As a parent of a child registered at Somerset Academy - Miramar, you are required to volunteer 30 hours per academic year (40 if you have children in both middle and elementary schools) .  This can be either in the classroom or outside of the classroom.  We welcome the opportunity for parents to participate in classroom activities.  Each parent that wishes to volunteer in the classroom must complete the Broward County Public Schools Volunteer Application and submit it to the school office for clearance prior to being eligible to work with students in the class. 

•  BCPS Volunteer Application - PDF/Adobe Acrobat Reader File     

The following provides a brief list of suggestions on what to do to complete your volunteer hours.  At least 15 hours (or 1/2 of the volunteer hour family commitment) must be completed by February 15th of the current school year and all volunteer hours must be completed by May 31st of the current school year.  Remember, Somerset Academy - Miramar is a school of choice and, therefore, those children whose volunteer hour commitment is not completed by the end of the current school year will not be invited back to Somerset Academy - Miramar for the following school year.

Helping Hands for Academics:

• Read to or with children
• Drill students with flash cards (ABCs, Times Tables, etc.)
• Cut out or prepare materials for an art or science lesson
• Assist children at the computers
• Work one-on-one with students having difficulty in a subject that you are comfortable in
• Work one-on-one with students who speak limited English
• Help students research information during research report writing (done monthly)
• Be a guest speaker to share information about which you are well-informed.  For example, if you are a history buff, teach or tell about a historical event as it pertains to our social studies themes; share cultural experiences; during a career day, share job information and/or expertise.  Feel free to bring in any objects related to what you are sharing.  Let your child’s teacher know if you are specialized or well-informed about anything in particular at the beginning of the year.  That way, the teacher can plan to have you present.
• Dramatically read and record a story onto a cassette tape for students to listen.
• Check out books in the library for classroom topics
• Assist in teaching a foreign language lesson
• Make educational games
• Help students research information
• Help with aromatic arts, music lessons or sing-alongs
• Make puppets
• Create a center and help carry it out

 Helping Hands for Special Activities:

• Teach or play games with children during recess or P.E.
• Assist with an art or cooking project
• Help with music activities, such as singing practice and instruction
• Help paint, paper mache, or cut boxes for school play props
• Help during special events, such as Field Days, project days, holiday parties, or fundraiser activities
• Chaperone field trips
• Research and call upon community resources (for guest speakers, field trip and grant suggestions, fund raising ideas, donations for special events, computer software, etc.) 
• Record a special song for students to learn to sing.
• Serving on special committees
• Help set-up/decorate bulletin boards

 Always needed Donations:

• Snacks/Drinks/Candy/Treats
• Paper towels/Napkins/Paper plates/Plastic bowls/Paper cups/Plastic silverware
• Shoeboxes
• New or used books for our library
• Items on Teachers Wish-List

MANDATORY Policies for School Volunteers: