Volunteers

SECTION: COMMUNITY

TITLE: SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS

ADOPTED: October 11, 2004

REVISED:

916. SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS

1. Purpose
The Board recognized that community volunteers can make valuable contributions to the educational program. The use of community volunteers is endorsed by the Board, subject to legal requirements and administrative procedures.

In order to devote more time to teaching, coaching and exposing students to the benefits of the diverse talents and skills of community resources, the Dallas School District shall permit and encourage a program of school volunteer assistance and training.

2. Definitions
Volunteer – one who voluntarily offers a service to the school district without compensation.

Volunteers can fall into one of three categories, i.e., Single Event; Short-Term or Long-Term.

Single-Event Volunteer – one who voluntarily provides a service to the school district, without compensation, for a single event which will be completed in one (1) day.

Short-Term Volunteer – one who voluntarily provides a service to the school district, without compensation on an occasional basis, not exceeding ten (10) hours per month.

Long-Term Volunteer – one who voluntarily provides a service to the school district, without compensation, from time to time throughout the entire school year. Said service does not necessarily have to be performed on consecutive days; the intent, however, is to use a long-term volunteer over an extended period of time throughout the school year.

3. Authority
The Board authorizes the selection and use of parents, community members, and others as volunteers to assist and supplement regular district staff.

Single-event volunteers shall be approved by the appropriate building administrator; a record of their names and a brief description of the service performed shall be maintained via the visitor logs at the building level for a period of two (2) years.

The Board shall approve the names of all short-term and long-term volunteers, coaches and advisors or anyone else who may be reasonably expected to be present with students without a district employee present. Long-term volunteers are required to have an Act 34 Criminal History report and an act 151 Clearance Statement on file in the school building.

The basic requirement of volunteer service shall be interest in the educational program, enjoyment in helping children, and a sincere belief that by volunteering, a contribution will be made to the learning process.

Volunteers shall not be asked to assume the professional responsibilities of the school staff. Volunteers may provide assistance which is supportive, when under the direction of a staff member.

Any school volunteer program which will require additional financial support from the district budget will require a formal recommendation from the Superintendent and approval by the Board prior to implementation.

Under no circumstances shall a volunteer be considered an employee of the district. A volunteer shall receive no wages or other valuable consideration for the performance of volunteer services. The volunteer position is not a right, but rather a privilege which is conferred by the Board and the administration. As such, any volunteer position or volunteer may be eliminated at any time for any reason or no reason.

The Board shall provide authorized long-term volunteers (those with required clearances and Board approval) with the same liability insurance coverage as provided for employees of the district, to cover them in the performance of their volunteer services.

4. Delegation of Responsibility
To assure the proper support for the volunteer programs of the district, the following minimal requirements shall apply:

1. Each building administrator who uses volunteers in any capacity shall be responsible for training said volunteers to perform the specific duties associated with their assignments.

2. The building administrator or designee shall assume general authority and responsibility over all volunteers serving at that site.

3. Long-term volunteers will undergo a tuberculosis examination, at no cost to the volunteer, administered by a district nurse in accordance with the regulations of the Advisory Health Board upon being placed on the long-term volunteer list.

Long-term volunteers shall comply with the legally mandated employee requirements and procedures for a criminal history and child abuse background report at no cost to the volunteer. If, under the pertinent laws or regulations, his/her criminal history/child abuse report would preclude him/her from being hired as an employee, that person may not be a volunteer.

Volunteers shall meet any standards which may be established by federal, state or local government, or by the Board or administration, from time to time. The volunteer must agree to be bound by all applicable privacy laws and regulations. In addition, the volunteer shall adhere to all rules and regulations and administrative guidelines governing the conduct of the district’s professional employees.

For out-of-state residents, obtain an FBI fingerprint card check, cost to be reimbursed by the Board.

4. Volunteers will not be permitted to directly administer student discipline nor will they be permitted to administer first aid, except in the case of an emergency.

Volunteers shall perform only such duties as, in the judgment of the certificated personnel to whom the volunteer is assigned, may be performed by a person not licensed as a classroom teacher. These duties shall not include assignment of grades to pupils. Volunteers will perform such duties in the physical presence of the teacher, but the teacher shall retain the responsibility for the instruction and supervision of the pupils in his/her charge.

The supervising teacher will provide the volunteer with meaningful and significant duties and may recommend to terminate the services of a volunteer to the appropriate administrator.

5.The principals will provide an orientation program for volunteers.