City of Santa Fe Volunteers

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with Santa Fe Public Schools (SFPS).

COVID-19 has created an unprecedented crisis in our schools and our students need our help more than ever. Thankfully, Mayor Webber and NEA Santa Fe President, Grace Mayer answered the call to support our schools, teachers, and most of all the children of Santa Fe by providing City employees four hours of paid leave per month to volunteer in SFPS.

Unfortunately, many teachers and school staff are being quarantined leading to increased class size and a shortage of school staff on campus. Currently, many teachers and staff are not able to take a lunch break or find time to prep lesson plans.

We'd like you to volunteer as soon as possible by helping you complete the City of Santa Fe request form, complete the SFPS background check and match you with a volunteer position as soon as possible.

In addition to Sabra Romero providing additional information on the background check and volunteer opportunities, CPE volunteers will also be available to answer questions and help match City of Santa Fe volunteers with individual school needs.

The Volunteer Process:

Speak with your supervisor and let them know you are interested in volunteering with SFPS. Ask your supervisor what day and time is best for you to volunteer.

Attend the online information session on Friday, November 12, if possible.

Complete the City of Santa Fe Application for Mentorship Leave form, including all of the required signatures.

Complete the online Santa Fe Public Schools Volunteer Application, including a background check, fingerprints, your volunteer preferences, and availability. The cost of the background check will be paid by SFPS.

SFPS will contact you once your Volunteer Application is complete and to match you with a school.

Volunteer Opportunities:

There are many in-person and virtual volunteer opportunities at all schools across the city, including:

Covering drop-off, lunch, and pick-up duty before school, during lunch, and after school for one hour.
Reading and helping students virtually who have been quarantined for one hour.
Tutoring individual or a small group of students in-person or virtually in specific subjects for one hour.
Mentoring a student in a specific subject area.
Working in the school library.
Staffing the online Homework Hotline.
Communicating with volunteers.

FAQs:

Can I choose a school to volunteer at? Yes, SFPS will make every effort to match you to your school of choice.

Can I volunteer virtually from my desk? Yes, there are many virtual opportunities available.

Will I get extra time to drive to the school? Yes, you will be given extra time, depending on the location of the school.

What if I can't volunteer every week? That is okay. SFPS can find someone to fill your spot with advance notice.

Do I need to attend an information session before I volunteer? It's helpful to attend the information session but it's not necessary. You may start volunteering as soon as you've completed the City of Santa Fe form, the SFPS Volunteer Application has been completed and processed, and you've received your assignment from SFPS.

Do I need to complete the City of Santa Fe form and SFPS Volunteer Application background check to attend the information session? It helps to get the paperwork started as soon as possible but it's not necessary to attend the information session.

What if I can't attend the information session? You may still complete the paperwork and SFPS will contact you once your background check has been processed.

What pay code do I enter in Kronos for volunteer hours? TBD

Will SFPS provide training? Yes, you will receive some training from SFPS, depending on your volunteer position.

Do I have to work with students? Not necessarily. SFPS also needs help recruiting additional volunteers, communicating with volunteers, and a variety of other tasks that do not involve direct contact with students.

Who can I contact with questions?

City of Santa Fe