Ben Franklin Academy Welcome

Ben Franklin Academy encourages all families to perform 30 approved hours (15 hours for single parents) of volunteer service. More information can be found in the Volunteer and Visitor Policy. Volunteer hours are approved by the principal and tracked by the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) using HelpCounter, a software system that allows you to register for volunteer opportunities and track your volunteer service. All volunteer service should be logged into HelpCounter within 48 hours of performing the service. If you are volunteering inside the building, you should record your hours by signing in and out using the computer in the office. If you are volunteering from home, you also may come into the building and log your hours, or you can send an email to our volunteer coordinator who will log your hours. If you choose to email the volunteer coordinator, please include your name, hours/minutes to log, and a detailed description of your work. It is recommended that each parent/guardian make a separate account to track their volunteer hours. Your hours will be linked to your Family Number (the number on your carpool tag) so we can tally volunteer hours per family.   

Volunteer Instructions

Please log into HelpCounter each school year and do the following:

  • Click on ‘Update Profile Information’ to make changes to your profile and record your student’s grade/classroom.
  • Click on ‘Check for Upcoming Opportunities’ to sign up for lunch or carpool.
  • Click on ‘Update your Volunteer Interest Form’ to indicate what types of volunteer opportunities interest you.
  • Bookmark it! Don’t miss out on volunteer hours because you failed to log your time–be sure to bookmark the HelpCounter link.
  • If you have questions about HelpCounter or logging hours, email our volunteer coordinator.

NEW FAMILIES

Please do the following:

  • If you are new to BFA, you can go to http://Helpcounter.net/volunteer to request access to the system. The system will help you find BFA and ask for your email address. Next, add your personal information and submit. Once you are an approved volunteer, you can start adding hours.
  • Once you are in the system, please specify the areas you are interested in volunteering for–this does not commit you, rather it allows the coordinator see who is interested in specific opportunities.
  • Click on ‘Check for Upcoming Opportunities’ to sign up for lunch or carpool.
  • If you have questions about HelpCounter or logging hours, email our volunteer coordinator.

Volunteering Ideas at BFA