Our Volunteers
Volunteers are the heart of our program. They’re a diverse group who share a common bond: to make a difference in a child’s life. Volunteers create a connection with the schools in their community, build friendships and help children discover the joy of reading together. The minimum commitment we ask from a volunteer is one hour once a week.
Building a Community
Meet Our Volunteers
Julie Haseldon
I began volunteering as a reader for the Read-Aloud Volunteer Program shortly after retiring from a career in maintenance and construction. Reading aloud with children has been a pleasure every year. with children has been a pleasure every year. I consider this program a win-win for the children and the readers. The children clearly benefit from the positive relationships with the readers as they develop their love for reading and books.
Remembering Florence Brown
Florence began every Wednesday reading one-on-one to four different children. Her students ranged from ages four to eight years old. She immigrated from Italy and grew up in North Beach speaking Italian. Sometimes her former students stopped in at the library to hug her after reading sessions ended.
Volunteer Requirements
Application
Fill out the online volunteer application. We will then send you an introductory email with detailed instructions and the necessary forms to complete the volunteer process. If you have any questions, please contact our office at (510) 237-0735 or info@read-aloud.org.
Clearance
Obtain Tuberculosis clearance (either a negative TB test or a Certificate of Completion Tuberculosis Risk Assessment) from a healthcare provider and submit the clearance document by: email, post mail, fax, or in person.
Fingerprint
In-person electronic fingerprinting (free of charge at San Pablo P.D.). Links to the unique forms you need for this step are included in the introductory email. Read-Aloud will receive your clearance results from the Department of Justice. This generally takes between a day and two weeks.
Orientation
Watch the New Volunteer Orientation Slideshow, where we will go over Read-Aloud policies and procedures.
+ Annual Requirements
Conference
Every year Read-Aloud hosts the Annual Volunteer Conference where all the volunteers from every school site get together and discuss the previous year’s highlights and current policy changes. The School Site Team Meeting is scheduled after the 2nd conference and it is when the volunteers meet at their assigned school to touch bases with the Coordinator and go over school changes or updates. These two meetings are a REQUIREMENT to volunteer at Read-Aloud.
Agreement
All volunteers must sign the WCCUSD Contractor Services Agreement and the Read-Aloud Volunteer Expectations and Policies Acknowledgement form, generally at Annual Volunteer Conference.
Badges
Badges will be printed by WCCUSD before you start volunteering. WCCUSD policies require that you wear your school identification badge before you pick up your students.
You’re Ready!
You are now ready to read to your students! School site Coordinators provide you with the books, the book lists, binders and forms, and will take pictures and provide feedback during the program year.
Student Engagement
Two students (per session) will be assigned to you and will each be given a 30-minute reading session. They will eagerly anticipate their special reader coming to pick them up from class every week. So be consistent and be the best reader you can be! Children love to see adults become animated by showing lots of excitement or other emotions and using different voices for characters. Remember, you might be the only person in their life that takes the time to read one on one with them.
