Serve and Inspire with Somerville Public Schools!
Welcome to Somerville Public Schools and thank you for your interest in volunteering! Why Volunteer? Volunteers in schools leads to greater student achievement and self-confidence, better attendance, improved conversation skills and social relationships, and stronger community connections. As a volunteer with Somerville Public Schools, you will work with students, educators, parents and guardians, and community volunteers to enrich and expand student learning. Whether you have an hour a week or an hour a month, we'll work to match you with a rewarding volunteer experience.
Read the 2022-2023 newsletter here .
Getting Started
NEW TO SOMERVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS? If able to serve regularly (at least one hour a week), please take a moment to self-register here and sign up for a Volunteer Orientation.
RETURNING VOLUNTEERS: Thank you for sharing your time and talents in our schools! All volunteers should submit a CORI for the current school year (any time after June 15, 2023 for the 2023-2024 school year). SPS Parents/Guardians: CORIs may be submitted in person at your school's main office during school hours. Please make sure to bring your photo ID (license, passport or REAL ID). Volunteers new to SPS may submit your CORI at an SPS Volunteer Orientation or via jcapuano@k12.somerville.ma.us by appointment. For information about MA CORI regulation and your CORI rights visit https://www.mass.gov/doc/cori-booklet/download.
Volunteers serving regularly are encouraged to have been vaccinated for COVID-19, with the recommendation of having received at least one bivalent vaccine.
Student Teachers and Interns: Contact Human Resources or your school building administrator for requirements, including fingerprinting.
Thank you for reviewing this Guide for procedures and best practices for serving with Somerville Public Schools.
VOLUTEER THIS SCHOOL YEAR!
Find what you love and love what you find with SPS! Come serve, learn and inspire with SPS this September. SPS actively works to empower and engage volunteers to connect with a school community in meaningful, rewarding ways. Reach out to SPS Volunteer Coordinator JCapuano@k12.somerville.ma.us to be matched with an educator, program, classroom, or student. One-time volunteering for basic needs support, events and school-based projects are also ways you can support public schools and your community. Here are just a few ways you can serve with SPS:
Multilingual Multicultural Learning Work with multilingual students supporting literacy, conversation, writing, mathematics, sciences and more. Classroom setting or 1:1, Grades PreK through Grade 12. Fluency or proficiency in Spanish, Portuguese or Haitian Creole and multicultural competency and experience preferred. July 10 through August 4, 8:30am-1:00pm. Multilingual volunteers and volunteers with experience working with newcomers and adults also welcomed! Contact JCapuano@k12.somerville.ma.us to learn more.
Somerville High School
Volunteers with mathematics, sciences, writing and/or language fluency (Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole or Nepali; others as needed) and experience working with Grds 9-12 assist with deepening students' understanding and performance in Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Languages, Writing; College prep, College Essay Writing support as needed.
Engineers, Programmers, STEM, Artists Somerville High School offers several Robotics, Computer Sciences and Intro to Hardware Engineering classes. Volunteers with mechanical or electrical engineering or computer programming experience/skills welcomed to assist during classes. Volunteers with crafting/sewing experience also sought for light-up engineering projects. Contact STEAM and Computer Science Teacher and Lead SHS Robotics Team Mentor Laura Peters LPeters@k12.somerville.ma.us.
Enroot empowers immigrant youth to reach, achieve and succeed in career, college and personal goals through experiential learning and mentoring. Enroot partners with Somerville High School to pair adult volunteer mentors with high school students for conversation, activities, homework support, college and/or careers exploration and more. Volunteer Tues or Thurs evenings, 6:00pm-7:30pm. Multilingual, fluent Spanish, Portuguese or Haitian Creole candidates and mentors with direct immigrant experience especially welcomed. Submit an Enroot Mentor Application or reach out to Molly McCafferty, Enroot Director of Volunteer and Community Engagement: mmccafferty@enrooteducation.org. Internships: Enroot students work at internship sites in Somerville and Cambridge, in municipal offices, local nonprofits and schools. If your organization or company has capacity to host, train and supervise a high school intern, reach out to: bclark@enrooteducation.org.
