Parent Volunteering
Volunteer Opportunities
Each year, SUS families who have signed the service hour contract are required to complete 25 hours of service. What follows is a list of school events that offer great volunteer opportunities throughout the year. Please take some time to read over the descriptions and see what interests you. When ready, scan the QR code at the bottom to complete an interest form. This is not committing you to that event but rather, notifying committee chairs that there are volunteers interested in helping out. As the event draws near, a committee member will reach out to you about volunteering. You can express interest in more than one event- remember, you will need at least 25 hours for the year.
Open House and New Parent Welcome (August, November, Jan/Feb)
The New Family Night/Orientation takes place the Wednesday evening before school officially starts in August. This important event is held to officially welcome new families to St. Ursula School and give them a first look at meeting the administrators, go over arrival and dismissal procedures, and other administrative functions as well as get a first glimpse of their child's classroom to make them feel more at ease.
Open houses take place in November (during school hours) and during Catholic Schools Week (on the weekend) for prospective families to visit our school.
Volunteers are needed to give tours, supply refreshments, set up and break down seating, oversee refreshment tables, and talk with families about why they should join our school community.
Hot Lunch (all year)
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 as follows: 1) Being the primary volunteer for one or more weeks. Responsibilities are helping other volunteers know what to do and handing all receipts or transporting material to the administration at the end of the lunch periods. 2) Being a volunteer that is not consistent but helps to serve hot lunches.
Special Lunch (all year)
The monthly Special Lunch is a wonderful treat for our students! The entire meal from the main entrée to sides, to drink and dessert is prepared and served to each student. This is quite an endeavor that requires many volunteers. Service is needed for food preparation, serving the children, and cleaning up the kitchen afterward. Homemade cupcake donations are also needed.
Harvest Festival (September & October)
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 evenings, 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, including at-home hours beginning as early as the summer.
Harvest Festival Money Room (October)
During the Harvest Festival, money room volunteers will be responsible for being runners, collecting money and tickets from the game booths, preparing banks for games, and counting money throughout the event.
Monster Mash (October)
Everyone is invited to attend a Halloween themed monster mash. Students can wear costumes, trick or treat in the parking lot, and play Halloween themed games. Volunteers are needed for set-up, to assist with the food area, and for clean-up on the night of the event.
Silent Auction (November)
The Silent Auction is an exciting fundraiser that takes place in late November. 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 the close of the auction to help with prize pick-up and distribution.
Family Bingo (November)
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. On the night of the event, service is needed for setting up, working the kitchen, ticket sales/ushers, and cleaning up afterward.
Race for Education (January- April)
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. 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. Active participation in this fundraiser involves sending out Sponsor Letters seeking monetary donations in support of a St. Ursula student.
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 snacks, 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.
Spaghetti Dinner (February)
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 prior to the event to help prep food and on the day of the event to set up, work in the kitchen, work as servers, and clean up.
Valentine’s Love Grams (February)
This is a chance for families near and far to show their love for SUS children. Tiered Valentine’s gifts are available for pre-purchase and are delivered on or near Valentine’s Day. Volunteers are needed to put together orders (weekend work), print labels for orders (at-home work), and delivering orders to the classroom during school hours.
Scholastic Book Fair (March)
Each year, the Book Fair Committee 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. Some evening and at-home volunteer opportunities are also available.
Grandparents' Day (November)
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 donations are also needed.
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.