The following is a list of volunteer opportunities and LAEF Programs that are available at Oak Avenue Elementary School:

AUCTION

The Auction & Community Spring Social is a fun event that not only strengthens the parent community but also raises substantial funds for Oak School.  Chairs select a theme and plan a party that is fit for the ages.  Numerous volunteers are needed to help plan and manage this exciting event which is traditionally held in April. To volunteer to help register HERE.

BOOKTACULAR

Booktacular Week encompasses several of our fun, literary events like our Kinder Super Readers Parade (put on by the teachers), Readathon, Literary Character Spirit Day, and our Book Swap and Snack. Volunteers can help this week by advertising the events through assemblies, flyers, and social media platforms, organizing donations for the Swap and Snack, donating to baked goods, or encouraging the children to read.  Come bring your creativity and craft to this amazing week of events!  To volunteer to help, please register HERE.

CLASS PHOTOGRAPHER/YEARBOOK

Help create lasting memories by signing up to be a yearbook classroom photographer!  Your photos will be used to create the classroom layout for the yearbook!  Volunteering in this role includes: 1) photographing key events throughout the year (August - April); 2) Confirming every child is photographed (individual pics, small group pics, and some classroom pics); 3) Uploading photos to Oak's SmugMug site in a timely manner; 4) Contacting Room Parents to contribute photographs for the year; and 5) recruiting volunteers to format one (1) yearbook page for their class in the Spring. To volunteer to help, please register HERE.

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

This committee manages the emergency supply shed for Oak School (checking supply quantities and replenishing as necessary).  They also help run a school-wide emergency drill in the Fall.  Volunteers help keep Oak prepared and ensure safety for our students.  To volunteer to help, please register HERE.

FIELD DAY

This is a school-wide event that celebrates the end of the school year.  There are fun relay style and water games, minute-to-win-it games and more!  Lunch is included, which is followed by an assembly and popsicles. This event requires many volunteers to make it fun and successful for our students.  This is a fun event for working parents to help if you can take just one day off from work this school year to help out!  To volunteer to help, please register HERE.

GOGREEN COMMITTEE

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.  Volunteers for the GoGreen Committee will help bring awareness, education and action as to how the Oak community can further reduce, reuse and recycle.  Our goal is to work with Oak's students to help further this program - but we also need adult volunteers to oversee the program.  To volunteer to help, please register HERE.

HOSPITALITY

The Hospitality Committee assists the PTA with refreshments and decor to create a fun and welcoming environment for a variety of PTA events throughout the year.  Volunteers help by setting up and decorating, and purchasing, baking and delivering food appropriate for each occasion.  To volunteer to help, please register HERE.

INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL & POTLUCK

Oak community members are invited to represent and showcase a country at a booth during the festival. All attendees bring a potluck dish from a country of their choice.  Volunteers would help with food coordination, work a booth, advertising, event set-up and clean-up and more. This festival is a great way to explore different cultural backgrounds at Oak and around the world! To volunteer to help, please register HERE.

JUNIOR OLYMPICS

This is a track and field event for all Los Altos School District 4th-6th graders.  It usually takes place on a Saturday in April.  Training for JO begins in March, during scheduled times with the PE teacher and parent volunteers.  Relay trainers for each grade and a coordinator in each grade level are also needed.  Numerous volunteers are needed on the day of the event to help set up, provide first aid and help with overall logistics.  To volunteer to help, please register HERE.

LIBRARY HELPERS

Volunteers help out in the library (during their child's classroom library time) by checking in and out books, running overdue reports and shelving books.  This is a great opportunity for volunteers to get to know the kids in their child's class.  Depending on the number of volunteers from each class, volunteers will be in the library every other, or every third week, for about 45 minutes. To volunteer, please register HERE.

NOON PLAY VOLUNTEERS

The purpose of the Noon Play Program is to help create a safe, fun and respectful lunch recess.  Parent volunteers assist younger children with lunches and supervise the playground, field, garden and blacktop areas.  Volunteers typically work once a week or twice a month from 11:50-12:45.  Younger siblings are always welcome to join parent volunteers.  Filling the noon play shifts are critical in keeping a safe and happy recess at Oak.  To volunteer, please register HERE.

OAK GARDENS

Our gardens at Oak are beautiful because of our volunteers.  In this role, volunteers are responsible for: 1) Planting, harvesting, and maintaining our Edible Garden, Native Garden, Front Flower Beds and Kindergarten Garden, and 2) helping students explore plant life cycles, growing and harvesting.  This is a great opportunity to help maintain Oak's beauty and nurture a love of nature in our young learners.  To volunteer, please register HERE.

