Catholic School volunteering requirement

[tripods68]

Our daughter is starting Kindergarten (Catholic School) next week. It's very exciting year for her for us. At the same time, we (parents) are required to volunteer 30 hours per year. Wife volunteers a lot already but I just don't like being forced to complete X amount of hours when we are paying the school already. I feel like i've been put in front of a judge and sentenced to complete community service. Am I off base...?

Feel better now! Rant over

[LuckyRobin]

Most private schools require a certain number of volunteer hours. If they did not it would mean higher tuition bills because teachers or assistants would have to do those jobs that volunteers do now but for pay. It is the trade off for having your kid not be in public school (where they of course ask for volunteers but do not require it). Thirty hours per year is not that bad. It's less than four hours a month. Not too bad. I've seen worse.

[MonkeyMama]

Our public school *requires* 30 hours, also. Clearly they have no teeth and can't enforce that. BUT, I would not complain about it. Active parents are always good for a school - whether public or private. & of course, we save a ton of money and free up the teachers to focus on their true purpose. Any given day there is an parent and a hired aide helping each teacher, and our class sizes are already small to begin with. PRICELESS. (Most schools around here get one teacher to 35 kids - that's it). OF course, there are tons of volunteer opportunities outside of the classroom.

Anyway, the parent volunteers seem pretty key to the excellent performance of our own school.

What do they do if you don't volunteer? Do they really kick you out, or just try to scare people into it like the public school does?

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

I heard an official from our public school say that we spend $11-12K per student. I don't know what Catholic schools here charge, but I'm pretty sure it is less. Even with their especially low paid teachers, I cannot imagine how those schools could operate without help of parents.

I think that if you look at your child's education as a product you simply buy you are going to bump into other points of contention during her schooling.

Before we homeschooled, you just about couldn't keep me out of the school. I was gung ho to help make good things happen there. Parents there did tons: Janitorial stuff, painting, running the library (no paid staff), driving, picking up materials to save on delivery fees, washing furniture at end of school year, painting, waxing floors, working the cafeteria, fundraising (so many things to do in the regard). Really, there was something for everyone of every skill and temperament.

Take initiative to come up with the ideas, the schedule, and the energy to do what seems to need doing and it will be your baby, your project, not something someone is making you do. Recognize that you are likely going to meet and work with the parents of your child's friends and you will see further value in your volunteer time.

If volunteering at the school brings back bad memories of being a bossed around school kid yourself, then I bet you could find volunteer things to do outside of the school. Like-- maybe you could be a major part of a phone tree. Maybe you could call alumni and alumni parents to get them back to the school for some volunteering themselves; Start figuring out and asking what the school needs are.

[SnoopyCool]

My kid's Episcopal preschool requires volunteer hours, but not thirty. I think it's more like 5 or so. My big kids' public school doesn't stipulate anything, but has a very active PTA so there are a lot of volunteers there on a daily basis.

[tripods68]

Originally Posted by MonkeyMama

Anyway, the parent volunteers seem pretty key to the excellent performance of our own school.

What do they do if you don't volunteer? Do they really kick you out, or just try to scare people into it like the public school does?

We have not talked to other parents about the consequences but I would think they're sit down with us if we don't complete the required hours at the end of the year. The school is big in social activities like, fund raising events and holiday stuff. We have plenty of volunteering events. The school even have a Commission President in-charge to make sure parents are volunteering and signing up. Can't wait!

Don't get me wrong we love the school. We are 100% committed.

[tripods68]

Originally Posted by SnoopyCool

My kid's Episcopal preschool requires volunteer hours, but not thirty. I think it's more like 5 or so. My big kids' public school doesn't stipulate anything, but has a very active PTA so there are a lot of volunteers there on a daily basis.

Last year, we were only required 10 hours for preschool (same school).

[riverwed070707]

My DD goes to private school and we have the same requirement. Personally, I'm already paying enough out of pocket and would gladly give up 30 hours of my time in leiu of higher tuition; however, our school does have a buyout option where you can actually just pay intead of completing your hours.

