Help Us Help Our Schools

Thanks for your interest in volunteering in the School District of Philadelphia! Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, access to all District facilities will be limited to current students, current staff, approved vendors and contractors, and invited guests with administrative approval. Until further notice, no other visitors, including volunteers, will be permitted on District premises.
Please visit our resources on this page to become familiar with what is required to volunteer in a Philadelphia public school should virtual volunteer opportunities become available. More information is coming soon!
Visitor Protocol During COVID-19 Pandemic • Advancing Education Safely Website
Focus on Volunteers
During April, traditionally Volunteer Appreciation Month, we want to especially acknowledge those who have given their time and heart volunteering and helping others. One parent, Ms. Zulma Guzman, has been proactive to find ways to help her fellow community members in this unprecedented time. Ms. Guzman is a mother of four children ages 8, 11,...
Many students are used to seeing their teachers, principal and support staff every day, but there’s another very important group of people who enrich their daily lives – volunteers! One example of a volunteer who is a very familiar face at her school is Ms. Dena Kimball, a parent and volunteer at Fox Chase School....
Many people think of schools as insular communities that have their own systems, agendas, and cultures. At Stephen Girard School, we have witnessed what can happen when a school begins to incorporate its surrounding community and partners with neighborhood organizations. Stephen Girard School started a partnership with Temple Beth Zion-Beth Israel, a local synagogue. Both...
On Wednesday, October 23, 2019, school staff, students, administrators, and family members gathered at Samuel Fels High School to celebrate the brand-new opening of its Family Resource Room! Principal Lillian Izzard shared that the Resource Room is primarily a space for parents and family members to come to and take ownership of. This room was...
Many parents, family members, and community members feel hesitant to volunteer because they think they need endless numbers of hours. Thomas Bailey shows us through his volunteering efforts that you can volunteer in a way that works for your own lifestyle. Mr. Bailey won The Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Volunteer of the Year Award...
People often ask – what is the key to strong family engagement? While it is hard to respond with one definitive answer for all schools, Juniata Park Academy Principal Marisol Rivera Rodriguez has used a great strategy: ask families what they want! Her commitment to parent and family input and programming led to her receiving...
Teamwork makes the dream work! In few places can we see that more strongly than at Tanner Duckrey School, as families and school staff have partnered together to make the 2019 Outstanding SAC Winning school the best it can be. Principal David Cohen and the leadership team have worked alongside family members to increase family...
After receiving dozens of applications from families, community members, and staff from across the District, the FACE Office is proud to announce this year’s SAC and Volunteer Award Winners! Check out the Award Winners and read snippets from their nomination essays below. Thank you for all you do for our schools! 2019 Volunteer of the...
Just ten minutes of talking with Principal Dawn Moore, principal of Paul L. Dunbar School and Ms. Haydee Delgado, School Improvement Support Liaison at Dunbar School, shows how much heart goes behind connecting with families at Dunbar. Oftentimes people think that all it requires to have family engagement at schools is monetary resources, but Principal...
We asked Crystal Edwards, principal of William D. Kelley in North Philadelphia, to say a few words about the value of volunteers in the overall family engagement programming of the school. Check out her energizing thoughts below! The educational journey of a child begins with their first educators, their parents. Parents bear the first responsibility...
Last modified: August 11, 2020