Seattle's Child

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Dearborn Park International Elementary School, Seattle (Photo courtesy Homes.com)

Volunteers needed to help get Seattle schools ready for the first bell

Alliance for Education also collecting school supplies

Two Seattle public schools need extra hands to spruce up their campuses, and the Alliance for Education is lining up volunteers to help. The nonprofit’s “Ready, Set, School” program will send volunteers to each campus for half-day shifts, aiming to have classrooms and campuses ready by the start of school in September.

On Friday, Aug. 21, from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., volunteers will be at Lowell Elementary on Capitol Hill where they will prep classrooms and bulletin boards, straighten up classroom spaces, clean up landscaping, haul furniture and supplies into place, and reset shared spaces.

Then on Saturday, Aug. 29, from 1 to 4 p.m., the readiness effort moves to Dearborn Park International Elementary on Beacon Hill. There, volunteers will focus on sorting donated school supplies, straightening up classrooms and moving furniture into place.

Can’t make a shift? Both schools have posted Amazon Wishlists for student supplies and family resource center needs. Amazon offers a discount for supplies bought in bulk. And, of course, cash donations are also welcomed:

  • $5 – Covers one student planner to learn life skills like time management and organization
  • $23 – Covers the cost of school supplies for one elementary school student for a year
  • $50 – Purchases a grocery gift card for a family over the weekend or a school break
  • $680 – Could help provide an entire classroom of students with the school supplies they need for the year

The Alliance’s downtown Seattle office, located at 509 Olive Way, Suite 500, will also accept donations of new or gently used supplies on Mondays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Take action

Help make Lowell and Dearborn Park International Elementary schools inviting places for students. Sign up to volunteer.

About the Author

Cheryl Murfin

Cheryl Murfin, M.Ed/IAE is managing editor of Seattle's Child magazine. She's been a working journalist for nearly 40 years, is an certified AWA writing workshop facilitator, arts-integrated writing retreat leader. Find her at Compasswriters.com.