Giving Tuesday – Archway Chandler

The Pulse of Archway Chandler: Parent Volunteers

It’s precisely 8:00 a.m. at Archway Chandler. The bell has rung. As the Pledge of Allegiance is being recited, a steady stream of the day’s volunteers are checking in and attaching their name-tags. The lobby is filled with exuberant parents and guardians ready to tackle the day’s activities! Every morning it’s a diverse group of Mom’s; Dad’s; Grandparent’s; Aunts; Uncles; anyone that has the time; energy and enthusiasm to volunteer! At Archway Chandler, it is the norm for volunteers to flood the school with their buoyant smiles; kindness and commitment to serve. In a typical week, volunteers car-pool to field trips and chaperone students thru the Musical Instrument Museum, the Phoenix Zoo or the Butterfly Garden. They lead reading groups during lyceum or read one-on-one with the kindergarten and 1st grade students. Volunteers organize and lead classroom parties, everything from creating party supply lists to being hands on with crafts, activities and snacks during the class parties. Walking down the hallways, you’ll be sure to spot a volunteer stapling craft paper to a bulletin board creating an impressive display for all to see. Sarah Davis, a parent volunteer, states “I love that Archway Chandler encourages parents to volunteer in the school and in our children’s classroom. It’s a great way to support our faculty, while also actively engaging in our children’s education. I also love the opportunity to get to know other parents through volunteering, helping to foster the amazing community that is so special to Great Hearts.”

At Archway Chandler, the feeling of comradery between volunteers; faculty and students continuously fills the air. Parents co-mingle with faculty and students providing a mutually beneficial experience with the volunteer’s child, other students in the class, the teacher, and the school. “I love it when my Mom comes to class and reads with me,” says second grader Milana Sankey. Parent involvement in the classrooms increases student achievement, including higher test scores and grades, as well as promotes positive self-esteem and behavior. “It is also so important for students to interact with other adults, besides their teachers, in a positive way that supports our mission” states Lisa Brady, Headmaster at Archway Chandler. On every occasion from school tours to headmaster chats, Mrs. Brady expresses the importance of teaching students to be respectful to all adults on campus and feels that “this truly epitomizes that it takes a village to raise a child and having our volunteers makes Archway Chandler just that.” Most importantly, it can be such a powerful way for volunteers to lead by example and be a part of something for the greater good. These benefits are too significant not to take into account, and Archway Chandler always welcomes additional volunteers into their midst.