Volunteers needed to help at Stewart

A volunteer in every Stewart Elementary classroom is the goal Kelsey Sievers, behavior interventionist and newly created volunteer coordinator, has set for the year

Sievers intends the volunteers helping the students by reading to them or by helping them with their math flashcards. In a survey of teachers, the response was people who have a background working with children, but that they would welcome anyone who is interested.

The school district is limiting the volunteer recruitment to Stewart School this year. Sievers said the district wants to see how the program goes. If it goes well, volunteers could be invited into the other buildings, too.

?When the teachers filled out their survey, I asked them how the volunteers could help,? she said. ?The teachers said the volunteers could help in small groups or help the students individually with certain subjects such as reading and math.?

The volunteers won?t just help the students with their schoolwork, either. If they desire, the volunteers can share an interesting talent they have or talk about their job.

?The kids get pretty excited whenever they see an adult in the building,? Sievers said.

A few volunteers have been in the schools for several years. Sievers said some parents visit the classroom their child is in. She hopes that more parents, grandparents or any other adult will feel comfortable volunteering in the school.

?When you?re young, it?s good to see positive role models in the community,? she said. ?We?d like the kids to see and work with those people. If those people talk about their jobs or hobbies, then the kids have something they can look forward to.?

Interested adults can sign up to volunteer at Stewart School. They will write down the hours of the day that work for them. They will also go through a background check.

The adults can stay for recess and lunch, too.

?The kids love it when adults eat lunch in the lunch room,? Sievers said.