OAK GIVES BACK

Oak Gives Back wants to give our students volunteer opportunities to serve our greater community.  The goal is to offer immersive school-wide volunteer events to let the children demonstrate empathy and compassion for others.  Examples of potential projects include: 1) Project Linus (make blankets for children in need); 2) Operation Shoebox (support troops by creating care packages); 3) Rise Against Hunger (on-site meal packaging event); and 3) Volunteering at a Food Pantry (sorting and serving food).  To volunteer, please register HERE.

OAK WEBSITE PROJECTS

Oak School has a wonderful volunteer Webmaster!  Every now and then, he/she could use a few extra hands to help with website updates, changes, projects.  If you have any website experience or are interested in learning, please volunteer to help.  This is a great job for working parents who can make updates from home!  To volunteer to help, please register HERE.

OAK’S GOT TALENT

Oak's Got Talent is our student talent show.  This is a great event, highlighting the many amazing talents hidden in the Oak community.  Volunteers will help with auditions, dress rehearsal, and with ensuring the event runs smoothly.  To volunteer to help, please register HERE.

ROOM PARENTS

Each classroom is assigned 1-3 room parents. Room parents recruit volunteers to help with two (2) class parties and other classroom help as needed by the teacher.  Teachers use their room parents in different ways to support their classroom activities.  Room parents coordinate teacher appreciation activities for Teacher Appreciation Week.  To volunteer to help, please register HERE.   

STAFF APPRECIATION WEEK COMMITTEE

The Staff Appreciation Week Committee helps to organize activities for Staff Appreciation Week.  Their main focus is to support the non-classroom staff by coordinating the door decorations and arranging the flower vases and student cards/gifts.  They may also support Oak's PTA throughout the year to support our staff, as needed.  Staff/Teacher Appreciation Week is typically in April or May.  To volunteer to help, please register HERE.

UNIVERSAL MEALS PROGRAM

The California-sponsored Universal Meals Program (“Meals Program”) offers breakfast and lunch five days a week to all grades.  This Meals Program is made possible through the efforts of many wonderful parent volunteers.  Volunteers help serve breakfast/lunch every week or every other week from 8:00-8:30AM and/or 11:45-12:45PM.  Participation in the Program requires two online training sessions to be eligible.  To volunteer to help, please register HERE.

WALK/BIKE TO SCHOOL

Volunteers promote walking, biking or carpooling via special events throughout the year, such as refreshments and prizes for participants once a month in the morning!  To volunteer to help, please register HERE.

WALK-A-THON

The Walk-A-Thon brings the entire school together for a fun-filled day of exercise, entertainment, and fundraising.  The Committee includes both creative and administrative volunteer opportunities.  The amount of time required for each position differs.  Numerous volunteers are required at all levels, as ongoing planners and/or for a few hours on the day of the event.  The Walkathon takes place in October.  To volunteer to help, please register HERE.

WELCOME COMMITTEE

The Welcome Committee welcomes new families to Oak by providing information and opportunities to connect to Oak's Community.  They host TK/Kinder Socials over the summer, attend Back to School Events and connect new families with current oak families throughout the year.  They also work closely with the Oak PTA to build a true and lasting sense of community at Oak.   The Committee often needs volunteers to help host events or prepare welcome packages for new families.  If you're interested in helping welcome new families to Oak next year please sign up HERE.

If you are interested in volunteering in any capacity, please visit the volunteer tables at the Back-To-School Social and Coffee or email oakptapresident@gmail.com.

LAEF CLASSROOM PROGRAMS

Below are programs Oak offers in partnership with the Los Altos School District with funding from the Los Altos Educational Foundation.  These are wonderful opportunities for parents interested in working directly with students by helping out in the classroom.
 

• LOS ALTOS ART DOCENT PROGRAM
  The Los Altos Art Docents are actively seeking new recruits to help meet the demands of our ever-growing school district.  No experience with teaching?  No artistic talent?  No problem!  We will train you!  Training has historically been held on Thursday mornings from 9:00-11:30AM from September through April.  (And as an added bonus, they feed you breakfast each Thursday!)  If you don't have time to train and volunteer as an Art Docent, they invite you to volunteer to help in your child's classroom when an Art Docent lesson is being taught.  Watch for these sign-up opportunities throughout the year.  Watch for these sign-up opportunities throughout the year or register to help HERE.
   
• LIVING CLASSROOM
  Share your love of nature with kids!  The Living Classroom Program is looking for volunteers to deliver hands-on garden-based lessons to students at Oak.  If you enjoy working with young learners, exploring nature, and exercising your creative skills, then you should consider becoming a Living Classroom docent!  No experience necessary.  Volunteer docents attend scheduled training sessions to learn the curriculum and relevant lesson delivery techniques.  To volunteer, please register HERE.