Step up for equity in education: volunteer in "Title I" schools
ORGANIZATION: Seattle Public Schools
Please visit the new page to apply.
Every student benefits greatly from one-on-one tutoring - whether they are behind or ahead of their peers. While most schools thrive with the support of hundreds of dedicated volunteers, schools in low-income neighborhoods have just a few. Yet that's where one-on-one volunteer support makes the biggest impact.
Join a community of 4th graders and their dedicated teacher and help students reach academic goals.In this role, you will work with the same 2-3 students for three months - this will allow you to build rapport that will help your students get the most out of your support. Your one-on-one weekly sessions will be supported by the classroom teacher - you will receive materials tailored to your student's needs and receive the necessary training to succeed in your role.
Interested? Complete a quick volunteer quiz at http://bit.ly/vanasseltmatch
Reading support volunteers focus on filling critical gaps that students have in foundational reading skills. Each week, volunteers will work with the (same) student on important concepts in both reading literature and non-fiction texts, including decoding skills, fluency skills, and reading comprehension. The content used within this role is provided by the classroom teacher in collaboration with the English Language Development teacher.
Our goals
- Students will have more confidence and concrete foundational skills in reading from which to build on.
- Within five months, students will progress in their fluency and comprehension skills in reading, as evidenced by a minimum of two levels of growth (higher than average mid-year growth) on their Reading Assessment.
- By end of the school year, students who receive this support throughout the year will progress in their fluency and comprehension skills in reading, as evidenced by a minimum of four levels of growth (higher than average annual growth) on their Spring Reading Assessment.
Schedule
Choose one or more shifts per week Monday through Friday
Volunteer for 60 or 90 minutes per shift (30 minutes per student)
Flexible shifts:
- Mornings (reading support) between 8 am and 11:15 am
- Afternoons (match support) between 12:30 pm and 2 pm
Interested? Complete a quick volunteer quiz at http://bit.ly/vanasseltmatch
What causes achievement gaps?
Achievement gaps have many compounding causes. One consistent trend is that schools who serve high percentages of students living in poverty (so-called "Title I" schools), tend to have larger achievement gaps.
81% of Van Asselt students rely on free or reduced-price lunches, indicating that most families and students in our school community experience consistent financial hardship. Our scholars experience housing instability, food insecurity, high levels of stress. Combined, these challenges make it much harder for our students to reach the outcomes students in financially stable families achieve.
Celebrating Diversity
Van Asselt is a very diverse community!
- More than 42% of students identify as Black. 37% as Asian/Pacific Islander, and 10% as Hispanic.
- Staff and students come from 5 continents and speak over 20 languages.
- 43% of students are English Language Learners.
Seattle Public Schools welcomes and celebrates diverse cultures and ethnicities, honors the primary languages of parents/guardians, and is committed to facilitating educational access and empowerment for all students.
Learn more about our school at https://vanasseltes.seattleschools.org
Users with disabilities who have questions about accessing the content of this page can contact SPS Volunteer Services at volunteer@seattleschools.org.
More opportunities with Seattle Public Schools
1 ReviewNo additional volunteer opportunities at this time.
About Seattle Public Schools
Location:
PO Box 34165, Seattle, WA 98124, US
Mission Statement
Seattle Public Schools is committed to the academic excellence and personal success of every student, in every classroom, every day. Central to this commitment is ensuring educational and racial equity. Seattle Public Schools represents students from 154 countries of origin, with 33.9% students eligible for free and reduced-priced meals and 5.4% experiencing homelessness. Seattle Public Schools’ top seven languages are English, Spanish, Somali, Vietnamese, Cantonese, Amharic, and Tagalog.
Description
Our volunteer recruitment focuses on closing opportunity gaps at schools who serve the highest percentages of low-income students (70-90%). Volunteer need here is immense - as is the opportunity for your service to make the greatest impact.
What causes achievement gaps in Seattle schools?
Achievement gaps have many compounding causes. One consistent trend is that schools that serve high percentages of students living in poverty (so-called "Title I" schools), tend to have larger achievement gaps. Academic goals are meant to be challenging for most kids - they are so much harder to reach for children who:
- live in poverty,
- are homeless or lack stable housing,
- live in foster homes,
- experience food insecurity regularly,
- lack of access to after-school academic supports.
Volunteers play an important role in creating excellent educational experiences and outcomes. Through volunteer service, you can change the trajectory of a student or a whole classroom and raise the achievement of all students:
- support students working to achieve academic goals through tutoring or mentoring,
- give educators more time for instruction and individualized student support by helping with classroom organization or clerical work,
- get involved in school-based services like food, clothing and backpack donations to help students focus on their academics.
CAUSE AREAS
WHEN
WHERE
8311 Beacon Ave SSeattle, WA 98118
DATE POSTED
April 2, 2021
SKILLS
GOOD FOR
- Teens
- People 55+
REQUIREMENTS
- Background Check
- Must be at least 16
- Orientation or Training
- 60 or more minutes per week - 3 month commitment