Volunteer with Caraway PTA

Our incredible volunteers help make so much of what makes Caraway special possible -- from after-school clubs and community events to spirit wear, yearbook, hospitality, Owl Fundraiser, and so much more. We couldn't do it without the support of our amazing school community!

Interested in getting involved?

Whether you have just a little time or want to share a specific skill, there's a place for you. Volunteering is a great way to connect with other families, get to know our school, and make a meaningful impact on our students and staff.

Please complete the interest form below to let us know what opportunities interest you. When the volunteer opportunity approaches, we will reach out to see if you are still interested and how you would like to help!

If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to email Volunteer Coordinator, Jennifer, at carawayvolunteers@gmail.com.

RRISD PARENT VOLUNTEER APPLICATIONS

Any person wishing to volunteer in Round Rock ISD is required to complete a Volunteer Application each school year to improve student safety. We strongly encourage all parents to complete a Volunteer Application as early in the year as possible. You must have a volunteer application on file each school year if you plan to chaperone a field trip.

Complete the RRISD Volunteer Application

BIKE RODEO

Duties: (1) Get helmet grants from participating doctor and TMA. It's a two step process of having a physician on board who grants helmets, and that grant is matched by TMA (Texas Medical Association). (2) Set up skills course, manage skills course. Usually there are four sets of bike skills. (3) Set up bike safety inspection. (Usually done by Bicycle Sports Shop or Buck's Bike.) (4) Have a helmet fitting station. Works with Healthy Lifestyles chair.

Time Commitment: (1) Online correspondence with TMA, participating doctor, and local bike shop takes about 2 hours. (2) Setting up course the night before takes about 1 hour. (3) Various duties on Bike Rodeo day takes about 4 hours.

VP: 3rd VP of Community Programs: Lindsay Casey

CARAWAY CARES

Duties: Organize about 2 events/drives per year to benefit some social cause(s). For example, in 2014 the committee held a fun run on Family Fun/Fitness Night to benefit Children's Craniofacial Association (in conjunction with Wonder, a book read by the older grades at Caraway that year), and a food drive in the spring for Capital Area Food Bank.

Time Commitment: Varies, depending on the event(s) you choose to organize, but probably not more than an hour a week, averaged over the year.

VP: 3rd VP of Community Programs: Lindsay Casey

CARAWAY SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE

Duties:The scholarship committee is comprised of 2-3 parent volunteers including the committee chair. The committee selects two graduating Westwood High School (WWHS) seniors who are Caraway alumni to each receive a scholarship. The scholarship is based primarily on need. However, the student must also demonstrate strong academic performance, and participation in school activities and/or community service. The committee will also evaluate extenuating circumstances presented by the student in the short essay portion of the application.

Time Commitment: A one-time 3-4 hour meeting at WWHS to select the recipients. Additionally, the committee chair needs 4-6 hours to identify/contact committee members, set up appointments, and correspond with various parties

VP: 3rd VP of Community Programs: Lindsay Casey

CARAWAY SPIRIT WEAR

Duties: Create spirit wear design with text and illustration every other year. Get design approval from the Principal and PTA Board. Work with vendor to select spirit wear and gear items for production. Coordinate and promote online Spirit Store sale dates. Organize spirit wear orders and deliver to classrooms with support from the Board or Spirit Wear volunteers.

Time Commitment: During design, production, and delivery of spirit wear items for two Spirit Store openings in August to September and January to February.

VP: 5th VP of Fundraising: Dawn Ryden

CLOTHES CLOSET

Duties: Promote collection of donations for the RRISD Clothes Closet through eblasts and flyers; take donated clothes each month to the Closet, recruit and schedule volunteers for monthly shifts at the Closet. Help coordinate yearly Sock and Underwear Drive.

Time Commitment: Minimal, less than 1 hour/week, to draft eblast items, monitor volunteer schedule, or take donations to Clothes Closet.

VP: 3rd VP of Community Programs: Lindsay Casey

CARAWAY CITY LIMITS

Duties: Team up with our CCL Planning Committee to plan the ultimate adults-only party and biggest PTA fundraiser. Planning includes securing the venue, selecting food and beverages, choosing a theme and decor, coordinating event sponsors and raffle sponsors for the silent auction, working with the Art Teacher on live auction, organizing event promotion and ticket sales, coordinating event timeline with venue, and managing budget. The CCL Committee will support planning tasks, as well as event set-up and clean-up.

