Individuals who volunteer to share their time, talents, knowledge, and efforts with students provide a valuable service the District. However, it is the District’s responsibility to ensure that student safety is the primary consideration as volunteers are approved.

All volunteers will be asked to complete the District’s “Volunteer Information Form”.

All individuals who volunteer to assist with school activities under the following circumstances must undergo screening through a nationwide database selected and used by the District: 

• Individuals who volunteer on a “regular” basis so that it is anticipated that they will volunteer for 36 or more hours during the school year (i.e., one hour per week or more); if these individuals will likely never be alone with students without a school district employee being present, principals may choose not to have a volunteer in this category have the criminal background check; or 

• Any individual whose volunteer work will allow the volunteer to be alone with a student or group of students for more than a few minutes without being in visual contact of a school employee; or 

• Any individual who will accompany students on an overnight trip; or 

• Any individual who volunteers as a coach for more than five days during a season or is likely to assist an activity sponsor for more than five days during a school year; or 

• Any individual who will accompany students on an activity, sports event, or field trip off school premises and will be alone with a student or small group of students without a school district employee being within visual contact of the volunteer for more than a few moments.

A principal may require any volunteer to be screened through the nationwide database used by the District whether or not the volunteer is subject to mandatory screening as outlined above.

A volunteer will only need to undergo the screening one time unless the principal requests that it occur more frequently.

The results of the screening will be submitted to the Superintendent of Schools and will remain confidential to the greatest extent possible; however, the District reserves the right to provide such information to other School District personnel or to law enforcement officials as is deemed necessary, consistent with legitimate educational interests, including but not limited to school safety requirements. The Superintendent will review the results of the background checks and determine the suitability of a volunteer. If necessary, the Superintendent will discuss the results with the principal in whose school the volunteer wishes to work, other School District personnel, or law enforcement officials as the Superintendent determines necessary, and may discuss the results with the volunteer. The screening results must be received prior to allowing a volunteer to participate in an overnight trip with students or on a field trip during which the volunteer will be alone with a student or a small group of students. An individual who is required to have a background check may volunteer on school premises for up to three days before the results of the background check are received by the District if the following conditions are met: (1) The volunteer completes the “Volunteer Information Form” to self-report any prior criminal problems, and (2) the principal approves the volunteer being in the school, and (3) the volunteer will be monitored by a teacher, sponsor, or administrator. T

o help volunteers and chaperones understand District expectations, a “Code of Conduct” will be developed and provided to all volunteers and chaperones.

For students who will be placed in businesses for work-study, job-shadowing, internship, etc. experiences without a school district employee being present while the student is at the work site, the agreement that is signed by the business or company where the student will work will have a clause that states that the employer verifies that no known sex offender or felon is employed by the business or company. T

he District retains the right to reject or refuse the offer of any person to serve as a volunteer at any time for any reason that may or may not be shared with the person.