西华PCV：让家长们在多元社区建立新友谊

在上海西华外籍人员子女学校（The Western International School of Shanghai），家委会组织是一个名为“家长志愿者”（Parent Community Volunteers，简称“PCV”）的团队。为加强家校联系、建设家长社区，他们都做了些什么？请看菁kids与西华PCV代表的快问快答。

图：学校提供

菁kids：请与我们分享一下西华家长志愿者团队（PCV）的使命和发展历史。

西华PCV：我们的首要目标是支持学校的教学目的和理念，并邀请家庭们参与到各种志愿者活动中，这些活动培育了我们这个富有爱心并关注孩子的社团。

当学校于2006年刚成立时，PCV是一个不怎么正式的团体，主要就是对学校所需要的一切提供帮助，比如在图书馆包书、在班级里为小朋友阅读、参加课外野营、准备年会和派对等。逐渐地，PCV变得越来越有组织，现在主要有四大部分：1、教室、文化和体育；2、社会公共服务；3、欢迎仪式；4、社交筹款活动。

菁kids：PCV有没有一个核心委员会？如果有，是否由选举产生？每个成员都做什么？平均任期是多久？

西华PCV：PCV没有正式的选举和固定的任期，目前有大约有40位成员，每六周见一次面，平时也会用微信和电子邮件相互就正在进行的活动沟通交流。

菁kids：PCV具体会在哪些方面帮助强化家校联系？

西华PCV：四部分工作都从不同角度起到了强化家校联系的作用。

“教室、文化和体育组”的志愿者直接和老师一起工作，提供艺术表演和体育方面的帮助（如在学生的文体竞赛中准备食物和饮料），帮助教师腾出更多精力关注孩子。

“欢迎组”和招生市场部门合作紧密，通过早茶、带家长参观学校和周边环境等方式，来欢迎新家长，由此创造培育西华学校更有爱的环境。

“社交活动组”帮助建立友谊，组织多样性聚会，稳固加强学校和家长间的紧密联系，比如组织小朋友的万圣节电影之夜，还有年度派对、筹款晚宴和红酒芝士聚会等。这些都是向所有老师、家长和职工开放的，他们可以借此进行团体社交。

除了西华的柬埔寨慈善服务项目和周六免费学校（两者都从2006年建校时逐渐发展至今），部分家长对为本土社区做贡献很有热忱。为此，“社会工作组”还提供新的志愿者服务的机会。PCV主动参与冬日集会（WISStival）——我们每年的圣诞集会，设立很多节日礼品小摊，比如只允许学生购物区域（送给家长的礼物）、“北极”（与圣诞老人合影）以及“烘焙专卖”等等。

菁kids：PCV已经帮助协理了学校的几个重大活动，比如“音乐时代”和每年的西华筹款晚宴。这是不是支持学校的良好方式？

西华PCV：从2012年起，因着家长们的协助指引，西华在学年开始之际举办的主题派对，还有五月份的筹款晚宴，都已经渐渐成为了西华的“传统”。整个学校社区都被邀请参与到这些有趣的活动当中，并且在巩固原有关系的基础上，在我们这个有55个种族的多元社区中培养出了新的友谊。

菁kids：PCV有没有年度计划？如果有，你们是如何制定的？

西华PCV：在学年开始的时候，PCV成员们会见面讨论即将到来的新学期的活动，志愿者也会签字确定参加。接下来大概每六周见一次面，回顾重大事件，四个部门也会就取得的进步做讨论汇报，会议记录会分发给家长。

菁kids：作为家委会的志愿者，有什么想和其他家长分享的吗？

西华PCV：我们所有参与PCV的志愿者都真诚地建议大家通过PCV参与到学校活动中，这非常有趣，有很多机会也很有收获。通过这样的参与，既可以为校园活动出力，同时也能认识来自世界各地的新朋友。通过PCV，我们中的许多人都在上海这座快节奏的大都市中，体会到了安全感和受欢迎。

At Western International School of Shanghai, Parent Community Volunteers (PVC) plays an important role in strengthening the communication between school and parents. What have they done? Here below is the Q & A between jingkids and a representative of PVC.

Jingkids: Please share with us the mission and vision of PCV, its history and traditions.

WISS PCV: Our primary objective for the WISS Parent Community Volunteers (PCV) is to support the school’s mission, vision and core values and to welcome families by engaging and inviting them to volunteer and participate in activities and programs nurturing our caring and child-focused community.

When the school opened in 2006, the PCV was quite an informal group, and would help with any support needed by the school, e.g. covering books in library, reading to the little ones in class, joining in on field trips and organizing year end parties, etc. Gradually, the PCV became increasingly more structured, and currently, there are four main areas for parents to volunteer: 1) Classroom, Culture and Sports; 2) Community Service; 3) Welcome; and 4) Social and Fund-raising Activities.

Jingkids: Is there a core committee of PCV? If yes, are the members elected? What does each member do? How long will they serve averagely?

WISS PCV: There is no formal election or set terms for the PCV. However, there are parents who help coordinate the volunteers in the four main areas. At present, there is a volunteer group of around 40 who meet roughly every 6 weeks, and use email and WeChat to coordinate and update each other on ongoing activities.

Jingkids: In what ways do you help to strengthen the connections between parents and the school?

WISS PCV: All four volunteer areas help to strengthen the connection between parents and the school. The Classroom, Culture and Sports volunteers work directly with teachers to provide assistance in performing arts and sports programs(e.g. organize food & beverage at student performances and sports competitions) so teachers can focus more on children.

The Welcome group works closely with marketing and administration to develop and nurture a caring community at WISS by welcoming all new parents, e.g. through coffee mornings and introduction tours around the school and the local area.

The Social Activities group facilitates building friendships and organizes gatherings to reinforce diversity and inclusion, e.g. the Halloween Movie Night for the youngest children, the yearly Themed Party, the Gala Fundraiser and the Wine & Cheese event which are all for parents, teachers and staff so they can socialize as a community.

Since some parents are keen to contribute to the local community, in addition to WISS’s Cambodia Project and Saturday School both of which have evolved from the beginning in 2006, the Community Services group identifies and coordinates new volunteer opportunities. In addition, the PCV actively engages in the preparations of the WISStival, our annual Christmas Bazaar, by running many of the festive sale stalls, such as the Rudolph’s Warehouse, the North Pole (photo with Santa), and the Bake Sale, etc.

Jingkids: PCV has helped to coordinate school events such as the Music of the Ages and the annual WISS Gala Evening fundraiser event. Is it a good way to support the school?

WISS PCV: Since 2012, WISS has held an annual themed party in the beginning of the year and a Gala fundraiser dinner in May. These have become ‘traditions’ at WISS, and evolve depending on the parent leader. The whole school community is invited to join these fun evening events and they foster the formation of new friendships while strengthening existing ones among our highly diverse community (55 different ethnicities).

Jingkids: Is there a year-round plan of PCV? If yes, how do you make it?

WISS PCV: In the beginning of the school year, the PCV meets to discuss activities for the coming semester, and volunteers will sign up to get involved. Then meetings are held roughly every 6 weeks to review major activities and report on the progress of the four main volunteer areas. Minutes are taken after each meeting and distributed among the parents.

Jingkids: As a volunteer of the Parent Community, what do you want to share with other fellow parents?

WISS PCV: We all (those involved in PCV) can really recommend that parents get involved with the school through PCV. It is so much fun, there are many opportunities and it’s very rewarding too. By getting involved, you can make many new friends from all over the world while at the same time helping out for the good of the school community and beyond. Through PCV many of us have felt safe and welcome in an overwhelming city like Shanghai.