I will say our school isn't super strict about the number of hours. Last year some of the "volunteer" work I did included making fliers for school events (just designing, not even printing, and it took like 20 minutes) and they just took note that we were helping out, didn't really count hours.

It's not so bad.

[momcents]

I have significantly more children than you do attending a parochial school. I don't send them there because I consider it a status symbol (we live in an upper middle class area) and I don't send them there because the public school options are bad. I send them there for the values that are inherently infused in the curriculum. Things like charity and a sense of community and working together are part of our lives. I'm not quite sure that your attitude fits in with that ideal. I understand if they are saying that you need to be "in the school" 30 hours, but they're not. They're asking for that spread out over ten months, which is one hour a week. If your wife is already volunteering, that should fill some of the quote. If your wife is volunteering eslewhere, she coudl cut back on those commitments and concentrate on the Kindergarten commitment. I've been at our school for 6 years (have 5 kids) and I've always volunteered even with little kids. I've been a room parent four times, on various committees, I cover lunch supervision, school store, back for events, etc. I feel like its a good message that I'm sending to my kids - they see me at the school and know that I'm invested in their education. Change your attitude, embrace your journey. You'll be there for the next nine years!

[MonkeyMama]

I just had to add that there is often financial benefit with more volunteers, I don't think it's the primary reason for these type requirements. I think momcents says it well.

30 hours is no doubt rougher on single parents, but my spouse and I both commit 15 hours a year. That's about 1.25 hours a month. Really, no biggie. Wanting to be involved in our childrens' education, it's hard not to hit 30 hours, honestly. (In addition, retired Grandma LOVES to volunteer in the classroom and racks up hours for us, too. She was a teacher and the teachers always love her help. She doesn't even live in the same city, but she finds a few hours a year).

[Frugal]

I am assuming they are trying to lower their costs and allow the school to operate by having parents donate time to helping the school. I had never heard of this requirement, and my cousins once attended Catholic schools for years. Hm...it does sound kind of odd, but I can see why they might need to do it, or raise tuition due to operating costs. I know some public schools are making parents pay hefty registration fees back East, but they do that instead of trying to require parents to volunteer their time.

[tripods68]

Originally Posted by momcents

I have significantly more children than you do attending a parochial school. I don't send them there because I consider it a status symbol (we live in an upper middle class area) and I don't send them there because the public school options are bad. I send them there for the values that are inherently infused in the curriculum. Things like charity and a sense of community and working together are part of our lives. I'm not quite sure that your attitude fits in with that ideal. I understand if they are saying that you need to be "in the school" 30 hours, but they're not. They're asking for that spread out over ten months, which is one hour a week. If your wife is already volunteering, that should fill some of the quote. If your wife is volunteering eslewhere, she coudl cut back on those commitments and concentrate on the Kindergarten commitment. I've been at our school for 6 years (have 5 kids) and I've always volunteered even with little kids. I've been a room parent four times, on various committees, I cover lunch supervision, school store, back for events, etc. I feel like its a good message that I'm sending to my kids - they see me at the school and know that I'm invested in their education. Change your attitude, embrace your journey. You'll be there for the next nine years!

We both have careers working FT. We choose the school because we love what they teach and promote good values. Having gone to private school as parents together in our early years we know what's it's like. My Attitude maybe less ideal for you but it doesn't change our commitment to the school whatsoever. We do have plenty of time topic up volunteering hours.

[tripods68]

Originally Posted by riverwed070707

My DD goes to private school and we have the same requirement. Personally, I'm already paying enough out of pocket and would gladly give up 30 hours of my time in leiu of higher tuition; however, our school does have a buyout option where you can actually just pay intead of completing your hours.

I will say our school isn't super strict about the number of hours. Last year some of the "volunteer" work I did included making fliers for school events (just designing, not even printing, and it took like 20 minutes) and they just took note that we were helping out, didn't really count hours.

It's not so bad.

You are right. The school charges more tuition in leiu of volunteering hours.