Educational Enrichment Coordinator); Math mentors (initial training followed by weekly 30-minute sessions with an assigned student)
Math Mentors
Work with PTO Educational Enrichment Coordinator, SOE Librarian, and SOE Reading Specialist to develop a themed evening program that promotes reading as a fun family activity; implement the program.
Reading Night
Work with PTO Educational Enrichment Coordinator, SOE Math Specialist, and SOE Science Specialist to develop a themed evening program that promotes science and math as fun family activities; implement the program.
Math/Science Night
Work with PTO Educational Enrichment Coordinator to set up an evening program centered on small workshops where students focus on specific writing objectives, share their work, and provide constructive input to each other.
Writing Night
This is a Saturday when students, parents, and SOE staff will work together to make the outside of our school a place we can be proud of. We'll prune the shrubs, replace the dead ones, pull weeds, plant some hanging baskets for our classes in portables--whatever we need to do and all at minimum cost. Volunteer positions: Committee co-chair (plan event, direct committee, etc.); Event volunteers (help plan event, solicit donations, schedule students/parents to work, etc.)
School Pride Day
Work with Butterfly Garden Committee Chair to maintain the butterfly garden as an educational area/outdoor classroom. (Scouts meet in the area several times per month to do some work already.) No gardening knowledge required--the committee chair is a Master Gardener who can teach you what you need to know.
Butterfly Garden
Work with committee chair to schedule events, help with set up/take down, etc.
In-School Field Trips
Work with SOE P.E. staff to plan end-of-year field day for our students, remembering that the goal of the funds donated by the PTO is to purchase items that can be reused yearly for field day. (One parent volunteer needs to be designated to report status/progress monthly to PTO Educational Enrichment Coordinator.)
Field Day
Plan a small in-school graduation party for the 5th graders. (One parent volunteer needs to be designated to report status/progress monthly to PTO Educational Enrichment Coordinator.)
5th Grade Graduation
Staff Appreciation Volunteer Opportunities
Five times during the school year, luncheons will be held for the entire school staff.  The staff luncheons coincide with Lunch Bunch.  Volunteers are needed to provide a variety of food items. If you don’t cook/bake, but would like to participate, we’re always in need of drinks, rolls, and non-food items that can be sent to school with your child in the morning. Volunteers will receive an e-mail with a description of the “theme of the month” and what items are needed. Staff luncheons will be celebrated on the following days for the 2008-09 school year with these themes:

  • Tuesday, September 16th: "Brunch for Lunch"
  • Tuesday, November 11th: "Best of Your Holiday Recipes"
  • Tuesday, January 13th: "International"
  • Tuesday, March 10th: "Salads"
  • Tuesday, May 12th: "Picnic Fare"
Staff Luncheons
Once a month, staff birthdays are celebrated, and volunteers are needed to provide food items.  If you don’t cook/bake, but would like to participate, we are always in need of drinks and other non-food items that can be sent to school with your child in the morning.  There will be a different “theme” for each month (i.e. cookies, cakes, pies, etc.), and volunteers will receive an e-mail with a description of the theme and what items are needed.  Staff birthdays will be celebrated on the following days for the 2008-09 school year with these themes:

  • Thursday, September 25th: "Cookies & Bars"
  • Friday, October 17th: "Trifles, Tarts, & Cobblers"
  • Friday, November 21st: "Pies"
  • Friday, December 12th: "Chocolate & Sweet Delights"
  • Friday, January 23rd: "Muffins & Fruit"
  • Friday, February 20th: "Cakes"
  • Friday, March 27th: "Cupcakes"
  • Friday, April 17th: "Brownies"
  • Friday, May 22nd: "Choice Sweets"
Staff Birthdays
Lunch Bunch will be held 5 times during the school year and will coincide with the Staff Luncheons.  (See dates listed under Staff Luncheons above.) A minimum of two volunteers will be needed per classroom to help supervise students during lunch and recess. This allows the teachers to enjoy a well-deserved luncheon provided by parent volunteers. Lunch Bunch Coordinators are the PTO Staff Appreciation Coordinator(s).

Lunch Bunch
Every May, schools around the country spend one week honoring teachers and staff. This school year, Teacher Appreciation Week will be celebrated May 4-8. Volunteers are needed to help prepare for the week’s events. This may consist of purchasing items paid for by the PTO, putting together items, and making sure the teachers receive the items.

Teacher Appreciation Week
Help is needed to set up two or three consecutive mornings where students can bring their moms (or stand-in moms) to the school and have muffins with them before school starts. Volunteer positions: Committee chair (organize committee, develop program, report status/progress monthly to PTO Staff Appreciation Coordinators); Event volunteers (acquire supplies, serve muffins, etc.)
Moms & Muffins
Help is needed to set up two or three consecutive mornings where students can bring their dads (or stand-in dads) to  the school and have doughnuts with them before school starts. Volunteer positions: Committee chair (organize committee, develop program, report status/progress monthly to PTO Staff Appreciation Coordinators); Event volunteers (acquire supplies, serve muffins, etc.)
Dads & Doughnuts
Publicity Volunteer Opportunities
Publicity
Newsletter
Marquee
Photography
Local Publicity
Yearbook
Historian
PTO Board & Nominating Committee Opportunities
Our school’s PTO Board is composed of these volunteer positions:

  • President
  • 1st Vice President
  • 2nd Vice President (Fundraising)
  • Treasurer
  • Recording Secretary
  • Corresponding Secretary
  • VIPS Coordinator
  • Staff Appreciation Coordinator
  • Educational Enrichment Coordinator
  • Parliamentarian
  • Publicist

In addition, our school’s Principal and a Teacher Representative serve on the PTO Board.

Nominations are solicited during the Spring semester. The PTO Nominating Committee discusses and decides by majority vote which candidates to put forth on the slate to the General Membership. The election takes place at the last General Membership Meeting each school year.
Parent/Teacher Organization (PTO) Board
Volunteers are solicited in the spring semester to sit on this committee which is responsible for reviewing and qualifying potential members for the next school year’s PTO Board. Four (4) non-PTO Board members not seeking election are needed to sit on this committee.  These 4 volunteers attend several meetings to help establish the slate. The PTO Nominating Committee is comprised of the PTO Parliamentarian, the Principal, a Faculty Representative, four (4) non-PTO Board members not seeking election, and one (1) current PTO member not seeking re-election.
PTO Nominating Committee
VIPS Help Wanted
Under construction for the 2009-2010 school season