Oakland Schools Want Volunteers

by Carolyn Burd

Oakland Schools have had a lot of success working with school volunteers. They want more!

Metro'readers'interested in becoming school volunteers are invited to attend the Volunteer Faire for Oakland Schools on Saturday, September 12, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Oakland Main Library West Auditorium. Superintendent of Schools, Tony Smith, will open the Faire at 11 a.m.

'The Volunteer Faire is a partnering of the Oakland School District's Volunteer Office and 12 school-based nonprofits. The community will finally have a central place to learn about a wide variety of programs. Representatives from all the programs will be at tables in the West Auditorium ready to speak with potential volunteers, describe their programs, and answer questions.'Current volunteers will also be'there to talk with'new volunteers.

'While the nonprofit partners'operate in'specific schools, Risha Riley of the Oakland School District's Volunteer Office will be on hand to represent volunteer opportunities in all of the city schools. The MacArthur Metro featured'one of the nonprofits that will be at the Volunteer Faire in a recent past article—the Writer Coach Connection and their Associate Director, Lynn Mueller. They work at The Media Academy at Fremont Federated High Schools on Foothill Blvd (see www.macarthurmetro.org/200808/news/3529).

The Excel Reading Clinic, a nonprofit that will be participating in the'Volunteer Faire, works with Laurel'Elementary'School students. By the end of the school year, Excel'students often jump two grade levels. Last year eight Laurel volunteers worked one hour a week with their students on remedial reading.'

'Oakland needs more school volunteers. At the Volunteer Faire, attendees will find'lots of great programs, everything from school yard monitors, teacher's aides, field trip chaperones, reading coaches, one-time site improvement projects, and speaker series participant for junior high and high school students discussing career goals and job requirements.

For more information, contact Carolyn Burd at burdcarolyn\@hotmail.com, 339-8463 or just show up at the Volunteer Faire.

Oakland Main Library West Auditorium

125 14^th St., Oakland

Walking distance from Lake Merritt BART

Limited free parking; Scottish Rite Ctr. 1500 block of Madison