Volunteer Opportunities 2009 -2010

Washington Elementary
Principal:  Maria Arias Evans

                5 Ways you Can Help!

1. Donate Used Children’s Books
Just like Barnes and Nobles, Washington Elementary has a Friday bookstore, where children can spend their Dragon Dollars on treasured books to create a home library.  Send us your children’s and grandchildren’s gently used books.  We will give them great new homes!  Drop off is in the office.

2. Remember us on Special Occasions
Want to get in the holiday spirit!  94% of Washington’s children qualify for the Free and Reduced Lunch program; sometimes even the basics are a stretch.  And every children needs an occasion to celebrate.  Before Easter donate plastic Easter eggs with candies and prizes for our annual Easter Egg Hunt.  On Thanksgiving we always hold raffles for our annual Turkey Trot:  children gobble like turkeys and run around the field like poultry.  Your donation of a frozen turkey will make our raffle even more exciting.  Valentines Day, Day of the Children (April 30), and Christmas are all great opportunities for special donations.  The office will gladly take your “gifts.”

3. Serve as a Reading Mentor
The students at Washington are begging for mentors:  “Please, please, please Mrs. Evans, can you find me a mentor so that I can improve my reading scores?”  Enough to break your heart!  Drop by the office at lunch (11:20 or 11:45) and Mary Lou Hernandez, Washington’s counselor, will set you up with a child who, with a little tender care can flourish under your mentorship!  It is a minimum commitment of 30 minutes a month.  You can do it!

4. Be a Judge
The last Thursday of every month at 6:00 PM—from September through May—Washington hosts a school-wide competition.  We encourage initiative and the spirit of competition:  the thrill of victory and tears of defeat are often the case with the annual Spelling Bee, MathMania, GeoJeopardy (Geography), Poetry, Young Author’s Faire, Science Faire . . .  Please call Samantha Araiza for more information.

5. Support Technology Projects
Please note the items on the back of this sheet for a Menu of excellent instructional devices designed to improve English Language Learners academic performance!

100 Oak Avenue
San Jose, CA   95110
(408) 535 – 6261