9600  INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES AND MATERIALS

9646  School Volunteers

For purposes of this policy, a volunteer is defined as an adult applying for or holding an unpaid position that is a “person responsible for a child’s welfare” or that has “direct volunteer contact” with children.

For purposes of this policy, the term “person responsible for a child’s welfare” is defined as a person who provides permanent or temporary care, supervision, mental health diagnosis or treatment, training or control of a child in lieu of parental care, supervision, and control.

For purposes of this policy, the term “direct volunteer contact” is defined as the care, supervision, guidance or control of children, and routine interaction with children.

For purposes of this Policy, “routine interaction” shall be defined as regular and repeated contact that is integral to a person’s volunteer responsibilities.

Volunteers may come from all backgrounds and all age groups and may include any persons willing to give their time to help students and school staffs.  Volunteers may be involved in virtually every facet of the operation of the school District, working with students on a one-to-one basis or performing tasks not involving students. Duties may include, but are not limited to, services to the libraries, classrooms, athletic events, music programs and school plays, and assisting on field trips and similar activities. Volunteers are to be used in a manner that supplements the existing programs.

All volunteers must submit a signed, completed application form. 

A volunteer must submit a valid tuberculosis test when required pursuant to applicable Department of Health Guidelines.  When tuberculosis testing is required pursuant to applicable Department of Health Guidelines, a valid test shall be provided to the District when a volunteer commences service for the District, and shall remain valid for so long as the volunteer remains in service for at least one day per school year. 

A volunteer that has direct volunteer contact with children shall be required to comply with the mandatory background check requirements for criminal history (state and federal, unless all of the requirements to exempt the volunteer from the federal criminal history check are met ) and child abuse and shall be required to submit a new criminal background check (state and federal, unless all of the requirements to exempt the volunteer from the federal criminal history check are met ), and child abuse clearance every sixty (60) months as required by law and District Policy 7020.  In addition, a volunteer that has direct volunteer contact with children is required to: 

1. Notify the District, in writing, of any arrest or conviction for any offense, as outlined in Section 111 of the School Code, within seventy-two (72) hours of such arrest or conviction.  A volunteer shall also be required to submit a current criminal history background check report if the Superintendent or his/her designee has a reasonable belief that the volunteer was arrested or has been convicted of an offense required to be reported by law, and the volunteer has not notified the Superintendent or his/her designee.

2. Notify the District in writing, within seventy-two (72) hours of notification, that the volunteer has been listed as a perpetrator in the State-wide database, in accordance with the Child Protective Services Law.

A volunteer’s failure to accurately report arrests, convictions, or alleged child abuse as required by law may, depending on the nature of the offense, subject the individual to denial as a volunteer, termination if already approved as a volunteer, and/or criminal prosecution.

A volunteer that is not in compliance with all of the requirements of this policy and applicable law shall not be permitted to serve as a volunteer for the District. 

Unless otherwise required by law, volunteers are solely responsible for obtaining any required clearances and for any and all costs and fees incurred in complying with the foregoing requirements; however, reimbursement may be available if an individual program’s budget permits. 

Volunteers shall be subject to the child abuse reporting requirements pursuant to
23 Pa.C.S.A. 301, et. seq., and District Policy 7020.  Additionally, while training on child abuse recognition and reporting is not mandated for volunteers, volunteers shall be permitted to attend, and encouraged to attend, any training sessions on child abuse recognition and reporting that are provided by the District to its employees.

All volunteers shall be approved by the Board upon the recommendation of the appropriate administrator or building principal, who shall be responsible for supervising all volunteers serving at his or her office or building.  In the event of an unforeseen or emergency situation, a volunteer may be approved by the Superintendent, and such emergency approval shall be promptly reported to the Board.  In such case, the Superintendent shall require the completion of all of the requirements outlined above, and the Board shall take action on the approval of the volunteer at a subsequent meeting. 

Pursuant to Policy 1415, the Board prohibits use or visible possession of any tobacco product (and discourages any possession) by volunteers while  performing a service for the District in a school building; on school property that is owned by, leased by, or under the control of the District; working or performing a service at a school-sponsored activity that is held off school property; or on any bus, van or vehicle that is utilized to transport District students to or from school or a school sponsored activity. The definition of the term “tobacco product,” which is defined to include vaping products that deliver nicotine or any other substance, and the consequences for violations (which may include prosecution by law enforcement) are contained in Policy 1415 and are incorporated herein by reference. 

The services of any volunteer may be terminated at any time at the sole discretion of the responsible administrator(s) or building principal.  If the services of a volunteer are terminated, timely notification shall be provided to the Superintendent.  Under no circumstances will a volunteer be considered an employee of the District.

School personnel will identify appropriate tasks for volunteers and may plan in-service activities for them so they may become skilled in performing those tasks. Under no circumstances will a volunteer’s task include transportation of students. Volunteers who do transport students will be regarded as acting in their capacity as a parent or private individual and not in their capacity as a volunteer. Volunteer help must not be used to replace regularly scheduled personnel.  

Application to Employees of the District - Any person that is an employee of the District at the time the person also desires to serve as a volunteer for the District and that is already in compliance with a requirement of this Policy, through the application on another Policy or otherwise, shall not be required to repeat the requirement in order to serve as a volunteer.  For example, an employee that is already in compliance with the criminal background check requirements through the application of Policy 7020 shall not be required to provide additional criminal backgound checks in order to serve as a volunteer. 

The Superintendent or his/her designee is responsible for developing procedures for the recruitment of volunteers and establishing guidelines and written procedures covering their use throughout the District, including guidelines and procedures to ensure that volunteers are utilized in compliance with this policy and applicable law. 

Adoption Date         -     November 12, 2012

Revision Date          -     January 26, 2015; May 11, 2015, September 14, 2015;
May 26, 2020

Legal Reference       -     24 P.S. §14-1418(b)

                                       23 Pa.C.S.A. 6301, et. seq.

                                       28 Pa. Code §23.44(b)

                                       March, 2011 Department of Health Guidelines Relative to Tuberculosis Testing of Students and Staff in Pennsylvania Schools

Cross Reference       -     Policies 3225, 7020; and 1415