Morrisburg Public School is reaching out to the community for volunteers who would enjoy spending time and helping students in a ‘relaxed’ educational setting.
“We have a significant number of students who have special needs and/or learning disabilities,” says principal Sandra Sine-Szirtes. “These students would really benefit from having an adult visit the school to read or practise writing with them.”
According to Sine-Szirtes and the school’s Learning Resource Coach, Rhonda Simpson, volunteers are needed and would be most beneficial in two areas–reading/writing and scribing.
For the reading, the job at hand would be as simple as sitting with a child while they read aloud, materials provided by their teacher.
“It would be very prescribed, but very casual. Volunteers coming in and just reading with the kids is one of the most valuable things people can do. Even if a person can come in just an hour a week, it is so very valuable. Teachers are happy with whatever time commitment a person can make.”
The other important volunteer service is the work of a scribe, whose responsibility is to get a child’s thoughts and answers onto paper or into a computer. Scribes can either write or type what is required. They don’t offer any suggestions or provide any answers, “they simply type or write exactly what the student says.”
The current need is to get a few scribes on board now, to become familiar with the process and comfortable with the students in preparation for the upcoming EQAO testing, May 25-June 8.
There are currently five scribes writing/typing for 18 students.
“We are working in a group setting and trying to figure out a schedule,” says Simpson. “Right now we have nine kids, and five adult scribes in the room.”
“We desperately need scribes,” says Sine-Szirtes. “We have a computer program (Kurzweil) that reads to the students, but we have only the five scribes to write down or type their answers.”
With the testing still a couple of months away, there is still plenty of time to get additional scribes on board with what they would have to do and to get to know the children they will be scribing for.
All volunteers (reading/writing or scribes) must have a criminal check completed. Other than that the qualifications are simple…reading, writing and/or typing.
Volunteers can be former teachers, retired folks or members of the community who have the time and who, in particular, enjoy working with and helping children.
“The time spent can be very flexible and even one hour per week can make a real difference in a child’s achievement,” says Sine-Szirtes.
However, for the scribes the current need is for volunteers who would be available for some, if not all of the two week EQAO testing which generally runs two or three hours per day. Scribes need not be available every day during this time period.
Scribes would also be asked to come in a few times between then and now to get familiar with what they will need to do and to meet and become familiar with the children.
“A scribe is not supposed to be someone the child has never met before,” says Simpson.
The ideal situation would be to have one scribe per student, “but we have just never had the numbers,” says Simpson. “In the past our volunteers have mainly been retired teachers, but we think there might be others in the community who would be interested and who could help. And we would certainly make every effort to work around peoples’ schedules.”
“Many of the youngsters just need a little extra time, a little extra help,” says Sine-Szirtes of the reading program. “It is wonderful to see them working with one of the volunteers. They are so keen.”
Anyone who might be interested in volunteering for the reading/writing on a ongoing basis, or in volunteering as a scribe for the upcoming testing is asked to call the school at 613-543-3166 to learn more.
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