Volunteer Opportunities From: PENCIL Connect

Our Family Resource Center includes a dedicated supply room where students and families can access essential items with dignity. The space is stocked with food, hygiene products, and a variety of clean, season‑appropriate clothing. Everything is arranged neatly to make the room feel welcoming, organized, and easy to navigate. Students, faculty, and families are encouraged to take what they need in a comfortable, private setting. Our goal is to ensure every student feels supported, cared for, and ready to succeed.

Mondays and/or Fridays in 2+ hour shifts between the hours of 8:30am-3:30pm.

Dress comfortably and please wear closed-toe shoes.

We welcome volunteers of any number—individuals or groups up to about 10 people comfortably.

There is free parking in the side lot and on the surrounding streets. Please ring the doorbell and report to the front desk.

There is a project for everyone! Whether you prefer to lift boxes or need a seated task, we can accommodate you. Tasks may include:
- Sorting food items (oldest in front, newest in back)
- Folding and sizing clothing
- Sorting underwear and socks by size
- Organizing food by type
- Tidying additional spaces, such as our family/school laundry closet

Dress comfortably and please wear closed-toe shoes.

We highly encourage anyone who plans to volunteer to complete a complimentary background check through PENCIL first. Please complete the information for the background check at your earliest convenience through this link. PENCIL Background Check Registration

The background check will take anywhere from 5-7 business days.

NOTE: Per the security requirements of Geodis Park, any volunteer who wants entry to the stadium before the gates open at 5:30pm must arrive at Gate A for entry before 5:00pm. Anyone who arrives after 5:00pm will enter through security with the teachers.

PENCIL is once again welcoming back our MNPS teachers for the '26-'27 school year by throwing our back to school Pep Rally, Together 4 Teachers.

PENCIL provides bags, recruits our partners to give gifts, and will even have a raffle. We'll need volunteer support directing teachers to the various activities, helping teachers with bags, handing out programs, and various other needs. 

Please dress for the weather. Shorts are recommended, and wear a PENCIL Shirt if you have one. If you'd like a shirt, please coordinate with Heather Reid or Katie Reed. 

Volunteers should park at Geodis Park Lot 9 (2226 Bransford Ave, Nashville, TN 37203). Tell security you're there with PENCIL and they should let you in. 

The volunteers will assist with passing out backpacks to families as well as working a station like the bounce house and other stations.

The students will be able to participate in many activities from haircuts, ice cream truck and a meal. The families will be able to enjoy the bounce house, face painting and many more fun activities.

The volunteer will need to park at the South Inglewood Community Center parking lot. The volunteer just needs to wear comfortable clothing.

Event point of contact: Kenya Bass (KKBassSmith@mnps.org)

Join the Antioch Cluster Schools as they welcome families back to school for the 2026-2027 school year!

Areas Where We Need Support: (5-10 volunteers for each slot)

Volunteer Event Set Up: 7:30am-9 am

During the Event: 9am-12 pm

Clean up: 12pm-1pm

We need volunteers to help with setting up tables and helping during the event. We'll have about 35 tables that we'll need to set up and then some schools may want assistance putting up their tents. You can also sign up to volunteer through this link: Family and Community Partnerships: MNPS Back-to-School Bash Volunteer Registration

If you can only come for part of the event, that is fine! Any help is welcomed.

For questions, please contact Kate Walker at kate.walker@mnps.org.

Help Us Prepare Churchwell for the 2026–2027 School Year!

We are excited to welcome back our teachers and students and are looking for volunteers to help us create a warm and welcoming environment for the new school year!

Volunteers will support our teachers with classroom preparation and assist with decorating bulletin boards throughout the school to reflect our 2026–2027 schoolwide theme: Level Up.

Dates: August 3–6, 2026
Time: 9:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m.

Agenda:

Whether you stay for the full day or for a few hours, your support will help us prepare a positive and inspiring space for our Churchwell students and staff.

