Lunch Room Volunteer Guidelines and Helpful Hints

Volunteers are asked to assist with the following:

• Directing students to sit at the correct table and, usually, 4 students per bench at each table. Ask a teacher on duty if unsure where the students should sit.
• Circulate among the tables opening drinks and assisting students as needed. The teachers will help students in the line getting their food.
• Respond to a student who raises their hand for assistance.
• Be prepared to help students with spills.
• Supervise students in proper waste disposal, recycling and the “Flip-Tap-Stack” of their trays.

Specific day-of procedures:

• Please arrive 5 minutes prior to the start of the lunch you are volunteering for and check in at the front office. The office staff will assist in allowing you access to the cafeteria.

Kinder lunch time is 10:30am - 11:00am, be prepared to be at school from about 10:25am - 11:15am

1^st Grade lunch time is 11:00am - 11:30am, be prepared to be at school from about 10:55am - 11:45am

2^nd Grade lunch time is 11:30am - 12:00pm, be prepared to be at school from about 11:25am - 12:15pm

• If you'd like, please wear an apron and stock it with scissors, ketchup and napkins. Gloves are always available for your use.
• Each grade level is staggered with 3 classes entering at one time followed by a second group some minutes later.
• Near the end of their lunch period, the students may need to be encouraged to finish up and start gathering their trash.
• All students are expected to pick up their own trash; however, especially in Kinder, please assist as needed to keep the children moving and help the students who brought lunch get their belongings back into the lunch box.
• The teachers will tell each class when to stand up and make their way to the trash can.
• Make sure there is a trash bin and recycling bin at the end of the first table being dismissed.
• One volunteer should be stationed at the trash bin to verbally assist the kids through the disposal process of throwing away their trash, recycling and to “Flip-Tap-Stack” their trays.
  • At this time students may recycle:
    - Plastic #1-7 (except Styrofoam) 
    - Plastic Juice/Gatorade bottles (no milk or juice cartons)
    - Soda Bottles or Cans
    - Water Bottles
    - Clean cardboard containers or emptied plastic dividers from Lunchables
    (completely remove and throw away the plastic seal)
• For Kinder volunteers: when the teacher on duty says it is time to go for the first group of children, the teachers might ask one mom to hold the door and one mom to lead the line outside, once the kids get familiar with the routine. The line leader mom will lead the line straight out towards the light post. Once all of the students are out of the cafeteria, the teacher will take charge of the students. The door holder needs to wait for the line leader mom to come back in or she will be locked out! For the second group, upon the teacher’s dismissal, the teacher leads the students out since they return to their classrooms after lunch.
• The tables need to be cleaned before the next classes arrive using the sanitary solution bucket in the kitchen window, please use gloves provided.
• When you are done cleaning tables, check out through the office.

General information and helpful advice:

• Each Grade Level has a Sign-Up Genius site to allow volunteers to sign up for shifts. Kinder and 1^st Grade each has at least 3 volunteers per shift and 2^nd Grade has at least 2 volunteers per shift. Please review the sign up monthly and, if the need arises, please find your own replacement or let your grade level coordinator know if you need a replacement. The link to each Sign-Up Genius website will be posted on the Castle Hills PTA website: https://castlehillspta.membershiptoolkit.com/Home
• As the school year progresses, some days may change due to testing and volunteers will not allowed in the school, your coordinators will pass this information along.
• The teachers expect good cafeteria behavior – the students should sit on their pockets, not kicking under the table and not playing with the metal bars between the tables. Teachers request the volunteers to encourage the students to eat and not talk loudly. Horseplay is not allowed during lunch and if behavior is an issue please notify a teacher on duty immediately. Volunteers are not to discipline, please report any incidents to a teacher on duty.
• Sometimes students will ask to use the restroom. General Rule – it is okay to send them but be sure only one (1) student goes at a time and they use the restrooms by the gym. Students should not go back to their hallway or classroom. If unsure about the request to use the restroom, please refer the student or request to a teacher on duty.
• If a student says they do not feel well, please report this to a teacher on duty and the teacher will decide how to proceed.
• Always, always, when in doubt about a question from a student or how to handle a situation, please refer to a teacher on duty so they can answer your question or handle the situation, as needed.

VERY IMPORTANT – IF YOU’RE NEW TO CHE OR IT’S BEEN MORE THAN 3 YEARS SINCE YOUR LAST BACKGROUND CHECK YOU HAVE TO FILL OUT A FORM BEFORE YOU CAN VOLUNTEER IN THE SCHOOL! THIS TAKES ABOUT 3 WEEKS TO PROCESS, SO DO THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

YOU CAN GO TO LISD.NET TO FIND FORM OR CLICK ON THIS LINK:

http://lisd.net/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=118446&type=d&pREC_ID=255241 

Thank you for volunteering – the teachers and students appreciate the help!

--Your Lunch Room Coordinators