VOLUNTEERING AT ST. CLARE
St. Clare Catholic School is proud of its tradition of volunteerism and the outstanding community built around families working together for a common goal. To this end, each family is expected to contribute 20 hours of time during the school year in support of school-wide activities.
SCCS Parent Volunteer Hour Requirements
St. Clare Catholic School believes that the education of students requires a partnership with families and involves volunteerism at various school and community events.
Guidelines
Each family is required to volunteer a minimum of twenty (20) hours each year. If you have more than one child at the school, an additional four (4) hours is required for each additional child. For example, one child: 20 hours; two children: 24 hours; three children: 28 hours, etc. Hours may be completed any time between June 1st and May 1st for a particular school year and will include hours worked on school-related matters, regardless of where or how the service is provided, i.e., at home, school, on a field trip, in-kind donations or fund-raising support. Hours are only applicable to the family performing the service and are non-transferable.
Participants
Parents or guardians and extended family members (grandparents, aunts/uncles/cousins and siblings who are 16 years of age and older), may complete volunteer hours for the family. Hours must be completed no later than the last week of April each year and recorded in ParentsWeb on or before the first day of May. Every family member who works with children during the school day or as part of extracurricular activities MUST comply with the Diocese of Palm Beach policies and requirements for background checks, fingerprinting, and training, such as attending a Protecting God’s Children seminar. More information on how to become a volunteer, can be obtained in the school office.
Mardi Gras Festival Support
As part of the 20-volunteer hour requirement, each family is required to work at least one three-hour shift per enrolled child during the school’s Mardi Gras event (i.e. one child, one three-hour shift; two children, two three-hour shifts; three children, three three-hour shifts etc.) This event typically takes place during the third weekend in January. An online Sign-Up Genius will be sent to parents with an abundance of volunteer opportunities. This obligation is mandatory for all families.
Service Hour Options
Families are encouraged to become involved in the St. Clare Catholic School community according to their interests and talents, in addition to your required Mardi Gras hours. Only service hours that directly benefit the school will count towards volunteer hours. Community service hours to other non-profit organizations outside of St. Clare Catholic School, while charitable, do not count toward parent volunteer hours.
There are a variety of opportunities to fulfill your volunteer hours. Examples are: participating in any of the school fundraisers, Advisory Board committees, Home and School Association committees, serving in your child’s class, assisting with the Car Line, supporting the lunch and recess program, and the school’s extracurricular activities. Opportunities will be communicated throughout the year. In addition, if you secure a direct donation or fund-raising sponsorship, you will receive a credit of one (1) volunteer hour for every $100 raised. For example, two direct $200 donations to St. Clare School coordinated by a family would equal four volunteer hours, or four $100 gift certificate donations for the auction would equal four volunteer hours.