Volunteer Opportunities

• Seattle Public Schools is committed to creating a culturally responsive workforce to better serve students furthest from educational justice. Consider volunteering with us to network with staff, gain mentorship opportunities, and find out if a teaching career is for you! If so, our Academy of Rising Educators is a great opportunity for future educators of color to gain their teaching credentials with little or no student debt! 
• Do you need to complete observation hours to apply to a teaching program? Our school district welcomes future educators to actively fulfill this school application requirement through volunteering. Since processing volunteer applications, orienting and training new volunteers to support educators and students takes time, we require a three-month commitment of at least one reoccurring weekly volunteer shift per week. This timeline allows staff to provide thoughtful feedback, mentoring, and potential recommendations to teaching candidates while also guaranteeing your hourly requirement will be met. 
• Are you in an undergraduate program for future educators and seeking an internship placement?  Please ask your internship coordinator to  contact our volunteer program to discuss undergraduate internship partnership opportunities with SPSSeattle Public Schools More.
• Student teaching and graduate-level internships:  SPSSeattle Public Schools More has signed agreements with the following graduate programs for student teaching and internships: City University, Portland State University, Seattle Pacific University, Seattle University, University of Montana, University of Washington – Bothell, University of Washington – Seattle, Washington State University, Western Washington University. Please do not apply to volunteer with SPSSeattle Public Schools More, but rather inquire with your university about their placement arrangements with SPSSeattle Public Schools More.

Seattle Public Schools believes it is vital to engage families and community members in the life of the school as a community center of learning.

Horn of African Services

Horn Of Africa Services (HOAS) focuses on closing the achievement gap for East African students, improving literacy and math outcomes, and empowering students to reach higher levels of education. HOAS is recruiting volunteers for the After School Virtual Tutoring Program – please complete the online volunteer application form and contact Dehabe Hassan, After School Program Coordinator at Dehabeh@hoas.org to register for an upcoming orientation.

Youth Tutoring Program

Youth Tutoring Program (YTP) serves elementary, middle and high school youth. YTP is a great place to volunteer with SPSSeattle Public Schools More students if you are only available in the afternoon or evening. Choose among six tutoring sites throughout Seattle: Lake City, West Seattle, Beacon Hill, First Hill, Rainier Beach, and Columbia City (see map below). Tutoring centers are open Monday – Thursday between 4 p.m. and 7:40 p.m. and each volunteer commits to at least one one-hour session per week. Learn more and apply to volunteer here!

Reading Partners

Reading Partners is an education nonprofit that mobilizes community volunteers to provide one-on-one tutoring to elementary student readers across four Seattle schools. 

We seek volunteers who can commit a minimum of 1 hour/week for the school year. Tutors are paired to work with the same student and are provided with an easy-to-follow curriculum that includes all of the books, worksheets, and step-by-step lesson plans. Reading Partners also has a staff Program Coordinator who is available to support tutors at all times. Tutoring runs Mondays- Fridays, between 8:00am-4:00pm. We are currently offering both in-person and virtual tutoring opportunities at Martin Luther King Jr Elementary and Rising Star Elementary. Virtual-only opportunities at Sanislo Elementary and Leschi Elementary. Learn more on our website and apply today!

Communities in Schools of Seattle

Are you looking for ways to meet people, get involved, and give back to your amazing community? Our goal is to connect volunteers. Watch a video with some of our outstanding volunteers and visit our website to consider current opportunities.

Volunteer as a Coach

Looking to volunteer as an athletic coach? Athletic coaches (both volunteer and paid) are required to complete additional ASM prevention training and national-level background check. The athletic coach role description and application are available on the district job board.

Some schools also have club sports volunteer coach opportunities (LaCrosse, Cheer, Ultimate Frisbee, etc). Please visit your preferred school’s website for more information.

Not all schools have a Volunteer Coordinator, but all schools have someone able to respond to people interested in being a volunteer in their school or programs.

• Please review the list for locations most convenient for you (see map of school locations).
• Visit the school websites to learn about each school community,  and choose one to two schools you’re interested in.
• Next, contact one school at a time to inquire about current volunteer opportunities.
• If the school is able to match you with an existing volunteer opportunity, complete the volunteer onboarding process. 

The Self Help Projects Program regularly needs volunteer groups to implement school building or ground improvements, including:

• Developing a school garden
• Weeding and mulching landscape areas
• Installing new playground equipment
• Creating a mural
• Landscape renovation
• Developing a conceptual master site plan