Want to volunteer for an event? Click here to sign-up!

Volunteering

 

Participation at our school is strongly encouraged but 100% voluntary. We welcome everyone to pitch in however they're able. If you'd like to find out more about volunteer opportunities that fit your schedule and skills, please email us at volunteer@henryfordpta.org.

 

 

 

Benefits in Volunteering

  • Flexibility for you to help your child's school. There are many ways to help whether it's on campus or at home, during the day, evening or weekend. One hour makes a difference.

  • Network with other parents by working and having fun alongside them. You just might meet your new best friend, a carpool partner, or the lead on a new job. Join us!

  • Make a difference fundraising, helping in the classroom, and engaging the community. Parents like you make these programs possible. 

  • Your kids love it! Our children are at a wonderful age where they want to see their parents helping at school. And the other children love it too. You'll become a friendly, familiar face in the hallway and the hi's will warm your heart.

Become a PTA member

 

As a PTA member you have voting rights to approve budgets and decide board leadership. Membership dues also help pay for our insurance and other filing fees to remain a non-profit organization. Annual membership is only $10 ($15 for a family). Please consider signing-up for or renewing your PTA Membership. Being a PTA member is not required to volunteer but it does help when every dollar counts.

 

 

Volunteers Back on Campus!

 

Exciting news from RCSD -- volunteers will soon be welcomed back on campus!  This will allow volunteers to help in the classroom, help with Art in Action and Project Cornerstone, chaperone field trips, help out in our Makerspace, and so much more!!

 

In order to keep everyone safe on campus, there are some requirements, including TB test/questionnaire, government-issued ID, and proof of COVID vaccination. 

 

See HERE for instructions, and see you on campus!!

 

 

Makerspace -- will be starting again soon!

 

Coordinator: Becky Foutch

Needs: Parent Volunteers (no experience necessary)

Sign-up: To volunteer or donate materials, email steam@henryfordpta.org

 

 

The Makerspace is an expansion of the STEAM (Science/Technology/Engineering/Art/Math) opportunities that teachers provide in their classrooms.  The space cultivates creative ways for students to design, experiment, build and invent as they engage in science, engineering, art and tinkering. A family has donated a new 3-D printer which we are excited to begin using! Our school has worked hard to expand STEAM programs knowing they provide opportunities for critical thinking, problem-solving, independence, agency and cooperative learning. The Makerspace is a free-use space supported by the PTA, donations and volunteers.

 
  • The Makerspace Lunch Club is a parent-supervised lunchtime period for upper-grade students to engage in creative independent and collaborative projects. The Lunch Club is a very popular program and is one of the most gratifying volunteer opportunities at Henry Ford.  Students have the following to say: "I can't believe we get to come here!" "I'm so happy when I'm here." "I want to come every day." "Thank you so much for the Makerspace!" "I'm so excited, I don't know what to make!" "I don't want to leave."  
  • Free after-school CS First and Scratch Coding Clubs are available to every grade when parent volunteers are available. 
  • Teachers are invited to use the space and materials for classroom activities. 
 
MAKERS ARE...
  1. CURIOUS 
     They explore. They pursue projects they find interesting.
  2. PLAYFUL 
    They work on projects that show whimsy and playfulness.
  3. WILLING TO TAKE ON RISK 
    They aren’t afraid to try new things.
  4. WILLING TO TAKE ON RESPONSIBILITIES
    They enjoy projects that can help others.
  5. PERSISTENT 
    They don’t give up easily.
  6. RESOURCEFUL  
    They look for materials and ideas in unlikely places.
  7. WILLING TO SHARE 
    Share knowledge, tools and support for others.
  8. OPTIMISTIC 
    They believe they can make a difference in the world!

 

 

 

  

In-Class Volunteer Opportunities

 

Art in Action

 

Yippee, In-class lessons will be starting January 2022!  We need volunteers!

 

 

Coordinator: Krissie Rice

Needs: Parent Volunteers (training and materials provided)

Sign-up: Email aia@henryfordpta.org

Website: https://teach.artinaction.org/

 

Check out this video about Art in Action

 

 

Art in Action is our school's art program, dependent on parent volunteers to provide art instruction in the classrooms. Students learn art appreciation, history and techniques through discussion and hands-on monthly lessons. Typically taught by classroom parent volunteers (and in some cases teachers) Art in Action curriculum is fun to learn and easy to teach, even for non-artists. Curriculum books provide detailed, step-by-step directions for guiding successful discussions and projects, while still allowing the flexibility to ensure that the program will complement any classroom environment. Parent volunteers are provided training and materials to lead successful monthly lessons.

