Increased demand for parent volunteers

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- As students return to school and sports, parents are taking a more active role in the classroom and out on the field.

Districts started slowly bringing parent volunteers back last semester, but now that students are back in the classroom full-time, these volunteers are crucial and it's not just in the classroom!

From little leagues to field trips, volunteers are in high demand.

Kelsey Klemme is a working parent and proud mom of two and most recently, she's taken on the title of "coach."

"It keeps me really busy," said Klemme. "Of course, mom life is busy, then being the manager of our t-ball team."

Klemme is now serving as the coach of her son's t-ball team in Coarsegold. She says "balancing it all" is something she sees many parents facing since COVID restrictions have lifted.

"We have moms with two other kids, they have a baby on the hip and they're helping me wrangle kids," said Klemme. "Opening back up, it's a blessing for our family but it can be a curse when it comes to your schedule. It's really based on making the most of our time together."

But it's not just out on the ball field -- parents are also playing a vital role in the classroom.

"They run small groups, some help with our intervention, so we can make sure kids are getting caught up from all the things that happened with COVID," said Oraze Elementary School Principal Robyn Snyder.

At Oraze Elementary School in Clovis, you'll catch parents assisting teachers, helping in the office and supervising field trips.

Giving some much needed relief to both teachers and staff.

"It's definitely a balance," said parent volunteer Jennifer Redekop. "I try to make it work and fortunately, my work schedule is pretty flexible so I can still volunteer."

From school to sports, the extra hands are still needed.

"We will always take volunteers," said Snyder. "We have an event tomorrow (Friday) that we would love to have volunteers here during lunch."

Volunteers are always in demand. If you're interested, reach out to your child's school.