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Volunteering

Volunteering at Cascade K-8 puts the COMMUNITY in our Community School!!

Active participation from our families is the only way to accomplish all the wonderful experiences provided at Cascade K-8 Community School. Here are just some of the experiences we offer that depend on family involvement.  The expectation is 10-15 hours per month per family.

  • Two Camps per Year for Each Student
  • Field Trips
  • Specialists in Classrooms
  • Market Day
  • Electives
  • STEAM Fair
  • Community Meetings

Please visit the Cascade K-8 Community School PTSA website for details on volunteering.

Cascade K-8 Volunteer Job Examples

Cascade K-8 Community School cannot function without parent participation.  The list below gives a few examples of just some of the jobs that parents fill:

  • Back to School Event- Help with set up and clean up for the Back to School Event.  Welcome new families, and answer questions new families might have about Cascade.
  • Book Fair – Help with set up and clean up for the book fair.  Volunteer to help with the register/check out process
  • Bulletin Boards- Come to school and decorate bulletin boards
  • Campbell’s Soup Labels – Set up collection box, solicit labels and order items
  • Child Care during Meetings – Arrange for care of students and siblings during parent meetings
  • Drive on field trips – Drive and chaperone students on field trips
  • Electives – Teach a monthly elective to students on a topic of your choice
  • Fall Camp – Coordinate or help with fall overnight trip held in September
  • Government Store/Market Day – Coordinate a shopping day using CK8 ‘currency’ with the help of an experienced Cascade K-8 teacher
  • In-Class Assistance – Help in the classroom, routinely or for a special event.  Most teachers have a binder with specific instructions for when you arrive.  Please contact your classroom liaison if you are wondering about specific jobs in each classroom. General examples of classroom support are:
    • Making copies
    • Assisting small groups of students with questions during work time
    • Cutting out/organizing classroom materials
    • Organizing materials for students to use at stations during work time
    • Reading to students
  • Lost and Found – Organize and maintain lost and found throughout year
  • Moving On Ceremony – Help with set up and clean up for the year-end Moving-On Ceremony, specifically for the reception
  • Photographer – Organize photos and arrange for photos to be taken at events
  • Reflections Contest – Coordinate participation in the PTSA art contest in collaboration with the art liaison and the art teacher
  • Seasonal Events Coordinator – Organize school celebrations related to seasons and cultural events
  • Snacks – Organize snack schedule for your student's class

Guidelines for Cascade K-8 Volunteer Field Trip Chaperones

Prior to your field trip, the coordinating staff member will provide you with information regarding the activities planned for the trip, expectations for supervising students, and emergency procedures.  In addition, we have developed the following general guidelines to help you perform your duties as a chaperone.  If you have any questions regarding these guidelines, please contact the coordinating staff member or the building principal/directo

Shoreline School District strives to provide a safe, healthy, and supportive environment for students, staff, and volunteers. Generous volunteers enrich our schools with their gifts of time and service as field trip chaperones, lunch and recess supervisors, classroom or library helpers, tutors, club and athletic supporters, and more.

Volunteering 101

  • Sign in and sign out. Wear a school- or department-issued volunteer badge or sticker at all times

  • Know the school. Familiarize yourself with the school’s layout, rules for students, communication methods, and emergency procedures. Tip: each room has an emergency flipchart or poster mounted on the wall with procedures for various emergency situations.

  • Use adult/staff restrooms only. Do not accompany a student into the restroom.

  • No photos or contact information. To protect student privacy and yours, do not ask to take a student’s picture, ask for their phone number, or give them your contact information. Do not ask to connect on social media or by other digital means.

  • Keep it confidential. All that you learn from staff about your student or from interacting with your student is confidential. Please remember this when discussing your volunteer work outside of the school.

  • Report concerns. If a student shares any information with you that causes you concern for their safety or health (such as suspected abuse or neglect), or if you observe a concerning behavior or interaction between anyone on campus or at an event, tell the teacher or principal. They will follow up on the information appropriately. Please keep the content of the information and action you took strictly confidential.

  • Respect diversity. Shoreline School District students come from many different families, cultures, and communities. We celebrate diversity and nurture cultural and ethnic pride in our students. 

    • Please listen and learn about the backgrounds and values of students you interact with. 

    • Do not impose your personal values and beliefs onto the students.

    • Do not engage in commercial, political, or religious solicitation of students or staff.

    • Avoid language that may be perceived as discriminatory, sexist, racist, or offensive.

    • When in doubt, err on the side of caution in your choice of words.

  • Act as a role model. Engage with students in a respectful and age-appropriate manner and maintain the highest professional, moral, and ethical standards in your interaction with students.

Safe Interaction with Students

  • Avoid being alone with students. There must be a school or district employee in the area where you are working with students. 

  • Handshakes, high fives, and fist bumps are considered appropriate friendly touches.

  • If a student wants to hug you, show them how to “hug from the side” — bending down so that your shoulders are level with the student’s. Let the student initiate this kind of behavior.

  • Never touch a child in anger. If a student is unruly or disrespectful, return them to the classroom and let the teacher take over from there.

The bottom line is to use your best judgment at all times. Treat the students as you wish to be treated: with dignity, care, and respect.

School Board Policy 5111, Policy 5430, Procedure 5430P

Apply to Volunteer

Because the safety of students is so important, Shoreline School District has a volunteer screening process. We screen all volunteer applicants who will work directly with children through the WA State Patrol, including parents. A volunteer application must be submitted each school year. After submitting your application, allow 2-3 weeks for processing. To verify your status after the processing period has elapsed, please check in with the office manager at the school(s) you've listed in the application.

Shoreline Schools Volunteer Application