Time Commitment: Planning begins in late fall with a significant amount of time 3 months prior to the event and peaks in March or April, depending on event date.

VP: 5th VP of Fundraising: Dawn Ryden

CURRICULUM ENRICHMENT

Duties: Manage multiple grade/department CE budgets by coordinating CE Spending Plans and purchases with department heads, PTA Treasurer, and Vice President. Spending plans are finalized in September. During rest of year, volunteer reviews submitted expenses and forwards to Vice President and Treasurer for reimbursement.

Time Commitment: Varies from 0 to 10 hours per week, depending on time of year, with more hours occurring in September, January and April.

VP: 1st VP of Curriculum/Enrichment: Katy Sierk

GREEN TEAM

Duties: The Caraway Green Team chair coordinates environmental based activities for the school and coordinates with Caraway teachers to help support the school garden. This can include events, educational programs, implementation of new equipment and maintenance of current Green Team programs or areas on campus.

Time Commitment: Varies based on the number and types of projects undertaken during the year.

VP: 1st VP of Curriculum: Katy Sierk

FIELD DAY

Duties: As Field Day chairperson, you are primarily responsible for 4 areas. First of all, you will be recruiting over a 100 volunteers through periodic emails and flyers, all which direct the volunteers to a Signup Genius site you have created. Secondly, you are responsible for getting supplies as requested by the PE teachers such as whistles, colored bracelets, popsicles and tattoos, as well as reaching out to HEB for a local donation. Third, you create a master volunteer list for each station on Field Day. Lastly, on the big day, you direct all volunteers to their stations and provide them with their visitor badges, supply packets for their station and snacks and water to feed them and keep them hydrated.

Time Commitment: Including the day of, the total commitment is approximately 30 hours and well worth it.

VP: 2nd VP of Volunteering: Jodi Halasz

HOME ROOM PARENT

Duties: The homeroom parents work closely with their child's teacher to plan classroom events. Help the teachers communicate with the classroom parents via emails. Recruit volunteers from your classroom's parents for various PTA events. Plan and volunteer at classroom parties (Usually 3 per year -- winter break, valentine's day and end of the year). Collect funds and buy gifts for teacher/staff birthdays. Contribute to teacher appreciate week activities.

Time Commitment: A few hours per week in some weeks.

VP: 6th VP of Communications: Erin Broerman

HOSPITALITY

Duties: Treat the teachers throughout the year and make them feel appreciated all year long. Past treats have included luncheon to kick off the year and/or luncheon during Teacher Appreciation Week, breakfast before Thanksgiving, Cookie Exchange before Winter Break, treats at select staff meetings, snacks during STAAR testing days, and more. It's a great way to get to know the teachers and staff, a really fun way to be involved in PTA, and the teachers love it!!

Time Commitment: Mainly just organizing each time you are doing anything for the teachers, and then set up/clean up for that (which is usually the same day).

VP: 3rd VP of Community Programs: Lindsay Casey

KINDERGARTEN LIAISON

Duties: Prepare materials and organize volunteers to assist at Kinder Roundup in March, organize summer playground playdates for incoming kindergarten students, serve as liaison/resource for kindergarten parents and PTA

Time Commitment: Minimal most of the year, with 5-10 hours required for Kinder Roundup

VP: 2nd VP of Volunteering: Jodi Halasz

MESSAGE ON THE MARQUEE

Duties: Update school marquee sign in front of Caraway (Oak View side) weekly to display important information, upcoming events, and birthday wishes. Cross-reference dates on the school website, PTA website, and Principal Newsletter.

Time Commitment: Sign updates are weekly on a Saturday or Sunday, 15 to 20 minutes.

