VOLUNTEER HANDBOOK. 40 th Annual Conference. Thank you, once again, for volunteering your time. Please enjoy the remainder of our conference.

Transcription

1 December 6-10, 2008 Washington, DC VOLUNTEER HANDBOOK Thank you, once again, for volunteering your time. Please enjoy the remainder of our conference.

2 2 40 th Annual Conference

3 Table of Contents Letter to Volunteers from the Chair...5 Letter to Volunteers from Operations/Facilities Chairs...6 Key Information for All Volunteers...7 Registration...8 Exhibits...9 Programs Operations/Facilities Hospitality Navigating The Gaylord Conference Center Maps

4 4 40 th Annual Conference

5 Letter to Volunteers from the Chair Dear Volunteers, It has given me tremendous pleasure to have worked with you these many months in preparing to welcome the participants of the 40 th anniversary conference of NSCD. Not only do we host this premier learning event in our nation s capital, but we also welcome the approximately 4,000 attendees to a newly-opened conference center, which is the crown jewel of the National Harbor complex. This world-class setting is a befitting backdrop to the extraordinary conference activities that will effectively engage all educators in dynamic and pertinent professional learning opportunities. This event could not have been possible without all your hard work and faithful diligence to your assigned tasks, which you so successfully completed. Your efforts will be reflected in the smooth day-to-day coordination and flow of events and activities. I am sure that each and every participant will have a wealth of rewarding and professionally-enriching experiences. I extend to all volunteers a most appreciative and heartfelt thank you and am most grateful of your many contributions in making this the very best NSDC conference ever! Sincerely, Ted Haynie Host Chair Calvert County Public Schools, MD 5

6 Letter to Volunteers from Operations/Facilities Chairs Dear Volunteers, On behalf of the 2008 Host Committee, we would like to thank you for being a true NATIONAL CAPITAL VOLUNTEER and assisting with the upcoming NSDC Annual Conference at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center on the Potomac. From the very first moment, we want conference attendees to have a memorable experience. You will play a key role in making this goal a reality. The success of this conference requires volunteers to be friendly, knowledgeable, and to have up-to-date, first-hand information. We know that our conference volunteers will make a memorable impression on our attendees. Your friendliness and ability to assist our attendees will influence greatly the quality of their conference experience. We applaud your willingness to contribute to such an important cause. The following guide will detail your personal assignment. Please familiarize yourself with this handbook, especially the pages relevant to your assignment, and carry your Conference Program and Guide as additional sources of information. We re counting on you to energize the conference and Step Up and Speak Out as you welcome and facilitate the needs of all our conference attendees. Sincerely, Antoinette Kellaher, Operations/Facilities Committee Co-Chair Prince George s County Public Schools (MD) Jeff Maher, Operations/Facilities Committee Co-Chair St. Mary s County Public Schools (MD) 6

7 Key Information for All Volunteers 1. Please review your packet, and Conference Program. If you have any questions, please see one of the committee chairs. Notes: 2. All subcommittee members will be dressed in black and white. Please carry the theme forward by wearing black pants or skirt, and a white collared shirt or blouse. Wear comfortable shoes as you will be on your feet for much of your shift. 3. At the volunteer center, you will receive a black apron, a flashing pin, and an Ask Me button to wear during the duration of your volunteer duties. We want to make the volunteers visible to our attendees. Please wear the apron and both pins during your volunteer assignment, and return the Ask Me button and apron to the Volunteer Center at the end of your shift. 4. If you do not have the answer to a question, refer the person to: The Conference Registration Desk The NSDC Desk 5. Note that a message board is located in the registration area for posting and retrieving phone calls and messages to attendees. 6. An electronic listing showing the status of all concurrent sessions is adjacent to the Conference Registration area. Refer attendees to it for information on session cancellations and openings. If attendees want to change sessions or attend additional sessions, refer them to NSDC staff at the Ticket Exchange Desk who will have all available session tickets. 7. In case of medical emergency, dial 333 from any house phone, or call You also may find a hotel staff member, security, telephone, or Host Committee member to assist you. IMPORTANT After Your Shift Return to the Volunteer Center: Turn in your black apron. Turn in your Ask Me button. The flashing pin is yours to keep. Pick up your special gift as a memento of your volunteer experience. 7