Thank you for helping us Level Up Churchwell!

For questions, please contact Tiffany Rhodes at Tiffany.Rhodes@mnps.org.

Creative Girls Rock is hosting a Back-2-School Bash Backpack Stuffing Party and is looking for volunteers. Please review the link below for available time slots to volunteer and click the button to sign up. We truly appreciate your support!

B2S Bash: 2026- CGR B2S Bash & Backpack Stuffing Party

All of the schools in the Maplewood cluster will come together on August 3rd from 1:00-3:00PM at Maplewood High School to provide families with a one stop shop for all things back to school. School information tables, free backpacks and supply give aways, community partners, food boxes and much more will be available for families.

We are looking for volunteers to assist with setting up and breaking down, passing out food and school supplies, as well as assisting with checking in families. Please let me know if you'd be interested in volunteering.

Volunteer Shifts
12:00-2:00PM - Set-up and First Shift
2:00-4:00PM - Second Shift and Cleanup
12:00-4:00PM - First and Second Shift Combined (preferred)

Please contact Edwina Perry-Latham with questions edwina.perry@mnps.org 

Let’s Kick Off the School Year Together!Join the Whites Creek Cluster for our Back-to-School Bash and connect with families in a fun, high-impact way!

Community members are encouraged to support in 2 main ways:

If you can only stay for part of the event, that is okay. Any help is welcomed!

Event Details

For questions, please contact Kashonda Babb at Kashonda.Babb@mnps.org and Malik Yant at Malik.Yant@mnps.org.

Thank you for supporting MNPS students and families!

Cockrill Elementary is excited to kick off the new school year the best way possible! We are seeking volunteers to join our Back-to-School Volunteer Day as we prepare for an amazing year ahead! 

Volunteers will assist teachers by:

Event Details

For questions, contact Deseree Hill at Deseree.Hill@mnps.org.

Thank you for your support of our students and teachers!

Volunteers will help prepare the building for our Professional Learning Day by completing the following tasks:

- Unpack, sort, and organize supplies for teacher use

- Sweep and straighten classrooms, then arrange tables and chairs

- Hang signage throughout the building

- Deliver supplies to each workshop location

Schedule for August 4th and 5th:

1:00 PM – Check in with the Volunteer Lead to receive your map and instructions. 4:00 PM – Volunteers are released for the day.

Please park to the right of the school in the adjacent parking lot. The school can be accessed from the front of the building. Please wear comfortable shoes as you will be on your feet during this event.

Join the Hunters Lane Cluster (schools in Madison/Goodlettsville area) in celebrating the start of a new school year! We are hosting our Back-to-School Bash on Wednesday, August 5th from 4-6pm and are seeking volunteers to support!

Volunteers are needed for the following shifts:

If you cannot stay for a full shift, that is okay! Any level of support is welcomed!

For questions, please contact Eleanor Tierney at Eleanor.Tierney@mnps.org. 

Thank you for making this celebratory event a success!

Join Johnson ALC and the Skills A Cluster on August 7th as they welcome families back to school for the 2026-2027 school year!

SIGNATURE A SCHOOLS: Academy of Opry Mills, Academy at Old Cockrill, Academy at Hickory Hollow, WA Bass ALC & Johnson ALC 

We're looking for volunteers for the Skills A Back-to-School Bash at the Academy at Old Cockrill. Volunteers will assist with a variety of event responsibilities, including backpack distribution, event check-in, greeting students and families, directing traffic, event setup and breakdown, and providing general support throughout the day to help create a welcoming experience for everyone attending.

Please note that this opportunity is for event volunteers only. Organizations and businesses interested in hosting a resource table should email familyandcommunitypartnerships@mnps.org for tabling information.

This event take place on August 7th (Friday) from 11:00am-1:00pm and may be held outdoors or in school gyms, so please dress appropriately for the summer weather, wear sunscreen, and get prepared for the heat.

Thank you for your willingness to serve our students and families. We truly couldn't do this without the support of our amazing volunteers!

