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 Volunteer
Services provides a number of resources to District 11
teachers and students.
A community-wide
effort to encourage individuals not affiliated with their neighborhood school to
contribute to District 11 students' educational experience.
Crystal Apple - Teacher Awards
This program is sponsored by El Paso Council PTA, Pepsi,
and Dominos Pizza. District 11
schools may nominate a teacher that meets the award
criteria. A workshop is conducted in the fall to learn
more about the nomination process. Five to six
recipients are selected by a group of community judges.
Awards are celebrated during National Teachers
Appreciation Week in May.
Diamond - A Cut Above - Teacher Recognition Award
This program is sponsored by The Rotary Club of Colorado
Springs. The awards honor teaching excellence in
District 11 high schools and are driven by student
nominations. Each year a Diamond Award Recipient is
named from each high school including the alternative
schools. Awards are celebrated three times during the
school year at the regular luncheon meeting of the
Rotary.
For more information on these award programs contact
Volunteer Services at: 719-520-2202.
Volunteers
provide a regular service to individual school communities. They
may assist in the classroom, tutor, assist special programs i.e. music,
drama, forensics, athletics, serve on committees, or provide clerical
support in the office or media center to name a few. A weekly time
commitment is usually required.
All District 11
volunteers must be registered as required by Board Policy IJOC. The Volunteer
Management System is accessible on the internet. Random background checks are
conducted throughout the school year. D-11 also provides accident insurance for
volunteers who are injured while performing requested tasks, provided they are
registered.
D-11 volunteers who
are requested by school staff to perform their duties without supervision
of a D-11 employee must be fingerprinted and background checked as we do
potential employees. The cost of a fingerprint check is $54.50 and payment must
be made at the time the fingerprints are taken.
Board Policy allows
us to accept individuals who have court ordered community service IF it is a
misdemeanor offense, not involving children in any way and IF they are
registered with Front Range Community Service (442-2201) IF sentenced in
District Court. Or if their court ordered service is a result of an appearance
in Municipal Court, they must sign a District 11 Hold Harmless agreement. ALL
court ordered community service individuals must start with Volunteer Services
so that we can be sure they are properly registered and a misdemeanor offender
only. Completed time sheets must be faxed to Volunteer Services for an
authorized signature. Volunteer Services is responsible for sending it on to
Front Range or the Municipal Court. An offender should not get the timesheet
back once it is completed.
A database of 2000+
volunteers who serve as classroom enrichment speakers sharing their experience,
career expertise, talent or hobby. These speakers complement the approved
curriculum and are available at teachers' request.
This project matches
individual student's requests for an interview, a shadow, a tour, or a six-week
mentor program with an adult in a career field the students wish to explore.
Service-Learning
Colorado Springs is supported by a Learn and Serve grant and is a partnership
with Colorado College. This project works toward the development and
implementation of service-learning as a tool teachers may utilize in their
curriculum presentation. Service-Learning Colorado Springs staff and Americorps
VISTAS support classroom teachers who are engaging their students in
service-learning projects by providing professional development, community
partnerships and resources, and classroom assistance.
Specialized
programs offered in partnership with community organizations to all
schools in El Paso County for the purpose of curriculum enrichment.
These programs address health issues, societal concerns, environmental
awareness and history.
Nearly 20,000
students are screened for vision and hearing by our Health Screening
team with the assistance of volunteers. Volunteers are trained and
assist at individual schools with the vision testing.
Community
organizations or businesses may choose to become an education partner
with an individual school providing support and assistance for
specialized programs. A partnership plan is developed matching
needs of the school with identified assistance from the school partner.
Individuals fluent in
a variety of languages are available upon teacher request for parent/teacher
conferences, IEP staffing and other communications to our ELL families. Please
allow a minimum of one week to process a request.
This
special project recruits retirees and other senior citizens to serve as
teacher assistants and tutors in schools throughout El Paso County. They
are encouraged to share their wealth of talents and experiences with the
youth in the community. Training programs and recognition events are
held throughout the school year.
Contact
MaryBeth Williams, 520-2311
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