Volunteer With Us!

Every Dolphin needs a pod. Be part of ours.

LCM runs on volunteers. From the parent who checks kids in at Popsicle Friday to the family who spends a Saturday hanging streamers for the Halloween Carnival, every hour given here shows up in your child's day at school. You don't need a big block of free time or a special skill — you just need to be willing to show up. We'll help you find the right fit.

Volunteer Interests

Where We Need You Most Right Now

Room Parents & Classroom Helpers Our room parents are the heart of our volunteer program. They're the ones who turn class parties into memories, keep the year running smoothly for teachers, and give every classroom that extra layer of support and fun. As we kick off the new school year, this is one of our biggest needs — if you've ever thought about signing up, now's the time. Contact your child's teacher to volunteer.

Carnival Committee & Helpers The Halloween Carnival is one of the biggest events of the year and a longtime LCM favorite — and it takes a village to pull off. We're planning over the next month and need help with all of it: the auction, the haunted trail, decorating, running booths on the day, clean-up, and everything in between. However much time you have, there's a spot for you.

Popsicle Fridays Join the Popsicle Crew! Handing out popsicles at dismissal is one of the easiest — and most fun — ways to volunteer. Sign up and become one of the faces kids most look forward to seeing Friday.

(Interested in any of these? Fill out the volunteer interest form and we'll follow up with next steps.)

More Ways to Get Involved

Not ready to commit to an ongoing role? There's a place for you too.

• Jump in for a single event — pour coffee at a Flag Salute, check people in at the Fun Run, or lend a hand transforming the Multi Purpose Room for the Spring Dance
• Lend a design hand — we're looking for someone to help with graphic design for flyers, signage, and social content
• Create for social media — love making Reels or putting together posts? We'd love your help telling the LCM story on Instagram and Facebook
• Snap photos all year long — help out our Yearbook Committee anytime and submit photos from events, field trips, and everyday classroom moments — no meetings required
• Join a committee — Active Fundraising, Activities, Spirit Wear, Yearbook, and more all welcome support and new ideas
• Hang posters
• Solicit vendors
• Make copies
• Bring an idea — have a fundraiser or event idea of your own? Let's talk about making it happen

Every bit of time you give makes a difference. Whatever your schedule looks like this year, we'd love to find a way for you to be part of it.

Volunteer Interests

Volunteer Clearance: What You Need to Know

Before volunteering on campus or in the classroom, San Marcos Unified School District requires all volunteers to complete a clearance process. There are two levels, based on how much time you plan to spend at school:

Level A — 5+ hours per week, or if you want to chaperone field trips

Required if you'll be volunteering regularly (5 or more hours a week) or if you ever plan to attend a field trip — as of December 1, 2025, Level A clearance is required for any volunteer joining a field trip. Level A includes:

• Megan's Law clearance
• TB clearance
• Live Scan fingerprinting/background check (district-funded — no cost to you)
• Online Mandated Reporter training
• Volunteer Handbook review & acknowledgment
• An official SMUSD Volunteer Badge once approved

Apply for Level A clearance →

Level B — Less than 5 hours per week

A lighter option for occasional, general volunteering that doesn't involve field trips. Level B includes:

• Megan's Law clearance
• TB clearance
• Online Mandated Reporter training
• Volunteer Handbook review & acknowledgment
• No fingerprinting required

Apply for Level B clearance →

Not sure which one you need? If there's any chance you'll want to chaperone a field trip this year, we recommend starting with Level A — it covers you for everything Level B does, plus field trips, and gives you the most flexibility if your availability changes.

Clearance is managed entirely through the district, not the PTO. Visit SMUSD Volunteers to start or check the status of your application. Questions about the process itself are best directed to the district at (760) 752-1299 or communications@smusd.org.

Ready to Get Started?

1. Complete your district volunteer clearance (Level A or B, above) — this is required before you can volunteer on campus, in the classroom, or on a field trip.
2. Fill out our PTO volunteer interest form [link] so we know what you're interested in and can reach out when the right opportunity comes up.
3. Watch your email and our Facebook group for volunteer calls throughout the year.

Have questions, or want to talk through where you'd fit best? Reach out anytime at info@lacostameadowspto.org — we'd love to hear from you.