This section will overlap with some of the information in the previous sections, but we want to provide you a clear view of the site leader planning and goals for CSD.
May Goals/Tasks
Attend the May site leader meeting
Connect with the principal either via email, phone call or a visit to answer any questions about CSD. Share the teacher volunteer link with them to communicate with their staff. If requested, the site leader or CSD Project Manager can attend a staff meeting to answer questions about CSD.
Review principal project requests and book a date for the site walk-thru at a time the principal or other designated staff can attend.
Contact the PTA/PTSA president and ask them to send communications out to the parents about Community Serve Day along with the link for families to register as volunteers. Consider attending a PTA/PTSA meeting to help promote CSD.
Pick up the CSD banner from Northshore – ideally, this is hung at the school by June 1, when volunteer registration begins.
June (before school is out)
Attend the June site leader meeting
Volunteer registration opened on June 1st. Now is a good time to share the link with family, friends, and neighbors.
Check teacher volunteer requests – look for custom requests before the site-walk through date.
Complete the site walk-thru and send project list to CSD Project Manager
Determine if lunch will be part of your school’s CSD. Some PTA’s sponsor lunch, some schools brown bag it and enjoy a picnic.
Check with the principal to find out when they will return in August after the summer break.
Late June/July
Check volunteer registrations and answer any questions.
Attend the July site leader meeting
Begin identifying potential project leaders
Early August (Aug 1-12)
Attend the August Site Leader Meeting
Touch base with your principal to share the list of teachers who requested volunteers and will be attending Community Serve Day. Encourage them to send out a “last call” to teachers to request volunteers.
Determine how many project leaders you want and what their roles will be.
Determine what kind of tools and supplies your projects will need. Make a list of the tools and equipment that you’ll ask volunteers to bring.
Identify any projects that are going to require work in advance. For example, anything that is going to be painted should be pressure washed at least one day ahead of time.
Decide on an approach for check-in.
Email all of your volunteers
Share high-level event details.
Recruit project leaders / check-in leaders / food coordinator
Advance volunteers needed.
Specialized tools needed (pressure washers)
The week before (August 13-20)
Decide how you want to allocate volunteers once they check in.
Talk to your project leaders.
Make sure project leaders have all of the information they need to manage their assignment.
Provide them with a printable (or printed) copy of the project list so they know their scope and priorities.
Let them know what tools and supplies you are providing. Make sure nothing is missing from your list.
It is a good idea to meet them at the school for a walk-through to confirm they are familiar with their work zones.
Share your plan for assigning volunteers as they arrive.It is important that your project leaders know how many volunteers are headed their way.
Pick up site supplies, signs, shirts, and snacks at Northshore Community Church.
Buy supplies. You have a reimbursable budget of $100.
Email your volunteers.
General timeline for the day
Parking instructions (if needed)
Personal items to bring
Tools to bring and share
Waivers
Let the custodian know if you’ll need a table, chairs, or any other supplies.
Confirm with the principal that:
The custodian will arrive by 8am to open the gate and facilities
The teachers will arrive by 8:30am to open up their classrooms
The principal will arrive by 8:30am
Do your own walk-through of the school
Take “before” photos of the areas that are scheduled to be worked on.
Look for any final surprises like unexpected mulch piles that got delivered
Print your volunteer list, onsite registration forms, and waivers. Attach them to clipboards and make sure you have folders to secure them once they are signed.
The Day of the Event (August 21)
Set up any directional signage to help volunteers find the school. Northshore Church provides these signs.
Site leaders should arrive at 8:00am. The custodian will be onsite at that time to unlock the facilities and provide you with any tables or chairs you requested for check-in.
Encourage your project leaders to arrive at 8:00am so they can set up their assigned areas.
Volunteers are told to arrive at 9:00am. Expect them to start arriving 15 minutes early.
Check them in and make sure we have their waiver.
Get them assigned to their first job as quickly as possible.
Serve lunch (if you decide to do lunch). Lunch is one of the few times everyone will be in one place and is a great time for you and the principal to thank the volunteers for coming that day.
Begin cleaning up at 12:30pm.
Volunteers are dismissed at 1:00pm.
The custodians, teachers, and principals will be eager to go home. Conduct any final clean-up as quickly as possible.
Take “after” photos of the areas that were worked on.
Send the CSD Project Manager your final count of volunteers.
After the Event
Complete the site leader survey that will be emailed to you.
Send a final email to your volunteers.
Thank you!
List of lost & found items and how to retrieve them.
Request for any great photos they captured that day.
Call your project leaders to say thank you.
Send any good photos or interesting stories to the CSD Project Manager
Drop off your remaining supplies along with the signed volunteer waivers at Northshore Church.
Submit receipts for reimbursement
Join us for a celebration lunch for our site leaders in September.