8 Registration You will be responsible for welcoming attendees and distributing the registration materials. Attendees will expect you to have the answer to everything, so you need to be very familiar with the conference schedules and Conference Guide. Before Your Shift 1. Please wear black pants or skirt, and a white collared shirt. Wear comfortable shoes as you will probably be on your feet during your shift. 2. Arrive for your shift early. 3. Go to registration and pick up your registration materials. 4. Report to Volunteer Center adjacent to Potomac Room A, where you will pick up an apron, flashing pin and Ask Me button to wear. 5. Plan to be at your assigned post for the duration of your assignment. 6. Review the Conference Guide especially session and meal times. 7. Familiarize yourself with the layout of the conference rooms; you probably will be asked for directions to various sites. 8. Go through a training session with a Registration Subcommittee member on how to hand out materials and key information to share with each attendee. During Your Shift 1. Smile a lot! Give a warm welcome and demonstrate genuine hospitality. 2. Hand out conference materials to registered persons only. Point out room list and floor plan. 3. Refer participants to the electronic message board listing cancellations and openings. 4. If participants want to change sessions, refer them to the Ticket Exchange Desk. 5. Refer registrants to NSDC On-Site Registration/Information booth if they have further questions. Refer session presenters and facilitators to their own registration areas. 6. Refer registrants to Conference Program and/or Guide for all conference information. 7. Review shift duties with next volunteer. Please be sure someone is there to replace you. After Your Shift Return to the Volunteer Center: Turn in your black apron. Turn in your Ask Me button. The flashing pin is yours to keep. Pick up your special gift as a memento of your volunteer experience. Notes: Committee Chairs: Barbara Steverson Linda Thompson Contact Information: perfect.steverson@comcast.net kthomps@henrico.k12.va.us 8

9 Exhibits You will act as hosts to attendees visiting the Exhibit Hall. Before Your Shift 1. Please wear black pants or skirt, and a white collared shirt. Wear comfortable shoes as you will probably be on your feet during your shift. 2. Arrive for your shift early. 3. Go to registration and pick up your registration materials. 4. Report to Volunteer Center adjacent to Potomac Room A, where you will pick up an apron, flashing pin and Ask Me button to wear. 5. Plan to be at your assigned post for the duration of your assignment. 6. Review the Conference Guide especially session and meal times. 7. Familiarize yourself with the layout of the conference rooms; you probably will be asked for directions to various sites. Prizes The Exhibits Committee will conduct drawings and award prizes to attendees who participate in Exhibit Hall contests. Winners names will be displayed near the entrance of the Exhibit Hall and in the e-newsletter. During Your Shift 1. Smile a lot! Give a warm welcome and demonstrate genuine hospitality. 2. Check in at the exhibit table located at the front of the exhibit hall. You will be given an assignment/area to cover during your shift. One of the Exhibits Committee members will be on hand to provide additional information. 3. Greet guests and pass out material as attendees enter the exhibit hall. 4. Give directions to various booths, washrooms, etc. 5. Respond to exhibitors requests. 6. Visit with exhibitors and take an interest in their products. Let them know that attendees appreciate their presence. 7. Offer to provide bathroom breaks for the exhibitors. 8. Help exhibitors close down for the day, if necessary. After Your Shift Return to the Volunteer Center: Turn in your black apron. Turn in your Ask Me button. The flashing pin is yours to keep. Pick up your special gift as a memento of your volunteer experience. Notes: Hours of Exhibit Hall Operation Sunday, December 7 Preview: 2:30 PM 4:00 PM Opening: 4:00 PM 6:00 PM Monday, December 8 8:30 AM 5:45 PM Exhibit Hall Reception 4:45 PM 6:00 PM Tuesday, December 9 8:30 AM 2:00 PM Committee Chairs: Diane Rymer Dee Egbufor Contact Information: drymer@bcps.org degbufor@wtulocal6.org Sub-Committee members will always be available at the table outside the Exhibit Hall. 9

