Volunteer
Due to COVID-19 all non-essential visitors, volunteers, and activities involving external groups or organizations are restricted.
Volunteer Opportunities
Districtwide
District Parent Advisory Council or DPAC
Meetings are held throughout the school year. DPAC is an opportunity for parents and caregivers to learn how they can be most effective in encouraging family engagement within their schools and provides an opportunity to play an active role in the decision making process of the district.
Community Partnerships
Numerous schools seek to establish community partnerships. Partnerships involve community organizations and businesses who are willing to provide enrichment resources and overall support in our schools. Suggestions for partnering include mentoring students, sponsoring literacy, numeracy, and cultural activity nights, providing donations of warm winter clothing, uniforms, school supplies, as well as positive behavior incentive items.
Grades K-3
I READ Literacy Program
In partnership with the United Way of Rock River Valley and the Literacy Council, volunteers read one-on-one with 1-2 students per week for 20 minutes each session. This program is at Constance Lane, Ellis, Hillman, Lathrop, Lewis Lemon, West View, Washington and Whitehead elementary schools.
2nd Grade
Froberg Elementary School
SAE, A World in Motion
A phenomenal, hands-on STEM program for students and volunteers. Volunteers help run the three sessions that take place throughout the year. Each session is 8-10 weeks, one day a week, for 60-90 minutes. For individuals not able to do the full 8-10 weeks, job sharing is available, but participation is so much fun it will be hard to miss a single experience! Training for each module takes place before the sessions begin. Each school year, this program needs 12-18 volunteers for each of the three time slots to provide two volunteers per class. This allows flexibility in case one of the volunteers has a conflict.
Grades 6-12
Math Mentors
Volunteers assist students by enhancing their grade level math skills. Districtwide opportunities are available.
Band Grandpa Program
This program began when a handful of retirees asked to share their love of music with RPS 205 students. The Fine Arts Department is looking for more volunteers with a background in band, choir, orchestra, art or theatre. Your experience – and time spent as a “grandpa” or “grandma” – will give students support and stability while enriching their lives with the arts.
Grades 9-12
Join an Alignment Rockford working team.
Alignment Rockford’s working teams are made up of various community members and school district personnel. These teams meet regularly in a collaborative environment to design solutions and implement pilot programs to support specific school district outcomes.
Become an Academy Support Team member.
Academy Support Team (AST) members serve as ambassadors to connect the community with teachers and students as a positive advocate for the academies in the community. Responsibilities of ASTs may include:
- Provide Curriculum Guidance - Share with staff the skills, tools, and knowledge needed to succeed in your career so teachers can incorporate these needs into their instruction.
- Support Equitable Resource Allocation - Work with teachers to evaluate their teaching resources (equipment, materials, facilities, guest speakers, etc.) to ensure all students and teachers have consistent support from the district and the community.
- Recruit Community Members - Share the opportunity to advance the teaching and learning which occurs in our schools by inviting your colleagues and other career experts you know to join the ASTs and serve as guest speakers, mentors, etc.
- Develop Project Ideas - Sharing projects which you encounter in your work so teachers can provide students with similar experiences within their courses. For example: providing a car for restoration which can be used to connect a student’s language arts, math, social studies, and science with their automotive courses.
Host a Booth at the Academy Expo.
Host a booth at our annual career demonstration event. Over 2,000 freshmen students attend the event to learn more about regional career opportunities to help them choose an Academy.
Host a site visit at your business/organization.
Host a 90-minute site visit for groups of 10th grade students, providing a facility tour and overview of the careers available within your business or organization.
Host a job shadow at your business/organization.
Host a 4-5 hour job shadow experience for a small group of students. The job shadow experience would showcase one or two specific careers and allow students to participate in an activity associated with a career.
Host a workshop for senior students.
Support students by hosting a one-time workshop on communication etiquette; professionalism; collaborative discussions and teamwork; project management; or how to deliver an effective presentation.
Be a guest speaker.
Speak to students about the path to your career, including but not limited to your education, career trajectory, or current job responsibilities.
Participate in mock interviews and/or project evaluations.
As needed, listen and evaluate student projects and/or participate in mock interviews.
Connect students to a community service experience.
Provide students access to volunteer opportunities.
Questions about these Academy volunteer opportunities?
Contact Jessica Hayes at 779-774-4389 or jessica@alignmentrockford.com.
Sign Up to be an Alignment Rockford Volunteer.
Sign Up to Provide a Virtual Career Experience.
Academy volunteers must also complete the required RPS 205 volunteer form on this page.
Volunteer Forms
Volunteer Questions?
Ask the Family and Community Engagement Department
815-966-3271