District Volunteers
Thank you for your interest in volunteering at Shaler Area School District. The Board of School Directors values the unique contributions made by parent and community volunteers to the educational programs of the Shaler Area School District. Accordingly, the Board encourages the use of parent and community volunteers, subject to certain requirements and procedures. In compliance with the state Act 153 and board policy, volunteers now are required to submit certain information and clearances prior to volunteering.
For the purpose of District policy and the state requirements, a volunteer is any individual who performs a service for the School District without compensation, remuneration or other consideration and who otherwise meets the requirements of this policy.
For the purpose of District policy and the state requirements, a volunteer is any individual who performs a service for the School District without compensation, remuneration or other consideration and who otherwise meets the requirements of this policy.
A volunteer must be at least 18 years of age.
A volunteer need not be a parent of a student enrolled in the School District.
A current School District student who serves as an assistant or who provides other volunteer assistance in support of a curricular, co- curricular or extra-curricular activity is not considered to be a volunteer for purposes of the District policy.
Casual Volunteer
A casual volunteer is a volunteer who comes to a school infrequently and works in the presence of a teacher/administrator when with students. A casual volunteer does not have direct contact with children.
“Direct contact with children” – Possibility of care, supervision, guidance or control of children by a volunteer and/or routine interaction with children.
“Routine interaction” – Regular and repeated contact that is integral to a person’s volunteer responsibilities.
Examples include: Individuals who volunteer to assist in the planning or conducting of classroom celebrations; guest speakers; and concert/performance ushers.
Final determination of a volunteer’s status is the responsibility of the principal or assistant principal.
Casual volunteers will be required, on an annual basis, to sign the PDE 6004 Arrest/Conviction Report and Certification Form contained in this policy, in the presence of the principal or principal’s designee.
Casual volunteers of not have direct contact with children and are not required to obtain criminal history reports or child abuse clearances.
Each volunteer shall affirm in writing that he or she has been provided with a copy of, has read, understands, and agrees to comply with Shaler Area School Board Policy 916.1.
Program Volunteer
A program volunteer is a volunteer who provides recurring assistance in support of school-sponsored activities under the general direction and supervision of a coach or sponsor employed by the District and may, from time to time, have or may be reasonably expected to have direct contact with children.
“Direct contact with children” – Possibility of care, supervision, guidance or control of children by a volunteer and/or routine interaction with children.
“Routine interaction” – Regular and repeated contact that is integral to a person’s volunteer responsibilities.
Examples include: Volunteers who assist on the coaching staff of an athletic team; volunteer athletic trainers or equipment managers (excluding School District students serving in those capacities); and choreographers, musicians and other individuals who provide assistance to students in the marching band or school musical.
Final determination of a volunteer’s status is the responsibility of the principal or assistant principal.
Upon his or her initial appointment and before volunteer service is performed, a program volunteer is required to obtain and submit to the building principal for approval:
- Act 34 Criminal History Report
- Act 151 (Child Abuse) Clearance Statement
- Act 114 FBI Criminal Background Checks** (Requires pre-registration on the IdentoGO site prior to being fingerprinted.)
- Tuberculosis Examination (This requirement is only necessary for volunteers who are in direct contact with children for 10 or more hours per week. The tuberculosis examination is to be completed not more than 3 months prior to volunteering.)
Program volunteers are excused from obtaining the Act 114 (FBI Criminal Background) clearance if the individual has been a resident of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania during the entirety of the previous 10-year period AND submits an affidavit attesting that they have not perpetrated or been convicted of any offense that would preclude their employment by the School District under Act 34 (Criminal History), Act 114 (FBI Criminal Background), or Act 151 (Child Abuse) or Section 6344(C) of the Child Protective Services Law.
Once the required clearances are on file with the School District, the program volunteer will be required, on an annual basis, to sign PDE 6004 Arrest/Conviction Report and Certification Form that they have not perpetrated or been convicted of any offense that would preclude their employment by the School District under Act 34 (Criminal History) or Act 151 (Child Abuse).