 

In some of our 2020 online lessons, Kinder and 1st grade students learned about Byzantine Mosaics and applied the technique to simple shapes.  4th graders studied Faith Ringgold and created their own quilt art.

 

Art in Action first lesson 2020

 

 

Project Cornerstone

This school year, 2021-22, parent volunteers will be allowed IN THE CLASSROOM!!

 

Coordinator: Kelley McCarthy

Needs: Parent Volunteers (training and materials provided)

Sign-up: Email pchenryford@gmail.com

 

 

In Project Cornerstone’s Asset Building Champions (ABC) program, parent volunteers read specially selected stories and lead classroom activities & discussions about building appropriate social skills.  The lessons focus on values like honesty, responsibility, and peaceful conflict resolution.  Special attention is given to issues like student-to-student, dealing with bully behaviors, and social conflicts. Each month a school-wide book is read in every classroom. The book and discussion teach life skills and tools; ABC gives students a safe and caring place to talk about their feelings, experiences and concerns. The goal of the ABC program is to teach our children skills that they can use today and throughout their lives to help them deal with peer pressure, building and keeping friendships, making healthy decisions, and solving problems. By sharing these concepts in class, ABC gives our entire school community, from principal to student, a shared vocabulary and collective strategies for dealing with difficult situations both in school and out. We are so fortunate at Henry Ford to have this program available to our children; however, we could not do it without the support of you, the parents. Volunteers are provided training and materials to lead successful monthly lessons.

 

 

 

 Thank you for all the volunteers who came to Garden Clean-Up Day

 

In case you haven't heard, the Henry Ford Garden got updated over the summer!  Recently, student, parent, and staff volunteers came by to pull weeds and place some plants in the ground.   We hope our students will continue to learn and enjoy the garden.  

If you want to help out with the garden, email garden@henryfordpta.org.

 

 

Reading

(Postponed)

 

Work with students on site words and reading fluency to build their confidence with reading. Talk to your child's teacher about helping in the classroom.

 

Field Trip Chaperones

(Postponed)

 

Go on learning adventures with our students. Your child's teacher will provide parents with chaperone opportunities.

 

 

Event Volunteer Opportunities

 

Volunteers are needed for PTA events throughout the year. Click here for current sign-ups! We also love new voices and ideas! If you have an idea for an event, please email us at volunteer@henryfordpta.org. 

 

Fall Fiesta

(Postponed)

Coordinator: Open position, email volunteer@henryfordpta.org to find out more

Needs: Set-up, Clean-up, Game Helpers, Bake Sale and Popcorn Helpers, Bake Sale donations

Sign-up: This event is postponed but take a look if there is another event in need of volunteers

 

Fall Fundraiser

Dates TBD

Coordinator: Jamie Brown

Needs: Sort and deliver purchases to classrooms

Sign-up: No volunteers needed this time but take a look if there is another event in need of volunteers

 

Halloween Pumpkin Exhibit

TBD

Coordinator: Open Position

Needs: Set-up, Clean-up

Sign-up: Stay tuned until next year!

 

Hometown Holiday Parade

Dec 4, 2021 @ 4:30pm -- downtown Redwood City

Coordinator: Emily Paul

 

Family Dance

(TBD)

Coordinator: Open position, email volunteer@henryfordpta.org to find out more

Needs: Set-up, Clean-up

Sign-up: This event is postponed but take a look if there is another event in need of volunteers

 

Scholastic Book Fair

Dates TBD

Coordinator: Joanne Penko

Needs: Set-up, Breakdown, Cashiers, Door Checkers 

Sign-up: No volunteers needed this time but take a look if there is another event in need of volunteers 

 

Family Dodgeball

(TBD)

Coordinator: Ellie Artale

Needs: Baked goods donations

Sign-up: This event is postponed but take a look if there is another event in need of volunteers

 

Spring Fundraiser

Dates TBD

Coordinator: Open

Needs: Committee Helpers - No fundraising experience necessary, bring your willingness to work with a fun group of parents!

Sign-up: Email auction@henryfordpta.org

 

Pasta Dinner, Carnival, Auction

(TBD)

Dinner Coordinator: Open position, email volunteer@henryfordpta.org to find out more

Carnival Coordinator: Open position, email volunteer@henryfordpta.org to find out more

Auction Coordinator: Open position, email volunteer@henryfordpta.org to find out more

Needs: Auction Committee Helpers, Set-up, Clean-up, Game Helpers

Sign-up: This event is postponed but take a look if there is another event in need of volunteers