Room Parents & Volunteers Needed!

The heart of Wilder Elementary beats strongest when our community comes together, and there’s no better way to make that happen than through our amazing parent volunteers! Whether you have fifteen minutes or fifteen hours to spare each month, we have the perfect volunteer opportunity waiting for you. From being a classroom Room Parent to helping at our biggest events, every contribution makes a meaningful difference in our students’ experience.

Why Volunteer at Wilder?

When parents get involved, magic happens. Our volunteers don’t just support events and activities-they create the warm, welcoming community that makes Wilder special. Every time you lend a hand, you’re showing our kids that their school matters, their education is valued, and their community cares deeply about their success.

Volunteering also gives you an inside look at your child’s school day, helps you connect with other families, and provides opportunities to build relationships with teachers and staff. Plus, our students absolutely light up when they see familiar faces around campus!

Room Parent Opportunities: The Heart of Classroom Community

Room Parents serve as the vital link between families, teachers, and classroom activities. This role is perfect for parents who want to stay connected to their child’s daily school experience while helping create memorable moments for the entire class.

What Do Room Parents Do?

As a Room Parent, you’ll coordinate with your child’s teacher to support classroom needs throughout the year. This might include organizing seasonal celebrations or helping with field trip logistics. You’ll also serve as a communication hub, sharing important classroom updates with other parents and helping coordinate group gifts or appreciation gestures for teachers.

The time commitment is flexible-some months might require just a few emails, while party planning weeks might need a bit more coordination. Most Room Parents find they spend about 2-3 hours per month on their duties, with the busiest times being around major holidays and special classroom events.

Room Parent Perks

Being a Room Parent comes with some wonderful benefits. You’ll get to know your child’s classmates and their families better, creating connections that often last well beyond elementary school. Teachers deeply appreciate having a reliable point person for parent coordination, and you’ll often be the first to hear about exciting classroom projects and achievements.

Many Room Parents also find that the role helps them stay more connected to their child’s academic and social development, as they’re naturally more involved in classroom activities and have regular communication with the teacher.

Event Volunteers: Making the Big Moments Shine

Our school year is packed with exciting events that bring our community together, and each one relies on dedicated volunteers to make them successful. From our annual Carnival to STEM Night, Art Night, and seasonal celebrations, there’s an event that matches every interest and schedule.

Carnival Volunteers

Our annual Carnival is one of Wilder’s biggest community celebrations, and it takes dozens of volunteers to pull off this amazing event. We need helpers for game booths, concession stands, setup and cleanup crews, ticket sales, and activity coordination. Carnival volunteers often say it’s one of the most fun ways to get involved-you get to see kids having a blast while working alongside other parents in a festive atmosphere.

Academic Event Support

STEM Night and Art Night showcase our students’ incredible talents and creativity, but they need volunteer support to run smoothly. Volunteers help with setup, guide families through activities, assist with demonstrations, and support cleanup. These events are especially rewarding because you get to see firsthand the amazing work our students are doing in the classroom.

Flexible Ways to Get Involved

We understand that every family has different schedules, commitments, and availability. That’s why we’ve designed our volunteer opportunities to be as flexible as possible, ensuring everyone can find a way to contribute that works for their lifestyle.

One-Time Event Helpers

If you can’t commit to ongoing roles but want to help when you can, one-time event volunteering is perfect. Sign up for just the events that work with your schedule-maybe you can help with the Fall Carnival but not the Spring Art Night, and that’s completely fine! Every contribution matters.

Behind-the-Scenes Support

Not everyone wants to be front and center at events, and we have plenty of opportunities for volunteers who prefer to work behind the scenes. This might include preparing materials at home, making phone calls, creating decorations, or handling administrative tasks that can be done on your own schedule.

Specialized Skills Volunteers

Do you have a particular talent or professional skill that could benefit our community? We’re always looking for volunteers with specialized abilities-perhaps you’re great at graphic design and could help with event flyers, or you have carpentry skills and could assist with building projects. Your unique talents are valuable to our school community.

Getting Started: The Simple Path to Volunteering

Becoming a Wilder volunteer is straightforward, and we’re here to support you every step of the way. The first step is completing the Lake Washington School District volunteer application process, which ensures the safety and security of all our students.

LWSD Volunteer Approval Process

All volunteers, whether you’re planning to help once or regularly throughout the year, must be approved through the Lake Washington School District volunteer system. This process includes a background check and typically takes 1-2 weeks to complete, though it can take longer during busy periods at the beginning of the school year.

The good news is that once you’re approved, your clearance is valid for two full years, so you won’t need to repeat the process again next school year. We recommend starting the application process early to ensure you’re ready to volunteer when opportunities arise.

Ready to Get Involved?

We’re excited to welcome new volunteers to our Wilder community! Whether you’re interested in being a Room Parent, helping with events, or contributing in other ways, there’s a perfect opportunity waiting for you.

To get started, visit our volunteer sign-up form where you can indicate your interests and availability. This helps us match you with opportunities that align with your schedule and preferences.

Have questions about specific volunteer roles or want to learn more about what’s involved? Don’t hesitate to reach out to our VP of Volunteers, Bethany Maloney, at volunteers@wilderptsa.net. She’s always happy to chat about volunteer opportunities and help you find the perfect way to get involved.

Remember, there’s no contribution too small and no schedule too busy to find a way to help. Our school community is stronger when we all work together, and we can’t wait to welcome you to our amazing team of Wilder volunteers!