We need your help! The NRE PTA is eager to connect with all families and build our community back up. We want everyone to feel included all year long.

When you volunteer, all students benefit! Volunteers are essential to help support our teachers, staff, and students. Volunteering is also a great way to learn the ins and outs of our school, be familiar with what is happening within our school, and to connect with other families.

There are so many opportunities to volunteer at NRE.

If any of the programs below interest you, click the Volunteer Interest Form button and we'll be in touch:

Volunteer Interest Form

Arts in Education (Reflections)

Publicize, promote, and ensure submission of entries in the annual PTA Reflections art program. Recognize all participants and celebrate those students whose work is selected to move forward to the state or national level. In the Spring, work with our Art teacher, Ms. Millar, to organize the NRE Student Art Show. Time commitment is 1-2 hours in the Fall and 1-2 hours in the Spring.

BEAR FEST

A fall festival sponsored by the PTA held in October on the Northrich Lawn. Lots of fun is had with carnival games, face painting, music and food.  It’s fun for all ages and there are many opportunities for parent and older kid volunteers.

Bear Pa's

Bear Pa's is group for all men associated with NRE students, who strive to lead others with fun while also showing respect. Bear Pa's goal is to make the school experience more enjoyable and enriching for all NRE students and faculty. Throughout the academic year, Bear Pa's will help to organize events, assist with morning greetings as students arrive to school, and help the students and staff wherever it is needed most. Time commitment is approximately 1 hour/month.

BIRTHDAY YARD SIGNS

Birthdays are very special here at Northrich! Parents are offered the opportunity to celebrate their Bear with a Birthday Bear Yard Sign. Yard Sign volunteers help make this possible by tracking our years sign orders, and setting up the sign in the student's yard from the Friday before their birthday through the Friday after. The time commitment is about 1 hour every Friday morning. 

BULLETIN BOARD 

The PTA is in charge of maintaining the school’s bulletin board in the front lobby. Bulletin Boards can be a creative way to send a message to all the kids, teachers, and staff. Have fun and let you creative skill be seen as soon as everyone enters the school. The bulletin board can be done at any time while the school is open.

CLASS PARTIES

The PTA uses the "Party in a Box" method to provide snacks and treats four our three class parties throughout the year (December, February, and May). Prior to each party, PTA looks for volunteers to help sort and distribute snacks and treats to classrooms for students to enjoy together. The time commitment for this is approximately 1-2 hours in December, February, and May, and will take place during the school day prior to afternoon parties. 

COFFEE CART

On the last Friday of every month, we build a breakfast on wheels to be taken around to each classroom for the teachers to be served without ever having to leave their classroom. Volunteers are critical to coffee cart's success! Volunteers sign up to bring a breakfast item to school (homemade or store bought), and/or to help push the cart around to each classroom. Breakfast items should be dropped off by 8am, and Coffee Cart is delivered to teachers and staff from 8-8:45am (but end time can be flexible). 

COLOR RUN

Color Run is a fun day for students to get their wiggles out, while volunteers spray them with color powder. Usually in the spring, volunteers are needed to help plan the details of the run, set up the course, and  spray color on students as they run!

CONCESSIONS

Help set up and sell concessions at each of the following PTA Events: Bear Fest, Movie Night on the Lawn, Spring Dance, and Color Run. Each event is approx. 2 hours, with 1 hour shifts for concession volunteers. 

Cub Club

Cub Club is for Pre-K aged children who will be entering Kindergarten in the next 2 years. Volunteers are a bridge builder between our Northrich Neighborhood Community and our school, and help foster a sense of excitement about joining the NRE community. You will help coordinate school tours, back-to-school socials, and maintain the Cub Club Facebook page. Cub Club meets multiple times throughout the school year, during school hours, to help familiarize the children with their future classmates, teachers and school. A mix of volunteers who are available during school hours, and those who can help anytime and from anywhere to help engage our community, are both appreciated!

donuts with grown-ups

Parents and other role-models are invited to the school for donuts, coffee and juice with their kid(s) in September. Volunteers will help with set-up and service to students and their grown-ups. 

FIELD DAY SHIRTS

Work with our spirit store vendor to select a school field day shirt, and communicate with them as they set up our online store for shirt sales. You will also help with distributing the shirts to classrooms post-production. 

