April is a busy month on our campuses, with a lot happening in and out of our classrooms. It is also an opportunity for us to recognize all the volunteers who do so much for our students, teachers and staff.
April has been proclaimed “Florida Volunteer Month,” and an important week for us with Flagler Schools is National Public School Volunteer Week, which is April 17-21.
Our School Board issued a proclamation in March recognizing these two events because our volunteers are vital pieces of the educational process. We saw firsthand, when we had to restrict access to our schools during Covid, just how much we missed all the members of our community who donate their time, talent and energy wherever it is needed. I am so grateful for the return of our volunteers.
We have people help out with our car rider lines, in our front offices and in our classrooms. Flagler Volunteer Services organizes a successful Reading Pals program, which connects a student with a volunteer who can spark a lifelong love of reading.
We have dozens of mentors in a variety of programs who devote more than their recorded amount of time working with students. Whether it’s with the African-American Mentoring Program, Take Stock in Children or Career Coaching, volunteers are creating relationships that last much longer than a student’s time on our campuses.
Additionally, I’ve seen the army of volunteers arrive at our shelters when tropical weather approaches to prepare, staff and then help transition those shelters back to school campuses time and time again.
The enormous amount of time, dedication and passion our parent volunteers pour into our PTOs and SAC groups is incredible and invaluable.
I think it’s safe to say that if you find yourself with some time on your hands and you have a servant’s heart, there is no shortage of opportunities for you to volunteer your time with one of our schools. It just takes a phone call to one of our campuses to get you in touch with someone who can set you in the right direction. I promise you, you won’t find a more rewarding experience.
As we head into the home stretch of the school year, our teachers are working diligently to ensure our students are prepared for their final assessments and end-of-course exams. Thank you for supporting your students and working with our teachers to ensure a successful closure of the school year.
Elevating Excellence,
Cathy Mittelstadt
Superintendent, Flagler Schools
