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Homeschool Co-op

How to Be a Hall Monitor

You walk the halls during class blocks so students get where they belong and bathrooms stay supervised. It's far easier than it looks — you mostly walk a slow loop, redirect wandering kids, and stay visible. The point is simply that an adult is present.

Level
Anyone can do it
Time
One or more class blocks (about 45-60 min each)
Your beat
One assigned hallway or wing
Main posts
Hallways and the restrooms
Phone
Pocketed — eyes up
When in doubt
Walk it to the front desk

Quick start

  1. 1

    Get your assignment

    Check in at the front desk for which wing you're covering and which class periods you're on.

  2. 2

    Walk a slow loop

    Patrol your hallway at an easy pace; your job is to be seen, not to rush from spot to spot.

  3. 3

    Mind the bathrooms

    Post near the restrooms while kids use them — no loitering, no horseplay, in and out.

  4. 4

    Redirect wanderers

    Ask any hallway student which class they're headed to, and walk them there yourself.

  5. 5

    Escalate, don't solo

    Anything that worries you — a hurt child, a propped door, an unknown adult — goes to the front desk right away.

Watch first

Watch: Hall monitor and building safety basics for co-opsQuick overview of hallway supervision and keeping a building secure.

Hall monitor is one of the calmest, most valuable jobs at co-op. You're not enforcing a long rulebook — you're the friendly adult presence that keeps the building feeling safe and orderly. Most of your time is spent walking, smiling, and occasionally pointing a lost kid in the right direction.

The rhythm of your shift

  1. 1

    Check in

    Stop at the front desk, confirm your wing and time blocks, and grab a radio or the desk's contact number if your co-op uses one.

  2. 2

    Loop the hall

    Walk your assigned hallway slowly and continuously; standing in one spot leaves the rest of the wing blind.

  3. 3

    Cover the restrooms

    When kids are using the bathroom, post just outside the door — present, but never inside the restroom.

  4. 4

    Handle wanderers

    Greet any loose student, ask where they belong, and escort them back. A lost kid stays with you until they're handed off.

  5. 5

    Watch the doors

    Keep an eye on outside doors — they should stay closed and latched, and unfamiliar adults get walked to the front desk.

  6. 6

    Report and reset

    At the end of your block, tell the desk anything notable and hand off cleanly to the next monitor.

Good to know

Best tool
Just being visibly present
Bathroom policy
No loitering; one trip at a time; clean up after
Damage or misbehavior
Note it and tell the desk — repeat issues may need a parent escort
Strangers
Politely walk any unknown adult to check-in

Before you hand off your beat

  • Hallways clear, no students loitering
  • Restrooms checked and no one left waiting
  • Any incidents reported to the front desk
  • Outside doors closed and latched
  • Next monitor briefed on anything to watch

More resources

Ten Minute Momentum — Homeschool Co-op Handbook guide

Background on co-op volunteer roles, supervision, and safety expectations.

Sources: Homeschool-Life co-op facilitating requirements (hall monitor duties); Upstate Homeschool Co-op — Parent Assistant Job Descriptions