Whittier International partners with Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota to provide Foster Grandparent mentors in our classrooms. Foster Grandparents are retired volunteers who work under teacher supervision to tutor our students individually and in small groups to support differentiated learning. We are fortunate to have Foster Grandparent volunteers in our classrooms, many of whom have volunteered at Whittier for years. Learn more about LSS of Minnesota's Foster Grandparent program here.

Foster Grandparents offer their friendship and support to our students by:

• Providing a stable and loving presence
• Listening and offering encouragement to children
• Creating a bridge between generations
• Providing a vital resource to the child and community
• Providing mentoring and tutoring in the classroom

Volunteers receive 40 hours of orientation and training, formal orientation with the program supervisor, on-site training with the volunteer station coordinator, site meetings, and opportunities to “shadow” current volunteers to better understand roles and responsibilities. Ongoing in-service trainings enhance the volunteer experience and provide Foster Grandparents with new information connected to their assignments and their personal welfare.

(Page updated 8/15)