Oak Knoll's excellence is due in large part to the countless volunteers we have. We could not do it without your support. Thank you!
If you are interested in learning more about where you can volunteer, check out all the committees at Oak Knoll and join in on the fun!
Our Philosophy
We believe recess should be a time in the day for kids to be kids, solve problems, be creative, and self-monitor. Recess is an opportunity for kids to exercise, play, and interact with other children. Conflicts will arise, and recess is the perfect time for our students to experience the normal, developmental issues that come up when children play. We encourage kids to find a solution, to listen to each other and to work together.
Policies and Procedures
Attendance: We count on you! Please work to find coverage if you are unable to make it.
Volunteer/ Visitor Sign-in: Yard Duty Volunteers MUST sign in at the office and wear a Visitor Name Tag before reporting to duty on the yard.
Check in on the yard: Let the Yard Duty Supervisor know that you are volunteering on the yard.
Important reminders
Please
spread out! Focus on the children (resist the urge to chat with others).
o SAFETY: Use your best judgment on the
yard. Our most important job is to keep kids safe. If you see students who are
not moving or playing in a safe manner, do not hesitate. Our goal is to be
proactive!
o Snack/Lunch: children should remain
seated when eating (during lunch 15-20 minutes is designed for eating without
play). Help open containers, etc. Encourage students to eat and clean
up/recycle when finished!
§ Be aware that we do have an allergy table.
o Equipment: sometimes the Yard Duty
Supervisor will need help getting the equipment out of storage.
o Watch
for UNSAFE play on structure.
o Conflicts will arise between students.
Please help the children, as necessary, work out their conflicts. INVOLVE THE
YARD DUTY SUPERVISOR when necessary. It is not your job to discipline the
students.
o Watch for wandering children. Students should remain on the yard until the bell. There should be no playing in the halls or by the bathrooms.
Playground Injuries: When a child is badly hurt, have the Yard Duty Supervisor let the office know and, if possible, have an adult walk them to the office. For smaller injuries, have students buddy-up and walk to the office.
o If you
witnessed a substantial injury on the playground you will be asked to fill out
an observation report.
· Addressing Behavior/Safety Issues on the
Playground:
o Remind
student of the rule/safety issue, and give a warning. Check for understanding.
o If
behavior continues, have the student sit (without playing or peers) in a safe
spot for 2-5 minutes. When time-out is over, review rule/safety issue, and
check for understanding.
§ After this, check in with the Yard Duty Supervisor for guidance.
Volunteering in the Library
We would love for you to get involved in our wonderful school library. We offer a lot of opportunities to help out and hope you will join us in providing a wide variety of library services to students and staff. Some of the jobs available are very social, giving you a chance to work with the students and other volunteers on a regular basis; some jobs are more solitary and can be scheduled on a drop-in basis. Training for all jobs is fast and easy.
All of these jobs are so important to the success of our school library, so check the list below and see which catch your interest.
Circulation
Check in and check out books, shelve books, aid in shelf care, assist students with finding books through the computer, and help students locate books on the shelves.
Circulation volunteers will be asked to volunteer for ~1 hour block of time. Requests to work during your child’s library class will be met whenever possible. Shifts can be worked weekly or every other week.
***Coverage for lunch shifts is also needed.
Cover Books
We frequently have new books that need protective covers. Books with dust jackets will receive a clear cover for the dust jacket; paperback books will be covered in clear contact paper.
Process Books
New books will need due date slips, bar codes and spine labels in addition to having a property stamp. Reading levels will need to be looked up on the computer and noted in each book.
Pull Books for Teachers
Our teachers often request library books to supplement their lessons on various topics. A computer search is performed; the books are located and checked out to the teacher, and then delivered to their classroom. Commitment is usually one hour per week.
Distribute Overdue Notices
Approximately once a month, generate an overdue list and send home a computer-generated overdue notice. The notices are put in the appropriate teachers’ mailboxes and they send them home with their student(s). Commitment is ~ 2 hours a month.
Mending Books
Do you love crafts? This is the job for you. Work in groups. Repair paperback and hardback books; glue torn pages, repair spines, corners, bindings and covers. Menders will receive training. We meet at Hillview Middle School (the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month, 10:30am-12:00pm) and work with their menders to complete the tasks. It’s a great way to chat with other parents and keep up with what is happening at our schools.
To volunteer in the library, please contact Mary Speiser maryspeiser@gmail.com
