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Volunteer

Family and community involvement is the key to student success

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with the Kennewick School District. We welcome family and community volunteers who want to support student success.

Get involved in the following ways: 

 

Get started

The first step is to fill out a volunteer application with the district. Kennewick School District conducts criminal background checks on all applicants through the Washington State Patrol. There are no fees to applicants. A volunteer application must be filled out each school year. Volunteers are expected to follow all current district policies/procedures and any current state health and safety protocols for schools while volunteering. There are currently NO masking or vaccination requirements for volunteers.

Volunteer Application

If you have questions about the volunteer application or background check process, contact:

Gail Barness
Human Resources Assistant
gail.barness@ksd.org 
(509) 222-7423

 

Opportunities


Team Read

Kennewick School District partners with The Children's Reading Foundation of the Mid-Columbia to provide the Team Read program. Through Team Read, elementary students (kindergarten through third grade) receive one-on-one reading tutoring by volunteers during school hours. The goals of Team Read are that students read early and well, that students develop positive relationships with community members, and that a student increases their interest and confidence in reading.

Participating Schools

  • Amistad Elementary
  • Cascade Elementary
  • Canyon View Elementary
  • Eastgate Elementary
  • Edison Elementary
  • Fuerza Elementary
  • Sage Crest Elementary
  • Southgate Elementary
  • Sunset View Elementary
  • Vista Elementary

Community volunteers receive a brief training in the fall and will also receive ongoing support throughout the year. Volunteers are assigned to a school where they will volunteer twice per week for 30 minutes each tutoring session. During October through early June, volunteers are paired with kindergarten, first-, second- or third-graders who are specifically selected by their teachers. Volunteers work with students that are in need of extra support in order to be on grade level reading. Students with a behavior plan or specific reading intervention are not eligible for the program. Volunteers must be an approved district volunteer and are supervised by an on-site coordinator.

A typical 30-minute tutoring session includes:

  • The child and tutor read aloud to each other from provided books.
  • The child receives support with high frequency words, decoding, comprehension and vocabulary for a few minutes each session.
  • Team Read provides the student with positive reinforcement for motivation and effort in reading, such as books and stickers.

If you are interested in volunteering for Team Read, please fill out the Kennewick School District volunteer application and indicate Team Read or contact the Children's Reading Foundation of the Mid-Columbia at (509) 222-7323.

Learn More.

United Way Middle School Lunchtime Mentoring

Are you interested in making a difference in the life of a local middle schooler during your lunch break? If so, we invite you to serve as a volunteer mentor in United Way's middle school lunchtime mentoring program!

Participating Schools

  • Chinook Middle School
  • Park Middle School

Mentors will meet with their mentees once a week, on the school grounds, for 45 minutes during the mentee's lunch period. United Way will provide all necessary training, and no prior experience is necessary. 

Learn More

District Committees

Kennewick School District values the involvement and support from our community. There are a variety of ways for community members to get involved, including participating on community committees to provide input in a variety of areas that support Kennewick students and their education. 

Learn More


ATP (Action Team For Partnerships)

Action Team for Partnerships (ATP) is a committee of educators, parents and community members who meet monthly to develop plans for school, family and community partnerships. If you are interested in becoming a member of your school’s ATP, contact your school principal directly. You may also contact the chairperson directly or call (509) 222-5031 for more information. 

Learn More


Parent-Teacher Organizations (PTOs)

Contact your child's school to find out if there is an active PTO and how to get involved.
 

Benton-Franklin Counties SEPTA (Special Education Parent Teacher Association)

Benton-Franklin Counties SEPTA is a valuable link between home and school, providing both with important information benefiting our children. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in children with special education needs and in how special needs can benefit the entire learning community. Meetings include informative and professional speakers who speak on various issues that can aid parents in helping their children achieve their personal best. For more information, contact Scott McDonald at (509) 308-6254 or Tamra Harrison at (509) 546-1246.

Join the SEPTA Facebook group.
 

Booster Groups

Many of our high schools have active booster groups for athletics and music. Check with individual high schools for options available.