How to start Discovery at your school:
To start a Discovery Program at your school, please read the break down of responsibilities for Hands On Atlanta, School Principal, School Captains, Grade Captains, and volunteers to get a better understanding of how Discovery works. You may direct any specific questions to:
Monique Terry-Shields Director of Community & Civic Engagement 404-979-2800
If you are ready to start a Discovery Program at your school, please contact Hands On Atlanta and provide this information:
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How many students will be participating
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If you have identified school captains, their names and contact information
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Information about who at the school will be the point person to open the building on Saturday mornings
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What your main goals are for the Discovery Program
- A tentative start date and schedule for the program
School Principal's Responsibilities
- Provide custodial or other service to open and close the school on Saturday mornings
- Provide a phone list of teachers (at least one from each grade level) willing to serve as a consultant to Grade Captains
- Encourage students to attend the Saturday program each proceeding Friday
- Select rooms for use throughout the year by students from each grade (generally the cafeteria for meeting and a classroom for each grade)
- Work with Hands On Atlanta staff to identify two School Captains
Hands On Atlanta's Responsibilities
- Provide all forms and paperwork including student applications (English & Spanish available), volunteer forms, volunteer sign in forms, nametags, etc.
- Volunteer recruitment
- Conduct Grade Captain trainings for new Grade Captains
- Assist GC's with curriculum and lesson planning
- Assist School and Grade Captains in connecting with teachers to generate lesson planning ideas
- Track volunteer hours
- Meet with principal to help create a vision for the particular school's Discovery
- Meet regularly with School Captains
- Supply a free snack for students via the Atlanta Community Food Bank
School Captain's Responsibilities
- Serve as the primary liaison between school staff, Grade Captains, volunteers, and Hands On Atlanta
- Assist Hands On Atlanta with volunteer recruitment and retention
- Attend PTA meetings at school to meet teachers and parents and introduce them to the program
- Get to the school by 9 am on Discovery Saturday (School Captains are the first to arrive and last to leave)
- Make sure all classrooms are open
- Get name tags and sign up sheets ready for volunteers
- Prepare area for students; a system needs to be in place for the students to get their nametags and divide into grade levels in an orderly manner
- Appoint a volunteer to be responsible for assembling the students as they arrive
- Help Grade Captains make copies and get supplies they need for their students
- Encourage Grade Captains to arrive by 9:30 am to prepare their classrooms
- Encourage volunteers to arrive by 9:45 am
- Greet volunteers as they arrive and divide them among the students
- Start program at 10 am with announcements:
- Thank everyone for coming
- Briefly explain the outline for the day
- Make any announcements
- Dismiss students by grades to their classrooms
- Go to every classroom and make sure that the GC's have the supplies they need
- Watch the front door for late arrivals
- Prepare the snacks
- Take final student and volunteer count
- Fax the numbers to the Hands On Atlanta staff along with notes about the day and if there are any supplies that are needed for the following Discovery
- Dismiss students at 12 pm
- Allow students to take a snack as they leave the building
- Check every classroom and make sure that they rooms are neat and tidy
- Wait with any students who need to wait for parents
- Make sure all of the proper doors are closed and locked
- Plan all Hands On Atlanta field trips or parties (with assistance from HOA staff)
Grade Captain's Responsibilities
- Attend a Grade Captain training at Hands On Atlanta
- Arrive by 9:30 am to prepare classroom, make copies, and gather supplies
- Plan enrichment sessions and lesson plans
- Facilitate the classroom and guide volunteers and students through the lesson plans
- Greet volunteers and debrief new volunteers
- Keep attendance of both the children and the volunteers in your grade
- Assist School Captains with planning and chaperoning of field trips
- Promote Discovery and recruit new volunteers
- Provide feedback to the School Captains and the Hands On Atlanta Discovery Program Manager
- Thank the volunteers!
Volunteer's Responsibilities
- Attend a Hands On Atlanta volunteer orientation
- Sign up in advanced for volunteer opportunities on the Hands On Atlanta website
- Assist School and Grade Captains in managing the students
- Work with assigned students on curriculum supplied by the Grade Captain
- Provide individualized attention the student(s) you are assigned to
- Maintain a positive attitude towards the student
- Encourage and praise the student on their work
- Provide feedback to School and Grade Captains
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