Volunteer Coach – Delphine

“I started volunteering because my two boys are in school now and I’m trying to decide if I want to go back to work. I have a background that gives me a good base to become an E.A. I wanted to figure out how much time I could devote to work in a balance with family responsibilities. I’m using volunteering to feel this out.”

“From a family point of view, it helps children if their parent volunteers. My kids like the fact that I pay attention to them and their school. When I was a kid parents didn’t get to be in a school except for a concert or parent teacher interview. Now parents can be in the school for lots of reasons and there are parents in schools every day. It makes a difference for your child to know that you think school is important enough to spend some of your own time to help out there.”

Volunteer Coach – Kate

“It’s great to get out and socialize with other volunteers and staff in the school!”

“I started volunteering when my granddaughter was at Suddaby. I couldn’t do it when my kids were little since I was working full-time. I enjoy it so much I’m still volunteering and have worked at King Edward for four years. I especially like to work with the very young children. Some of the ideas I learn about here I use with my other grandchildren at home. I’ve really realized how critical it is to read to children and to increase their exposure to vocabulary.”

“You can’t save the world but if you can do one or two things it makes a difference! It’s the small things you do that ultimately make a difference in a kid’s life.”

Volunteer Coach – Heather

I took an early retirement from Bell after 30 years and wanted to have a way to give back to the community. One day I was at the gym and talking to a teacher and said I was thinking of volunteering in the school in my area. The teacher said, “Oh no, come and volunteer at my school. The needs are so much greater in a downtown school.” I decided she was right since the school in my area of the suburbs serves a more advantaged community.

We need to convey to the community the importance of getting strong literacy skills. I was a veracious reader at an early age. I could read when I started school. My brother, however, had a learning disability so I know how much of a struggle it is.

This is my third time through the Strong Start® Letters Sounds and Words program and I find my work as a Volunteer Coach very rewarding.

Volunteer Coach – Gillian

I have three children who all struggle with a learning disability that affects reading. I realize how important it is for the child to get the basic sounds down by grade one. My children didn’t get the one-on-one attention. They got special education support, but there were no programs like this when my children were very young. It is very important to have the one-on-one right at the beginning of their schooling.