VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

The following volunteer opportunities are available to PTA members and parents:

• Work at the school store 
• Contribute food for staff appreciation lunches 
• Donate clothes for the student care closet 
• Staff the cafeteria during lunches to give teachers a lunch break
• Stuff backpacks or sponsor a child for the Backpack Program, providing weekend nourishment to students who are hungry 
• Proctor during testing
• Assist with fundraising for much needed resources for our school

School Store

The School Store is located on the lower level between the cafeteria and the gym and is open M-W-F from 7:15 - 7:35 and during all lunch periods. We sell Northview merchandise such as water bottles, cinch sacks and t-shirts. We also sell school supplies such as mechanical pencils, notebooks, index cards, tissues for cold/allergy season, erasers, highlighters, and many other fun school related items. The inventory changes each week so stop by and see what's new. 

If you’d like to volunteer at the school store, please contact the PTA board and they’ll be happy to find a shift that works for you. It’s a fun ‘job’, seeing the students come by and being in the midst of things!

If you are sending a check with your child to purchase items from the school store, make it out to Northview PTA and include your child's name on the check.  

Staff Appreciation Lunches

Staff appreciation lunches are held throughout the year. PTA board members organize them, and email parents who may want to sign up to contribute food or needed items. Food can be homemade or store bought, and cash donations are welcome for purchasing items such as paper plates, drinks, flower arrangements, etc. When budget allows, we are able to raffle off gift cards and fun items for the teachers to win.

Teachers and staff truly appreciate these special meals prepared in their honor!

Care Closet

The Care Closet provides clothing for students in need. Please help by donating clothes for students that meet dress code policy . We need all sizes of clothes for girls and boys. For colder months we especially need long pants, long sleeve shirts and jackets. For warmer month we need shorts, skirts and short sleeve shirts. Other items needed regularly include shoes, socks, belts, PE clothing, Northview logo shirts and sweaters. Don’t forget formal clothing for the 8^th grade formal!

IMPORTANT! Please bring Care Closet clothes into the school office, NOT into the clothing bin outside the school (that bin is not for the student Care Closet).

Give Teachers A Lunch Break (supervise cafeteria during lunch)

Are you looking for a way to give a teacher a gift or show appreciation? Give them a lunch break! Northview Core and EC teachers don’t take a lunch break; they eat in the cafeteria with their students every day. Imagine what a treat it would be to have someone take their place so they can eat a quiet lunch on their own! It’s easy, here’s all you need to do:

How to Give Teachers a Lunch Break:

1. Check the Lunch Schedule below for a list of teachers who have cafeteria duty.
2. Contact the teacher(s) to schedule a specific day. Whether you are offering lunch coverage for an individual teacher or coordinating several volunteers for a particular teacher team, you can contact the teachers directly via email or voicemail to schedule coverage.  This would provide the teacher(s) a ‘heads up’ to prepare their lunch and students. Teacher contact information can be found here: http://northview.hickoryschools.net/academics, then click on the appropriate grade on the left, then the specific teacher on the left.
3. On your scheduled day, check in at the office and get a volunteer badge.
4. Lunch coverage simply requires you to be in the cafeteria for 25 minutes to provide adult supervision for the students. You can be a quiet presence for students making sure kids follow all cafeteria procedures listed below, or you can be an active participant interacting with the students.
5. Don’t worry; you won’t be alone in there. Even if you organize a full team to cover a teacher team, an administrator or counselor could step in or be on standby to assist if needed.

• Level 2 voice
• Walk at all times
• Report directly to service lines
• Wait in a single file line
• Keep food and condiments on tray
• Talk only with your immediate neighbors at your table
• Respect others’ personal space and belongings (keep hands, arms, feet, etc. to self)
• Remain seated until dismissed from table
• When dismissed: stand, push in your chair, clean surroundings table/chair/ floor, discard food and paper products in trash can, turn in tray and utensils to designated area
• Dispose of all food and beverages prior to leaving cafeteria

Backpack Program

The Catawba County Backpack Program provides weekend nourishment to students who are hungry on the weekends. The program provides each child with dinners, lunches, breakfasts, and snacks each weekend throughout the school year. PTA volunteers pick up the food from the Backpack Program warehouse and stuff bags for students to pick up each Friday.

The program is always looking for financial support. $100 sponsors a child to receive a backpack every weekend for an entire school year! See the Backpack Program website for more details: http://www.catawbacountync.gov/dss/backpack/WaysToHelp.pdf