Get Involved

Volunteer

Volunteer at West Woodland!

Volunteers are the reason West Woodland has so many fantastic events, activities and strong classroom support! Volunteering helps create a wonderful, tight-knit community for our kids and is a great way to get to know the families, teachers and staff at West Woodland.

We need volunteers of all kinds – from people who are willing to lead big events to people who want to take on support roles, people who want to do small projects at home to people who want to show up the day of and lend a hand. Moms, Dads, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Nannies – everyone is welcome!  

Volunteer Opportunities

There are volunteering opportunities to fit whatever type of volunteer you want to be. Many things can be done at home in the evenings or weekends. Some opportunities are just one-time commitments, or take just a few minutes per week….others allow you to lead projects or plan events. We can work around your schedule and interests. 

If you find an opportunity you are interested in, contact the person listed to find out more. Not sure where you fit or who to contact? Contact our Volunteer Coordinator Betsy Russell at volunteer@westwoodlandpta.org.

Interested in volunteering in your child’s classroom?
Please contact your classroom teacher directly.

5th Grade Graduation Events
Will you be a 5th grade parent? Join the 5th Grade Celebration team to help organize the events surrounding our awesome 5th grade graduation

All-Family Potluck
Organize a potluck on a Friday evening in September to welcome new families and reconnect with old friends. The potlucks are held on the blacktop out back of school (weather permitting) or school lunchroom.

All-Family Socials
Help organize various socials for parents or all families!

All-Moms Social
Organize an all-moms social event in the Fall! In the past, this was the first weekend of school

Annual Appeal Committee
Join the Annual Appeal team and help the PTA raise money to support our school programs

Annual Appeal Treasurer
Help Manage the funds from the annual appeal. Quickbooks/Accounting experience a plus!

Art Docent
Anyone can do this! Conduct 1 hour, monthly (or more) lessons teaching basic principles and elements of art while introducing art masterpieces. Work with your child’s teacher and other art docents to enrich class curriculum and foster creativity. Plus it is FUN.

Art Docent Coordinator
Organize & manage our classroom art docents

Arts Coordinator
Help organize our Arts program.

Bike Rodeo
West Woodland’s Bike Rodeo occurs on the 1st Sunday in May of each year and is a perfect way to kick off Bike to School Month

Bike to School
May is Bike-to-School Month and is designed as a fun event to encourage bicycle commuting and mentor new riders. West Woodland’s Bike Rodeo occurs on the 1st Sunday in May of each year and is a perfect way to kick off Bike to School Month. Volunteers needed to act as bike fairies and help out with the bike rodeo.

Blast
Celebrate the end of the school year at BLAST – an all school event to celebrate the end of the year. Volunteers are needed to help coordinate the event, set up, monitor, lead activities and clean up.

Book Fair
The Library turns into a small book shop with books for sale for a week usually in the fall and spring.

Bulletin Board Coordinator
Help keep our bulletin board next to the salmon fish tank up to date with important volunteer information and community and WW news and events!

Cafeteria/Playground Support
Help out in the lunchroom and/or on the playground

Chess Club
Help run our Chess Club!

Choir
Help run our Choir program!

Classroom Support
Talk to your student’s teacher! Find out what help they need in the classroom (reading, math, writing, etc.)
Assist teachers and staff with their copying needs. Lead and volunteers come in once a week to help with projects teachers have dropped off in the copy room during the week.

Directory
Collect parent & student information at TCB Day and first few weeks of school for our school directory

Emergency Kit Coordinator
Annual update of teacher emergency backpacks; Annual update of school emergency kits and supplies; Attend monthly Safety Committee meetings

Enrichment Activities Coordinator
Find and implement enrichment activities to offer for our after school enrichment program (sewing, language classes, dance, sports, crafts, computer coding, theater programs, etc).

Enrichment Assistant
Be an Enrichment Assistant and receive a free class! We need five Enrichment Assistants each quarter to check attendance at after school enrichment classes. This is a very easy job that only takes 10 to 15 minutes after school. You pick the quarter (Fall, Winter, or Spring) and the day of the week.

Race & Equity Committee (formerly Family Heritage)
*updating info

Family Movie Nights
Watch a movie in the cafeteria on the big screen with your friends. These are held a few times through the school year.