KINDERGARTEN GRADUATION

Kindergarten graduation is a special day for our littlest students and their families. Graduation volunteers are needed to help decorate the cafeteria prior to graduation on the last day of school. Time commitment is approximately 1-2 hours during school hours, or immediately after school the day prior.

MOVIE NIGHT ON THE LAWN

An all time family favorite, Movie Night on the Lawn is a time for families to gather together and enjoy a movie on the Northrich Lawn. We offer concessions for sale, and need volunteers to help with planning and set up for this event.

Multicultural Night

Multicultural Night is an evening in January where Northrich families and the local community share their native culture's traditions, food, dress, and customs with our Northrich Community. It’s a wonderful opportunity to learn about and celebrate the cultural diversity of our school! We as for volunteers to help begin planning this event in December, and help with organization and set-up in January. We are also looking for volunteers who are interested in hosting a table!

READ-A-THON

Read-A-Thon is our PTA's biggest FUNdraiser every year! Our students have a blast competing to read and raise the most. Read-A-Thon lasts two weeks, and we are looking for volunteers who can help come up with creative incentives and challenges for our student body.

ROOM PARENT TEAM

Being a room parent for your child's class is a great way to support your teacher this year! You will help your teacher plan three yearly parties, one each in December, February, and May. Room parents also help communicate updates and info to other class parents throughout the year. There might be other things your teacher also needs help with throughout the year!

SCHOOL SUPPLIES

So many families rely on prepackaged school supply packs for back to school! When you volunteer to help with school supplies you aren’t committed to hours and hours of work. You will request revisions to prior year’s supply list from staff and then request quotes from vendors. In the fall, you will help distribute supply packs to classrooms, and return unsold packs back to the vendor.

6TH GRADE GRADUATION

6th Grade Graduation is a special day for our eldest students and their families. Graduation volunteers are needed to help decorate the cafeteria prior to graduation on the last day of school. Time commitment is approximately 1-2 hours during school hours, or immediately after school the day prior.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Our PTA Facebook Page and Class Dojo is where the majority of PTA and school news is shared. It's also one of the most valued resources we have to engage and empower families. Social Media volunteers help to monitor our PTA's social media accounts, post regularly, and engage with parents. Time commitment is approximately 1 hour/week and can be done completely from home.

Spanish Representative

Help communicate all PTA announcements and events to our Spanish speaking families. Provide translation of PTA flyers and provide translation at PTA meetings and events. Advocate for Spanish speaking families, by communicating their needs and questions to the PTA and school representatives.

Time commitment is 1-2 hours/month. Everything can be done from home!

SPIRIT NIGHTS

Spirit Nights occur twice a year, and are a fun way to connect NRE to our Richardson community, while also raising money for our school. Volunteers are needed to help organize spirit nights with local restaurants, and communicate details to our Northrich families. 

SPIRIT STORE

Twice a year, our PTA volunteers work with a vendor to design spirit gear and create an online store for families to purchase NRE gear. Volunteers are also needed to help sort and distribute orders once they are delivered. 

SPRING DANCE

An NRE favorite! Volunteers are needed to help make this night a success from planning to set up!

TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK

Held during the first full week in May, during this week our PTA showers love and appreciation onto our amazing teachers through lunches, treats, surprise goodies, etc.  Lots of volunteer help is needed to make this week a special time for our beloved teachers and staff. Your PTA membership helps fund this program.

THURSDAY FOLDERS

Thursday Folder Volunteers come to Northrich each Thursday morning at 9am to help stuff student take-home folders with completed classwork, flyers, etc.  Each volunteer is assigned a specific class(es) to be responsible for each week.  This can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on the number of volunteers. 

WEBSITE

As a primary information source, the NRE PTA website plays a crucial role in the dissemination of PTA facts and updates. PTA volunteers are needed to assist the Communications Chair in attending events and taking pictures, editing images, creating website pages, and assisting with maintaining a current site.

YEARBOOK

Did you know that our NRE Yearbook is completely a work of PTA? As a yearbook volunteer, you will work with a team to snap photos, arrange the content, create and publish the school's yearbook!