HELPING HANDS

PERRYVILLE - Tillie Sommers settled down into a rocking chair with Michelle Plunkett and "Rumplestiltskin."

Rocking slowly, Sommers began reading to the kindergartener at Perryville public schools.

Sommers is among community volunteers spending time in Perryville classrooms assisting teachers and students.

"Two-and-a-half years ago, the district decided it needed to do a little something additional for students at-risk," said Beverly Schonhoff, part-time supportive services facilitator.

At the same time, district officials were looking for a way to utilize community volunteers.

Volunteers include professionals who take time off work, senior citizens, and parents. Some are room parents, helping their child's classroom teacher. Others do clerical work, assist the nurse, chaperone field trips and help with school plays.

Sommers volunteers with Rocking Chair Readers because she loves children. Now that she's retired, she has more time to spend. "This is time well spent," she said.

The Rocking Chair Readers began after a teacher saw students in her classroom with low self-esteem and poor social skills.

Rocking Chair Readers now has so many volunteers, Schonhoff has trouble finding enough time for everyone who wants to participate.

"Rocking Chair Reader is for these children to spend quality time with a caring adult," she said. "Sometimes all they want is to be held and for someone to listen to them."

Six rocking chairs are lined up in the cafeteria with a cardboard "library" filled with books, puppets and stuffed bears.

Retired school janitor Harry Tackaberry couldn't stay away. "I was around the kids all the time. I didn't want to break off the relationship," he said.

He and Josh Jones settled in to read "Mama Do You Love Me."

Volunteer reader Nancy James said, "I'm always ready to read to the little kids, to hold them on my lap and give them a little bit of loving; to share some time."

At the beginning of each year, Schonhoff sends a letter home with students requesting volunteers. Satisfied volunteers have also helped swell the ranks of school helpers. Thirty people volunteer on a regular basis. Others are available for special projects.

"We hope to provide a very positive atmosphere," Schonoff said. "Parents are able to see the needs on the part of the educators and appreciate the role educators play in the life of their child," Schonhoff said. "At the same time, parents and teachers are freer to communicate."

Volunteers are not all adults. Junior and senior high students also offer their services to help younger students.

"We want to provide the best learning environment regardless of the learning level. Everyone needs assistance in some form or fashion," she said.

Sixty seventh- and eighth- graders use their daily 30-minute free period to help others through a peer tutoring program called Chums.

"They do everything from assisting with math facts and spelling works to helping other students become better organized," Schonhoff said.

Some students receive help every day during the whole year. Others need a short-term boost.

Peer tutor Jennifer Capone, a seventh-grader, who plans to be a lawyer, said she likes helping. "Whenever they have questions, we try to help," she said.

Richelle Tisher, also a seventh-grade peer tutor, said, "It also gives me a chance to meet new people and it's fun."

Adopt-A-Student pairs a teacher with a student, giving students an opportunity to interact with teachers on a more personal level.

At the elementary school, remedial reading students participate in The Homework Club. Volunteers from the Junior and Senior high school tutor the elementary students.

Remedial reading students also have access to a lending library filled with books, electronic and board games and other learning tools. Parents may check out the items for use at home.

For next year, Schonhoff is recruiting senior citizens to teach classes in macrame, tatting, crochet and whittling.

"This will allow students to see skills they have learned through the years and offer a way to hold on to some of those skills," she said.

She also hopes to develop career mentors for eighth-grade students. Eighth graders who have expressed an interest in becoming a doctor, lawyer, beautician or mechanic would spend some time with people working in these fields.

"They would advise students on what education they need and hopefully students will be better prepared to make wise choices in high school and help prepare for the career they want," she said.

Schonhoff is also looking for 30 to 50 adult volunteer classroom tutors who will be trained to work with students having difficulty in particular courses.

"Each student is important and represents a resource our country cannot afford to jeopardize," she said. "As swiftly as our world is changing, so are the needs of students. Perry County District 32 wants all students to have a positive, caring and stimulating school environment where academic success is possible for each student."

Volunteer Tillie Sommers said: "If I do a good deed for one of these wonderful, beautiful children, in turn, someone may do something for one of my beautiful grandchildren," she said.