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Connection Mentor volunteers serve as positive role models for students and provide encouragement and a listening ear. Mentors meet once a week with their student for approximately 30-45 minutes.

Required training is provided, and all Mentors must be fingerprinted.

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Reading Acceleration Program

RAP Volunteers support 1st and 2nd grade students who are reading below grade level. RAP Volunteers read and tutor one student at a time for 30 minutes once a week. Required training is provided, and all RAP Volunteers must be fingerprinted.

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Volunteers teach students basic hand-washing skills and cold/flu prevention in an upbeat fun program (30 minutes). This program is supported by the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Program. Training is provided.

Program Partners: UF/IFAS/Seminole County Extension

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Living On My Own (LOMO)-

is a hands-on, real-life simulation where students learn about money management and consumer choices that can impact their future. In this activity, students roleplay with an assigned 25-year-old identity (i.e. married or single, children or without children), an occupation, and a monthly income. Students visit tables and make spending decisions on transportation, housing, insurance, utilities, etc. After each transaction, students use a debit card/check to deduct from their balance. Stations for the simulation represent real life businesses, and volunteers assist students in making informed choices.

Program Partners: UF/IFAS/Seminole County Extension

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https://www.eventbrite.com/e/school-dividends-growing-gardens-tickets-1417622680599

Growing Gardens

Vegetable Gardens
Hydroponics
Pollinator Gardens
Seed Startling
Natural Growing Practices

…and more!

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TEACH-IN �November 18, 2025

Teach-In highlights the importance of connecting teachers, parents, students, and stakeholders in partnership to explore and highlight all that our community offers. Speakers step into a classroom to share information about their jobs or careers, travels, community programs, or interesting hobbies with our students.

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Finding Your Voice

This inspiring program is designed to bring together leaders in education to motivate girls in Grades 5th-8th and empower them with confidence, leadership, and communication skills to discover and voice their passions and ambitions and plan a pathway to achieve them. Prior to the Summit, the students participate in a series of group counseling sessions led by School Counselors, Social Workers, etc.

These sessions are focused on helping the students improve their conflict resolution skills, teach mindfulness activities to help with emotional regulation and self-awareness, and to promote kindness and positive relationships with their peers.

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Dividend Application * Online Training * 4-hour Practicum * $150 Stipend

(SCPS Mentors require Connections Mentor Training Completion and Fingerprinting.)

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Community Connections

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As a Partner in Education, you can participate in a variety of ways, including:

Volunteer at Campus Beautification Days and Event & Program Support
Become a Classroom Presenter
Donate Resources and Materials (food drives, school supplies, incentives)
Join PTA
Provide Internships
Support Academic Programs, Family Nights, Science Fairs, and County Events

Your involvement can make a significant difference in the lives of our students and help build a stronger community. There are opportunities to Adopt-A-School or to build a District Partnership.

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Adopt-A-School

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District Partners

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The Giving Tree supports our homeless and economically disadvantaged SCPS students through donations to SCPS during the holiday season. As we approach the season of giving, SCPS is excited to launch our annual Giving Tree from November 3rd to December 9th, 2025. Last year, thanks to the generosity of our community, we were able to support over 1,000 students in need, fulfilling the children’s wishes and making the holidays a little brighter for our families. The Giving Tree is a cherished tradition that brings our community together to support students facing a variety of challenges. We need your help again this year to ensure that all students can experience the joy and magic of the holiday season. Purchasing a toy, gift card, or making a monetary donation provides a little holiday magic for our students in need!

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School Needs & Opportunities

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PTA/PTSA/PTO

Our PTA is so excited to team up with you this year for support, partnership, and FUN! We have big plans in store for student enrichment, family engagement, and staff appreciation. We believe that together, we can make every child's potential a reality--but we need YOU! Will you join the PTA this year?

For only $5, your membership shows your support for what we do as a PTA. We've had great success reaching 100% participation from our staff the past few years--let's keep that streak going! An added perk of being a PTA member is eligibility for our popular classroom grants! And to sweeten the deal, we are also offering PTA Swag Bags exclusively to our teachers and staff who join by August 31!�
You have to renew your membership every year, but signing up is easy: just go to this site, enter your info, and pay your $5 dues online!

� https://layerelementary.memberhub.com/store/items/727451��

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Policies and Procedures

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Visitor �or �Volunteer

Visitors may attend any academic meetings concerning their students , watch a program or awards ceremony from the audience, and eat lunch with their students.

Volunteers must complete the annual Dividends Application. Volunteers are working with students and supporting school events, chaperoning field trips, helping in a classroom, etc.

All Visitors and Volunteers must sign in and out through Raptor and bring a Drivers License to sign in each time.

