Parent Volunteering
The Archdiocese of Baltimore is committed to providing quality, healthy ministry for all persons, particularly for our children and youth.
All volunteers are required to complete VIRTUS screening and training.
Volunteer Opportunities
Families who sign the Service Hour/Fundraising Contract are required to give a minimum of 25 service hours to the school in addition to participating in the school’s three major fundraisers. Listed below are some of the service hour opportunities available throughout the year.
Harvest Festival
August through October – day & evening hours at school & home (in school hours VIRTUS)
The Silent Auction raises a good portion of the proceeds for the Harvest Festival. Service is needed in soliciting donations, picking up donated items and following up with the donors. This can be done from home at your own pace. Service is also needed at school on the evenings of the Harvest Festival. Help is needed in setting up, working the tables and cleaning up after the event.
September & October – day and evening hours at school (in school hours VIRTUS)
The Harvest Festival is an annual tradition at St. Ursula and one of the school’s three major fundraisers. All children attend the Harvest Festival during school on the Thursday before the Festival Weekend. They are also encouraged to return on the weekend with their friends and family.
This huge event requires many volunteers. Service hours are given for help setting up on Tuesday and Wednesday evening, working Thursday during the day, Friday and Saturday during the afternoon and evening and Sunday clean-up. There is also a need for prep-work before the event which could include at-home hours beginning as early as the summer.
Race for Education
January through April – day and evening hours at home and school (in school hours VIRTUS)
The Race for Education has quickly become St. Ursula’s largest fundraiser! This, however, does not happen without the help of the financial support of Sponsors as well as the effort of many volunteers. Each family is required to solicit sponsorship from a minimum of ten (10) sponsors per child or twenty (20) sponsors per family. Family is defined as having multiple children enrolled in the school. Prepared Sponsor Letters are sent home to each family to be addressed and then returned to school to be mailed out at no extra cost to the school families.
Extensive preparation happens before the event with packet preparation and organization. Service is needed at home for both evening and weekend hours as set forth by the deadlines. Limited service is needed on the day of the event to set up, serve water and clean up the “race course”. Daytime hours help is also needed after the event disseminating snack, no uniform and no homework passes as well as helping with awards lunches. During the weeks before and after the Race, service is needed at school to process donations received each day. Active participation in this fundraiser involves sending out Sponsor Letters seeking monetary donations in support of a St. Ursula student.
Baking
Special Events – preparation at home
There are many events at St. Ursula where baked goods are needed. This could entail cakes for the Harvest Festival Cake Wheel, cupcakes for one of the monthly Special Lunches or even goodies for Bingo or Open House. The critical point of this is that the items are HOMEMADE! Up to ten (10) Service Hours can be earned annually for providing baked goods to the school when needed. One (1) hour of service is given for either: 1 HOMEMADE cake, 2 dozen HOMEMADE cupcakes or a batch of HOMEMADE brownies. Please note that store bought items will no longer be accepted.
Book Fair
Spring – daytime hours at school plus one weekday evening hour (VIRTUS)
Each year, the School Librarian works with Scholastic Books to provide a wonderful opportunity for our children. For one week, half of the school cafeteria is set up as a bookstore. Each class has the opportunity to visit the “bookstore” and the children may buy books. Service is needed setting up the “bookstore”, working each day to assist the students and disassembling the “bookstore” at the end of the week.
Box Tops for Education
Ongoing – at home hours
Without doing much work, St. Ursula is able to receive money from the General Mills Corporation for collecting Box Tops for Education. On every General Mills product, a small box is worth 10 cents for St. Ursula School. Families are encouraged to save their Box Tops, cut them neatly and turn them in to the school in quantities of fifty. Each pack of 50 receives one service hour. They must be neatly cut and in bags of 50 in order to receive credit.
Catholic Schools Week Open House
November and January (Must be VIRTUS approved)
St. Ursula holds two Open Houses for prospective families to come and visit the school. Volunteers are needed during our November and January Open Houses. Service is needed for set-up, kitchen help and clean-up after the event.
Classroom Helper
Ongoing – daytime at school (VIRTUS)
Many teachers will accept help from parent volunteers; tasks and times may vary. Contact the individual teacher for details and Service Hour opportunities.
Family Bingo
November & February – evening hours both at home and school (in school hours VIRTUS)
The Family Bingo has become another much loved tradition at St. Ursula. For a modest fee, families can come and enjoy an evening of fun for everyone. Service is needed before the event to purchase supplies and prizes. The night of the event, service is needed setting up, working the kitchen, ticket sales/ushers and cleaning up afterwards.
