Volunteer at JSIS!
Of all the factors that determine student outcomes, family engagement is at the top of the list. Volunteering is a way to put your love for your children and community into action, and we want to help you get involved in a way that excites you, and fits your schedule and interests. Contact the board at board@jsispta.org and see how you can get involved! If you are interested, but think you might not have the time or resources, contact us anyway! There are many ways you can contribute, and every contribution (large or small) makes an impact. There is an opportunity suited for every willing participant.
As a bonus, a lot of companies will match the hours that employees volunteer (differing rates) and make a donation to the JSIS PTSA. Ask your company if they do!
Rockstars Pool
If you want to participate in the school community, but cannot commit to an ongoing basis, we invite you to sign up for our Rockstars Pool. You only have to fill out a short form indicating the skills you have and are willing to share. These can be anything: being fluent in Spanish or Japanese, knowing graphic design, being good at photography, DJ-ing as a hobby, enjoying accounting, love gardening, etc. As the school year gets underway there might be one-off projects and needs that match your skills, and then we will contact you! This is one of the easiest ways to be involved.
Use Your Skills
Board Members
Join this group of parents and help lead our PTSA! Be it as part of the executive board, or as an appointed director, your contribution will make a big difference. Click here to see all the Board positions.
"Students First" Campaign
SFC is the most important fundraiser of the year run by the PTSA to fund any additional staff, support or needs identified at our school that is not funded by the district. You'll work with a team of volunteers to promote the campaign through various channels (signs, collection boxes, digital content), help address questions, and collect donations. The campaign happens October - January.
Online Directory
Our online directory is the glue that keeps us connected! The Directory Team maintains it updated by helping new families register for the online directory and reminding returning families to update their contact information.
Staff Appreciation
Coordinate with the PTSA and Principal to set up a monthly gifting program for our teachers and 2-5 staff members assigned to each classroom. Send out birthday reminders, and communicate with parents via Room Reps.
Parent Race and Equity (R&E) Task Force
The JSIS Parent Race Equity Task Force was founded by parents in 2018 in response to racism and anti-Blackness incidents between students. We committed then to supporting and stewarding the demands made by JSIS Parents of Black Students, and contributing to a vision of a school culture that prioritizes anti-racism. The Task Force gathers educational resources, ideas for action items, conversation starters with kids, and self-care for BIPOC among others in their Anti-Racism Pledge, and Year of Purpose Fliers. This is an important lifelong process that benefits from everyone's voices.
Education Intern Exchange
Support our Principal with the logistics of our teaching intern program, including recruiting host families, and acting as a resource to interns and host families for a mutually beneficial experience. Recruit host families, complete home visits and paperwork, and manage communications.
After School Activities (ASA)
Enrich the lives of our students by curating a diverse range of afterschool activities while working with an established team of parent volunteers. Program activities, manage the registration website, and coordinate calendars and communications with vendors, JSIS staff, and families. This work happens in August, and December before the sign up period.
Logo Wear
Show your school flair and spirit by selecting colors and styles for our bi-annual LogoWear sale. Online orders happen in the fall and spring, and involve connecting with our vendor, reviewing and approving merchandise and pricing, distributing the info/link via school communication channels and organizing the delivery of purchases.
Target Language Support
Use your Spanish/Japanese language skills to translate various communications for flyers, eNews and other content with the PTSA. Principal Sarah and/or your student's teachers will sometimes have additional opportunities. In the past, volunteers have cataloged classroom books, participated in small group learning, recorded "read-aloud" books in software programs like RAZ-Kids, and read out loud in the classrooms.
Lost & Found Coordinator
Help our Lost and Found stay in a manageable state throughout the year. Sort lost items, return those that are labeled to the corresponding grade, and keep unlabeled items in bins and on hangers. You can share photos of them in our social media as needed so parents can take a look. This easy job can be done once or twice a month in an hour or two.
Webmaster
Keep our website relevant, engaging, and up to date!
