How to Become a Volunteer

Dear Lone Jack School Supporters,

If you are reading this you are apparently interested in giving of your time for the betterment of our students. You are to be commended for that worthy and honorable endeavor. Our staff and Board of Education have spent time over the past few months reviewing our volunteer policy and procedures in an effort to make certain that our students are properly protected, and at the same time establishing a procedure that allows valuable volunteer efforts to continue.

The following pages detail the results of that work. You will find the Board of Education policy related to school volunteers listed first. That is followed by a set of definitions that distinguish three categories into which one’s volunteer efforts may fall. A set of guidelines for all volunteers is provided. And finally, information that is specific to those who wish to be a “screened volunteer”, including the necessary information for obtaining a background check, is all included.

We are grateful for the wonderful corps of parents, grandparents, neighbors, and friends who make our schools better by their volunteer service. Your help in keeping our students safe through the adherence to these guidelines is greatly appreciated. Any questions regarding this policy should be directed to the Superintendent of Schools.

School Volunteers

The Board of Education recognizes that community and parent volunteers make valuable contributions to the district’s schools and encourages volunteer participation in district programs. Further, parent and community involvement are essential components of high student achievement. The Board endorses a volunteer program and expects its professional staff to encourage and strengthen community and parent involvement in the schools.

The superintendent or designee will create appropriate procedures for attracting, screening and training community and parent volunteers. Volunteering in the district is a privilege, not a right. The district will conduct screening and criminal background checks before any volunteer is placed in a position where he or she will be left alone with a student. The district may decline the services of any volunteer for any legal reason. All information collected on volunteers will be considered confidential to the extent allowed by law and will only be used to protect the students or minimize disruption to the educational environment.

Although volunteers will provide support services, they are not substitutes for the professional building staff. Volunteers will work under the direction and supervision of district staff.

To properly administer this policy the following procedure will be employed:

Definitions

Volunteer: Any parent or person in the community who provides uncompensated service to the district. As used in this procedure, a “volunteer” does not include students participating in a district-sponsored program, such as tutoring or acting as an office or teaching assistant. 

Chaperone: A volunteer, usually a parent or guardian, who assists the district staff and is under the direct control of district staff but is never left alone with a student. Chaperones include room parents or persons who volunteer to assist with field days, class parties or other special occasions.

Screened Volunteer: A volunteer who may periodically be left alone with students. Usually, screened volunteers commit to assist the school on a regular basis. Examples of a screened volunteer include persons who regularly assist in the office or library, mentor or tutor students, supervise children during field trips, coach or supervise a schoolsponsored activity before or after school, or chaperone students on an overnight trip.

All Volunteers

Volunteering in the district is a privilege, not a right. The Board, superintendent, principal or designee may decline or terminate the services of a volunteer for any legal reason. It shall be the responsibility of the building principal or designee to approve all screened volunteers to be placed in his/her building. Teachers may select and organize chaperones, unless otherwise directed by the principal.

All volunteers must receive training appropriate to the function they will serve while volunteering. If a volunteer is disruptive or acts inappropriately around the students, the teacher or principal will refuse the volunteer’s services and notify the superintendent or designee immediately.

Volunteers will provide support services but are not substitutes for the professional staff. Volunteers will work under the direction and supervision of district and building staff. Even screened volunteers who are left alone with a student will have an employee contact person or supervisor to monitor activities with students.

All volunteers will be expected to abide by the following rules:

1. Volunteers must follow the same dress code applicable to students.
2. Volunteers will not lend money or bring gifts other than stickers and greeting cards to individual students unless authorized by the building principal or designee.
3. Volunteers will not transport students.
4. Volunteers will keep all student information confidential.
5. Volunteers will not photograph or videotape students unless authorized by the building principal or designee.
6. Volunteers will not date students, have sexual relationships with students or arrange to meet students outside the regular school day or during school-sponsored events or activities.
7. Volunteers will not dress students, change diapers, provide personal hygiene assistance or supply medication to students.
8. Volunteers will use universal precautions to avoid contact with body fluids.
9. Volunteers will receive district policies and procedures on computer use and will sign an authorized user form prior to having access to the district’s computers.
10. Volunteers will not discriminate against or harass any person and will report all harassment or discrimination observed, in accordance with district policy.
11. Volunteers will not search students or student property.
12. Volunteers will not direct a student to remove an emblem, insignia or garment, including a religious emblem, insignia or garment. If the volunteer believes a student’s clothing is disruptive or promotes disruptive behavior, the volunteer will contact a staff member immediately.
13. Volunteers must sign in and out of the office when entering or leaving the school and must document the hours volunteered in the school.
14. Volunteers must report suspected cases of abuse or neglect to the building principal.
15. Volunteers will follow all the policies, procedures and other rules established in the district and all applicable laws.

Screened Volunteers

1. District staff must direct persons wishing to serve as a screened volunteer to the superintendent or designee’s office for volunteer certification.
2. Screened volunteers must consent to and complete a criminal background check prior to being left alone with a student and may be required to submit additional information at the superintendent or designee’s discretion. All information collected regarding screened volunteers will be considered confidential to the extent allowed by law and will only be used to protect the students or minimize disruption to the educational environment.
3. Screened volunteers will not have access to student education records and are bound to the same levels of confidentiality as that of school staff.
4. The building principal or designee will provide appropriate training for all screened volunteers.
5. Upon successfully passing the criminal background check, screened volunteers may submit a request to the district for full reimbursement of the cost of the background check. The district will not reimburse any expenses related to a background check that results in exclusion from volunteering with students.
6. Upon successfully passing the criminal background check, screened volunteers are required to self-report any activities or charges that, if convicted, would result in exclusion from volunteering with students. Failure to selfreport such activity or charges prior to their next volunteering event will permanently disqualify the individual from serving as a school volunteer.
7. Individuals interested in serving as a screened volunteer may pre-register online for fingerprinting through the State Highway Patrol’s Missouri Automated Criminal History Site (MACHS). The registration site is located at www.machs.mo.gov Individuals without access to the internet may contact the fingerprint processing company, 3M/Cogent, directly at 1-877-862-2425 to have a Fingerprint Services Representative conduct this registration on their behalf. A four-digit registration code is required in order to complete the online registration process. The four-digit code for those volunteering in the Lone Jack Schools is 0950. The fee for the criminal background check is currently set at $44.80.
8. The self-reporting provision (#6) applies to all three types of volunteers – Volunteers, Chaperones, and Screened Volunteers.