• Home
• About OES
• Lower School
• Middle School
• Upper School
• Admissions
• Boarding
• Summer Programs

• Volunteer Home
• Parent Home Page
• LS Opportunities
• MS Opportunities
• US Opportunities
• All School Opportunities
• Leadership Opportunities

LS Volunteer Opportunities

LS Back to School Picnic -- Sign-up

Organizer:
Time of year: 2nd Friday of school, September
Time of day: evening
Frequency: once
Time commitment: 1 to 2 hours
Location: on campus

Job description: parent volunteers help staff the sign-in table and supervise the inflatables (bouncy house, slides, etc.).

The Lower School Picnic is an event for the whole family held outdoors in the evening on Friday of the first week of school. It is held on the JV field with food, games and entertainment. The picnic provides a chance for students and parents to get to know each other, faculty, and staff. All families are encouraged to attend.  Food is provided by the school food service and served buffet style. Seating is by classroom on the ground. Families should bring blankets or folding chairs.

LS Classroom Scheduled Activities (sign-up below)

Classroom scheduled activities are during school hours and on-campus.  They can vary by classroom and grade; some grades may not have all the activities listed below.  See your classroom room parent for specifics.

• Science: assist Jane Kenney-Norberg (Primary through 4th grade) or classroom teachers (5th grade) with weekly science activity.
• Time of year: entire school year
• Frequency: 1 time per week, may sign up for more than one session.
• Time commitment: 1 hour.
• Class projects: assist teachers with projects related to topics covered in social studies. Topics vary by grade.  Time of year will also vary by grade.
• Time of year: will vary by grade, Winter and Spring
• Frequency: will vary by grade from 1 time to multiple sessions, multiple sessions will occur over the course of several consecutive weeks.
• Time commitment: 1 to 4 hours (shorter times for multiple sessions, longer times apply to single day events).
• Math Helper: Work with small groups of students on math topics.  This is not done in every grade, check with the room parent.
• Time of year: entire school year
• Frequency: weekly.
• Time commitment: 1 hour per week.
• Wednesday Envelopes:  Put student papers in reusable envelopes that will be sent home to parents on Wednesday afternoons.
• Time of year: entire school year on Wednesday
• Frequency: 1 time per week.
• Time commitment: 30 to 60 minutes from approximately 1:30 to 2:30
• Production:  assist teacher with administrative tasks such as copying or laminating.
• Time of year: entire school year
• Frequency: 1 time per week.
• Time commitment: approximately 1 time per week, volunteers usually sign-up for a one month commitment.
• Lunch helper:  Beginning School - supervise children during lunch hour. 1st grade – escort students to the main dining hall on teachers’ common planning days.
• Time of year: entire school year
• Frequency: once a week, may sign-up for multiple times.
• Time commitment: approximately 1 hour.
• Spooktacular: staff classroom game at Lower School Halloween party, Spooktacular. Or provide store- bought cake/cupcakes for the cake-walk.
• Time of year: Late October
• Time of day: evening
• Frequency: 1 time
• Time commitment: approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour.

LS Classroom Projects (sign-up below)

Classroom projects do not have specific times associated with them and may involve time which can be done off-campus, outside of school hours. They can vary by classroom and grade; some grades may not have all the activities listed below.  See your classroom room parent for specifics.

• Class parties: Each classroom will have several parties during the year.  Volunteers plan and host party in the conjunction with the classroom teacher.  May volunteer for multiple parties.
• Time of year: 3 to 4 times during year – October, December, February, Late May/Early June
• Time of day: school hours
• Frequency: 3 to 4
• Time commitment: 1.5 hours per party, an additional 2 to 3 hours if planning the party
• Location: classroom
• Field trip chaperone: accompany children on field trips; assist teacher as instructed.  Because of the popularity of this activity, volunteers will only be allowed to go on one trip per year.
• Time of year: varies by classroom
• Time of day: school hours
• Frequency: 2 times during the year
• Time commitment: 1 to 4 hours, depending on destination
• Location: begins and ends on-campus, field trip destinations will vary
• Auction project coordinator and helpers:

Coordinator - consults with the teacher and the auction committee, to select class auction project; plans and runs students’ work sessions; provides item’s description to auction catalog committee; and ensures item is delivered to auction office.
Helper assists coordinator with preparations for work sessions and assists students during work session

