Garden Parent Volunteers

We are always looking for volunteers to help us in our garden. Your help is needed while our garden is open during the months of August through November and April through early June. The students enjoy the garden during their lunch recess periods Monday-Friday between the hours of 11:15am - 12:50pm (weather permitting).

If you are interested, visit the Highcrest PTO Outdoor Classroom Volunteer site to find a date where your help is needed (2 volunteers per day is ideal). Then, fill out the online form and our PTO Outdoor Garden Volunteer Coordinator will get back to you via email or a phone call.

If you have signed up to volunteer to supervise our students in the Outdoor Classroom via our Highcrest PTO, thank you! You make it possible for our children to enjoy this beautiful environment and take a break from their hectic day.

If you cannot cover your shift, you are responsible for finding a substitute and passing on this information. Please do not call the school office! Please be on time. Students will be unsupervised if you are late!

icon Download the Volunteer Guidelines & Classroom Rules (94 kB)

What to Do The Day You Volunteer

  1. Sign in at the office, get a name tag, and enter the Outdoor Classroom through the 5th grade hall. If any doors to the garden are locked, please notify the office immediately.
  2. Open the supply shed and put the plastic supply bins (art supplies/project supplies/books) on the cement seating. Spread out supplies and offer them to Students as they arrive.
  3. The tool shed is locked and tools are available for student work only with designated supervisors.
  4. Students come out for a 20 minute recess. Be aware of 20 minutes shift changes and announce to kids when the bell rings.
  5. At end of recess, 12:46pm, collect all of the supplies and return them to the sheds.
  6. Certain teachers will be in the garden on a regular basis. They are there for discipline needs only. It is your job to offer the kids supplies and activities, and enforce the Outdoor Classroom rules.

Outdoor Classroom Rules

  1. Outdoor Classroom rules are posted on the entry doors. There is a Rules sheet in the shed as well.
  2. Please remind students that the space is a designated “quiet zone.” (There are classes in session facing the courtyard.)
  3. There is no running or tag allowed.
  4. Watch that plants are not stepped on, or logs rolled over onto plants.
  5. Ask students to stay on the paths.
  6. Picking flowers, harming bugs, or taking anything from the garden is not permitted.
  7. If any student is consistently disregarding the rules, bring him/her to the teacher supervisor on hand.

Classroom Activities

Weather

If the weather is questionable, please call the office to see if recess is outdoors. If recess is called to be “indoors” at the start of recess then the Outdoor Classroom will be closed for recess. If it begins to rain during recess, close up the Outdoor Classroom for the rest of the day.