Volunteers return to school with students

Special to Leader-Press

As students headed back into the classroom last week, so did hundreds of CCISD volunteers. Handling a myriad of clerical duties that free up paraprofessionals and teachers to spend more academic time with students, volunteers rack up thousands upon thousands of hours of service each year.  
Fairview/Miss Jewell volunteers contributed 2,077 hours last year, nearly 400 more hours of service over the prior school year said, Principal Leah Miller said.
“These volunteers provided assistance and enhanced learning experiences for all of the students here,” Miller said. 
Clements/Parsons Elementary Assistant Principal Kirk Balk said school volunteers recorded 4,595 almost doubling the 2,629 volunteers recorded in the 2015-2016 school year.  
“They assisted us in so many ways - in the office, in the library, in classrooms, during fundraisers and PTO functions,” he said. “When you think of the number of hours these individuals put in, it is plain to see that we couldn’t really function without them.”
With 2662 ½ hours accrued, Williams/Ledger Elementary School volunteers are invaluable, Principal Marla Sullivan said.  
“Whether it is reading to students, working at special events such as field day, copying papers, laminating or ‘just’ running kids between the buildings, our volunteers provide a valuable gift to us in the form of additional people,” Sullivan said. “Their selfless gift of time ensures that our teachers are able to focus their time and efforts on planning and delivering instruction to our students.”
At the junior high level, it is less common to have volunteer support as students get older. But, S.C. Lee Principal Kayleen Love considers the school very fortunate to have had more than 350 hours of volunteer support over the last year.  
“Their help is a tremendous burden-reliever to the staff and affords students the opportunity to participate in additional extra-curricular events,” Love said. “I encourage all of our parents, especially the parents of our new 6th grade class, to join the PTA and be a part of the wonderful support they provide.” 
With nearly 2,000 hours of service last year, parents and community members made Copperas Cove Junior High’s clubs and programs swell in success and popularity, Principal Randy Troub said.  
“They help staff in classrooms, make costumes and stage sets, chaperone events and activities and help encourage students and staff members,” he said.
There were 764 volunteers giving a total of 2411½ hours of service to CCISD’s youngest students at Mae Stevens Early Learning Academy, Principal Mary Derrick said.  
“(Our volunteers) enriched the school with positive interaction, support, creativity and encouragement,” she said. 
Parent Liaison Sandra Ziehlke said Hettie Halstead Elementary reported 1,929 hours of volunteer time.
“From putting up our bulletin boards at the beginning of the year to taking them down at the end of the year, they helped our teachers with lots of cutting and laminating,” she said. “They were always there even at a last moment’s call.”