Jan Schiff Elementary PTO

Volunteers In Public Schools (VIPS)

 

We get it. Your life is busy. Your inbox is full. Your time is precious.

 

You want to help the school, but you’re worried you’ll receive dozens of irrelevant emails. Or you’re afraid if you help with one event, you’ll get recruited to five more. Or you assume most opportunities are during the school day when you work.

 

And yet, parent involvement is what separates great schools from the rest.

 

We believe volunteering needn’t be a part-time job. Many hands really do make light work. And all contributions are helpful.

 

You'll find dozens of ways to contribute below, organized by time investment. We hope this will help you better decide which contribution fits your busy life. Most weeks, you'll receive just one email with the typical volunteer sign ups, which you can also access here. To help in other ways, please get in touch.

 

All we ask is that you do something. With contributions from every parent, your PTO will continue to nurture excellence at Schiff.

 

Together, we are strong. 

 

No Time Commitment

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• send packaged food or paper products with your child for Shark Bait (teacher luncheons)

• send packaged food or paper products with your child for class parties

• donate to Shark Week

• purchase Sharkwear

• purchase yearbooks

• buy holiday/birthday gifts at the Book Fair

Background Checks

 

Every year, all on-campus volunteers must complete a simple background check. This step is mandatory to help with class parties, chaperone field trips, or volunteer on campus. Take care of it now!

Foreign National Background Check

 

If you are a Foreign National wanting to volunteer at Schiff but do not have a Social Security Number or Tax Identification Number (TIN), please contact Collaborative Communities here:

Low Time Commitment

 

During the School Day:​

• attend school events & PTO meetings

• spend 2 hours helping at the Shark Store

• take a 3-hour shift during the Book Fair

• help set-up or clean-up teacher luncheons

• help set-up or clean-up the Book Fair

• spend 2 hours volunteering at a holiday party

• help kindergarteners open lunch packages during their lunch hour

• work a shift in the VIPS room

• take pictures at events you attend

• Be a room parent and help with just 2 parties a year

 

Outside of the School Day:​

• attend school events & PTO meetings

• provide something yummy for a teacher luncheon

• take home projects from the VIPS room to complete in front of the TV

• write thank you notes for a PTO committee

• take pictures at events you attend

• edit photos submitted to the Yearbook Committee

• research long-term projects for the PTO

• research vendors for PTO events

High Time Commitment

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• join a committee

• commit to regularly volunteering in the shark store, with hospitality events, or in the VIPS room

• research and apply for grants for our school

• complete work at the FBISD Teacher Center in the evenings or on the weekends

• coach a Destination Imagination team

• attend FBISD Board of Trustee meetings on the PTO's behalf