Program volunteers will be required to renew their Act 34 Criminal History Report, Act 151 (Child Abuse) Clearance Statement and Act 114 (FBI Criminal Background) clearance in the event of a break in continuous service
Program volunteers whose reports and clearances are more than five (5) years old as of August 31, 2015, must obtain and provide new reports and clearances in order to continue as volunteers/chaperones thereafter. Program volunteers whose reports and clearances will become five-years old must obtain and provide new reports and clearances before the five-year anniversary date(s) of those reports or clearances in order to continue as volunteers.
Program volunteers are required to renew their clearances every 5 years or sooner if there is a break in continuous service.
Prior to performing services for the School District, program volunteers who are in direct contact with children for more than 10 hours per week are required to undergo a tuberculosis examination not more than three months before volunteering in accordance with regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of Health and to furnish such report to the School District. As long as the volunteer maintains continuous service within the District, this exam does not need to be repeated. However, any break in service would require a new tuberculosis test.
Each volunteer shall affirm in writing that he or she has been provided with a copy of, has read, understands, and agrees to comply with Shaler Area School Board Policy 916.1.
Chaperone
A chaperone is a volunteer who accompanies students on school-sponsored single day field trips and/or trips involving an overnight stay.
“Direct contact with children” – Possibility of care, supervision, guidance or control of children by a volunteer and/or routine interaction with children.
“Routine interaction” – Regular and repeated contact that is integral to a person’s volunteer responsibilities.
Final determination of a volunteer’s status is the responsibility of the principal or assistant principal.
Chaperones shall be required, in advance of their first overnight trip and/or single day field trip during a school year, to obtain and submit to the building principal for approval:
- Act 34 Criminal History Report
- Act 151 (Child Abuse) Clearance Statement
- Act 114 FBI Criminal Background Checks** (Requires pre-registration on the IdentoGO site prior to being fingerprinted.)
- Tuberculosis Examination (This requirement is only necessary for volunteers who are in direct contact with children for 10 or more hours per week. The tuberculosis examination is to be completed not more than 3 months prior to volunteering.)
Chaperones are excused from obtaining the Act 114 (FBI Criminal Background) clearance if the individual has been a resident of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania during the entirety of the previous 10-year period AND submits an affidavit attesting that they have not perpetrated or been convicted of any offense that would preclude their employment by the School District under Act 34 (Criminal History), Act 114 (FBI Criminal Background), or Act 151 (Child Abuse) or Section 6344(C) of the Child Protective Services Law.
Once the required clearances are on file with the School District, the chaperone will be required, on an annual basis, to sign PDE 6004 Arrest/Conviction Report and Certification Form that they have not perpetrated or been convicted of any offense that would preclude their employment by the School District under Act 34 (Criminal History) or Act 151 (Child Abuse).
Chaperones will be required to renew their Act 34 Criminal History Report, Act 151 (Child Abuse) Clearance Statement and Act 114 (FBI Criminal Background) clearance in the event of a break in continuous service
Chaperones whose reports and clearances are more than five (5) years old as of August 31, 2015, must obtain and provide new reports and clearances in order to continue as volunteers/chaperones thereafter. Program volunteers whose reports and clearances will become five-years old must obtain and provide new reports and clearances before the five-year anniversary date(s) of those reports or clearances in order to continue as volunteers.
Chaperones are required to renew their clearances every 5 years or sooner if there is a break in continuous service.
Prior to performing services for the School District, chaperones who are in direct contact with children for more than 10 hours per week are required to undergo a tuberculosis examination not more than three months before volunteering in accordance with regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of Health and to furnish such report to the School District. As long as the volunteer maintains continuous service within the District, this exam does not need to be repeated. However, any break in service would require a new tuberculosis test.
Each volunteer shall affirm in writing that he or she has been provided with a copy of, has read, understands, and agrees to comply with Shaler Area School Board Policy 916.1.
