Click here to complete a volunteer interest form online.
Volunteering
“ ‘Volunteer’ not only means someone who comes to school during the day, but also anyone who supports school goals and children’s learning in any way, at any place, and at any time.”
~ School, Family and Community Partnerships by J.L. Epstein et al., c 2002
Last spring, NSSED created a District Partnership Team whose purpose is to write and implement plans for family and community involvement that will help us reach desired outcomes for students, families and NSSED as a whole. (For additional information regarding partnership please refer to our Partnership Program page under Resources.) A cornerstone of all partnership work is an active volunteer program; therefore, the District Partnership Team determined the establishment of an NSSED volunteer program to be its highest priority.
Our vision is that
NSSED volunteer
activities will cover
the arc of our
students’ lives, from
their time in school
through to adult life.
Over the past several months, teachers, member district and NSSED administrators, parents and community members have been engaged in a process to develop a comprehensive volunteer program to support our students, staff, families and community partners. We have worked on recruitment, selection and training components of the program. We have established our mission to be to
Enrich the lives of persons with disabilities and community members by connecting them in educational, vocational and recreational programs throughout their communities.
Volunteer work may be in the classroom, the office or in the community, during after-school programming or even during the summer. It may be an activity, direct support for a teacher or support for an individual student. Volunteer roles may be to serve as mentors, coaches, boosters, monitors, lecturers, chaperones, tutors or leaders. The opportunities for volunteerism within NSSED are not limited exclusively to in school or classroom activities. There are opportunities to assist with NSSED programs and children’s progress in multiple locations and at various times.
Our hope is that in creating an environment that actively supports volunteerism we will increase more opportunities for our students both in our schools and in their broader communities as more individuals get to know our children.
How do I become a volunteer?
Individuals interested in volunteering with NSSED attend a general orientation session to learn about the district and specific volunteer opportunities. Prospective volunteers fill out an application to indicate their interests, availability, experience and service area preferences. We will discuss open volunteer opportunities with you to help match your qualifications and interests with NSSED’s current needs. In addition to the general orientation, you will receive on the job training from fellow volunteers and your NSSED supervisor. Specific training is offered and required for some volunteer positions.
We are hosting Volunteer Open Houses on February 23, 2012 at 7:00pm and February 24, 2012 at 1:00 pm. The Open Houses will be held at the NSSED Technology Training Center, Rubloff Building, 760 Red Oak Lane, Highland Park
What volunteer opportunities are currently available?
We look forward to meeting you!
Click here to complete a volunteer interest form online.
Click here to view a full list of our Volunteer Opportunities
For more information, contact:
Lisa Hoffman
Volunteer Coordinator
847-831-5100 x 2281
or email:
volunteer@nssed.org
