Parent Volunteer Information

Thank you so much for your interest in being a parent volunteer at Westfield this year! There are a number of ways you can get involved at school. You may find multiple ways that you can volunteer this year or you may just see one area you can be involved in. Either way, I encourage you to seek the volunteer opportunities that best meet the needs of your family. Every little bit helps! Below are some ways you can get involved:

Parent volunteer in classroom: Westfield welcomes parents who would like to volunteer in their child’s classroom. All you need to do is make arrangements with the teacher as to what days and times are the most beneficial to work in the classroom and then sign in to the front office to receive your visitor’s pass. Classroom volunteers often correct papers, file, make copies, or even work with students. Fingerprinting to volunteer in the classroom is not mandatory, but is highly recommended.
Parent volunteer on campus: Many parents enjoy volunteering, but prefer to work outside of the regular classroom setting. Campus volunteers often help with organizing and stocking the Resource Room, keep outside bulletin boards up-to-date, make copies, account for materials, organize and run Family Fun Nights, and help with other duties as needed. Fingerprinting to volunteer on campus is not mandatory, but is highly recommended.
Parent chaperone on field trips: Often the highlight of the school year is going on field trips with your child’s class. Your child’s teacher will inform you when a field trip is scheduled. If you wish to volunteer to go on field trips then please let your child’s teacher know. Fingerprinting for parent/guardian chaperones on field trips is mandatory.
Class donations: If you are unable to donate your time to volunteer at school or go on field trips then items for class donations are greatly appreciated. Oftentimes teachers will ask parents to send certain items to school to help with a class project. Monetary donations are also accepted and are considered a tax write-off. Please contact your child’s teacher if you wish to donate school items or make a monetary donation to your child’s class fund. All monetary donations, if specified, are used to help fund class field trips or purchase materials for your child’s class. Fingerprinting for donations is not necessary.
School donations: Many times parents wish to donate items or money to be used school-wide. Any donation you wish to provide would be greatly appreciated. Examples of donation items are: flowers and soil for our planters, umbrellas and stands for our benches, or playground toys for recess. Monetary donations are also accepted and are considered a tax write-off. Monetary donations to be used school-wide will help fund our marquis project and possibly go towards a shade structure over our outdoor eating area. Please contact the school office if you wish to make any donations.
School Site Council or English Language Advisory Committee: These two committees meet between five and six times a year and work with school staff to, among other things, review and revise the Single Plan for School Achievement and approve the budget each year. Members are voted into the councils through an election process. The School Site Council welcomes any parent/guardian to be involved. The English Language Advisory Committee (ELAC) is reserved for parents of our English Learners. If you are interested in being a part of SSC or ELAC, please contact the school office.

Fingerprinting Process: Any parent/guardian interested in chaperoning a school trip must go through the fingerprinting process at the District Office. It is also recommended that parents/guardians be fingerprinted if they are regularly volunteering in a classroom or at the school site. The cost is a one-time fee of $25 and will clear you to volunteer throughout your child’s remaining time in the Porterville Unified School District regardless of what school s/he attends. Please contact the Westfield office to make your fingerprinting appointment. Fingerprints will be done at the District Office, located at 600 W. Grand Avenue. An appointment must be made at Westfield prior to reporting to the District Office. If you have any questions, please contact the Westfield office.