VOLUNTEER

with SPS

Somerville students at Nature's Classroom.  Photo by Somerville parent and Healey volunteer Karen McMahon. 

 Whether your talents are musical, mathematical, linguistic, artistic, scientific or athletic, we welcome your involvement.  Choose your passion and we'll match you with a school and program for a rewarding experience.

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  Summer Volunteering

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Elementary Summer School

Monday-Thursday, 8:00am-12:15pm, July 8 through August 14

Winter Hill Community School, 115 Sycamore St.

The Elementary Summer School Program is a free Somerville Public School program for students in Grades 1-7.  It is designed to improve student performance by helping students achieve grade level standards in a positive, encouraging setting where students’ individual needs can be addressed and supported.  Classes in math, reading, and for some grades writing are offered.  Volunteers:  Welcome in all grades, English Language Arts, Math and Writing skills preferred but not required.

Contact:  Linda Walsh:  LWalsh@k12.somerville.ma.us, 617-625-6600 x6750.

Summer Program for English Language Learners

Monday-Thursday, 8:00am-1:00pm, July 2 -July 26

A.F. Argenziano School, 290 Washington St.

Grades K-8. English Language development, enrichment, and academic support.  Volunteers help with math, writing, reading, playground play, and cooperative games.  Language ability in English plus either one or more languages preferred: Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, French, Russian, Indian Languages.

Contact:  Sarah Davila:   SDavila@k12.somerville.ma.us, 617-625-6600 x6097. 

Community Schools and Summer CIT Program

Monday-Friday, 8:30am-12:00pm, July 8- August 14

Arthur D. Healey School, 5 Meacham St. 

Grades K-6.  Volunteers may work 1-2 hours a day, 2 or more times per week.  Volunteers entering Grade 7 or older are eligible to volunteer. 

Contact:  Jennie McGoldrick, JMcGoldrick@k12.somerville.ma.us, 617-625-6600 x6538.  

Secondary Summer School

Monday-Thursday, 8:15am-12:55pm, July 8 – August 8

Somerville High School, 81 Highland Ave

Grades 9-12. English Language Arts, Math, Sciences.  Volunteers specializing in math or science work with students to support biology, geometry, algebra or chemistry.  Volunteers may work one or more days per week, Monday through Thursday, any time between 8:00am and 12:10pm.

 Contact:  Chris Angelli: CAngelli@k12.somerville.ma.us, 617-625-6600. 

 More Volunteer Opportunities:

Somerville Center for Adult Learning Experiences (SCALE):   Susan Riley, Volunteer Coordinator, SRiley@k12.somerville.ma.us, 617-625-6600 x6920

Somerville Recreation and Youth:   dpalazzo@somervillema.gov 

Groundwork Somerville:  maintains school gardens, lots more:  Lee Dwyer, Gardens Coordinator: Lee@GroundworkSomerville.org. 617-628-9988.  

Somerville Community Growing Center: Volunteer sought for playgroups, a youth garden club, children and nature activities, music, evening pj story-time, Saturday open gardens.  Kristen, Growing Center Volunteer Coordinator: volunteercgc@gmail.com.

 Check back here for more listings !

Thank you YouthBuild USA and VISTA Volunteers!

On Tuesday, April 9, 2013 YouthBuild USA and VISTA Volunteers participated in the Nation's Mayor's Day. Bita Zahedi, Stephen Dosch, Delanoe Johnson, Colin Killick, Sarah Laski and Jaquie Martinez donated a Day of Service to the Argenziano School. Volunteers worked with students to prepare their school gardens for planting, and organized the school's Book Room.

Thank you Kaplan Career Institute!

Thanks to volunteers Lorraine Brooks, Carla Desisto, Talia Ulwick, Brian Allen, Mark McGinnis and Chris Shepley for their service to Somerville Public Schools.  Employees from the Kaplan Career Institute volunteered in 2012 for their Serve-A-Thon Day of Service with Full Circle / Next Wave Schools. Kudos for a job wonderfully done! 

Volunteers Brian Allen and Chris Shepley organize books at Next Wave / Full Circle. Photo courtesy Lorraine Brooks, Kaplan Career Institute. 

 Thank you to Boston Cares and Biogen Idec Volunteers!

SPS teamed up with Boston Cares and Biogen Idec employees for a day of service on Sept. 14. Volunteers spent the day painting maps and repainting playground courts at the Winter Hill and Kennedy Schools.  

Volunteers from Biogen Idec stand by the new US Map they painted at the Winter Hill Community School. This project was sponsored by Boston Cares and Biogen Idec.

Biogen Idec Volunteers work on an interactive World Map at the John F. Kennedy School.  

Argenziano School parent volunteer Marian Berkowitz reads with a student.

Volunteers in Schools leads to greater individual student achievement and self-confidence, improved social relationships, better attendance, and improved school-community relations. 

Schools with Volunteers are able to provide increased individual attention for students, stronger ties with the community, improved parent-teacher communications, extra hands-on projects, and higher test/grade scores.

Need one more reason to volunteer?  See a recent study about how giving time to others gives you more time:   http://www.scribd.com/doc/90848882/Report-Giving-Time-Gives-You-Time.