How to Adopt a School
1. Identify a local area elementary school in need.
a. Ideally close to the Church neighborhood.
2. Contact the school administration to identify their needs.
a. Define what classes have needs, in priority-order.
b. Define what material supplies are needed (listing and projected expense)
c. Define in-class and outside-class resources needed (tutoring, homework assistance, etc.) and a projected schedule for resources (days and times per week).
d. Define volunteer’s skills and abilities that are required to meet the defined needs.
e. Define program success from the school’s perspective to confirm that the Church’s efforts are consistent.
3. Create your Church communications to advise all membership of the initial program and to keep them updated on the effort.
a. In your Church bulletin define the process intent, the identified school, a description of the types of identified needs, the types of volunteers needed to assist the school and a projected schedule to begin.
b. Create a Church Bulletin Board dedicated to this effort (photo of the school, listing of specific material and volunteer needs with sign-up sheets). Keep this board updated with current information and even photos of volunteers assisting students to motivate others to join in.
c. Appoint person(s) to periodically report on the effort at Church services.
4. Publicize a scheduled meeting for volunteers to plan what “personnel resources” they can meet (specific tutoring, homework assistance, etc.).
a. Identify a team leader for resource coordination with the school.
b. Create a projected schedule to provide the school, with commitments for Church personnel support. With a written schedule you will gain a stronger commitment from your volunteers to follow through.
c. Each volunteer can strive to recruit two (2) additional volunteers to increase the personnel resources team.
5. Periodically meet with the school administrator / teacher to review the effectiveness of the Church efforts and discuss possible improvements.
6. Define and communicate recommendations for “process improvement” to the Resource Team and track the numbers of involved adults and youth for communications to others.
Cwm:10/22/08