Riverdale Volunteers Rock!
Do you know what helps make Riverdale great? Our wonderful parents "partner" with our students to make school a successful and rewarding experience.
There are many volunteer opportunities at Riverdale for parents, grandparents, guardians, relatives and friends of Riverdale students. Much of what happens at Riverale is a result of volunteers offering their experience, time and talents to various events and activities.
Below are opportunities sponsored by the school or PTSA where volunteers are needed. If you are interested, fill out the Volunteer sign-up form found here and return it to the school office. Your time, and most of all, your willingness to help is what continues to make Riverdale great!!
Accelerated Reader Volunteer
The Accelerated Reader (AR) program at Riverdale is a school-wide independent reading program where students earn points by taking AR tests on the books they have read. These points can be used to shop in the AR Store. Once a quarter Accelerated Reader volunteers take AR Store orders from the students. These volunteers then help fill the orders and deliver the orders to the students.
Best Buddies Breakfast Volunteer
This event is a special opportunity for students and their "best buddies" (Mom, Dad, Uncle etc) to enjoy breakfast together! The breakfast is held in the Spring of the school year. Best Buddy Breakfast volunteers help by selling advance tickets, serving in the kitchen during the event, and assisting with set-up and clean-up on the day of the event.
Box Tops Volunteer
Riverdale collects "Box Tops for Education" through out the year. "Box Top" contests are held in September and January to benefit the library. For each contest, 10,000 - 13,000 box tops are collected. Volunteers are needed at the end of these two months to help cut, count, box and mail them in.
Health Clinic Volunteer
Health Clinic Volunteers provide a friendly face and words of encouragement to the children when they get scrapes or don’t feel well. They take temperatures, administer first aid, and call parents when needed. You do not have to have professional medical training to volunteer in the clinic, just be willing to help.
Computer Lab Volunteer
Volunteers are needed during the year to assist the younger grades in the computer lab. Even if you do not know how to operate a computer, you can be a computer helper. A training workshop is provided at the beginning of the school year to familiarize you with the computer and Riverdale’s computer lab.
Donuts for Dads Volunteer
This is a special breakfast for students and their Dads (and/or Grandfathers, etc.) that will be held in the Fall! Usually the Moms volunteer to help with "Donuts for Dad" by selling advance tickets, serving in the kitchen during the event, and assisting with set-up and clean-up on the day of the event.
Field Day Volunteer
Field Day is a two-day event held in May. The first day is for Kindergarten through 4th grade and the second day is for 5th grade through 8th grade. Volunteers are needed to assist the coaches in organizing the event. Volunteers are also needed to run the games and activities during the days Field Day is held.
Golf Tournament Committee
Riverdale’s golf tournament is held in May. Volunteers help organize the annual tournament held at Stonebridge Golf Course. On the day of the tournament, volunteers take pictures, sell door prize/mulligan tickets, and monitor contest holes.
Incentive Volunteer
This group gathers area gift certificates and other creative incentives during the year to be used as rewards for all of Riverdale’s employees.
Landscape Crew
Riverdale has a beautiful campus. Volunteers in this group help to keep our play areas painted and help beautify our school grounds by planting bulbs and flowers. Special workdays are scheduled throughout the year and regular volunteers are always needed to assist with various tasks during the year.
Library Volunteer
Lots of volunteers are needed in the school library. These dedicated volunteers help in the library by shelving books, filing materials, reading to younger students, and doing any other task that is needed. Most library helpers volunteer on a regular weekly schedule. Library helpers also assist with the book fair.
Muffins for Moms Helper
This is a special breakfast for students and their Moms (and/or Grandmothers, etc.) that is held in the Fall. Usually the Dads volunteer to help with "Muffins for Moms" by selling advance tickets, serving in the kitchen during the event, and assisting with set-up and clean-up on the day of the event.
Music Volunteer
Volunteers are occasionally needed as accompanists for the choral groups, school music programs or other presentations. Music Helpers are used through out the year to assist with various needs of Riverdale’s music programs.
