Volunteer at Alice Birney Elementary
Birney Beekeeper volunteers help keep our hive thriving! Whether you can spare a few hours or have a big idea to contribute, there’s a way for you to make an impact. From nurturing young minds in the school garden to ensuring kids stay safe during morning drop-off with the Cone Zone team, your time and talents truly matter. Opportunities range from event coordination and committee leadership to simply signing up for a short shift—there’s something for everyone!
Ready to get started? On-campus volunteers need to complete the pre-requirements listed below. Prefer to volunteer from home? We offer virtual opportunities, too!
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Before volunteering on campus, the San Diego Unified School District requires you to complete a volunteer application and provide clearance for tuberculosis (TB).
Those interested must:
1. Complete a school volunteer application
2. Have a health care provider fill out a tuberculosis risk assessment for you, which may require a TB skin test but often should not. This clearance is valid for up to 4 years.
3. Turn in the two completed forms to the office.
On some Mondays, Nurse Joy is at the school and may be available before 9:15am to complete your TB risk assessment form. Please call the office (619-497-3500) to confirm when she'll be there.
If you do not have access to a printer, you can pick up blank forms from the office.
Volunteer in Birney’s Garden
Birney’s on-campus garden is a unique space. Garden class takes place during the normal school day and students learn about the importance of composting, soil, plants, and the interconnectedness of our food web through hands-on experiences. As one of Birney’s IB “Specials” classes, garden class is not funded by the school district. Instead, fundraisers throughout the year and your donations pay for the teacher and materials that make this class possible.
Caring for our garden and keeping this education program thriving takes a collective effort from the community. Once you’ve fulfilled the on-campus volunteer pre-requisites, we invite you to contribute your time to help sustain this special place.
Schedule by grade: (no garden classes on Wednesdays)
TK & Kinder*: Friday
1st grade*: Monday
2nd grade*: Thursday
3rd grade*: Tuesday
4th grade: Thursday
5th grade: Tuesday
*TK to 3rd grade classrooms rotate garden specials once every other week while 4th and 5th are weekly.
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Before volunteering on campus, the San Diego Unified School District requires you to complete a volunteer application and provide clearance for tuberculosis (TB).
Those interested must:
1. Complete a school volunteer application
2. Have a health care provider fill out a tuberculosis risk assessment for you, which may require a TB skin test but often should not. This clearance is valid for up to 4 years.
3. Turn in the two completed forms to the office.
On some Mondays, Nurse Joy is at the school and may be available before 9:15am to complete your TB risk assessment form. Please call the office (619-497-3500) to confirm when she'll be there.
If you do not have access to a printer, you can pick up blank forms from the office.
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First, go to the school office and sign your name in the volunteer folder. You will also need to sign out when you leave.
Then, head directly to meet Mindy at the garden which is just past the playgrounds.
There are many things you can help with, including:
Before classes (prep time):
• Fill water barrels
• Arrange benches for circle time
• Set up the day's stations
• Check and refill handwash bin as needed
During class:
• Monitor safety (no running, no fighting, etc.)
• Help students stay focused during circle time (redirect side conversations)
• Help students at stations (e.g. picking vegetables, collecting trash, deseeding plants, moving soil, coloring, watering plants, etc.)
After classes (cleanup):
• Check for forgotten belongings
• Compost scraps
• Rinse dishes
• Put away tools and tidy up stations
• Refill water (if needed)
• Sweep debris on blacktop
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Expect to get dirty! Wear weather-appropriate clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty.
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• Drop off new or gently used tools and supplies, or view the wish list.
• If you have fruit or vegetables from your own garden, drop them off for students to sample.
• If you're experienced with irrigation systems or simple DIY builds and can lend a hand, reach out to Mindy at d3gardened@gmail.com.
• Donate money to Friends of Alice Birney Elementary, either for the general fund or directed for the garden. Donate
