January is National Mentoring Month, a great time to set up programs that help students and parent volunteers share their experiences and expertise to help others. Some school programs focus on academics, while others are social in nature. 

• Be a Matchmaker
  Consider being the go-between for adult volunteers and children who may be struggling academically or socially. That’s what happened at Wilson Elementary in Coppell, Texas. The PTO created a pool of adult volunteers and matches a helper to a student. Mentoring sessions differ, with some focusing on helping a child build confidence while others are more akin to academic tutoring sessions. 


• Pair Up Reading Buddies
  Try enlisting older elementary students to work with new readers in 1st and 2nd grades. You can create a book club or help classroom teachers by connecting the older children to the younger ones during class time.


• Show Parents the Ropes
  Create a mentoring or buddy program within the PTO to welcome new families throughout the year. For example, the PTO at Radnor Middle School in Wayne, Pa., has a welcoming committee that pairs up established families with new ones.