How To Volunteer

Want to Help Out?

Our school runs on parent power. We all work closely with the teachers and administrators to keep the school a great place for our kids, parents, and community. Our tiny school needs help from each and every family.

If you’ve found your volunteer niche — great. If you’re a new parent, or you’re a returning parent who has not yet found a way to contribute — please check out the opportunities below or let us know your special talent or interest. You can also indicate your interests using this online form. You will also receive this form in the back-to-school packet.

In addition please attend CATSS and CEF meetings to voice your opinion and find out more about how to be involved. For more information the school website is the always the first stop. Do not hesitate to contact CATSS president: Nina Rea or CEF president Angel Clifford with any questions or suggestions.

Help the Whole School

Sign Painting/On-campus Advertising: A few dedicated people needed to help get the word out in the school and community. Tasks include design and printing posters for the school grounds and hand-painting sandwich boards for the the road. For more information, please contact Nina Rea
School Beautification/Facilities: We rely on parents to fix, clean, and improve the facilities and grounds. We have a few dedicated volunteers, but can always use more, especially if you have specific skills/tools/talents. For more information, please contact Gloria Faircloth
Library Support: Come spend time among books and kids; help with research projects; create a warm, inviting atmosphere to support our children in developing their love of reading and exploring the layers and tapestry of story. For more information, please contact Stacy Vogan
Garden Helpers: A few parent volunteers work to weed, plant, and teach student visitors, with the possibility of holding community events at the garden. For more information, please contact Denise Schwab
Lunch Monitor: Parents are needed to hand out lunch cards to the students who want school lunch and supervise the playgrounds. For more information, please contact Ramona Nisbet

Help with Community Building

Halloween Event (October): A fun event for Canyon School families and the larger community with activities, costumes, games, and food. Volunteers decorate, set up and run booths, sell tickets, seek donations, and assist with traffic, safety, clean-up. For more information, please contact Nina Rea
Art Faire (December): A chance to buy amazing handmade gifts and crafts from students and local craftspeople — just in time for the holidays. Anyone can host a table to sell crafts or join together to run a booth. This will also be the event where the raffle winners are announced. For more information, please contact Esperanza Surls
Dad’s Club: This is a new venture this year, with plans to host kids’ movie nights and other fun activities. For more information, please contact Tony Contreras

Help with Fundraising

Holiday Raffle (October through December): A fun way to raise money for the school by selling raffle tickets with awesome prizes. Last year the winners walked away with an iPad, a Kindle Fire, and cash. Volunteers distribute tickets, collect and track incoming sales, and help solicit, organize, and hand out prizes for top sellers. For more information, please contact Angel Clifford
Canyon School Dinner and Auction (April): Join the fun in planning our school’s biggest fundraiser! Volunteers will assist with seeking donations from places near and far, helping create classroom projects, assistance with live, silent, and online auctions, setting up on day of event, and clean-up. Committee will be established in the Fall and the real work will begin after the winter holidays. This is an event not to be missed! For more information, please contact Nina Rea
Canyon School Store (Ongoing): Help manage school merchandise, including ordering items, selling at school events, keeping online store up to date. Any ideas or contacts and sources very welcome. For more information, please contact Nina Rea

Help in the Classroom

Parents help in the classroom by bringing snacks, driving on field trips, helping with specific projects, reading to younger kids, and much more. For more information about helping in the classroom, contact your child’s room parent:

K12: Kimiko Guthrie, Kate Wees

345: (3) Sonya Wilson, (4) Susan Asher , (5) Stacy Vogan

678: Gail Smith-Pratt

Any other feedback for CATSS? Suggestions? Ideas? Email us!

Language Program

Canyon School is proud and happy to announce that after several years of preparation, we are ready to provide an in-house Spanish program for the 2012-2013 school year. Esperanza will be leading the program. She has worked closely with our beloved Elena from Berlitz who is retiring this year. In addition to working with Elena, Esperanza has spent several years preparing to take this on by attending several international immersion programs as well as the Intensive Spanish Summer Institutes at LTCC. The staff has begun meeting to plan the curriculum and syllabus for each level. In K-1-2, we will emphasize poems, songs, and games to teach vocabulary and idioms. The syllabus will be organized around the seasons. Independent activities will be included in the language center as well. In 3-4-5, the emphasis will be on word recognition and simple conversation. Poems, songs, games, and cooking will enrich the curriculum. The 6-7-8 program will focus on grammar and verb conjugation and will include bi-monthly assessments and long term projects. Adios Elena, we will miss you! You became a part of our school family and your warm and nurturing personality was a wonderful match for this school. You will be very missed. Thank you for helping develop our stand-alone program!