Parent Volunteering

Why a Parent Service Program?

• Parents provide valuable service to the school.
• Parents have the opportunity to meet each other and build community.
• St.Francis gains access to talents and abilities that the school would otherwise have to fund.

What is the Parent Service Program?

• Parents perform a prescribed number of hours of volunteer service each year or pay a higher, non-participation rate of tuition. 
• Parents of students in grades 9-11 perform 25 hours of volunteer service per year.
• Senior parents perform 10 hours.
• Parents with more than one St. Francis daughter, perform the required hours for the lowest grade.
• Single parents who are solely responsible for tuition may elect to perform 12.5 hours (5 for senior parents).
• The additional tuition is $500 per year for non-participating families. Diocesan regulations mandate that this amount cannot be prorated for partial hours completed, therefore all 25 (or 10) hours must be performed and reported to avoid paying the non-participation fee.

What types of volunteer service may I perform?

• Active Service: Service that benefits the school, its students (for school-related activities), or that is support of an activity or event sponsored by one of the school auxiliary groups (Parents Guild, Booster Club, Patrons of the Arts, St. Francis Filipino Families and Friends, etc.) Hours earned through active service correspond directly with the time spent (exceptions are made for homemade food items -see Parent Volunteer Guidelines for Calculating Hours below- and for clean-up activities, which earn double hours). Time attending board meetings of these groups may be included in hours earned. Due to liability concerns, hours may not be earned by driving students to activities. If you have questions about a particular volunteer service, contact the responsible party for the activity. A minimum of 13 hours per year (5 hours for senior parents) must be earned through Active Service.
• Supplies: Provide supplies that benefit school events (bottled waters, cookies, desserts, snack foods, etc.) when they’re specifically requested through the Parent Volunteer Program. Since time and effort are involved in procuring and delivering these needed items, volunteer hours are given (1 hour per $5 for purchased items.) Home-made items earn Active Service hours, per the guidelines below. A maximum of 12 hours (5 for senior parents) may be earned by providing purchased supplies. Please do not deliver supplies to school when they’re not specifically requested.

  • Parent Volunteer Guidelines for Calculating Hours 
    Parent volunteers generally earn 1 hour of service for each hour spent on the volunteer activity benefiting any St. Francis High School event.
    Providing Requested Food Items
    For items that are specifically requested through the Parent Volunteer Program, parents may claim 1 hour for each $5 spent (Purchased Supplies category of hours).

• “Stock-up” Volunteer Opportunities

  At the beginning of each semester we request bottled waters that we use at many of our events. Drop off dates are announced via the Principals Newsletter. A designated drop off area in front of the school will be marked.

  • Please drop items off at beginning or end of the school day. 1 hour per $5 spent; maximum of 5 hours each for these opportunities. (Purchased Supplies Hours Category)

• Clean-up Duties
  Double hours may be earned by performing clean-up duties for any event. Clean-Up dates are announced via the principals newsletter. 

• There are usually five all-campus clean-up days for a given school year. All parents are welcome to participate. No advance notice required. – Parents are asked to bring work gloves & rakes/ shovels, if they can.

Do other donations count toward parent volunteer service?

• No, donations of cash or items to the school or to school events that are not specifically requested through the Parent Volunteer Program do not earn volunteer hours. Donations to the Stewardship Program, Revelry, Pearl of the Orient, Crab Feed, Father-Daughter Dance, Fashion Show, Golf Tournament, and in-kind donations of school supplies or equipment do not earn volunteer hours.

How do I find out about volunteer opportunities?

• E-mail – this is the best way to keep informed! Parent e-mail addresses submitted on student applications are used to send out information. Many announcements of volunteer opportunities, as well as other school information, are included in the weekly Principal’s Newsletter, sent by e-mail. You need not respond to every e-mail message; choose the opportunities that fit into your schedule and your areas of expertise or interest.
• Check the SF website for upcoming events and volunteer opportunities. Bookmark the Volunteer Opportunities page! www.stfrancishs.org/parent-service-opportunities. Please be advised that volunteer opportunities requesting a small number of volunteers fill quickly.

Who may perform the volunteer hours?

• According to diocesan regulations, only parents or guardians may earn hours for the family. Non-custodial grandparents, siblings and other relatives may not earn hours. Also, “extra” hours may not be donated to other families.

Who keeps track of volunteer hours?

• Parents keep track of their own hours on the Parent Volunteer Report Form, requesting the signatures of the event chairpersons or attaching receipts for purchased items. Forms can be downloaded from the SF website. See below.

What is the procedure and timeline for reporting hours?

• Senior families: The 2017 deadline for reporting parent volunteer hours is February 6th See Parent Service Hours Report Form (linked below) for date each year.
• All other classes: The 2017 deadline for reporting parent volunteer hours is April 30th. See Parent Service Hours Report Form (linked below) for date each year.
• Parents may begin earning volunteer hours for the following school year on May 1. “Extra” parent volunteer hours are not carried over to the following year. Feel free to report the many hours you serve above the required number, so we can be aware of our top volunteers.
• Return the Parent Service Report Form to the school when your required hours are completed. (Please keep a copy for yourself.) Submit the form only when the total is 25 or more hours (10 hours for parents of seniors).