Volunteering

Some examples of parent classroom involvement are listed below. You are welcome to make other suggestions to the class or specialist teachers.

• Reading to children and listening to them read
• Assisting children during their writing time
• Playing simple games with small groups of children
• Gardening with small groups of students
• Making maths games and playing them with the children
• Covering new books and repairing damaged ones in the Library
• Sharing an interest or skill with a small group of children eg: gardening, music or cooking
• Carrying out a cleaning and organisational task “behind the scenes”, eg. keeping books in order, cleaning paint brushes etc

There are also many ways to become involved in the wider school community. Some suggestions are listed below:

• Working in the canteen
• Attending PCA meetings – new parents are especially welcome
• Joining one of the School Council Committees such as the Environment Committee, the Fundraising Committee or the
• Education & Policy Committee
• Helping at a school working bee
• Working on the school musical
• Working on a stall on Fete day or at other fundraising occasions
• Accompanying groups on excursions
• Going to camp at Glen Forbes.

• Parents, carers and other volunteers play a vital role in supporting Spensley Street school programs and activities.
• Apart from those who are exempt, all individuals who work in a school, either in an on-going or casual capacity, must have a Working with Children Check. Exempt from working with children check: If you are a parent volunteering in an activity in which your child participates, or normally participates, you are exempt and do not need a Check.
• A parent/guardian who volunteers to participate in an activity in which his or her child ordinarily participates (eg. classroom reading, excursions, camps) is exempt from being required to hold a Working with Children Check. If the same parent/guardian volunteers in a class or with an activity that his or her child does not ordinarily participate in, then a Working with Children Check is required.
• Except for those who are exempt, all volunteers engaged in ‘child-related work’ must provide evidence of a current Working with Children Check prior to volunteering at the school.
• The school – principal, assistant principal and class/specialist teachers – will ensure that all volunteers who require a Working with Children Check have a current WWC Check before commencing work.
• A volunteer can commence work in a school when they provide a receipt as proof they have applied for a WWC Check with the Department of Justice.
• Volunteers who are engaged in child-related work will be under the supervision of a teacher at all times.
• The school maintains a record of volunteers with current Working with Children Checks.
• Volunteer workers are covered by the Education Department’s Workers Compensation policy if they suffer personal injury in the course of engaging in school work.
• Occupational Health and Safety regulations and requirements regarding volunteers apply to schools.