Volunteer Information

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Volunteering At Madrona

ALL VOLUNTEERS MUST HAVE PASSED THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT SAFE VISITOR SOLUTIONS APPROVAL PROCCESS BEFORE WORKING WITH CHILDREN.

Please fill out the online volunteer approval through the Edmonds School District here.

Madrona has a number of different teams and event opportunities throughout the year. We have a volunteer form that will help tell us what you are interested in. The information we gather is not given to anyone other than the team or event leads.

Madrona Team Volunteer Sign-up Form

 

Culture of Volunteering

Madrona’s nongraded, multi-age model works because of the dedication of its volunteers. Madrona was founded with the expectation that teachers and parent volunteers would work together to provide a terrific learning environment for our children. Many schools in the Edmonds school district try to incorporate volunteers in the classroom, but it is really on a hit-or-miss basis. Partly this is because a culture of volunteering is not at those schools. Teachers are unable to predict when parents will be in the classroom, nobody exists to schedule regular volunteer time, and the teachers are often expected to train each new volunteer who comes along. This adds up to more work for the teachers, instead of less.

Volunteer FAQ

Who may volunteer at Madrona?

Anyone may volunteer at Madrona as long as they have passed the school district’s background check. We have many Madrona alum, neighbors, and extended family that volunteer on a regular basis.

What volunteer opportunities are there at Madrona?

Below is a list of all the school events and opportunities for volunteering. Some of the opportunities are done in a day while others are a year round commitment. We need everyone’s help in order for our many events to run successfully.

Can I work in my child’s classroom?

Yes! Teachers love having help in the classroom. Many families like to be close to the action in their child’s classroom. Volunteers can be active during the school day, helping with art and science projects, being a reading coach or a math tutor, sharing their expertise for a special project, and helping do the organizational work that would otherwise have to be done by a teacher. Volunteers keep the classroom functioning by hanging art, sourcing materials, preparing science projects, filing, and organizing the classroom library. Outside the classroom, volunteers are encouraged to chaperone on field trips, prepare for classroom projects, and arrange for parties and other social events. Your classroom coordinator or center teacher will let you know how you may help. 

What if I work during the day? Are there any volunteer opportunities for me?

We have many events throughout the year that are held after school hours. We also have opportunities where you can contribute a food dish with ample time to drop it off. Additionally, some, but not all, teachers are willing to send classroom work home with parents. Check with your center teacher and class coordinator to see what your teachers’ policy is on taking work home. 

 

Volunteer Insights

We asked some long time Madrona parents some questions about volunteering. Here are some of their answers.

Why is volunteering important to you?

  • Volunteering is a great non-monetary way to support our school, and more specifically, the individual classes our students are in.  It provides a unique insight into how the classroom operates, And allows the teachers to spend their time with the kids teaching instead of doing things that volunteers could help with.  

  • It takes many hands and talents to create opportunities for our children.  I began volunteering simply to be a help.  My motto was, tell me what to do and I’m there.  Now I realize that volunteering is important because it creates a really special community.  When we invest in something and take ownership in it, we value it more.

What is your favorite part about being a volunteer? 

  • The opportunity for the inside look at what happens during the school day! It helps me to have a clearer picture of my child as a student (which can look very different from my child at home!), how/where my child fits in socially/emotionally/academically in the classroom, and how staff handle certain situations. I’ve definitely “borrowed” phrases from some of the teachers that I’ve had the opportunity to observe. Many of the questions or concerns I’ve had have been resolved by simply spending some time in a classroom.
  • My favorite part is getting to know the children. I adore working with them and seeing their faces light up when given opportunities that may not have happened without our volunteer work. I’ve also really developed special relationships with other families and the school administrators through my volunteer work.

What are the top 3 things you wish you knew as a first time volunteer?

  • It’s ok to share what I do and don’t feel comfortable with – if I’d prefer to do paperwork or projects instead of working specifically with students, I should let the teacher know.

  • The teacher (and the students!) is/are used to having additional “grown-ups” in the classroom – I may feel like the teacher is watching my every move, but that isn’t what is actually going on.

  • The kids in younger classes LOVE to make connections between parents who their kids are. They love seeing you.  

 

  • No thing or time spent is too small. You do not have to start out huge. Just give what time and talent you have.
  • You don’t have to know what you are doing. Most of us don’t. We just figure it out as we go.
  • Ask a million questions. Someone will help find the answer.

