Policy 1240 - Volunteer Assistant

Volunteer Assistance

The Board of Education encourages parents/guardians and other members of the community to share their time, knowledge and abilities with our students. Community volunteers in our schools enrich the educational program and strengthen our schools' relationships with homes, businesses, public agencies and private institutions. Volunteers on campuses also enhance supervision of students and school safety.

The Superintendent or designee may authorize the use of volunteers and shall establish procedures to protect the safety of students and volunteers. The Superintendent or designee may require criminal records checks as authorized by law. Volunteers shall act in accordance with district policies, regulations and school rules. A staff member who supervises volunteers may ask any volunteer who violates school rules to leave the campus.

The Superintendent or designee shall be responsible for investigating and resolving complaints regarding volunteers.

Rule 1240

Revised 09/02/2008

Volunteer Assistance and Required Background Checks

DESIGNATED VOLUNTEERS

A Designated Volunteer is someone who:

• is regularly scheduled to work directly with students one or more days a week, or
• is likely to be alone with one or more students, or
• participates on an overnight field trip.

Designated Volunteers are to be fingerprinted by the Department of Justice.

Before authorizing any person to serve as a Designated Volunteer, the Personnel Department will have the individual fingerprinted through the Department of Justice.

Volunteers who have short-term supervised access to pupils as determined by the principal, need not be fingerprinted.

Anyone who is required to register as a sex offender pursuant to Penal Code 290 shall not serve as a volunteer.

The District shall not place a new volunteer or retain any existing volunteer that has been convicted of a serious or violent felony as defined in Penal Code section 1192.7(c) and 667.5(c). The District may, however, decide to use such a volunteer if he or she has met the rehabilitation standards as set forth in Education Code section 451221. For any other conviction, the District may decide not to use the volunteer depending on the nature of the conviction involved.

ALL VOLUNTEERS

All volunteers must be registered with the principal or designee of that site.

All volunteers should be provided with a copy of the District's policy on Volunteer Assistance.

Any volunteers who will be driving students in their own vehicles shall furnish proof on forms provided by the District that they are licensed and that they have the required automobile insurance on their vehicles.