FIRST Robotics SHS FIRST Robotics Team builds robots and participates in competitions, leads STEAM community outreach events and mentors younger students in STEAM activities. Come help innovate, inspire, mentor and learn alongside team members. Sept through Dec is pre-season, when students learn about programming, computer-aided design (CAD), mechanical engineering, teamwork and communication. Pre-season meetings 2:45pm to 4:45pm/1x week. January through April is build and competition season, with both afternoon and evening opportunities.
Therapy Dogs and their Human Handlers Since 2012 Somerville Public Schools has welcomed, screened and matched therapy dog teams to serve in our schools. Certified therapy dog teams are matched by request with educators or counselors for small group or individual sessions, classroom visits, or for serving as Reading Partners. Teams also may serve for staff wellness visits or special school-based events. Studies have shown that positive interactions with therapy animals can help reduce stress and anxiety, promote concentration, attention and motivation, stimulate memory and provide cognitive and social-emotional benefits. Certified teams serve once weekly or bi-monthly with the same classroom or student(s) and are provided safe, quiet spaces to meet. To learn more reach out to JCapuano@k12.somerville.ma.us.
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Thank you 2022-2023 SPS VIPs (Volunteers in Public Schools)! Enjoy newsletter here.
Community Volunteering
The Welcome Project is a local nonprofit working to strengthen the collective power of immigrant youth, adults and families to shape community process, programs and decision-making around schools, programs, government and institutions. Volunteer teachers sought to teach or assist with ESOL classes. 10-hour teacher training program combined with ongoing support prepares both novice and experienced teachers for success within this program. After initial training, volunteers teach or tutor English language learners 2-4 hours/week, with preparation time and monthly meetings.
The Welcome Project is currently accepting applications for volunteers to teach morning or evening classes, and tutors interested in working with individual learners. Additional opportunities here. For more information contact Sara Lodgen, Director, Family Education & Community Engagement sara@welcomeproject.org or call 617-623-6633.
Somerville Senior Tax Work-off Program allows income-eligible Somerville seniors (age 60+) to work off up to $1,500 of their annual tax bill by volunteering for the City, including with Somerville Public Schools. MA minimum wage increases to $15.00/hour in January, 2023. Volunteers who serve 100 hours (~3 hours/week) between April 2023 - October 2023, will work off $1,500 of their annual tax bill. Volunteer hours are pro-rated, any number of hours qualify toward portion of tax bill reduction. Contact Somerville Council on Aging (617) 625-6600 x2300 to check income eligibility and apply. Somerville Public Schools welcomes seniors to assist in a classroom, read with a student, help organize or distribute basic needs supplies or clothing for families; provide support in arts or music classes, serve as a tutor or mentor, assist with an after school program, help in a school garden, be a recess or lunchtime monitor and lots more.
Groundwork Somerville is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that empowers youth and adults to learn, farm, share and promote equitable food access, and engage in local growing and learning communities. Come enjoy the South Street Farm (138 South St, Somerville) this Summer and help with planting, weeding, harvesting, learning about native plants and assist with a new mural! Open Hours and Volunteer Opportunities Every Thursday, 5pm-7pm, select Saturdays in July and August, 10am-12pm. Groundwork Somerville maintains and offers programming in Somerville Public School gardens--come find your space and learn alongside our young community growers! Check out volunteer opportunities here!
Somerville Homeless Coalition Volunteer at Project SOUP, volunteer to cook a meal, attend or host an event, shop at Amazon Smile and select Somerville Homeless Coalition. See volunteer opportunities here or contact Chris: critter@shcinc.org.
MAMAS (Mutual Aid Medford and Somerville) is an entirely volunteer-led resource connecting community needs with community resources. Join a working group, help distribute resources or work toward redistributing resources.
Mystic River Watershed Association (MyRWA) was founded in 1972 with a mission to protect and restore the Mystic River, its tributaries and watershed lands. MyRWA works to protect water quality, restore important habitat, build climate resilience, transform parks and paths, and inspire youth and community to protect and restore. Count Herring online, join river and parks cleanups, help remove aquatic invasives. Volunteer opportunities here.
Volunteer Spotlights
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