What are the top 3 things you think we should tell first time volunteers?

  • Realize you are a guest in the teacher’s classroom. Ask where you can put your things, where you can sit, etc. Do your best to encourage students to continue doing what they were doing when you entered into the classroom, and try not to interrupt learning times!
  • No one expects you to be perfect – it’s ok if you need clarification or extra directions.

What information about volunteering was hard to find or confusing to understand?

  • The most difficult thing to navigate are all the different needs. Sometimes it looks intimidating because no one else is signing up and I think people could be afraid to be the only one to show up and all the work will be piled on them.

What do you think we can do to get more parental involvement?

  • Share examples of how/when a typical family might be involved with Madrona in our welcome packet/info. That way we could show that there are various levels of being involved – financial, time, whole school events, individual classroom events, field trips, MIT involvement, etc. I think sometimes parents think “well, I’m involved at the classroom level”, but aren’t always aware of the need for support at the school level, or the opposite issue. Something like:
    • Family A has 2 children at Madrona – a 2nd grader & a 4th grader. One of the parents volunteers weekly in the primary classroom. The other chaperones a 4th grade field trip. They share information about the Madrona Kids Fund on their social media. They are each able to volunteer for Field Day – one for primary, and one for intermediate.
    • Family B has a seventh grader. The single parent helps at Art Night and the Bear Scare, both at night, due to their work schedule. They attend MIT meetings via Zoom.
    • Family C has three kids at Madrona – a kindergartener, 4th, and 6th grader. Both parents are working, but grandma is able to come in once a month to the kindergarten classroom. The family works to run the Madrona Giving Tree during Christmas, and both parents volunteer to run a table at Science Night. They donate to the Madrona Kids fund, and are on the MIT board as treasurer.
  • I think direct communication and assigning mentors. It never hurts to directly ASK people to do specific jobs. We would not have the new producer, new hair/makeup lead, new microphone parents if I did not directly contact them and ask them to do it. In fact, I probably wouldn’t be a MCT producer if I didn’t get a direct phone call from someone asking me to do it. Also, in MCT, as soon as we paired new volunteers with a seasoned volunteer mentor, things got easier. When new families had a direct line to someone they could get advice from and knew they wouldn’t be alone in their volunteering, I think they felt more comfortable taking on more. Maybe something similar would help Madrona in general

General advice about volunteering for pot luck events

  • I’ve found that our teachers/staff are open/appreciative to many varieties of food! Don’t shy away if your family has a different cultural background!

  • Label all your dishes and serving utensils. Use crockpots. Come pick up your dishes and utensils as soon a possible. We don’t have a lot of room. JUST bring something! Our staff absolutely LOVE when we provide them potlucks. I’m in there when they occur and you wouldn’t believe how grateful they are. It doesn’t have to been anything fancy (unless you want). Everything is appreciated!

General advice about volunteering in a classroom/center

  • Of course it works best when teachers are organized and direct with what they expect/need from volunteers. But I would suggest, share your talents! Let centers and teachers know your interests (art, math, language arts, science, grading papers, making copies) and then request to volunteer in those areas. Teachers love to get help from enthusiastic volunteers!

General advice about volunteering at Madrona as a whole

  • I think it is good to know that for many of our volunteering opportunities, there is no talent necessary! Sometimes a warm body is all that is needed. Another thing is that you can volunteer for many events with a friend/spouse/older child. Third is that if you have an area that you are particularly interested in, you might choose to participate in this event/etc for multiple years, growing in the amount of responsibility you have, which I think is fun – especially if you really have a specific interest!
  • Madrona doesn’t work without families getting involved, It is what makes it so special. The more families we can get invested, the more diverse our students’ experiences will be. We really do need everyone for their unique abilities and points of view.

Anything you can think of that you believe others might find helpful?

  • I think there is a positive side effect of volunteering that gets overlooked; it is a fantastic opportunity for personal growth. I began my volunteer journey as a young mom with little ones in classes, a baby on my back and pregnant with another one. I stuffed homework into folders for kindergarten. I progressed to helping with hair for Madrona Children’s Theater, then costumes. I was that volunteer who would say, “tell me what to do”. When I was asked to Produce MCT, I laughed and said, “well, I can take notes at meetings at least.” Now, I feel fully capable of running meetings, hiring directors, managing a budget and leading hundreds of volunteers. It has enriched my life and my sense of self and my abilities far beyond what I ever imagined!