10 Programs Volunteers who support the Programs Committee fall into two categories: (1) session hosts who support presenters by facilitating supplies or A/V equipment needs, attendance checks, room preparations and closings---including distribution and collection of evaluations, and (2) volunteers who man the presenter/host supply room and/or registration desk. Before Your Shift 1. Please wear black pants or skirt, and a white collared shirt. Wear comfortable shoes as you will probably be on your feet during your shift. Notes: 2. Arrive for your shift on time. If you are a session host, arrive at your room 20 minutes prior to the start of the session. 3. Report to the Volunteer Center adjacent to Potomac Room A, where you will pick up an apron, flashing pin and Ask Me button to wear and then report to your assigned area. 4. Plan to be at your assigned post for the duration of your assignment. 5. Review the Conference Guide especially session and meal times. 6. Familiarize yourself with the layout of the conference rooms; you probably will be asked for directions to various sites. During Your Shift 1. Smile a lot! Give a warm welcome and demonstrate genuine hospitality. 2. Familiarize yourself with the materials available to session presenters in the presenter/host materials room. 3. Assist with organizing session evaluations and packets when returned after sessions. 4. If you are a session host, review your packet and instructions carefully prior to the session you are hosting. Packets: 1. Report to the presenter/host check in area. 2. Mark off presenters/hosts on session lists when you give them their packet. 3. As you pass out facilitator packets, encourage facilitators to: arrive at the room 20 minutes early; allow only those with tickets into a session; collect the surveys in the original envelope; return the surveys immediately after the session to the presenter/facilitator booth; mark off on the evaluation list those evaluations returned; and let a committee member know if evaluations are not immediately returned at the end of a session. Materials Room: 1. Go to the presenter/facilitator registration booth to check in with a committee member. 2. Check the session room to make sure you have enough supplies. 3. Let the committee member know if you need specific supplies. 4. If presenters need copies, direct them to the Presenters Center. 5. If presenters need last minute AV equipment, direct them to the Presenters Table. After Your Shift Return to the Volunteer Center: Turn in your black apron. Turn in your Ask Me button. The flashing pin is yours to keep. Pick up your special gift as a memento of your volunteer experience. Committee Chair: Sharon Hemphill Contact Information: Sharon_Hemphill@mcpsmd.org 10

11 Operations/Facilities The Operaton/Facilities volunteers are responsible for the smooth transition of conference atendees from location to location. Before Your Shift 1. Please wear black pants or skirt, and a white collared shirt. Wear comfortable shoes as you will probably be on your feet during your shift. 2. Arrive for your shift early. 3. Go to registration and pick up your registration materials. 4. Report to Volunteer Center adjacent to Potomac Room A, where you will pick up an apron, flashing pin and Ask Me button to wear. 5. Plan to be at your assigned post for the duration of your assignment. 6. Review the Conference Guide especially session and meal times. 7. Familiarize yourself with the layout of the conference rooms; you probably will be asked for directions to various sites. During Your Shift Stationed Monitors Volunteer Center & Ask Me Volunteers 1. Smile a lot! Give a warm welcome and demonstrate genuine hospitality. 2. Give directions to various rooms. 3. Assist in answering any questions that attendees may have. Session Monitors Meeting Room Volunteers 1. Ensure signs are outside meeting rooms. 2. If you see a red megaphone outside a session room, check with session hosts to ensure AV equipment is operational and be ready to assist Experient or Gaylord Staff if replacement equipment or parts are needed. 3. If session presenter is absent, contact the Presenter/Facilitator room by finding a Conference person who will use a walkie-talkie to report your call. Meal Monitors Volunteers 1. Plan to arrive minutes early to the Breakfast and/or Luncheon General Session. Pick up a red pinny to wear and a Step Up & Speak Out sign. 2. Greet each attendee. 3. Closely monitor seating vacancies. Wave your Step Up & Speak Out sign as an indicator that there is a vacant seat. Hold up the number of fingers for the number of seats available and hold the sign so that people far away can see that there is a seat available. After Your Shift Return to the Volunteer Center: Turn in your black apron. Turn in your Ask Me button. The flashing pin is yours to keep. Pick up your special gift as a memento of your volunteer experience. Notes: Committee Chairs: Antoinette Kellaher Jeff Maher Contact Information: (AK) akellaher@pgcps.org (JM) jamaher@smcps.org 11

