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.
As we embark on new ways of teaching and learning, we will continue to update this site for ways you can serve. The safety and health of students, families, staff, volunteers and the community is of utmost importance to Somerville Public Schools. We recognize that many SPS volunteers are older adults and may be at more risk for COVID-19. There are ways you can impact your community while staying safe and social distancing. Please know that you are serving your community and keeping others healthy if you are limiting direct contact with others. Thank you for doing your part to curb the spread of COVID-19. Please visit Coronavirus Information and Prevention, Somerville Public Schools for updated school information, and sign up for City of Somerville alerts here.
Getting Started
NEW TO SOMERVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS? If interested in serving regularly please take a moment to self-register as an SPS Volunteer here. You will be contacted about next steps.
RETURNING VOLUNTEERS, PARENTS AND GUARDIANS: Thank you for sharing your time and talents with SPS! Please remember to submit your CORI for the current school year. CORI requests for volunteers may be submitted remotely at this time by contacting JCapuano@k12.somerville.ma.us.
Thank you for reviewing this Guide for procedures and best practices for serving with Somerville Public Schools.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES AUTUMN 2020
Remote Mathematics and Sciences, Somerville High School
Math (Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, Precalculus, Financial Math Data Analysis, Probability and Statistics)
Science Courses: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Anatomy and Physiology, Environmental Science.
Volunteers will work 1:1 with a student via video conference assisting student with their work, or join a virtual classroom.
Join a remote elementary grades classroom to assist with classroom management, breakout sessions and technology.
Unidos Classroom Reading and Conversation
Join a remote classroom in a two-way Spanish/English immersion program for reading with students. One or more hours per week, Spanish fluency preferred.
COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERING
COVID-19: How to Donate and Volunteer. See this City of Somerville site for ways you can spend time or provide resources to serve emerging basic needs.
CENSUS 2020 takes about ten minutes to complete and you can submit online. Your response helps direct needed federal funds to local schools, roads and other public services.
Somerville Cares Fund is a collaboration with the City of Somerville and the United Way, and was created to support the essential needs of Somerville community members most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The fund will provide emergency funding to all Somerville residents, regardless of immigration status, as well as all Somerville workers, including those recently laid off from their jobs.
Project SOUP Community Food Center, 165 Broadway, Somerville Homeless Coalition Food pantry offers variety of foods to Somerville residents, including fresh produce, dairy and baked goods, frozen fish and meats, a variety of other shelf-stable foods, and basic needs. Help is needed with daily operations at food pantry. Sign up for shifts any day M-F and weekends. Assist with set up of pantry, fill bags with groceries for pantry patrons, sort donations, restock shelves, or help break down and clean at end of day. Sign up here.
Project SOUP seeking drivers with access to large cargo capacity vehicles to assist with supplemental food pick ups from Greater Boston Food Bank. Pick up times vary weekly. Contact Ben Wyner for details. Project SOUP also accepts donations of supplies, including: Powder-free nitrile gloves; new reusable shopping bags; Disinfecting wipes; Hand sanitizer; Hand soap; toilet paper, diapers, baby wipes, bar soap, body wash, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes. For donations that need to be dropped off at 165 Broadway in Somerville, please contact Assistant Manager Ben Wyner, Project SOUP, Somerville Homeless Coalition 617-776-7687 or email Ben Wyner: bwyner@shcinc.org.
Food For Free distributes free food to vulnerable families in Somerville and Cambridge. Food For Free seeks Food Packers Thursdays from 9am-11:30am, or within that time, at Connexion, 149 Broadway, Somerville.
Please use this link to sign up for a shift, or contact Emma Stellman, Program Manager: emma@foodforfree.org or call 617-302-6874.
Community Cooks temporarily suspending cooking operations but has admin and organizing volunteer openings. Community Cooks mobilizes individuals, businesses, civic, educational and faith-based groups to offer home-prepared food to vulnerable neighbors struggling with food insecurity. Community Cooks harnesses the energy of volunteers, supporting 41 direct-service partner agencies, preparing and delivering meals that serve more than 5,100 people every month. Sign up as an individual cook or part of a team to cook once a month, providing part of a nutritious home-cooked meal to a local neighbor: https://communitycooks.org/join-us/.
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 resouces for most vulnerable and at-risk community members.
Volunteer Spotlights
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