Teacher and Classroom Support

Family Committee is committed to fostering positive, steadfast relationships among teachers and classroom families. We do this through a series of programs, led by the T&C Chairs, and through our Classroom Leaders.

Home Support Volunteer(s)

  • laundry (washing MVCS borrowed items)

  • Dishes (providing reusable dishes for class parties and taking them home to be washed)

  • Laminating and / or cutting classroom assignments

  • Repairing books, furniture

  • Providing dry kindling and firewood for classrooms, as needed

In-school volunteer(s)

  • Independent project support: provide an extra set of hands and eyes in the classrooms while students complete the visual portions of independent projects

  • One-on-one student support (people with teaching background or experience working with kids to provide reading, writing, or math support)

  • In-service days to help with managerial tasks, cleaning, restocking

  • Summer preparation: preparing classrooms, organizing, rearranging/moving, sourcing furniture or other needed materials

  • Chaperoning camping trips

  • Organizing Testing Week breakfasts

CLASSROOM leaders 

Classroom Leaders play an essential role in growing community at MVCS. Each classroom has two Leaders (parents, guardians, grandparents, etc.), who work with each other, other classroom families, and classroom teachers to organize two community events, provide “TLC,” and coordinate volunteer classroom tasks. Although Classroom Leaders may also participate in the classroom or volunteer at events, their primary responsibility is to coordinate volunteering among their fellow classroom families. Perhaps more importantly, Classroom Leaders serve as important resources to their fellow classroom families and are available to answer questions or problem solve.

Classroom Leaders are responsible for hosting two annual Family Committee community events such as Family Friday, Halloween Fest, or the Town wide Yard Sale. In August, all Classroom Leaders meet to come to a consensus on which classrooms will host which events. Frequently, two classrooms will work together for an event. The Events and Fundraising Chair (who is frequently also a Classroom Leader) provides planning and logistical support to Classroom Leaders in their event planning

Each classroom has a set of ongoing “jobs” that need to be completed throughout the school year. The Classroom Leaders connect fellow classroom families with these jobs (ex. Laundry maven, firewood stoker, gratitude crew, etc) in September, by providing opportunities for signing up.

Classroom Helpers’ primary responsibility is to coordinate Home Support Volunteers and In-school Volunteers (see below), as well as to help out as needed and able with classroom needs. 

TLC- TEACHER APPRECIATION PROGRAM

TLC (Teachers Love Care) is MVCS families’ way to say “thank you” throughout the year to teachers and staff by making their lives a little more enjoyable. Classroom leaders coordinate with fellow classroom families to provide morning drinks or snacks during conference days, as well as during designated TLC weeks during the school year. A TLC budget is allocated for each Classroom. The Teacher and Classroom Support Chair provides support for classroom task management, TLC, and manages the Time and Talents for classrooms.

Volunteer Opportunities

  • Faculty meeting snack provider- drop off snack at drop-off (reimbursable)

  • Pick up and deliver “special drinks” to faculty and staff on conference days or other days during the school year (reimbursable)

  • Baking a treat or cooking a dish for the May luncheon

  • Helping set-up or clean-up for the May luncheon

  • Watch a class during May luncheon

TIME AND TALENTS

The Time and Talents program is an opportunity for families to participate in the classroom. On the Volunteer Interest Form, all families outline any special skills, talents, crafts, or hobbies that they would be interested in sharing with the MVCS community. This document is shared with teachers, who can reach out to available talent tto be integrated into the curriculum (where appropriate) or offered as a choice activity to students, depending on the classroom.

Volunteer Opportunities:

Do you have a skill/talent/interest/hobby that you think would be a good compliment to the nature-based Montessori curriculum? In the past, we have had foresters, basket-weavers, quilters, cooks, and more! The following are some examples of helpful talents:

  • Outdoor skills (tracking, forest knowledge, medicinal plants, gardening, etc.)

  • Hand skills (knitting, sewing, quilt making, wood working, weaving, etc)

  • Sport / game / physical activity 

  • Share your career / culture/ heritage

In addition to in-class activities, MVCS also loves people who love computers (and understands how they work). We always need:

  • Computer specialist (help troubleshooting classroom computers on an as-needed basis)

  • Website maintenance

building bridges

The Building Bridges program pairs incoming MVCS families with experienced families, ideally from the same classroom, to answer questions, provide introductions, and generally help the family get acquainted with the MVCS community. Bridge Families know the school well and feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and perspectives on MVCS with new MVCS families, and are expected to help their paired family to find their volunteer niche. T & C Chairs will provide a “how-to” guide for Bridge families.

Volunteer Opportunities: Be a Bridge 

Responsibilities involve:

  • Answering questions via phone or email with prospective MVCS families during open enrollment 

  • Contacting an assigned family via phone / email over the summer and during the school year (at least monthly)

  • Helping your bridge family sign up for a volunteer group

  • Attending the pre-school potluck to welcome new families

  • Attending first FF to meet with your bridge family