Supporting a school’s legacy makes a lasting difference for generations of students.
Years down the road, they may not remember teachers’ names or test scores, but they will remember the welcoming environment and people who made their school experience special.
To build those lifelong memories, Dallas ISD Partnerships and Volunteer Engagement is launching Get Involved With Dallas ISD, designed as a front door for community members, local businesses, and organizations to support local campuses.
“Get Involved is bigger than our department,” said Gene Davis, director of Partnerships and Volunteer Engagement. “It tries to bring the whole ecosystem together and the campaign connects people to the right place no matter where they start. Previously, someone had to already know which office to call. Now, one entry point routes every volunteer, donor, and partner to where they can make the biggest difference.”
The campaign focuses on three direct avenues for involvement: volunteering time, becoming a partner, or making financial donations. Regardless of how community members choose to participate, each effort flows directly into supporting students and strengthening local school neighborhoods.
Last school year, volunteers logged 135,140 hours of service across district campuses, an estimated $4.87 million in support for students and schools. Donors contributed $13.2 million in monetary and in-kind gifts during the same period.
For those looking to give their time, volunteer opportunities span a wide range of hands-on roles tailored to individual interests and schedules. Opportunities span various departments, including early childhood education, college and career readiness, after-school programs, campus engagement, and athletics.
At the district’s two resource center locations, volunteers play a vital role in daily operations by helping families navigate the store, bagging groceries, loading carts into vehicles, and prepping the shop for upcoming days.
Volunteers can also support the district’s new Learning Voyages initiative as chaperones. In this role, community members join students on educational field trips to local spots, including Perot Museum of Nature and Science, The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, and Dallas Zoo.
On campuses, volunteer roles take many forms. Creative volunteers can lend their artistic and decorating skills to set up auditoriums for student award ceremonies, while others assist with school logistics by directing arrival and dismissal traffic.
For those who want to start a student’s day on a high note, morning greeters offer a friendly and dependable presence, welcoming families, promoting campus safety, and helping build a positive school climate where every student feels valued from the moment they arrive.
“Every hour a volunteer gives is an hour of extra attention, encouragement, and connection for a student,” Davis said. “A reading buddy, a field trip chaperone, a helping hand at a campus event. When students see neighbors, businesses, and community members showing up for their school, it tells them their community believes in them. And volunteers and donors consistently tell us they get as much out of it as they give.”
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