By Holly Fesperman Lee

Salisbury Post

Communities in Schools will offer volunteer training during January for those interested in becoming a tutor or mentor to children in the Rowan-Salisbury School System.

Communities in Schools is a United Way agency that partners with Rowan-Salisbury schools to offer various services to children and parents in need.

Anyone living in the community can sign up to be a volunteer.

Participants must fill out an application and submit to a criminal background check.

During the training sessions, volunteers will learn about general responsibilities, legal concerns and procedures for visiting children at schools.

Volunteers will also learn about working with children in the grade level they choose.

Additional training will depend on whether the participant chooses to be a mentor or a tutor.

Tutors will learn to work with children on subject specific issues depending on the individual child’s needs.

Most mentors will visit the school during lunchtime and visit with their child.

Children are referred to the program by teachers, principals and sometimes parents.

Communities in Schools receives funding from the United Way, Rowan County Chamber of Commerce, the Robertson Foundation and the Rowan-Salisbury School System. The agency has about 80 volunteers now, with 80 percent of those giving one year of service or more.

Anyone in the community can volunteer; the training and background check are free.

Participants only need to attend one training session.

Dates for the training sessions are:

* Jan. 9, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. or 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m.

* Jan. 11, 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m.

* Jan. 16, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

* Jan. 17, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

* Jan. 18, 6:30 p.m.-8p.m.

* Jan. 20, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Anyone interested should contact Communities in Schools Director of Volunteers Sandy Buechler at 704-797-0210 to register.