High Meadows School
Volunteering
and
Confidentiality
Agenda
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Volunteering
Confidentiality
Interacting with Students
Volunteering Guidelines
Suspected Child Abuse
School Procedures When on Campus
Emergency Procedures
Volunteer Paperwork
Why Volunteer?
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Volunteering provides an opportunity to see our
school philosophy and mission in practice.
Volunteering models for children their parents’
interest and involvement in their education and their
school community.
Volunteering greatly helps our teachers provide the
best possible learning environment for children.
Volunteering helps parents become a part of our
school community.
Volunteer Opportunities
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In the classroom
In the library
Pony rides and animal care
Gardening
Home projects for teachers or SHARE
SHARE Events (Secret Shop, Staff Appreciation,
etc.)
School Events (Open House, Earth Day, etc.)
Volunteering in the Classroom
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Teachers work with Room Parents to set up
volunteering times that work best for their particular
class schedule.
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Opportunities for classroom help include cooking,
gardening, library and pony rides.
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Fewer volunteer are needed in the classrooms of older
students, but campus-wide opportunities are plentiful.
How do I volunteer?
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SHARE (our parent organization) meets bi-monthly in
the Library, usually on Mondays. SHARE offers a
variety of campus-wide volunteer opportunities.
Room Parents provide information about volunteering
in the classroom and often schedule class volunteers.
The Tire Swing and The Meadow Messenger (our
digital newsletters) often contain requests for
volunteers.
Complete volunteer forms found at
www.my.highmeadows.org/cp/.
Volunteer Agreements
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Honor and respect the right of privacy of every High
Meadows student and parent.
Understand that any private information concerning
student work, student behavior, student records
and/or student medical information is considered
privileged and SHOULD NEVER BE DISCUSSED
outside the classroom.
Keep all such information confidential.
Confidentiality
Educational ethics warrant that confidentiality
of information and families’ and children’s
rights to privacy be protected. As a
volunteer you are expected to uphold those
principles. Volunteering privileges may be
lost if confidentiality is broken.
Confidentiality Reminders
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Please do not discuss any child in front of
other children or with other parents.
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Be particularly careful if you are a parent with
some type of expertise (speech therapist,
psychologist, teacher, etc.).
Interacting With Students
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Use a quiet voice with children. Be sure your
sense of humor is one they can understand,
without teasing or sarcasm.
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Be aware of children’s questions as an
opportunity to encourage problem solving and
to develop their competence in using
resources and peers. Instead of giving a
quick, closed answer, provide options to help
children think through the solution.
Positive Reinforcement
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Use positive, specific reinforcement that
highlights the students’ appropriate behaviors,
accomplishments, and work.
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When group sessions are underway, please
join and listen. Model a courteous, attentive
attitude.
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Separate conversations are distracting and
should take place outside the classroom.
Positive Discipline
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Let teachers handle any discipline problems
that may arise.
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Become familiar with the strategies teachers
use, and turn to them if help is needed.
Volunteer Guidelines
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Leave younger siblings at home
Volunteering with our students is most
successful when you come alone, without
other children. Please plan to give the
students your undivided attention and leave
younger siblings with another caregiver.
Volunteer Guidelines
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Please turn cell phones off and use them only
outside of the classroom
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Cellphone use while driving on campus is
prohibited
Volunteer Guidelines
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Please be on time
Be prompt and email the teacher or room parent
if you will not be able to be in class as expected.
If you arrive early, please wait quietly and
observe the classroom.
Arrive and depart at the prearranged times.
Volunteer Guidelines
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Volunteering is not a time to confer
with teachers about your child
Confer with teachers about your own child OUTSIDE of
volunteer duties by scheduling an appointment so that
discussions can occur with a sense of confidentiality
and purpose.
Volunteer Guidelines
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Address any questions or concerns
that arise while volunteering with
teachers
Make an appointment with the teachers when
they can address your concerns outside the
classroom.
Volunteer Guidelines
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Respect teachers and their
classrooms
Support teachers in their role of selecting
classroom practices and experiences.
Recognize that teachers are ultimately
responsible for the overall well-being of the
group.
Volunteer Guidelines
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Be sure that when you are
volunteering in the classroom that
your focus includes all children in
the room
Although you may work with your own child, the
teachers are counting on you to work with
everyone.
Volunteer Guidelines
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Please discuss specific inappropriate
student behaviors with the teacher as
soon as possible
This is particularly important for parent volunteers who
accompany classes on field trips.
Volunteering with Young
Children
There are times when young children struggle
when their parents are in the classroom.
Behavior such as clinging or crying can be
disruptive and can cause distress in other
children. Realize that sometimes parents may
need to choose other volunteer opportunities
until the child is comfortable enough to make
it a positive experience for everyone.
A Note on Allergies
Many children at High Meadows have allergies to
peanuts, as well as other foods.
For the safety of our students, it is our policy that
children and adults do not share their food with
others.
Reporting Suspected Child Abuse
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Georgia law requires child service organization
personnel to report suspected child abuse or
neglect. Child service organization personnel means
persons employed by or volunteering at a business
or an organization, whether public, private, for profit,
not for profit, or voluntary.
Any suspected case of child abuse or neglect should
be reported to the Associate Head of School or the
School Counselors.
Child Abuse Resources
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To learn more about recognizing and reporting child
abuse, go to https://www.gadoe.org/CurriculumInstruction-and-Assessment/Curriculum-andInstruction/Documents/Child%20Abuse%20Preventio
n%20Handouts.pdf
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Click on the following link for a free online training
course:
https://www.prosolutionstraining.com/store/product/?t
ProductVersion_id=861
School Procedures When On
Campus
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Every time you are on campus, please sign in at the
Main Office where you will receive a photo ID
visitor/volunteer nametag.
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For larger group events (like theatre productions or
Earth Day) where checking in at the office would be
impractical, you may wear your High Meadows
lanyard. The teacher or room parent can answer
questions about this if you are unsure.
Emergency Procedures
In the event of a drill or emergency, the intercom
system will sound an alarm tone.
 Steady Tone – Go inside (Weather, Intruder)
 2nd Steady Tone – Proceed to designated sheltered
area with class (Severe Weather)
 Fluctuating Tone – Go outside to designated
meadow area (Fire, Bomb Threat)
 2nd Fluctuating Tone – Go to far edge of meadows.
This will be followed by an intercom announcement.
Emergency Procedures
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Parents/visitors or volunteers on campus
during an emergency should stay with their
class/group and follow the directions of staff
members. Parents/visitors should not use their
cell phones in these situations.
Emergency Procedures
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Rest assured that each staff member has
been briefed regarding emergency
procedures, and each classroom/staff
member has a red emergency plan binder in
their possession. These binders include all
emergency and contact information.
Volunteer Paperwork Requirement
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Volunteer Paperwork can be found at
my.highmeadows.com/cp/. After completing and signing,
please return to Lee Hunter at the Main Office.
Please be sure to print your name and your child/children’s
class(es) on the Confidentiality Agreement and sign it.
Please complete and sign the Background Check Consent if
we did not get one from you last year or the year before. (A
Background Check is required once every 3 years).
Please complete and sign the Waiver and Release of
Liability.
All paperwork is confidential and held by the HR Department
in a locked cabinet.
Thank you!
Thank you for your time and your commitment
to becoming a volunteer! If you have further
questions, please contact Consuela Harris at
[email protected]; your
teachers/room parents; or any Administrator.
Have a wonderful day and HAPPY
VOLUNTEERING!