VP: 5th VP of Fundraising: Dawn Ryden

MATH PENTALTHLON

Duties: Math Pentathlon is a fun, PTA-supported program of interactive problem-solving games that strengthens basic math concepts and stimulates creative thinking. The program has three divisions for students from kindergarten through 5th grade, with parent volunteers leading each division. The Caraway Math Pentathlon chair reserves meeting space at the school and schedules weekly club meetings, organizes an initial parent information meeting and student registration, recruits and supports division leaders, oversees the design and distribution of club t-shirts, coordinates student registration, preparation, and participation in area division tournaments in the spring, keeps track of PTA game inventory, manages the PTA Math Pentathlon budget, and is the communication contact for the program.

Time Commitment: Varies, but averages one hour per week in addition to weekly one hour meetings (currently held Mondays 6:00-7:00 pm).

VP: 1st VP of Curriculum and Enrichment: Katy Sierk

MEMBERSHIP

Duties: Organize fall PTA membership campaign, print and distribute membership cards; fill out the Membership report and submit to Texas PTA, submit Caraway PTA for applicable Texas PTA membership awards.

Time Commitment:

President: Liz McBrearty

SCHOOL SUPPLIES

Duties: In February, the School Supply Chair works with the Caraway Secretary and school supply provider to gather quotes for each grade level. The school secretary will provide district guidance on cost ceiling per grade. Once the quotes are approved by PTA and the school, the School Supply Chair will sign the contract. Marketing emails and website information begins mid-April and continues through mid-June. In August, the supplies will be delivered and the chair will organize a volunteer work day to distribute the supplies to the appropriate classrooms.

Time Commitment: Requires no work during the fall semester; from February to June, it requires 2-3 hours per week, and approximately 5 hours in August.

VP: 1st VP of Curriculum/Enrichment: Katy Sierk

SCIENCE FAIR

Duties: Provide information to teachers and students interested in participating in school Science Fair projects. Coordinate logistics for the January Science Fair, held at the school, including judges and volunteers. Work with students who advance to the regional Science Fair.

Time Commitment: Pretty serious time commitment during December and January

VP: 1st Vp of Curriculum/Enrichment: Katy Sierk

SCIENCE NIGHT

Duties: Choose an annual science theme. Plan demonstrations and create exhibits for the hands-on Science Night event. Recruit members of the comunity to bring in and present interesting science exhibits. Organize volunteers and setup for the event.

Time Commitment: Several hours per week in the 6-8 weeks before Science Night in January.

VP: 1st VP of Curriculum/Enrichment

SPIRIT NIGHTS

Duties: Schedule a monthly Spirit Night at a local restaurant from September through May to raise money to support Caraway. A percentage of the Spirit Night proceeds are donated to Caraway PTA. Create Spirit Night flyer and oversee event promotion through newsletters and flyers.

Time Commitment: Minimal. Most scheduling can be done through email or phone calls during the day.

VP: 3rd VP of Community Programs: Lindsay Casey

SUNDAY FUNDAY

Duties: Plan a free community event to welcome back students and families with a fun-packed afternoon. Coordinate fun kid activities with different vendors, as well as display the Teacher and Staff Wish Lists. Create Sunday Funday flyer and oversee event promotion through newsletters and flyers. Coordinate volunteers for set-up, event support, and clean-up.

Time Commitment: Event is held in September, so planning will start over the summer to secure vendors and peaking in September.

VP: 4th VP of Community Events: Shalyn Bravens

TRUNK OR TREAT

Duties: Plan a free community event with Halloween trunk decorators, games, kids raffle prizes, snack vendor, and music. Organize and promote candy donations at the candy monster. Create Trunk or Treat flyer and oversee event promotion through newsletters and flyers. Coordinate volunteers for set-up, event support, and clean-up.

Time Commitment: Event is held at the end of October, so planning begins in September and peaks in October.

VP: 4th VP of Community Events: Shalyn Bravens

YEARBOOK

Duties: Works directly with the yearbook publisher representative and is responsible for ordering yearbooks, meeting publishing deadlines, and making payments to the publishing company. Oversees volunteers and helps assign roles (pages) to each volunteer, including at least one volunteer per grade level. Committee takes pictures at all school events, as well as at grade level functions. Volunteers will also work on production of 5th grade pages and Pridelines. Responsible for delivering yearbooks once received in May.

Time Commitment: The most time is needed at the very beginning of the year meeting the representative and between the months of December and March--most deadlines occur during this time frame.

VP: 6th VP of Communications: Erin Broerman