The SHIELD Program®

Safe Helpers Impacting Every Learning Day

What is The SHIELD Program?

A Message From

SHIELD Director David R Cross Jr.

About

The S.H.I.E.L.D Program®

Safe Helpers Impacting Every Learning Day

S.H.I.E.L.D. is a modern, inclusive volunteer program designed to bring positive, consistent adult presence to every campus from Pre-K through 12th grade.

While the initiative began as a way to enhance campus safety, it has evolved into something more powerful: a movement of parents, grandparents, and community members showing up to support students, staff, and school culture in meaningful ways.

Whether helping with morning arrival, mentoring in the lunchroom, supporting school events or projects, or simply being a friendly face in the hallway, S.H.I.E.L.D. volunteers are there to uplift, encourage, and model leadership.

This program is open to all caregivers...not just dads...and is powered by a digital platform that makes volunteering easy, accessible, and impactful. Each campus has a trained SHIELD Captain to lead the charge, while the district and S.H.I.E.L.D. Program Directors provide resources, branding, and guidance to ensure consistency and excellence.


Ready for The S.H.I.E.L.D program

to be at your shool?

Your School. Your Students. Your S.H.I.E.L.D.

The program is only great because of your communities parents, caregivers and community members stepping up to volunteer. The program grows your schools outreach. Book a demo to see all the ways shield will help you grow your reach!

FAQs

What is a S.H.I.E.L.D® Volunteer (Safe Helper Impacting Every Learning Day)?

S.H.I.E.L.D is a family and community engagement educational initiative.

What are the goals of The S.H.I.E.L.D program?

To provide positive role models for the students and demonstrating through their presence that education is important.

To provide extra sets of eyes and ears to enhance school security and reduce bullying while helping serve the school community.

Who are S.H.I.E.L.D volunteers and how does S.H.I.E.L.D work?

S.H.I.E.L.D volunteers volunteer at least once each year at their home school. S.H.I.E.L.D is a K-12 program that invites people to volunteer at least one shift at their child’s/student’s school during the school year. People sign up to volunteer through our ‘Launch Events’ or by contacting the lead or by calling their child’s school any time throughout the school year. The program is overseen by a S.H.I.E.L.D Parent Coordinator who partners with the school administrator to coordinate scheduling and identify opportunities for S.H.I.E.L.D volunteers to assist at the school. The parent coordinator is supported directly by a SHIELD Director and the District to ensure high quality training standards.

S.H.I.E.L.D volunteers perform a variety of tasks during their volunteer day including monitoring the school entrance, assisting with unloading and loading of buses and cars, monitoring the lunch room, or helping in the classroom with a teacher’s guidance by working with small groups of students on homework, flashcards, or spelling. They also serve by decorating, helping with office tasks and so much more.

What do S.H.I.E.L.D volunteers do (while they are at school)?

During the day, SHIELD volunteers may read and work on flash cards with students, play at recess, eat lunch with students, patrol the school entrances and hallways, assist with traffic flow, and any other assigned activities where they actively engage with not only their students but other students as well. They may help decorate, setup special events and assist staff as needed. Many school principals have reported that the mere presence of a SHIELD volunteer dramatically reduces reports of bullying. On the day of their participation, SHIELD Volunteers are given a brief review of their involvement and they wear an official SHIELD t-shirt with their NCISD volunteer badge identifying them as a SHIELD Volunteer.

Could I really spend a full day at school?

Yes! SHIELD Volunteers have a great track record of bringing volunteers to school for the whole day. While volunteering a day is a sacrifice for these volunteers, once they serve their day they will be glad that they did. In fact, in many cases, these volunteers will sign up for more days, both because they had an incredible experience and because it gives them a greater appreciation for what the teachers are doing to educate their children.

How do I sign up to be a S.H.I.E.L.D at a school?

Thanks for being an involved figure in the community! You are going to love your day as a SHIELD Volunteer, and your kids will too. To sign up to be a SHIELD Volunteer, please call your child’s school and ask for the SHIELD Parent Coordinator or the SHIELD School Representative to find out a date you can sign up.

How do I change the date I signed up, to be a S.H.I.E.L.D at my child’s school?

To change your volunteer date, please call your child’s school and ask for the SHIELD Parent Coordinator or the SHIELD School Representative to find out a new date you can sign up for.

What do I do if I have further questions about S.H.I.E.L.D?

If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at [email protected]

SHIELD Compared to Other Programs

Key Feature

The SHIELD Program

Programs like WatchDogs Dads

Inclusive of ALL

Volunteer Coordination

Training & Materials

Branding

Leadership

Recognition

School Integration

Sponsorship Opportunities

Scalability

Startup Cost

Renewal Cost

✅ Yes: Dads, Moms, Grandparents, Community Members

✅ Digital automations for signup, badging and scheduling

✅ Locally branded, tailored to each school. Live in person

✅ Customizable shirts with school colors and design

✅ Each school has a Shield Captain for accountability. A SHIELD employed manager oversees captains and in person training.

✅ Ongoing digital shoutouts, badges, and sponsor recognition

✅ Part of a district-wide initiative with unified tools

✅ Optional sponsor support with donations made in name of your school to directly benefit

✅ Built for district-wide coordination

✅ Only $300

✅ Only $200

❌ Only Dads

❌ Manual signup and tracking

❌ Nationalized, limited customization

❌ One-size-fits-all logo and shirts

❌ No formal structure per school

❌ T-shirt and occasional events

❌ Standalone presence

❌ Not included

❌ One school at a time

$497+

$227+

What The S.H.I.E.L.D Program schools are Saying

Thank you so much for tonight and everything!

You're always being there to support us, truly do appreciate it!

-Mrs. Hildebrand, Tavola Elementary

@ 2025 - The SHIELD Program

All Rights Reserved