Thoreau Elementary PTO
Volunteer Opportunities
Our full list of 22-23 and 23-24 roles can be found here. Details on some of these are outlined below.
Sign-up today to help us fill our open slots for next year!
If you have just a little bit of time, but none of these suit you and/or you have questions about the opportunities below, let us know!
Directory - In the past, we've put together an all-school directory. This helps families connect with one another across classrooms and grades. This role involves getting the contact information from our office for all students (for those families who opted in via MMSD) and synthesizing it into a single document for electronic distribution.
Tico Trot Committee - The Tico Trot is our annual fall fun run and our school's biggest fundraiser. Prior to the event, students can collect flat amount or per lap pledges. On the day of the event, students run laps around the upper playground (front entrance of the school) and get shirts marked (by volunteers!) for each lap. Volunteers are needed to help collect sponsors for the event, organize t-shirts, dj, coordinate snacks, and count laps. Some of these roles are filled with trusty year-to-year volunteers, but more help is needed!
Scholastic Book Fair - The book fair is back! Volunteers are needed to work with our fabulous librarian, Lisa Hempstead, to setup, work the event, and help take-down.
Park Meet-Up Help - Several times a year, we provide meetup opportunities at nearby parks (see calendar for details). We need help hosting. You can help bring the giant PTO jugs w/ice & water, purchase (and be reimbursed for ) snacks, bring your own sports equipment/chalk, and just generally be a kind & welcoming face.
Green Space help & Earth Day ideas- A few times a year, the Green Space coordinators, Katie Moore & Steph Judge, get folks together on a weekend to help improve the grounds (spreading mulch, weeding, improving our outdoor classroom spaces, etc). There are also special projects to help with throughout the year. If you a green thumb and/or like working outside, reach out to Katie Moore.
Stella's Bakery Fundraiser - This is a delicious opportunity to help our school (November 2023)! Volunteers are needed to help hand out pies and cheese bread to people on the pick-up day.
Teacher Appreciation - We have needs throughout the year to show our teachers some love. We need help setting up for these breakfasts and lunches and coming up with creative ideas to make our staff feel appreciated!
Winter Dance - We've brought this fun, school community event back! We need help next year planning, coordinating the DJ, securing food and drink and managing ticket sales.
Yearbook - The end of school yearbook an awesome keepsake for all our students. The work here involves taking pictures at events throughout the year, pulling these and school pictures together using software (can suggest what was used in the past or you can use what you'd prefer), getting permission from families (leveraging help from teachers) to include students in the yearbook who didn't opt in via the MMSD enrollment process) and working to get it printed for our 400+ students.
End of the Year Ice Cream Social - Do you have strong ice-cream scooping arms and/or a desire or ability to haul tubs of ice cream, toppings, and supplies to the park? We'd love your help.
Recess Help - In the 2021-2022 school year, Thoreau implemented a recess support program. Principal Dan Davidson hopes to bring this back soon. In the meantime, you can get your volunteer training taken care of which will allow you to participate as well as volunteer for other in-school volunteering and/or class field trips!
Other - Do you have a great idea for a community event that you want to help organize? Email board@thoreaupto.org.
Complete your Volunteer Training:
This training is required of all volunteers (community and family) and non-MMSD personnel who come into school buildings and work with students. Volunteering in other ways with the PTO (back-end organizing, day-of special events, etc.) does not require this training. However, things like attending field trips, other in-class opportunities and/or recess volunteering will require you to be Level 2 certified. This includes completing the following:
Application in Volunteer Tracker
Background check (automatically performed as a part of your application)
COVID-19 vaccination verification
Required training modules (currently three - Learning Forward Together, Covid-19 Health & Safety, Building Safety Protocols)
Please note training is available asynchronously (recorded), and only needs to be completed once. MMSD is committed to anti-racist practices, equity, inclusion, and upholding our core beliefs. These trainings are in alignment with that vision, and it's important for volunteers to have a shared understanding. MMSD places a high value on safety and well-being; these training modules are important for the safety and well-being of students, staff, and volunteers. The objectives of the trainings are: COVID-19 health practices; safety and security protocols; and grounding in MMSD anti-racist mission/vision, identity and relationships, and strategies.