South Loop Elementary School is successful due to the strong involvement and dedication of our families, faculty, staff, and students. We are committed to the development and education of our children and are excited for you to join in on the journey!
Below is a list of SLES volunteer opportunities, expectations, and contacts. Reach out to contacts directly or fill out our volunteer form to become involved today.
ANNUAL FUNDRAISERS
Boosterthon | Fall Fundraiser | Spring Benefit
FAMILY & COMMUNITY EVENTS
Around the World | Dance with Your Daughter | Fitness & Hoops Night | Green Initiatives | Kindergarten Welcome Picnic | Sports with Your Son Night
SCHOOLWIDE EVENTS
Back to School Picnic | End of School Carnival | Scholastic Book Fair | Winter Dance
SCHOOL PROGRAM NEEDS
Box Tops for Education | Uniform Resale | Lost & Found | Lunch Cafe Crew | Safety Patrol Point Person | School Tour | Teacher & Principal Appreciation | Volunteer Coordinator | Website Support
CLASSROOM NEEDS
Ad-Hoc Requests | Room Parent
Work with the Boosterthon organization on the Fun Run fundraiser to help continue one of the most profitable fundraisers for South Loop Elementary School.
Need: Committee members are the liaisons for the school with Boosterthon.
Timing: January or February
Contact: FFSLES Board
This casual fundraiser kicks off the school year at a local restaurant and provides attendees time to network, while enjoying food and silent auction items.
Need: Committee arranges event logistics, communication, and donations.
Timing: October
Contacts:
Event Lead(s): Need Chair
Committee: Julie Chen, Jemia Cunningham-Elder, Chiara Gasparetto
General: FFSLES Board
Celebrate the end of the school year with the annual gala featuring food and beverage, dancing, silent auction items, and so much more!
Needs: Committee arranges event logistics, communication, and auction items.
Timing: April or May
Contacts:
Event Leads: Kelly DeShepper and Courtney Boerema
Donations: Need Chair
Event Communications: Need Chair
Committee: Jennifer Geiger, Piya Gandhi, Janean Kwan, June Hou
General: FFSLES Board
The Family Involvement Group oversees the Family & Community Events for the school and helps to ensure volunteer needs are met for school initiatives.
If interested in joining, please complete this application.
Contact(s): Tracy Carlson
Committee: Sweety Agrawal, Tracy Colwell, Jennifer Majerus, Tiffany Norwood
This event features and celebrates different cultures and cuisines from around the world.
Need: Committee arranges logistics, communication, and volunteers to represent each culture.
Timing: Spring
Contact(s): Abby Dryer and Janean Kwan
Annual Daddy-Daughter dance for fathers/guardians to enjoy quality time together.
Need: Committee arranges logistics and communication for the evening.
Timing: Spring
Contact: Urakay Juett and Lauren Janicki
Event for all SLES students to come participate in a night of sports and learning about fitness. Done in partnership with different fitness and sport companies throughout the area.
Need: Committee arranges logistics and communication for the evening.
Timing: Fall
Contact: Betsy Balgooyen and Tim
Clean & Green:
Organize Clean & Green events in support of the school and community. Volunteers improve landscaping and maintenance of school grounds.
Need: Committee arranges dates and green initiatives in the Fall and Spring.
Timing: Fall and Spring
Contact(s): Nardos Gemechu and Steve Caliendo
Crayola ColorCycle:
This initiative helps teach our students about protecting the environment by working together to recycle used markers throughout the year instead of throwing them in a landfill.
Need: Committee works with classroom teachers to collect and recycle used markers.
Timing: Ongoing
Contact: Looking for volunteer
The Welcome Picnic for Grades K-3 provides parents and students new to the school a chance to meet each other and ask questions of current SLES parents.
Need: Manage the list-serve, parent Q&A, and picnic logistics.
Timing: August
Contact: Tracy Colwell
Evening of fun competition between groups of moms/guardians and sons.
Need: Committee arranges logistics and communication for the evening.
Timing: Spring
Contacts: TBD
Annual picnic at SLES Primary Building on the playground (or gym if inclement weather) for families to celebrate the start of the new school year, sign up for volunteer opportunities, and purchase Resale Uniforms.
Need: Committee arranges logistics and communication for the event.
Timing: September
Contact: Tina Berry
Carnival for the school to celebrate students hard work and a year of achieving our values of Lion PRIDE and the South Loop Way.
Need: Committee arranges logistics and communication for the event.
Timing: June
Contact: Looking for volunteer
Great opportunity to get books into the hands of our children.
Need: Organize volunteers for set-up, staffing, and breakdown of school book fairs.
Timing: Fall and Spring
Contacts:
Anna Beaser (Middle School Building)
Laura Evans (Primary Building)
Winter Dance for students at the Main Building (Please note: The dance only takes place at the Main Building).
Need: Organize volunteers for set-up, decorating, snacks, staffing, and breakdown of the winter dance.
Timing: Winter
Contacts:
Grades 2nd-6th: Jemia Cunningham-Elder
Grades 7th-8th: Principal Shelton
Help raise funds for the school through the Box Tops for Education initiative.
Need: Communicate goals and deadlines; manage collection and shipping.
Timing: Fall and Spring
Contacts: Lisa Taylor
Help raise funds for the school through our SLES Uniform Resale.
Need: Collect gently used uniform items; sort and organize for resale.
Timing: Periodically throughout the year
Contact(s): June Hou
Need: Coordinate monthly sorting and claiming of students’ lost items, distributing unclaimed items to charitable organizations.
Timing: Periodically throughout the year
Contact: Lisa Taylor and Cara Jaques
Need: Assist students in navigating the lunch line and opening containers for grades K-1.
Contact: Managed by Room Parents (K-1)
Safety Patrol Coordinators ensure there are enough volunteers throughout the month to streamline student drop-off and pick-up. Onsite volunteers are important as they open car doors, usher students, and direct traffic flow.
Need: Volunteers for Safety Patrol in the mornings at each location.
Contact(s):
Jenn Majerus (Primary Building)
Tracy Colwell (Middle School Building)
These are currently only available in a virtual setting due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Need: Support onsite faculty-led tours of the school buildings for prospective parents and students.
Timing: Monthly throughout the school year
Contact(s):
Tracy Carlson (Primary Building)
Saadia Siddique (Middle School Building)
Need: Organize volunteers to create cards and small tokens of thanks to teachers and administration during their respective appreciation weeks.
Timing: Fall and Spring
Contact: Tracy Colwell
Need: Review submitted forms and answer questions from potential volunteers so they may become involved in one of our school’s committees and groups.
Timing: Throughout the year
Contact: Tracy Carlson
Need: Support SLES website needs by keeping the school information and calendar details updated.
Timing: Throughout the year
Contact: Laarni Livings
Committee: Tracy Carlson, Stephanie McAndrew, Jennifer Majerus
Need: Throughout the year, room parents will reach out for help with classroom field trips, secret reader, career day presentations, class festivals, etc.
Contact: Room Parent
Need: Serve as a liaison for the teacher and parents — disseminate classroom information, support classroom festivities, and encourage classroom involvement and volunteer opportunities.
Contact(s): Erika Berkey
Know someone who should be highlighted? Someone working behind the scenes, in the classroom, or at a school activity? Submit your nominee >>
In order to volunteer for field trips and classroom activities, you MUST register as a volunteer with CPS:
