All City is considered a "specialty school" due to the high parental/family involvement throughout the entire year. There are not many schools like this one anywhere. We have parents, grandparents, and family friends that help at our school. We often get asked many questions about our school by new incoming families interested in attending All City or outside community members about what our school day looks like with the parents/volunteers here.
One question often asked is "How are parents used in and out of the classroom?" Answer: to help out with a little bit of everything! Most parents volunteer either for a morning or afternoon shift for about four hours. Some parents do commitment every other week because they have commitments they help with outside of our school day.
Ways parents help include work with small groups of children or individual help as needed. They help monitor recess and lunch and help with clean-up of trays. They help run/organize our Choice Days, chaperone field trips, drive/organize for Kids Care, and help out at swimming. They may be assigned a booth at Snowflake Shuffle or Fall Festival. They may help in many ways for the musical with costumes, makeup, directing, rehearsals, and producing the videos. They may run the Sock Hop, Welcome Picnic, Farewell/Welcome Picnic, or the End of the Year Carnival. They run our after-school clubs like Chess Club and previously French and Art Club. They make copies, cut out lamination, work on our bulletin boards, decorate our doors, help with special projects, organize Monday folders, and get our donation/snack room ready. They are active with being on our PTO as leaders. They help set up our classroom for the day and close down the classroom at the end. Parents volunteer as room parents to help with classroom parties and teacher gifts. They may be a parent trainer that trains the parents at the beginning of each year. They help correct math and organize papers. They help chaperone the beginning of the year bowling outing. They work/organize School Store and help chaperone the 4th/5th grade bike trip and big finale field trip. They help with projects needed on the EIC side from time to time. They organize the parent workroom and teacher storage areas. Parents volunteer to help out at Field Day and other special events as needed...some parents are even substitute teachers!! The list goes on and on and on! We probably left out a few of the jobs they do! ;-)
We would NOT be able to do all of the FUN things we get to do at All City without their support. We want to give a huge THANK YOU to all of our parents, grandparents, and family friends that help in any capacity. You are appreciated! All City is one big FAMILY!! Thank you, thank you, thank you! You are the best! To our outgoing families, we will miss you! Have an amazing summer and see you this fall!
Disclaimer: we did not get a picture of every single helper that comes through our doors so if you were missed we are still so thankful for all of your help!