• Time of year: December to February
• Time of day: school hours for student work sessions, planning time is discretionary
• Frequency: 1 time
• Time commitment: student work sessions will be approximately 1 hour each, may be multiple sessions depending on item.  Planning and organization time will be around 20 hours.
• Location: on and off campus
• Book Orders: For classes that subscribe to book clubs, prepare book order forms for distribution to students, collect completed forms from teacher, and prepare consolidated order form for class.  When books arrive, sort books into student orders and distribute to students.
• Time of year: throughout school year
• Time of day: discretionary
• Frequency: 8 times, once a month
• Time commitment: 2 hours per month
• Location: discretionary
• Friend-raising: Plan and organize grade-wide socials for parents to get to know each other.
• Time of year: discretionary
• Time of day: planning time will be discretionary, event will be in the evening
• Frequency: 2 to 3 times
• Time commitment: 4 hours per event
• Location: discretionary

LS Discovery Day Event Volunteer -- Sign-up

Organizer:
Time of year: usually the last Thursday in May
Time of day: school hours
Frequency: 1 time
Time commitment: 4 hours
Location: on campus

Job description: General volunteers assist workshop leaders and help gather the children and take them to and from workshops.

Discovery Day is an opportunity for Primary, 1st and 2nd graders to explore something new through a variety of quality learning workshops.  Workshop leaders are OES staff & parents and professionals from the community. The Workshops vary year to year, but have included: fencing, archery, Indian dance, Japanese food, basketball, computers, gardening, sewing, cooking, etc. Workshops are small – ranging from three or four to ten children. Each child participates in two one-hour workshops after lunch. These are fabulous opportunities for these children to experience something they might not otherwise explore.

LS Discovery Day Workshop Leader -- Sign-up

Organizer:
Time of year: May
Time of day: school hours
Frequency: 1 day, 2 sessions
Time commitment: 2 hours for workshop, plus prep time
Location: Planning time is discretionary, workshops will be on campus

Job description: Workshop leaders prepare and lead 2 1-hour workshops for Primary through 2nd grade in various interests or expertise.  Workshop size varies from 4 to 10 students.

LS Homecoming Volunteers -- Sign-up

Organizer:
Time of year: October
Time of day: afternoon, early evening
Frequency:  once
Time commitment: 2 to 3 hours
Location: Aardvark Community Park

Job description: Volunteers assist with the school-wide homecoming celebration by helping set-up, running the parade and fun-food booths (popcorn, etc.), and cleaning-up after the afternoon/early evening festivities.

Homecoming is an annual all-school celebration including soccer games, food and fun for all.  Current families and alumni are all invited to attend.  Dinner is provided by OES food service.

LS Library Volunteers -- Sign-up

Organizers: ,
Time of year: throughout the year
Time of day: school hours, discretionary
Frequency:  discretionary
Time commitment: 1 hour minimum
Location: Lower School Library

Job description: Volunteers, in collaboration with the LS Librarian and Library assistant, help with special literacy events including author visits, the writing celebration, and Oregon Battle of the Books. Additionally, volunteers are needed to help with the shelving of books and other materials.

LS Parent/Daughter Dance -- Sign-up

Organizer: ,
Time of year: Spring
Time of day: Friday evening
Frequency:  once per year
Time commitment:  3 hours
Location: on campus

Job description: Volunteers set-up, serve refreshments and clean-up after the event.

A parent (a relative or a special friend) is invited to dance the night away with his/her young lady at this special evening event. A DJ plays the latest favorite songs along with some oldies for the adults. Refreshments are provided. All Lower School girls and their escorts are invited to attend.

LS Parent/Son Obstacle Challenge -- Sign-up

Help setup the obstacle course the day of the event.

Organizer:
Time of year: Fall, usually November
Time of day: Saturday daytime
Frequency: once per year
Time commitment: 1-3 hours
Location: on campus

Job description: Volunteers will help with setup the day of the event.

OES works with two companies to develop a special Obstacle Challenge program for the Parent/Son Event. ADAPT is a local company that does performance and development programs and will focus on obstacles, team building, and exercises for PreK through 4th Grade. Synergo is a local company that owns and operates the ropes course located in our very own OES Forest. Synergo will focus on a ropes course program specifically tailored for the 5th grade parents and their sons.

LS PE Family Fun Night -- Sign-up

Organizer:
Time of year: October
Time of day: evening
Frequency:  once
Time commitment:  2 hours
Location: OES gym

Job description: Volunteers help set-up PE activities, staff stations, and clean-up after event.

The purpose of this event is to give parents the chance to see and experience what fun and fitness is all about in PE.

LS Service Learning -- Sign-up

Organizer:

Specific classroom or grade-level service learning project sign-ups are found on the classroom scheduled activities sign-up.

Giving Chapel
Assistant Organizer:
Time of year: early December
Time of day: school hours, morning
Frequency:  once
Time commitment: 2 to 4 hours
Location: St John the Baptist church

Job description: Assist with service by acting as ushers, helping students with gift bags, or help supervise the distribution of gifts to the non-profit organizations

Giving chapel is held in early December each year.  Prior to the service LS children receive a recyclable brown bag which they may decorate and fill the bags with items that have been requested by the organizations that will ultimately distribute the bags.  The children bring the fill bags to chapel where the gifts are blessed and the non-profit organizations say a few words about their agency.  At the conclusion of the chapel gifts are sorted by agency and loaded into vehicles for transport.

Mt. Hood Climb Service Day
Assistant Organizer:
Time of year: 2nd Wednesday in May
Time of day: school hours
Frequency:  once
Time commitment: 4 hours
Location: on campus

Job description: Assist teachers with projects around campus identified for this annual school-wide service day. 5th grade parents are needed specifically for Project Second Wind to collect, sort, repack and deliver Beginning School and Lower School donations to Neighborhood House (in Multnomah Village).

A day in early May specifically designated for the OES community to give back to the community-at-large. A community gathering, prayers and service work commemorate the seven students and two faculty members who lost their lives in the 1986 tragedy on Mt. Hood. All members of the OES community are welcome and encouraged to participate.

LS Spooktacular -- Sign-up

Organizer: ,
Time of year: late October
Time of day: school hours, weekend hours
Frequency: 1 time
Time commitment: 1 to 4 hours
Location: Gym, Aardvark Community Park, LS Commons

Job description: Help with set-up of activities and decorations the day before and day of the event, and help with clean-up immediately following the event.
Sign-ups for game staffing will be through classroom Scheduled activities.

Spooktacular is the annual Halloween Party for all Lower School students and their families.  It is held on a non-school night in late October from 5:30 to 7:30 pm.  Costumes are encouraged for all.  Activities are set-up in the gym, LS Commons and Aardvark Community Park.  The Pumpkin Carving display occurs the last school day before Spooktacular.

LS Teacher Appreciation Day -- Sign-up

Organizer:
Time of year: May
Time of day: during and after school
Frequency:  once
Time commitment: depends on committee
Location: discretionary for planning time, event is on campus

Job description: Volunteers help with the preparation and activities for Lower School Teacher Appreciation Day.

Activities may include Breakfast & Coffee, Appetizers & Desserts, and Teacher Appreciation Bags.  Preparations include decorations and invitations.

LS Teacher Appreciation Snacks -- Sign-up

Organizer:
Time of year: throughout the year
Time of day: snacks need to be delivered to school Wednesday at 3 pm
Frequency:  about once a month
Time commitment: about 1 hour
Location: off campus with delivery to campus

Job description: Volunteers provide snacks for teachers at faculty/staff meetings and Lower School conference days.

Snacks may be store-bought or home-made.  No nuts.

LS Used Uniforms -- Sign-up

Organizer: ,
Time of year: throughout the year
Time of day: discretionary
Frequency: Usually once per month, more often when Lost and Found items are put out and advertised
Time commitment: 1 month minimum, 1 to 3 hours for the month
Location: mostly off campus, some on campus

Job description: volunteers wash, fold, and sort donated lower school uniforms and stock and maintain the uniform shelves in the Used Uniform Closet in Room 10.  They also wash Lost and Found items.

The used uniform closet provides a way for families to donate uniforms in good repair that their children have outgrown or no longer need.  It also provides a source of reasonable priced uniforms to families needing to buy uniforms for their children.  Proceeds go to LS PAL. Uniform donations may be dropped off in the LS office; access to the Closet is via a key located in the LS Office.  Room 10 is under the 1st/2nd grade wing in Lower School; the door to the room is at the end of the walkway that connects the Beginning School and Lower School buildings (and has the entrance to the Lower School office).

LS Walk for Fun -- Sign-up

Organizer:
Time of year: September & June
Time of day: school hours, before and after school
Frequency:  twice per year
Time commitment:  1 hour shift
Location: OES track

Job description: Volunteers supervise the track, record miles on lap cards as students’ complete laps, and cheer students’ progress.

Held twice annually, once during the Fall and again in the Spring, this all-day event promotes health and fitness for students, faculty and parents alike. The event is kicked off with an assembly at the start of the school day. Students are given specific times throughout the school day to walk or run around the OES track, logging each lap as they go. Parent volunteers cheer student progress and help record laps throughout the day.