Fathers' Club
Special Events – as needed (in school hours VIRTUS)
The Fathers’ Club of St. Ursula is very helpful in off-setting the cost of many major school expenses. This occurs through both monetary support as well as volunteering man-hours. Much of the Fathers’ Club funds are raised through their Fall Social Outing, and the Spring Golf Tournament. Service Hour credit can be given for help with those fundraisers. Service Hour credit can also be given for helping with projects around the school as needed.
Field Day
May – day hours at Double Rock Park (VIRTUS)
Field Day is held at Double Rock Park, weather permitting. Mrs. Altenburger needs parent volunteers to help run the activities.
Grandparents' Day
November – morning hours at school (in school hours VIRTUS)
This is a day set aside for Grandparents (or other adult representatives other than parents) of St. Ursula school children to visit the school and spend time with their grandchildren. Service is needed on the morning of the event to serve as parking attendants, guides and servers for the snack table. Baked goods are also needed.
Hot Lunch
Every Tuesday (other than a Special Lunch week) – daytime hours at school (VIRTUS)
Not to be confused with Special Lunch (but of course it always is!) is the weekly Hot Lunch. A Hot Lunch entrée is provided by an outside vendor for any student who orders it ahead of time. Service is needed every Tuesday during the regular lunch period from 11:15 to 12:30 to give the students their food. Service is also needed monthly to help organize and tally order forms and count money.
Once a month – daytime hours at school (VIRTUS)
Service is needed monthly to help organize and tally order forms and count money. Service hour credit will be given.
Special Lunch
Once a month – daytime hours in school (VIRTUS)
The monthly Special Lunch is a wonderful treat for our students! The entire meal from main entrée, to sides, to drink and dessert is prepared and served to each student. This is quite an endeavor which requires many volunteers. Service is needed for food preparation, serving the children and cleaning up the kitchen afterwards. Homemade cupcakes are also needed.
Library Helper
Ongoing – daytime at school (VIRTUS)
Service is needed to help the Librarian to maintain a well run Library. Tasks vary by week. Contact the Librarian for details and Service Hour opportunities.
Lunchroom Helper
Every day – The first lunch shift starts at 11:00 (6th-8th), second at 11:45 (Pre-K,3rd-5th), third at 12:10 (K-2). (VIRTUS)
Each day, several volunteers are needed to work in the lunchroom to assist the students when needed. This service involves helping them open food, providing napkins and straws when necessary and wiping down the tables in between each session.
Maintenance/Summer Maintenance
June through August – day and evening hours at school
One of the biggest assets to the school is the generous donation of time and energy in performing maintenance projects for the school. This may include painting, removing carpets, cleaning, installing electronics as well as any other project needed. This saves the school’s much needed funds, which would otherwise be spent on professionals, for better uses. Service is needed for many tasks. Notifications will be posted on the school’s announcement page. Service hour credit will be given.
Mothers' Club
Special Events – as needed (in school hours VIRTUS)
The Mothers’ Club of St. Ursula is both a social outlet for female relatives of students and it also serves as a financial supporter of the school. The Mothers’ Club works hard at their fundraisers such as Market Day, Ladies Night Out and the Mother/Daughter and Mother/Son Event. When needed, they have been able to offer monetary support to the school to help defray the cost of a major expense.
Spaghetti Dinner
February – daytime weekend hours at school (in school hours VIRTUS)
The Spaghetti Dinner is another opportunity for St. Ursula families to share in a sense of community and camaraderie. It’s also a fun and delicious way to spend a Sunday afternoon! Service is needed on the day of the event to set up, work in the kitchen, work as a servers and clean-up.
St. Julie Breakfast
June – morning hours at school (VIRTUS)
The St. Julie Breakfast is an annual event for the 8th grade students and their parents. It is generally held the week before graduation. Service is needed for setting up, working and cleaning up the school auditorium for the 8th grade St. Julie Breakfast.
Trunk-or-Treat
October – evening hours (VIRTUS)
Volunteers are needed for Set-up, to assist with the food area and for clean-up on the night of the event.
Used Uniform Sale
May – evening hours at school (in school hours VIRTUS)
The Used Uniform Sale is an event each spring which allows families to sell unwanted or outgrown uniforms in good condition to other families. A portion of the proceeds is given back to the school. Service is needed for setting up, working the actual sale and clean-up.