Volunteering
Time is money and when you volunteer with us, the PTO is able to put on fantastic events that raise $50,000 for Bluff Creek Elementary. None of the events that the BCE PTO hosts would be possible with out our volunteers. We thank all the volunteers from the bottom of our hearts.
There is a variety of events that will by the PTO, which aligns with your passion? Explore the options below and consider joining the legions of volunteers who help make what we do possible.
There is a variety of events that will by the PTO, which aligns with your passion? Explore the options below and consider joining the legions of volunteers who help make what we do possible.
Each event needs volunteers across various roles. There are varying levels of commitment and time depending on the role you take on.
Here's what you can expect:
Here's what you can expect:
Committee Co-Chair |
Co-chairs produce and direct the event. There are at least 2 co-chairs to share all responsibilities. Example timelines and checklists are provided.
Estimate 40 volunteer hours per event. |
Planner |
Aid the co-chairs in brainstorming ideas, logistical planning, and do the legwork.
Estimate 20 volunteer hours per event. |
Event Volunteer |
Hands-on worker during the event, includes set-up and tear-down.
Estimate 1-3 volunteer hours per event. |
Art Adventure
Art Adventure is an education-enhancing program for our First and Second graders. Working with the Minneapolis Institute of Art (MIA), our students delve into art and other cultures. Students learn about each piece of art within the learning set from a “Picture Person” who will visit their classrooms. “Picture People” are asked to attend a training session through MIA which provides key ideas to bring back to the classrooms. For Second graders, the lessons culminate with a trip to the museum in the spring. Art Adventure programming works in cooperation with homeroom teacher learning plans.
The Art Adventure Committee requires 2 co-chairs and 8 to 10 volunteers.
The Art Adventure Committee requires 2 co-chairs and 8 to 10 volunteers.
Arts & Literacy Night
The Art and Literacy Night is an evening to come to school and engage in the reading and arts. This committee works hand in hand with BCE staff to create a fun event. The PTO offers spirit wear sales, food sales, and art work sales. All proceeds go directly back to the BCE Art Program.
The Art and Literacy Night requires 2 co-chairs and 20 to 24 volunteers to assist at the event.
The Art and Literacy Night requires 2 co-chairs and 20 to 24 volunteers to assist at the event.
BCE Spirit Wear Apparel & Spirit Day
Work with our vendor to create an exciting line of clothing and accessories to help the Bluff Creek Elementary community show their Paw Pride. We’d love to have creative people who have new and fresh ideas to make select and design new items. You will also coordinate the sale and distribution of the orders through the School Store and at events.
Spirit Wear requires 2 co-chairs with 6 to 10 volunteers to organize sales and orders, attend events, and plan Spirit Days.
Spirit Wear requires 2 co-chairs with 6 to 10 volunteers to organize sales and orders, attend events, and plan Spirit Days.
Book Fair
There are three Book Fairs per year. The first two are held during Parent Teacher Conferences and the final is a BOGO event held at the end of May. All Book Fairs are open during the day to allow students shop during their lunch period. All proceeds from the Book Fair benefit our Library & Media Center. Volunteers for this event help set up / take down the book fair as well as help students find books and check out the student during the book fair.
The Book Fairs require 2 co-chairs and 25 volunteers for each book fair (fall and spring).
The Book Fairs require 2 co-chairs and 25 volunteers for each book fair (fall and spring).
Box Tops & Food Labels
Box Tops are an easy way for Bluff Creek to raise funds, in 2017-18 the school earned almost $2000. This committee runs a fall and spring contest across the cluster and classrooms. You also will host a party for the winning cluster and classroom. Fun and energetic people are needed to help process the box tops and labels.
Box Tops require 2 co-chairs and 10 volunteers to hep plan parties, organize drives, and process BoxTops.
Box Tops require 2 co-chairs and 10 volunteers to hep plan parties, organize drives, and process BoxTops.
Color Fun Run
The Annual Color Fun Run 5K / 1K is held in October and promotes good health and school spirit. Over 200 runners, walkers, stroller riders participate and helped us raise funds to benefit the current PTO fundraising goals. Join this group and help make this event bigger, better, and healthier. Creative ideas to get more sponsors, participants, and have more COLORFUL fun are welcome and wanted.
Color Fun Run requires 2 co-chairs with 4 to 6 volunteers to organize the event and 28 volunteers to run the event.
Color Fun Run requires 2 co-chairs with 4 to 6 volunteers to organize the event and 28 volunteers to run the event.
Gardening |
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Help beautify the Bluff Creek grounds by maintaining seasonal plantings in the front pots as well as our vegetable garden! Work with the Bluff Creek Administration to find other ways to help nature bloom at Bluff Creek. We’d love to have people who have new and fresh ideas to make our garden the best it can be! The committee is active on social media, follow them to see their work!
Gardening requires 2 co-chairs with 4 to 14 volunteers to help secure donations, organize planting and clean up, and assist with students on planting days.
Gardening requires 2 co-chairs with 4 to 14 volunteers to help secure donations, organize planting and clean up, and assist with students on planting days.
General Volunteer
We LOVE volunteers. Love 'em, love 'em, love 'em. The PTO maintains an email list of those who have raised their hand as a general volunteer. When we find ourselves short on volunteers an email is sent to the cavalry asking who can step in and help for that particular event. Note that just because you are on the list, you are not required to volunteer.
If you want to be the cavalry and swoop in when we're short on volunteers, then we'd love to know your name.
If you want to be the cavalry and swoop in when we're short on volunteers, then we'd love to know your name.