Principal’s Task Force (Office Support)
Principal’s Task Force volunteers are called as needed to assist with special projects for the Principal including fall & spring school pictures and Kindergarten & 8th grade graduation pictures. Other projects often include assisting as office helpers by copying, assembling, sorting, filing, answering phones, and stuffing envelopes. This group is also called upon as needed to volunteer at various events and activities sponsored by the school during the year.
PTSA Fall Fundraiser/Auction & Dinner
The Auction is the finale for the PTSA’s fall fundraising drive and supports, among other programs, the Accelerated Reader program and technology. Volunteers are needed to help with the planning of the event, collecting donations for the auction, selling advance tickets, and working in various areas the night of the dinner and auction.
PTSA Spring Fundraiser
Proceeds from the PTSA Spring Fundraisers allow the PTSA to meet a variety of different needs at Riverdale. Volunteers are needed to help with distributing the fundraiser materials, collecting orders, and picking up orders. Volunteers also assist with the various awards given to the students based on their level of fundraising.
PTSA Hospitality
PTSA Hospitality volunteers provide and serve refreshments, desserts, and snacks for the PTSA general membership meetings and for various other meetings and brunches during the school year.
PTSA Receptions (Eighth Grade Graduation & Kindergarten Graduation)
The PTSA Receptions Committee needs volunteers during the Kindergarten Graduation Reception to help set-up, decorate, and serve refreshments and during the Eighth Grade Graduation to help set up, decorate, and coordinate flowers/boutonnieres for the graduates. The PTSA Receptions Committee also plans a luncheon and goodies for the teachers/staff during American Education Week in November.
PTSA Teacher Recognition (Monthly Luncheons)
Each month a grade level sponsors a themed luncheon for the teachers by sending in food (which is coordinated by room parents and grade level coordinators). Additional volunteers are needed each month to help serve, set up, and clean up during the luncheon.
Race for Education
The Race for Education began in 2001 as a way to provide money to the art, music, and physical education programs at each school in the Shelby County School District. On the day of the Race, volunteers are needed for everything… set-up/clean-up, registration (including handing out t-shirts, water, bibs for the racers, chips for timing the racers), organize the start line, clip the chips at the finish line, and hand out water to the racers during the race. This is a fun event for the entire family.
Spring Picnic Committee
The Riverdale Spring Picnic was first held in 1995 to celebrate Riverdale’s 25th Anniversary. Since then it has become an annual event. Activities at the picnic include: carnival games, a cakewalk, food vendors, a dunk tank, moon bounces, and much more! Volunteers are needed to assist in planning and organizing the event. On the day of the Spring Picnic, additional parent and student volunteers are needed to supervise games and booths.
TCAP Proctor
During TCAP week in the spring, monitors are needed to assist teachers with the testing process for grades 3-8. Volunteers are assigned as monitors in a classroom other than their child’s classroom during the testing period.
Technology Support
TeamVolunteers are needed to assist the school with fundraising programs that directly support technology at Riverdale. This group helps with the grocery certificate program and seeks out other funding ideas.
Tutoring
Parent tutor volunteers aid teachers in giving additional practice or instructional time to students identified by the teachers as needing extra help in Reading, Spelling, Math, or English. Some tutors may be assigned during the first two weeks of school. Most tutors will be assigned a student after the first report card period, allowing teachers the opportunity to determine which students will benefit from additional one on one instruction. The success of our tutoring program depends upon the abilities, energy, and commitment of our volunteers!
Typing Volunteers
Typing Volunteers are occasionally asked to help teachers, the office staff, or PTSA committees with special typing needs or data entry. Typing volunteers can usually work on these projects at home.
Additional Opportunities During the School Year
Donate items: You can donate items through out the year to the clinic, library, art room, music room, school office, or a specific classroom. Specific items needed are posted on the PTSA website www.riverdaleptsa.com.
Visit this website for updated information and additional volunteer opportunities.
