Policy 310 - Volunteers
Adopted on February 21, 2019
Effective February 21, 2019
The Board of Education recognizes that certain programs and activities can be enhanced through the use of volunteers who have particular knowledge or skills that will be helpful to members of the professional staff responsible for the conduct of those programs and activities.
The Superintendent shall be responsible for screening community volunteers, reviewing their capabilities, and approving appropriate placements. The Superintendent shall not be obligated to make use of volunteers whose abilities are not in accord with the Board's needs.
The Superintendent is to inform each volunteer that he/she:
A. is required to abide by all Board policies and County guidelines while on duty as a volunteer;
B. will be covered under the County's liability policy but the County cannot provide any type of health insurance to cover illness or accident incurred while service as a volunteer, nor is the person eligible for workers' compensation.
Each principal shall be responsible for recruiting volunteers to serve in his/her school and shall from time to time submit to the Superintendent the name and address of each potential volunteer whose presence will involve contact with students. The Superintendent or designee shall determine whether the volunteer 's name appears on the sexual offender registry. The Superintendent shall provide written notice to the offender that he/she may not be on school property without prior written authorization. The Superintendent shall also inform school administrators that the individual may not be used as a volunteer.
The Superintendent shall develop a volunteer application form that includes mandatory reporting of prior arrests or convictions of any offense that involves misconduct toward a minor. Any person who fails or refuses to complete this portion of the volunteer application form shall not be permitted to serve as a volunteer.
A sex offender registrant who is the parent or guardian of a student, shall be permitted to participate or volunteer in appropriate parent or guardian activities, unless prohibited by court order. However, the Superintendent may direct that appropriate measures be taken to lessen the risk of the unsupervised presence of registered sex offenders in schools or school-sponsored activities. Alternative arrangements may be made for bus and walking routes to and from school, recess and physical education periods, or any other activity in order to protect students.
The Superintendent shall inform all volunteers who work or apply to work unsupervised with children on a regular basis of the need to display appropriate behavior at all times, and that, prior to any service as a volunteer, they shall be required to undergo a criminal records check performed by the vendor of the Board's choice. This criminal records check shall be at the volunteer's expense. A criminal records check performed for the purposes of employment with the Board may stand in for this criminal records check if it was performed no more than 6 months prior to the volunteer's service, the volunteer is in the employment of the Board at the beginning of the volunteer's service, or the volunteer was in the employment of the Board no more than 6 months prior to the beginning of the volunteer's service. For the purposes of this provision, "in the employment of the Board" shall include any professional, service, or extracurricular assignment, including substitute employment and auxiliary coaches.
If this criminal records check indicates that a volunteer has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a crime, or if criminal convictions are disclosed on the volunteer application form, the Superintendent, in his/her sole discretion, may determine that the presence of the volunteer in the schools would present an unreasonable risk to the safety and welfare of students. In such case, the volunteer will be informed that he/she may not serve as a volunteer. If a volunteer engages in behavior in violation of policies, written or oral instructions by school personnel, or engages in any behavior that is adverse to student safety and welfare, or which has the potential to adversely affect student safety or welfare, the Superintendent, in his/her sole discretion, may determine to discontinue service by the volunteer.
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