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Raptor Dividend Volunteer Application

Personal Information Page-Please be sure the name on your application matches your photo ID.
Building-Select where you want to volunteer.
Function-Select the type of volunteering. Please do not select a function you have not been fingerprinted for at this time.
Organization-Optional.
If you get stopped in the process, email Community Involvement.
Approval 24-48 hours

Use a computer if you can.

No Social Security Number?

Contact communityinvolvement@scps.k12.fl.us

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Dividend Guidelines

Volunteering should be FUN! Enjoy your time as you make a difference in the life of a child!

Sign-In & Sign-Out (Safety and Security)

Please honor your commitment.

Dress appropriately for school setting.

Always have a district person with you unless you are a mentor or tutor.

Never discipline a student.

Confidentiality – what happens in the classroom stays there.

Never participate in social media activities during classroom volunteer time.

Volunteer time vs. Parent-Teacher conference.

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Dividend Guidelines

Dividends may not conduct personal business at school.

Do not bring other children during volunteer time.

Dividends should not provide gifts of value to students.

Dividends are assigned to staff members who have requested volunteers.

Dividends agree to abide by SCPS School Board Policies and Procedures.

Dividends are only permitted on school campuses when volunteering.

Dividends may not attend or visit classroom unless volunteering.

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Duties

Duties assigned to school volunteers shall be consistent with Florida law and State Board of Education rules. Volunteers must agree to abide by all Board policies and District guidelines while on duty as a volunteer, including signing, if appropriate, the District’s Acceptable Use Policy Agreement. The Principal shall be responsible for assigning duties of school volunteers.
The Superintendent shall inform all volunteers who work or apply to work with children on a regular basis of the need to display appropriate behavior at all times.

Volunteers shall not:

A. Establish instructional objectives.

B. Make decisions regarding the relevancy of certain activities or procedures to the attainment of instructional objectives.

C. Make decisions regarding the appropriateness of certain teaching materials for accomplishing instructional objectives.

D. Make judgments regarding the attainment of instructional objectives, unless these judgments are based upon clear and objective criteria (such as specific achievement standards on a true-false test).

Confidential Information

Volunteers shall maintain strict confidentiality of all school or classroom information to which they have access while performing their volunteer activities.

SCPS Policy, Procedure & Guidelines

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9200-Volunteers

Legal Protection

Pursuant to Florida law, a school volunteer who has been duly approved by the Superintendent shall incur no civil liability for any act or omission by the volunteer that results in personal injury or property damage if the volunteer was acting in good faith within the scope of the official duties performed under such volunteer service; the volunteer was acting as an ordinary reasonably prudent person would have acted under the same or similar circumstances; and the injury or damage was not caused by any wanton or willful misconduct on the part of the volunteer in the performance of their volunteer duties.

Removal of Volunteers

Volunteers are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner. Volunteers who act unprofessionally, fail to abide by Florida law and/or Board policies, or otherwise act in a manner contrary to the expectations of an employee of this District may be removed as an approved volunteer by the Superintendent or Principal. Volunteers who fail to fulfill their duties may also be removed by the Superintendent or Principal.

Workers’ Compensation Coverage

Volunteers will be covered by the District’s workers’ compensation insurance policy. All volunteers must sign in when arriving on school grounds and sign out when leaving school grounds. Failure to do so may result in a denial of workers’ compensation insurance coverage.

Records

The Superintendent will require that accurate records be maintained of volunteer hours of service, duties, and training.

SCPS Policy, Procedure & Guidelines

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Volunteers �Are �Mandatory Reporters

Child Abuse Hotline

1-800-96ABUSE (22873)

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Dividend FAQS?

Can I volunteer at home? Yes! Let the school know you are available.

What happens if I forget to sign out of Raptor? Please don’t forget! But if it happens call the school so they can sign you out. This is a safety concern.

I have a PTA name badge do I still need to print a Raptor badge? Yes, SCPS prefers name badges with photos for safety and security.

I volunteer with the high school band; how do I report my volunteer hours? Every volunteer has access to their personal Volunteer Portal. The Volunteer Portal allows you to enter all volunteer service hours when not on a school campus during school hours.
Do I need to be fingerprinted? A level two background screening is required for Connections Mentors, Overnight Chaperones, RAP, Tutors, and Volunteer Coaches.

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Volunteer Portal

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Thank You from our CI Team!

Caryn Hinrichs, Community Involvement Manager

Tara St. John, Executive Secretary

Katie Burris, Program Assistant

Sahmiah Eacret, Program Assistant & Rap Educator

Tracy Sellers, RAP Educator

Email: communityinvolvement@scps.k12.fl.us

407-320-0185

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