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Volunteering

30-hour Family Commitment

Each family at NSM commits to perform at least 30 hours of volunteer participation each year. It is our tradition that these hours are self-reported. Reporting volunteer hours helps the NSM PTA maintain its nonprofit status and helps to raise awareness of legislators, school, and community of the needs of children. There is a computer in the school office that you may use to enter your hours.

Volunteer Opportunities

Here are three ways to help our school and meet your volunteer hours commitment:

  • Let us know how you’d like to help by completing the Volunteer Interests Form.
  • As the year progresses, regularly check this website and the Thursday email for projects and events needing immediate help.
  • Just Show Up! Your attendance at PTA meetings and Parent Education events (Open House, Principal’s Coffees) also counts towards your volunteer hours! (But no, just attending enrichment events and school performances does not count, unless you are organizing or working at those events.)

Fingerprinting Requirements

The safety of our students is our first priority. Accordingly, School District policy requires that parent volunteers who work directly with students outside of the presence of a certificated teacher must be fingerprinted. This includes parents who drive students on field trips. Fingerprinting is only required once from each volunteer and is maintained at the district office. The file will remain active and applicable even if your student changes schools within the district.

To arrange for fingerprinting, please get a pre-printed Livescan form for each volunteer and/or driver from our school office, then contact the Livescan service at the UPS Store at 969 Edgewater in Foster City for an appointment. (Note: not all UPS Stores or other notary services have a Livescan operator.)

Volunteers will be asked to cover the cost of the fingerprinting service. This may be tax-deductible as a volunteer expense; consult your own tax adviser for applicability. Our school district will notify the school when the volunteer has been cleared to start working with students or diving on trips. It takes at least three weeks to get the results, so please start this process as early as possible.