Volunteering at FGCS

Volunteers make a huge difference in our school community and we welcome you to explore ways to get involved!
Volunteering RequirementsAll volunteers at FGCS are required to complete an annual criminal background check through the Forest Grove School District.  Click here to review volunteer requirements and fill out the background check online.

You will receive an automatically generated email in 24-48 hours notifying you when you are cleared to volunteer. If you do not receive an automated email within 3 days, contact Karen Torry at [email protected] or 503-359-4600.

When on campus at FGCS, volunteers are required to sign in at the school office and to wear a volunteer badge.

Volunteering for Out & Abouts: Out & Abouts count on parent support to keep kids safe and help supervise activities. If you think you may wish to join an Out & About at any point this year, please take a moment to complete the Forest Grove School District Background Check. Then, watch for opportunities to be announced in the weekly newsletters. If you have other family members who may like to be involved, please share opportunities with them, but make sure they also know about the Background Check requirement.

Offering an After School Activity: After-school activities at FGCS are volunteer run and make a huge difference for students and families while offering you the opportunity to share a skill or passion! Examples of past volunteer-led clubs include: fiber arts, origami, music (choir, beginning guitar, rhythm); Legos; physics; yoga; basketball; Bug Club (hands-on exploration of the insect world); chess club; and board games club.

With older students, club leaders may play a more supervisory role with students taking the lead in organizing activities; with younger students, adults more actively plan and lead activities. 

After-school clubs typically last 45 minutes to 1 hour (3:30-4:15 or 4:30) one day per week and you have full control over the number of weeks it will run, the number of students, and which grades or levels you will accept sign-ups from. Leaders have support from school staff with registration, dismissal after clubs, etc.

Club leaders should expect to:

• Complete the online criminal history background check
• Provide advance notice (ideally 24-48 hours but no later than noon the day of if possible) if the club must be canceled.

If you have an idea for a club that may be offered, please contact Karen Torry ([email protected]) to discuss:

• The nature of the class/club
• Age/grades
• Maximum class size (in general, no more than 12)
• How many weeks (most clubs meet 1x/week but could be more if there was interest)
• Any materials needed
• Start and end dates
• How many weeks the club will run
• Any additional adult support needed

Joining the Board of Directors:The FGCS Board of Directors is composed of a diverse group of volunteers. Most Board members are also FGCS parents, many of whom stay on after their children graduate as involved community members. Participation is designed to be straightforward and accessible. Learn more here.
Questions or Ideas?If you have questions about volunteering at FGCS, or an idea about how you can contribute your unique skills? Please contact principal Vanessa Gray at [email protected].