Volunteer Opportunities
Current volunteer recruitment priorities:
Broadview-Thomson PreK-8: Volunteer in our 1st-grade classroom and support students in small groups or individually according to students’ needs (mathematics, reading, phonics, and socio-emotional learning). Available Volunteer Shifts (choose 2-3 hrs at a time): Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9:40-11:05 a.m. or 12:15-12:55 p.m. ; Wednesdays 9:30-10:15 a.m. or 11:25 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Location: 13052 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, WA 98133
Rising Star Elementary School: Support elementary school students one-on-one or in small groups! Read and confer with students below grade-level benchmarks, focusing on building confidence and comprehension using curriculum strategies focused on visualizing, self- and text-to-text connections, wondering, inferences, and more. Through this work, you will foster literacy skills and build student confidence and enthusiasm for reading. Our Reading and Math Academic Intervention Specialist will match you with students in different grades, but you will work with the same students every week. Location: 8311 Beacon Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118
- Science Classroom Volunteer: volunteer directly with students, helping analyze student data to maximize learning and aiding with students’ social and emotional needs. Volunteers must like working with pre-teens, communicate well, and be able to help students with their writing. Available Volunteer Shifts (choose 2-3 hrs at a time): Mon-Fri 8:45 am – 4 pm
- 6th Grade Math support volunteer: Encourage mathematical thinking through questioning and mathematical discourse among small groups to discuss their thinking as they explore 6th grade math. Support students working on independent practice while they hone skills and develop understanding around 6th grade standards. Volunteers will learn common misconceptions students have with certain topics in math and help students work through those misconceptions to develop fluency and applications to the real world. Available Volunteer Shifts (choose 2-3 hrs at a time): Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday from 1:00 pm-3:45 pm
Location: 3928 S Graham St, Seattle, WA 98118
Chief Sealth High School: Seeking current college attendees or recent graduates to support the World Languages Classroom as students learn Japanese. Facilitate small group discussions and assist with assignments. No Japanese knowledge is necessary. Available Volunteer Shifts (choose 2-3 hrs at a time): Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri – 8:50 am to 3:40 pm (except 12:45-2:45)
Wednesday 8:50 am to 2:25 pm. Location: 2600 SW Thistle St, Seattle, WA 98126
Volunteer requirements:
- A positive attitude toward learning, diversity, and students.
- Open to feedback and coaching.
- Patience and empathy for students while holding high expectations.
- An ability to interact effectively with diverse student populations.
- Commitment to your student(s).
It takes time to build rapport with your students before you can be effective in supporting them academically. This is why we require a minimum three-month commitment of at least one weekly volunteer shift.
How to get started:
Tell us about yourself and your availability in this interest form, and you will hear from us within three business days. Once your volunteer match is confirmed, we will ask you to complete our online volunteer onboarding process.
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. Review the following ways you, too, can get involved with SPS!
- 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 discover if a teaching career is right for you!
- Need 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 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.
- Student teaching and graduate-level internships: Please do not apply to volunteer with SPS, but rather inquire with your university about their placement arrangements with SPS. The following graduate programs have affiliation agreements with SPS for student teaching and internships:
- American College of Ed
- Antioch
- Capella University
- Central Washington University
- Eastern WA
- Northwest University
- Oregon State U
- Pacific Lutheran University
- Seattle Pacific University
- Seattle University
- St Martin University
- Univ of Phoenix
- University of Montana
- University of Washington – Bothell
- University of Washington – Seattle
- Walden University
- Western Washington University
- Western Governors University
- Graduate-level internships unrelated to teaching: SPS staff interested in hosting a graduate-level intern contact their central office program manager or their principal to find out if SPS has an affiliation agreement with the prospective intern’s university. Graduate interns may not apply to be volunteers – they must be cleared through an affiliation agreement.
Volunteer needs vary by school and time of the year. Below are some ways families of SPS students can support their schools, but please be open to the most urgent needs the school may present you with:
- Lunch and recess support.
- Classroom or library help: Read or listen to students read in your native language, organize books, prepare materials, tutor math, and more!
- Before and between classes: Help for 30-40 minutes during recess, in the lunchroom, or as students arrive in the morning. Your positive presence will brighten students’ day and help them be safe.
- Lost & Found: Offer to organize lost and found items once or twice monthly.
- Special talents: Schools have unique needs. Are you fluent in Spanish, Somali, Vietnamese, or Chinese? Can you lend a hand in the learning garden or the robotics club?
Volunteer opportunities for community members vary greatly among SPS schools. Some schools focus on engaging their students’ families only, while others seek volunteer support from the community as well. Please review the current volunteer opportunities at the top of this page. If none of them work for you, follow the steps below. Our online registration process is not designed to match applicants with volunteer needs – please do not complete the online registration process until you have a volunteer role confirmed with an SPS staff member.
- Please review the list of 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.
Volunteer with East African immigrant and refugee students!
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 Tutoring Program:
- Get to know East African refugee and immigrant students grades K-12.
- Assist with homework and engage in fun activities.
- Please complete the online volunteer application form to get started.
Youth Tutoring Program
Youth Tutoring Program (YTP) serves elementary, middle and high school youth. YTP is a great place to volunteer with SPS students if you are only available in the afternoon or evening. Choose among five tutoring sites throughout Seattle: Lake City, West Seattle, Beacon Hill, First Hill, and Columbia City. 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!
Please note the Lake Washington Apartments location is no longer available.
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.
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