VOLUNTEERING FOR THE SCHOOL

The goal of requiring parent volunteer hours is to encourage a spirit of shared commitment among all families for the benefit of Pope Francis Global Academy. Each family is asked to complete 20 hours of service between May 1 of the current school year and April 30 of the following calendar year/same school year.   After March 31, a final tally will be made of the hours logged by each family and any unmet hours will be billed at $15/hour on or near May 10.  Families will have until June 1 to pay that bill on FACTS.

We prefer to not have to bill anyone, so we encourage you to pace yourself and do several hours each month so you do not come up short.  Opportunities for daytime, nighttime, weekend, at-school, at-home, in the neighborhood, etc. are available.  Please keep an eye out for opportunities. 

Once you do them, don't forget to log them!  LOG VOLUNTEER HOURS HERE.

VIRTUS TRAINING

Many types of volunteer work require VIRTUS training to be completed before helping. VIRTUS is a program required for any volunteers throughout the Archdiocese of Chicago who works with children in any capacity. THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS MADE. It is best to get this done ASAP so that you are ready when a job comes up that you would like to help with.

• STEP BY STEP VIRTUS INFORMATION HERE.

• COMPLIANCE GUIDELINES CHART HERE.

MANY WAYS to earn hours THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

OFFICE PROJECTS - Throughout the year help may be needed
There are, on occasion, projects that require extra help in the offices.  Look for those to be posted, or call the school office when you have time to see if there are current needs. 

LUNCH AND RECESS MONITOR - Daily
Each day parents and grandparents are welcome to come and help with lunch and recess. Please contact the office to volunteer. Visitor Pass and then sign out when you leave. (VIRTUS training is required.)

FIELD TRIP CHAPERONES - Throughout the year
Trips are planned for throughout the school year and chaperones are arranged by the teachers. (VIRTUS training is required)

PARENT AMBASSADORS – Throughout the year (current needs…sign up on Volunteerspot.com…look for links on home page and below.) 
We are always in need of people to help get the word out about our school.  Posting flyers in the neighborhood is one way to help. Parent Ambassadors also help to plan Admissions Events (Open House, Informational Coffees, School Tours, etc.). They can also help to make follow up phone calls to prospective parents and speak after Masses at our founding parishes.  Contact Gigi Ybarra at gybarra@pfgacademy.org

PARENTS' CLUB – Throughout the year (events being planned now)
Helping with any Parents’ Club activities (planning, set up, clean up, whatever they need help with) will count toward your service hours. From taking a position on their board, to heading up a committee, to working on a committee or even, or just taking a shift at the book fair or Holiday Market, they need lots of man-hours from any and all parents to get their wonderful special activities accomplished.  Attending meetings does not count as hours unless you are a board or committee member or planning a specific event.

Room Parents, who organize holiday parties and more, are a subcommittee of Parents’ Club.  If you are interested, contact parentsclub@pfgacademy.org.  Many of these positions require VIRTUS training.

ATHLETICS – Fall, Winter, Spring (In planning now)
Coaching, planning schedules, ordering uniforms, or other logistics with the Athletic Director and/or coaches, helping with concession stands, helping to plan the banquets or award ceremonies, set up or clean up after events, etc. Speak with a team coach to see what they need help with.  Contact Wanda Fleming, our Athletic Director, to volunteer. wfleming@pfgacademy.org

SCOUTS – Ongoing – Check with your parish to find out who you should contact
If you are the leader of a troop of Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts or Boy Scouts, which serves a significant number of students from PFGA, you may count up to 5 hours of your service to the troop for school service hours.  Hours that may be counted would be hours directly helping to plan or execute a specific meeting/badge-work, service project or school-related project.  Attending a scout event as a guest or chaperone would not count.   (VIRTUS training is required.)

FUNDRAISERS, COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND SPECIAL EVENTS - Ongoing

Festivals, Open House or Enrollment Events, and School Fairs – Summertime and throughout the year (Volunteers needed now!)

All parents are invited to help on certain weekends (primarily in the nice weather) specifically to promote the school at booths at local festivals and farmers’ markets. There is also a preschool fair in the fall where we need help.  There are many hours of help needed in this area.  These opportunities will be published in the Howler and on the school website.

Trivia Nights — Looking for someone to head this up!

A fun way to get to know lots of other parents, Trivia Night is a traditional favorite that we’ve done several times. Contact Mrs. Ybarra f you would like to work on this.

Haunted House – 10 nights in October

One of our largest fundraisers of the year, and the one with the most volunteers needed is the Catacombs Haunted House.  This requires hours and hours of planning and many, many people to run it every night (it runs for 10 nights over the 4 weeks leading up to Halloween!)  You can be heavily involved OR you can sign up for a simple 5 hour shift to take tickets, dress as a ghoul or monster, or work as a monitor.  Info on volunteering will be sent home in September (Some of these positions, but not all, require VIRTUS training.)

Please read the following FAQ about volunteering for the Haunted House so you are prepared to sign up for next year.