Parent Participation
BlueSkies Parent Jobs
Fall Mailer 2023 Prospective Donor Form
Current Opportunities
Other opportunities – one-time or ongoing (contact Christa if interested):
- Write an article for the Banner: staff interview, great places to go with children, etc.
- Class photo coordinator
- Photographer/videographer (multiple opportunities)
- Buddies to New Parents, Room Parent
- Parent Ed evening
- Staff Appreciation Dinner coordinator
- Community Picnic Planner
- Offer your specific talents!
Please note: Sometimes opportunities open up in the classroom, but, in general, volunteering in the classroom is not available.
2. Requirement
12 hours per year per parent (24 hours for 2-parent family). The school year runs from September through August. Parent hours are prorated for families starting or leaving mid-year.
3. Recordkeeping:
As you earn hours, log them in the Parent Volunteer Workbook or email the Parent Participation Coordinator, Omid, at omidj@blueskies4children.org. He periodically checks hours entered and reminds you if you are falling behind.
4. Parent Committees:
- Parents for BlueSkies Community Co-Chairs: Josie Chiles and Katie Sexton
- Auction Committee: Simone Lee
5. Buyout
- Parent hours can be paid off at the rate of $20/hour.
- Donations to BlueSkies such as for the Fall Mailer, staff holiday bonus, etc. can be counted toward a buyout.
- Attendance at the annual Auction is worth 3 parent participation hours
General Expectations:
- People who take jobs with an “expected response time” must be able to commit to quick turnaround; “respond within” means to get the job done in that time frame. Of course there will be occasional conflicts, but if a parent is frequently unable to meet the stated response time we will ask them to relinquish the job and pass it to someone with a little more flexibility in his/her schedule.
- Parent hours can be claimed for the job time rounded up to the quarter hour. A few jobs will automatically complete your 12 parent hours – they have a ** next to them.
- Some of these jobs require a trip to the store for hardware, plants, etc.; that time is not included in the estimated duration but can certainly be included as parent hours. If you take a job and can do the shopping you are welcome to buy parts and get reimbursed; give receipts to our bookkeeper, Maria, within a month to be reimbursed.
- Most jobs can be done while the children are here but many can also be done on weekends or evenings if that’s more convenient. Toys or small equipment that needs repair can be taken home, and we can arrange access to yards on the weekend.
Parent Hours are tracked on the honor system – you are the one who needs to communicate your hours by either noting them in the Volunteer Workbook or emailing Omid.
Year-Round Jobs |
Expected Response Time & Duration |
Who to Talk to: Details |
Committee membership or support jobs | 1.5 hours per meeting Actual time for committee word done outside of meeting time (planning events, etc.) | Spencer, Liisa, Claire or Parent Committee chairs |
Attend education meetings | 1 hour per meeting | Parent Ed Events & House Meetings |
Contribute food to a BlueSkies event | 1 hour per dish | Watch for requests |
Cash gifts to BlueSkies | 1 hour per $30 donated |
Some options:
|
**Join the Board of Directors | Full year’s hours for family | Christa; Board recruits members in spring for following fall; a term is 3 years |
Miscellaneous jobs for BlueSkies | Actual time spent |
Christa
|
Maintain Hedco planter boxes | 1 hour per month | Christa Clip, trim, replant as needed |
Maintain Nursery School planter boxes | 1 hour per month | Christa Clip, trim, replant as needed |
Tend Parent Library | 1 hour every 2 months | Christa Organize and remind parents of books due |
**Scrubber | Done monthly on your schedule. This will take 1 – 1.5 hours |
Christa or Omid
Both of these jobs require a bit of mechanical work in awkward positions (disassembly and reassembly) as well as cleaning. |
Light Tuber | Respond within 1-2 days. Most jobs will take 10-15 minutes including fetching bulbs and ladder |
Christa
|
Screw fence slats | 1 – 2 hours | Christa on picket fence where wisteria is separating it |
Stuff fall mailers | 3 day turnaround required; 10 people needed for 2 hours each | Christa October or November |
Power wash cement porches | 3 hours twice a year | Christa |
Solicit donations for the Auction | Time spent soliciting |
Christa
|
Donate an item to the auction | 1 hour for $20 of value | Christa |
Set up for the Auction | Time spent | Christa |
Clean up after the Auction | 2 hours per hour of work | Christa |
Bring a guest to the Auction | 1 hour | |
Power wash front walk and sidewalk – especially in plum season | 2 hours | Christa |
Organize a work day to deliver and add new sand | 8 hours including organizing | Christa Recruit 15 people with wheelbarrows and shovels; school orders sand to be delivered. Get snacks and plan your child care. |
Organize a tree and bush trimming work day | 6 hours | Christa Recruit 6 people with clippers and chain saw; clean up and get trimmings in green waste |
Organize a workday to replenish wood chips and dirt | 6 hours | Christa Recruit 4 people with wheelbarrows; buy bags of dirt and wood chips |
Stain and varnish 4 children’s chairs | 4 hours | Christa |
Clean and organize the parents closet | 2 hours | Christa |
Repair trikes, scooters or small play equipment as needed | 1 hour per broken vehicle | Christa |
Gatekeeper | Respond within 1 – 2 days. Most jobs will take 5 – 30 minutes |
Christa
|
Hanger | Respond within 1 week. Most jobs will take 5 – 15 minutes |
Christa
|
**Plumber’s Friend | Respond within 1 day for children’s toilets, 3 for adult. Most jobs will take 5–15 minutes plus shopping |
Christa
|
Hammerhead | Respond within 1 week unless it is a safety issue. Most jobs will take 5 minutes – 1 hour |
Christa
|
Guttersnipe | Done every fall and then as needed. This will take several hours in the fall, and just 5 – 10 minutes for specific clogs |
Christa
|
Artiste | Respond within 2 weeks. Jobs will take 20 – 60 minutes including finding paint and cleaning up |
Christa
|