Volunteer Hours Requirement

Each family with a child enrolled at St. Elizabeth Catholic School is required to volunteer at least fifteen (15) hours per school year and raise funds that would net at least $165.00 to the school. As a part of the volunteer hours requirement, each St. Elizabeth School family with children in grades 1 – 8, will be required to cover THREE RECESS HOURS PER SCHOOL YEAR. These recess hours will be INCLUDED in (not in addition to) each family’s fifteen (15) hour annual volunteer commitment.

Mandatory Recess Hours

·               Each St. Elizabeth School family will be responsible for three (3) hours of recess duty each school year regardless of weather (indoor recess also requires adult volunteer monitors).

·               This requirement can be fulfilled by ANY adult (21 years of age or older) who has completed the compulsory background check and attended VIRTUS training through the Archdiocese of Washington. Mothers, fathers, guardians, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, godparents, etc., are welcome and can help the family reach the three (3) hour requirement.

·               A family will be billed $30.00 per hour for each unfulfilled recess hour.

·               Families are asked to locate substitutes when plans change and should notify the recess coordinator of these changes at least 24-hours in advance of the scheduled volunteer time – unless an emergency arises.

·               Families are required to sign-up for two 90-minute recess sessions, grades 1 – 8 OR two 90-minute kindergarten lunch and recess sessions.

·               Sign-ups are done on the Internet using the Volunteer Spot (directions can be found on the Recess tab on the school’s website, www.stelizabethschoolmd.org).

·               All mandatory recess hours must be recorded in the Volunteer Log Books located at the receptionist’s desk and completed on or before Field Day, May 24, 2012.

·               Kindergarten parents and guardians who have just one child at St. Elizabeth School are exempt from this requirement during the kindergarten year.

·               Kindergarten lunch and recess coverage is now an approved method for earning overall compulsory recess hours.

·               Any recess hours served about the three (3) hour compulsory requirement may be used toward a family’s overall volunteer hour commitment.

Hours Other Than Recess

·               In addition to the three (3) mandatory recess volunteer hours, parents and guardians are required to complete an additional twelve (12) hours of volunteer service. Kindergarten families who have just one child at St. Elizabeth School are obligated to complete fifteen (15) volunteer hours.

·               All Volunteer Hours can be recorded in the volunteer log books at the receptionist’s desk or by sending an e-mail to volunteering@stelizabethschoolmd.org. Please note that hours ARE NOT reported by committee chairs or the school on your behalf. Parents and guardians are responsible for recording all volunteer hours. Only hours up to the required fifteen (15) are tallied by the Volunteer Hours Chairperson in the main system. All volunteer hours after that are not tracked but are most certainly appreciated! Excess hours are not carried over to the next school year or applied to the fundraising requirement.

·               Any of the hours not fulfilled by the deadline (Field Day, May 24, 2012) will be billed at $10.00 per hour at the end of the school year. Any unfulfilled mandatory recess hours will be billed at $30.00 per hour.

·               Some examples of ways to volunteer: hot lunch duty, additional recess hours, Scouting, coaching, assisting as a homeroom parent, working at home for administrators or teachers, selling Christmas trees, assisting at Scholastic Book Fairs and Santa’s Workshop, chaperoning a field trip or dance, assisting at the school Gala event, BINGO Night, etc. There are many more ways one can volunteer!

Please refer to the school’s handbook section, Child Protection/Safety for guidelines parents, guardians, and family members must follow in order to volunteer at St. Elizabeth School.

In order for a family to receive report cards, results of standardized testing, or have information forwarded other schools, all volunteer hour and fundraising balances must be fulfilled or paid in full. The deadline for reporting is Field Day, May 24, 2012.