12 Hospitality Hospitality volunteers need to be very familiar with the conference schedules, special events, restaurants, and other items that you believe will contribute to an overall positive conference experience. Notes: Before Your Shift 1. Please wear black pants or skirt, and a white collared shirt. Wear comfortable shoes as you will probably be on your feet during your shift. 2. Arrive for your shift early. 3. Go to registration and pick up your registration materials. 4. Report to Volunteer Center adjacent to Potomac Room A, where you will pick up an apron, flashing pin and Ask Me button to wear. 5. Plan to be at your assigned post for the duration of your assignment. 6. Review the Conference Guide especially session and meal times. 7. Familiarize yourself with the layout of the conference rooms; you probably will be asked for directions to various sites. During Your Shift 1. Smile a lot! Give a warm welcome and demonstrate genuine hospitality. 2. Provide materials and directions to attendes so they may enjoy the sites and events of our beautiful metropolitan area. After Your Shift Return to the Volunteer Center: Turn in your black apron. Turn in your Ask Me button. The flashing pin is yours to keep. Pick up your special gift as a memento of your volunteer experience. Committee Chairs: Denny Berry Judy Newhouse Contact Information: Denny.Berry@fcps.edu newhoujw@pwcs.edu 12

13 Navigating The Gaylord Conference Center ATM Locations On both sides of the Atrium In the Convention Center lobby, near the entrance to the hotel Breakfast and Lunch In the Potomac Room Dinner Dinner is not included in the conference agenda The Hospitality Committee will provide a listing of local fare First Aid Emergency Gaylord Dial 333 or Business Center 11th Hour Business Center, upper atrium, towards the Convention Center Message Boad In the Registration Area Metro directions/locations Hospitality Committee will provide information Parking St. George Garage ($10/day); entrance located on St. George Boulevard Presenters Center Chesapeake Foyer; information will be provided Session Openings and Cancellations Adjacent to the Conference Registration area is an electronic listing of the status of all concurrent sessions The Ticket Exchange Desk will have all available session tickets Shipping and Postal Services 11th Hour Business Center, upper atrium towards the Convention Center Water Taxi information Hospitality Committee will provide information Conference Layout The center is designed with two sections: the Convention Center and the hotel side. The Convention Center has the majority of the sessions, including the Exhibit Hall and the Potomac Room, where general sessions are being held. The Exhibit Hall is on the bottom floor level of the Convention Center, and session rooms are on the top two floors of the Center. The Hotel Ballroom Level (on the same level as the Potomac Room) has concurrent session rooms. Convention Center rooms: o Top Floor National Harbor Convention Center Rooms o Main Floor Chesapeake, Maryland Rooms, Potomac o Bottom Floor Prince George s Exhibit Hall Hotel Center rooms: o Main Floor Cherry Blossom, Woodrow Wilson, Azalea, Camelia, Magnolia, Annapolis, Baltimore, Fort Washington, Presidential 13

14 Maps Overview of Hotel and Convention Center 14

15 15 40 th Annual Conference

16 National Harbor Conference Rooms 16

17 Hotel Conference Facilities & Chesapeake Conference Rooms 17

18 Exhibition Hall 18

19 19 40 th Annual Conference

20 20 40 th Annual Conference