PARENTS ASKED TO VOLUNTEER IN CAPE SCHOOLS

Parents interested in relieving Cape Girardeau School District teachers and students of stress pledged to become volunteers in the VIP program Tuesday.

About 10 people attended the organizational meeting for VIP, Volunteering and Involved Parents, held at the Cape Girardeau Civic Center.

Cape Girardeau School Superintendent Dr. Dan Steska was the guest speaker for the event.

"We want volunteerism in the schools," Steska said. "We're having a problem getting people to feel a part of the process, and this may be a way we can improve on that."

Organizers Vera Sterling and Mary Swan said they hope to have 60 to 75 volunteers agree to spend some time in the schools on a regular basis. Their primary objective is to develop a higher level of parental involvement in schools so students, teachers and parents feel more comfortable working together.

"I feel the teachers are the same way we are on our jobs: They're overworked, they're stressed, and sometimes they just can't deal with what's going on with those students," said Swan. "If we have volunteers who are dedicated to bringing a positive presence in the schools, we'll be able to relieve some of that stress from them."

Sterling said if parents get involved, teachers and students also will be better able to handle educational, cultural and disciplinary issues that arise.

"It's like when you go see a doctor, you have to communicate the problems so he can discover what's wrong and give you a prescription," Sterling said. "We as parents can do that for our kids."

VIP volunteers will be able to choose how long, in which building and how often they participate in the VIP program. Sterling said parents should remember that even a brief stint as a hall or lunchroom monitor or as a supervisor on a bus can have a lasting impression on students.

"Most people think volunteering means spending the whole day, but that's not true," she said. "If you've only got an hour, we've got a position for you."

Steska said he will work with the program to ensure parents have access as volunteers and that administrators and students understand the program's objectives.

T-shirts will be made available to volunteers so staff and students recognize their position in the buildings, and background checks of some type will be run to ensure the safety of students.

"We are concerned about the safety and the welfare of our kids," Steska said. "When we put this together, we want to make sure that is what we're working towards."