For questions about the Skills A Back to School Bash, please contact Dr. Mary Brewer at Mary.Brewer@mnps.org.

Areas Where We Need Support: (15 volunteers for each slot)

Volunteer Event Set Up: 9:30am-11 am

Bash Support/During the Event: 10:30am-12:30 pm

Bash Support/Clean up: 12:00pm-2:00pm

All 15 of the schools in the McGavock cluster will come together for two hours to provide families with a one stop shop for all things back to school. School information tables, free backpacks and supply give aways, community partners, food boxes and much more will be available for families.

If you would like to host an informational booth or distribute resources, please register using this link: MNPS Office of Family & Community Partnerships: MNPS Back-to-School Bash Tabling - McGavock Cluster 

If you would like to serve as a volunteer during the event, please use this link to let us know you'll be helping out: Family and Community Partnerships: McGavock Back-to-School Bash Volunteer Registration

Join Haynes Middle in writing Letters to the Next Generation to remind middle school students that they are seen, valued, and capable of overcoming life's challenges.

We are seeking volunteers to submit handwritten or digital words of encouragement to motivate students as they start the new year.

Visit LETTERS TO THE NEXT GEN — KR Shot It for submission prompts and guidelines.

Signing up through PENCIL Connect will count towards 2 hours of volunteerism.

For questions, contact Khayla Clark at Khayla.Clark@mnps.org.

Our librarian could use daily help with administrative support such as shelving books, assisting students with book check-outs, helping to distribute limitless library orders to students, and assisting with student technology issues.

Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are the main days needed. Assistance would be needed between the hours of 9 am and 4 pm. If interested, notify us of the days you'd be available to support. Help is needed from August 17th, 2026 to December 11th, 2026.

You can park in the visitor parking in the front of the school or side of the school.

We are seeking volunteers (18+) to assist in our school libraries with weekly shelving and collection maintenance. We also need volunteers willing to help on occasion with special projects. Volunteers must complete and pass a background check before participating. Upon Registration, you will receive a secondary email asking for more information about your interest. Please check your email. 

Once registration is complete, you'll be matched with a school in need as a Volunteer or Special Project Volunteer.

Volunteers commit to a regular schedule for volunteering to help shelve books, inventory new arrivals, and help with unboxing of new materials. Special Project Volunteers will be contacted as needs arise to assist with collection inventory and relocation.

En Espanol:

Buscamos voluntarios (mayores de 18 años) para ayudar en nuestras bibliotecas escolares con el mantenimiento semanal de estanterías y colecciones. También necesitamos voluntarios dispuestos a ayudar ocasionalmente en proyectos especiales. Los voluntarios deben completar y pasar una verificación de antecedentes antes de participar. Al registrarse, recibirá un correo electrónico secundario solicitando más información sobre su interés. Por favor, compruebe su correo electrónico. 

Una vez completado el registro, se le asignará una escuela necesitada como Voluntario o Voluntario de Proyectos Especiales.

Los voluntarios se comprometen a cumplir un horario regular para ayudar a archivar los libros, hacer inventario de los recién llegados y ayudar a desembalar los nuevos materiales. Los voluntarios de proyectos especiales serán contactados cuando surjan necesidades para ayudar con el inventario y la reubicación de la colección.

Tasks, such has unpacking new books and assisting with collection moves, may require lifting 10-20 lbs.

Volunteers will not be working directly with students.

For more information, please contact Lindsey Kimery, Coordinator or Library Services via email at lindsey.kimery@mnps.org. 

En Espanol:

Las tareas, como desembalar libros nuevos y ayudar a trasladar colecciones, pueden requerir levantar de 10 a 20 libras.

Los voluntarios no trabajarán directamente con los estudiantes.

Para obtener más información, póngase en contacto con Lindsey Kimery, Coordinadora de Servicios Bibliotecarios, por correo electrónico en lindsey.kimery@mnps.org.