Library & Media Center
Need simple, easy and most flexible? Volunteer in the Bluff Creek Elementary Media Center by checking-in and checking-out books, shelving books, or helping students find the right books. Please consider signing up for any times your schedule allows – an hour once a month to a couple hours every other week – whatever works into your schedule.
Requires 1 co-chair with 2 to 5 volunteers a week (180 volunteers a year) to assist in the Media Center.
Requires 1 co-chair with 2 to 5 volunteers a week (180 volunteers a year) to assist in the Media Center.
Restaurant Night
Six times during the school year, the PTO hosts fundraisers at local restaurants. Our goal is to create a fun event while promoting local businesses. Volunteers will help promote the events, develop relationships with new local businesses, work with the restaurant managers on scheduling events and gathering payment, and schedule students for restaurant night events when appropriate. We are looking for people who have new and fresh ideas to help make our Restaurant Nights a huge success!
Restaurant Nights requires 2 co-chairs with 6 volunteers to help organize restaurant nights. Culver’s nights require 6 parent volunteers per night to manage students.
Restaurant Nights requires 2 co-chairs with 6 volunteers to help organize restaurant nights. Culver’s nights require 6 parent volunteers per night to manage students.
Reading Buddies
New for 2018-19! There has been a request from the school for volunteers to sit with the Kindergartners and First Graders to help them read. This involves one-on-one interaction with the kids in the classroom reviewing "popcorn" words and reading books.
When: All year
When: All year
Room Parent
Perhaps you've been there done that and could help out the teachers and other parents. Each classroom will have a Room Parent to aid that teacher in communications between the school (classroom, PTO, administrators) and the parents. The teacher and Room Parent will work together to identify the unique needs of that classroom and flesh out the responsibilities, which may include:
- Proving information about upcoming events and volunteer needs
- Create awareness of the Online Student Directory, assisting families on where to sign-up
- Answer parent questions
- Complete clerical tasks
- Volunteer in the classroom
School Store
You will identify new items to sell and assist in the sales of apparel during school hours.
On School Store days, fourth and fifth grade student-helpers and all of our student shoppers to tally up their desired purchase (they don't always have enough money), help them pay for their purchase and assist with giving back change.
Typical Time: 12n - 1:15pm
On School Store days, fourth and fifth grade student-helpers and all of our student shoppers to tally up their desired purchase (they don't always have enough money), help them pay for their purchase and assist with giving back change.
Typical Time: 12n - 1:15pm
School Supply Packs
The PTO offers families the option to order school supplies for the following school year every spring. Volunteers will help promote the event, tally and compile orders, and distribute the packs just before back to school night. This committee is in action Mid March through May then again in August.
School Supply Packs requires 2 co-chairs with 10 volunteers to assist with order filling and distribution of packs.
School Supply Packs requires 2 co-chairs with 10 volunteers to assist with order filling and distribution of packs.
Spring Fling
The Annual Spring Fling is currently the PTO’s biggest event of the year and raises the most money for the school. Last year’s attendance was a record. Are you good at juggling tasks, planning, or organizing? Or do you have new and fresh ideas to help make this event even better? Then we need you here!! There is a lot that goes in to the Fling. We need 70 volunteers.
The Silent Auction occurs in conjunction with our Annual Spring Fling. Items are auctioned off during the evening and proceeds benefit the current PTO Fundraising goals. Do you have a knack for bringing in the sponsors? Are you a savvy negotiator? This is the committee for you.
The Silent Auction occurs in conjunction with our Annual Spring Fling. Items are auctioned off during the evening and proceeds benefit the current PTO Fundraising goals. Do you have a knack for bringing in the sponsors? Are you a savvy negotiator? This is the committee for you.
Staff Appreciation
This committee has our Bluff Creek Elementary Staff in their hearts and on their minds. During Parent Teacher Conferences, this committee plans and prepares potluck style meals for the teachers. You can make a dish or dessert, bring in a bag of apples or some beverages or watch over the buffet o’ goodness during the conferences. Like to be creative? Help plan Appreciation days throughout the year, or go Emeril Lagasse and “Kick it up a notch” with the ultimate Day of Thanks for National Teacher Appreciation.
Staff Appreciation requires 2 co-chairs with volunteers for staff dinners and staff appreciation days.
Staff Dinners (4 nights) require 20 to 24 total volunteers (4 to 6 per night) to help set up and clean up, and 120 volunteers to donate food.
Staff Appreciation Days throughout the school year require 8 volunteers to help plan event with 55 volunteers to donate items & food.
Staff Appreciation requires 2 co-chairs with volunteers for staff dinners and staff appreciation days.
Staff Dinners (4 nights) require 20 to 24 total volunteers (4 to 6 per night) to help set up and clean up, and 120 volunteers to donate food.
Staff Appreciation Days throughout the school year require 8 volunteers to help plan event with 55 volunteers to donate items & food.
Yearbook Photographer
Love taking pictures? Then THIS is the committee for you. Be a Cluster Photographer or snap pictures at lunch, in the gym, or in any of the specialist rooms. Capture moments on a field trip or at an assembly. Or channel your inner scrapbooker and help arrange and organize photos for use in the year book. You could even bring out your secret stylist talents on picture day and help our students put their best face forward.
Yearbook Photography requires 2 co-chairs with 20 to 24 volunteers to capture and organize photographs.
Yearbook orders 4 to 6 volunteers to help assemble the yearbook, coordinate orders (online and paper), and distribute yearbooks.
Yearbook Photography requires 2 co-chairs with 20 to 24 volunteers to capture and organize photographs.
Yearbook orders 4 to 6 volunteers to help assemble the yearbook, coordinate orders (online and paper), and distribute yearbooks.