Run An Event
As part of an event committee, you'll be provided with everything you need to have a successful event.
Monster Mash
Parent volunteers coordinate a night of activities, music, and food, plus a 5th grade Haunted House and book sale! Time commitment is around 2-3 hours a week leading up to the event in October.
Japan Night
Chair one of our community's marquee events! Parent volunteers coordinate a night of Japanese activities, performances, and food for all to enjoy. Volunteers work together to plan, set-up, run the programs, and clean up. Time commitment is 2-3 hrs a week leading up to the event (usually March).
La Fiesta
Chair one of our community's main cultural events of the year! Meet and work with a group of parent volunteers to coordinate a night of activities in Spanish, performances, and food for all to enjoy. Time commitment is 2-3 hrs a week leading up to the event (usually May).
Day of the Dead/Obon
Lead this meaningful cultural event to honor and remember our departed loved ones via altars and traditional activities such as paper lanterns and papel picado. Time commitment is 2-3 hrs a week leading up to the event (early November).
Move-a-Thon/Field Day
Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds, Happy Children! Put the Move-A-Thon motto into action by coordinating a fun day of physical activities for the whole family. Work includes marketing, communications, soliciting business donations and event production. Suggested time commitment is 2-3 hrs a week leading up to the event.
John Stanford Day
At this small but meaningful event, we learn about John Stanford's legacy, and all the things that make our wonderful school what it is! Time commitment is about 2-3 hours total for administrative tasks and marketing, and 2 hours the day of the event.
School Tours and Preview Sessions
Participate in school tours, middle school preview sessions, and kindergarten preview sessions. School tours are held on the "day between semesters," when school is closed at the end of January. Volunteer for one or more sessions and speak to prospective families about your own student's and family's experience at JSIS. These tours/sessions happen in January and May, and last about 90 minutes.
Reflections Art Contest
For over 50 years, the National PTA Reflections arts program has celebrated student creativity through a juried awards process. Each year has a new theme. Follow their step-by-step calendar checklist of event production and lead this at our school! The contest happens in September - February, and the time commitment is around 1-3 hours a week.
Giving Tree
Through the Giving Tree program, our community offers support to families from JSIS and Beacon Hill International School who need a little extra help during the holiday season by fulfilling wishes for clothes, toys, and books. Financial donations to the Giving Tree Fund are used to buy presents for unfilled wishes and prepaid grocery gift cards. This volunteer is responsible for gathering wishes, driving donations, and distributing donated items and funds. Time commitment is around 15 hours per month in Nov/Dec.
Create Something New
Have something in mind that you don't see here? Contacts us! You can shape our community. These are examples of roles that parents have taken on in the past:
Parent Education Series
Identify key topics and presenters for parent education courses throughout the school year. Set up and facilitate the session. Sessions happen once every other month (4-6 total in the year), generally on midweek evenings. Recordings are published on our website following the event. Time commitment is around 3-6 hours per month. This could be combined with PTSA General Meetings.
Grounds Team
This is the perfect opportunity if you enjoy gardening. Throw "gardening parties" to weed, plant, and spruce up our school grounds to keep JSIS looking sharp!
STEM Learning
Identify STEM learning opportunities for all grade levels! Some ideas and possibilities include Science assemblies, science materials for classroom and home use, and the Science Fair.
Green Team
Srta. Maria Matamala, mbmatamala@seattleschools.org
Help support projects that empower JSIS students, teachers, and staff to become environmental stewards at school, at home, and in the world. The Green Team is a student leadership group with a mission to integrate environmental sustainability into all activities at JSIS by practicing waste reduction, resource conservation, and other "green" activities. JSIS mission to raise responsible global citizens involves addressing climate change as a global issue for the future of our planet. Time commitment varies, but is around 10-15 hours total.
Volunteer Beyond JSIS
Interested in volunteering in the local community beyond JSIS? Check out these ideas.