Field Day
Field Day is a near end of school year afternoon of outdoor games and activities for all students at West Woodland. This event is organized by the PE teacher. Volunteer needed to recruit helpers for day-of event

Food Support
Volunteer helps pick up food weekly from the food bank to help support families in at our school

Passive Fundraising Coordinator
Oversee the “Shop for West Woodland” Fundraising activities

Spring Fundraising Chair (Formally GALA)
The spring fundraiser is a celebration event sponsored by the West Woodland PTA. Volunteers help with event planning, community communication, soliciting donations, set up, clean up and fundraising.

Garden Docent
Help coordinate volunteers interested in working in West Woodland’s garden space!

Graphic Designer
Help with graphic design projects such as the yearbook and all-school directory. Lead other graphic design projects and lend graphic design skills and support to PTA as needed.

Graduation (5th Grade)
A 5th Grade Promotion “Moving On” Ceremony is held in the lunchroom / gym for 5th graders who are moving on to middle school.

Grant Writing
Research funding opportunities available for elementary school education and present promising funding mechanisms to the West Woodland PTA. Work with PTA members to write and submit applications to funding agencies, including budgeting details, obtaining letters of support, and ensuring adherence to regulations and application guidelines. Follow-up with agencies when grants are not funded to learn how applications might be improved.

Instructional Support Volunteer
Help students with math, handwriting, reading, etc.

Kindergarten and New Student Ice Cream Social
Future fall kindergarten and new students visit West Woodland to meet the kindergarten teachers and their future classmates! Ice cream is served and kindergartners participate in fun activities with the kindergarten teachers. Volunteers are needed to help invite incoming families, assemble information packets, serve ice cream, set up, during event and clean up.

Kindergarten Coffee
Help welcome new families to West Woodland! This event happens on the first day of Kindergarten. Responsibilities range from emailing a sign-up sheet to parents to bring in baked goods; bring in baked goods; make coffee and set up tables; clean up after the event.

5th Grade Tiles (Classroom)
Facilitate 5th graders in leaving their mark on the school with a special tile that will decorate the walls of West Woodland in April/May of each year

5th Grade Tiles (Firing/Mounting)
Help glaze, fire and mount the tiles each year.

Library Support
Help our librarian shelve books, etc.

Spirit Wear (formally Logowear)
Order and sell spirit wear at key events (TCB Day, Ice-Cream Social, BLAST, etc.)

Mariners Family Night
Organize a family day at Safeco Field for West Woodland families

Math Night
Students and teachers show parents what they are learning about math at school. Help with set up and clean up.

Monthly Coffee Coordinator
Help coordinate monthly coffees and snacks for parents after student drop off during the school year

All Dads Social
Help organize a social event for dads at the school

Moms Social
Help organize a social event for moms at the school!

Nurse’s Office
Help organize health records at the beginning of year / help w/ other tasks

Shop for West Woodland
Manage our passive fundraising. This includes collecting, tallying, and submitting Ballard Market Receipts and Box-Tops from WW families and depositing rewards in our PTA bank account. Also includes making sure we are utilizing other programs (Fred Meyer Rewards, Amazon Smile, etc.)

PTA Board
A variety of positions available to help enrich the educational experience for all students. Help increase engagement among students, parents, teachers, staff and administrators of West Woodland Elementary School.

Facebook (PTA Page)
Be our Facebook administrator. Post event updates and important WW news to our PTA Facebook page (role designated for PTA president and VP of communications)

Room Representative / Room Representative Coordinator
Assist teachers with organizing and recruiting other classroom parents for special events, class prep, parties, field trips, staff appreciation, and science kits. Forward important communications from school and PTA along to your class. Act as an important communication link between other parents in the classroom.. Much of it can be done from home. Speak with your child’s teacher if you are interested.

Salmon Project
Help the teachers in charge of the program to clean the fish tank, replenish with salmon eggs, and release the salmon to Puget Sound

School Garden Work Party
Help nurture our Native Northwest Plants by identifying and caring for the beautiful greenery surrounding our school grounds. Participate in two major work party events held at school in the fall and the spring. A great chance to get your hands dirty and build community. There is nothing like the smell of mulch on an early morning.

School Photos
School photos are taken on Taking Care of Business Day. Volunteers are needed to organize and assist. Retakes occur during the fall.

School Tours
Families interested in West Woodland are invited to an open house/school tour where they can learn about West Woodland’s programs and facilities. Typically this one tour is in the evening. We are looking for volunteers to help lead tours.

Science Night
Students display Science projects completed at home and school. Volunteers help with event coordination, community communication, set up and clean up.

Organized Run
Work with the PE teachers to help organize a run

Staff Appreciation Lunches
Organize monthly lunches for the staff. Each month, a different grade hosts a lunch (potluck style)

Staff Appreciation Week
Teacher & staff appreciation week takes place the first week of May each year and is an opportunity for families and students to do something special for West Woodland staff to thank them for all they do. Suggested activities are organized by the staff appreciation coordinator.

Talent Show
The talent show has been one of the highlights of the school year. This is an evening where you can come see our students share their talents, including a stage show, student Lego Expo, and Art Gallery. It also includes a wonderful staff performance! Help with our talent show efforts by organizing participants, coordinating rehearsals, leading the MCs, set up, concessions and much more!

TCB Day Committee
Help the volunteer coordinators with TCB Day! Help stuff packets the week before or come to the school and help set up, help greet families, help organize paperwork, or clean up on the day of the event. Pick a time slot!

Volunteer Coordinator Helper
Be a helper to our VCs for various tasks!!

Walk and Wheel Month
October is Walk and Wheel month, where we encourage our students to walk, bus, bike or scooter to school, to promote healthy / green ways of getting to and from school.

Website Committee / Web Producer
Help keep our website updated. Perform daily, weekly and monthly updates

Wildcat Giving
Help West Woodland and our community families in need by helping to organize the donation and collection of gifts and donations.

Yearbook
Help produce the annual yearbook (layout, photography, journalism, advertising sales, printing coordinator, etc.). The yearbook is a reflection of culture and spirit of the school year, and a keepsake for students and their families to treasure for years to come. We need a team of people to make this happen! It works best to start collecting yearbook information and photos early in the year so production in May is a breeze.

How to Apply to Volunteer with Seattle Public Schools

Why Volunteer in Your Child’s School?

  • Higher grades, test scores & graduation rates
  • Better attendance
  • Increased motivation & self-esteem

Checklist for New Volunteers

Visit our volunteer website to:

  • Review volunteer handbook
  • Complete online training
  • Apply securely online
  • Background check required

Questions? Contact your school office or visit Volunteer

Additional Steps for Certain Volunteer Roles

The following volunteer roles require a national background check, regardless of how long the volunteer has resided in Washington:

  1. Unsupervised volunteers who work with children regularly (including remote/virtual volunteers).
  2. Volunteers chaperoning overnight field trips longer than three days.
  3. Volunteers involved in any sports or gym activities coordinated by the school (for Athletics see *).

If situations 2 or 3 apply to you, visit the volunteer website to learn more.

* Important: Athletic coaches must apply via SPS Athletics Department.

Sports Safety

All gym and sports volunteers must be current on CPR, First Aid, Sudden Cardiac Arrest and Concussion Courses.

Field Trips

Field trip volunteers supervise students. Once approved to volunteer, request additional forms from the field trip organizer to review and acknowledge your important responsibilities.

Keeping Students Safe

Child Abuse Prevention

Nationally, one in four girls and one in six boys are sexually abused before age 18. Volunteers help to protect children by learning to recognize and report potential abuse.

At SPS, each volunteer completes an online Sexual Misconduct Prevention training before start of their service.

Criminal Background Check

  • If you have lived in Washington State for the past three (3) years, SPS will complete your state background check at no cost to you.
  • If you came to Washington from another state in the past three years, you will need to purchase a one-time national background check.

New or newly returned to the U.S.?

Visit the SPS Volunteer page for more information.

Why is there a fee for out-of-state background checks?

Unlike our state, the federal government does not provide schools with free screening tools. SPS selected a vendor to offer secure, affordable background checks for the volunteers who need them ($21 in most cases).

Frequently Asked Questions

I completed an online application in 2021. Do I have to reapply this year?

Your online application is on file so please do not create a new application. On your second volunteer anniversary, you will receive an email with log-in instructions to renew your application.

Can I use my smart phone to apply?
Our online volunteer application is smart-phone friendly.

Thank you for helping create safe schools, and for your generous donation of time and talent!