The Board of Education recognizes that certain programs and activities can be enhanced through the use of volunteers who have particular knowledge or skills that will be helpful to members of the professional staff responsible for the conduct of those programs and activities.

The Superintendent shall be responsible for recruiting community volunteers, reviewing their capabilities, and making appropriate placements. The Superintendent shall not be obligated to make use of volunteers whose abilities are not in accord with the Board’s needs.

The Superintendent is to inform each volunteer that s/he:

Each staff member shall submit to the principal the name and address of each potential volunteer whose presence will involve contact with students. The principal shall determine whether the volunteer’s name appears on the sexual offender registry list that has been supplied by the Superintendent. The principal shall notify the Superintendent of any potential volunteer who is identified as a registered sex offender. The Superintendent shall provide written notice to the offender that s/he may not be on school property without prior written authorization. The Superintendent shall also inform the principal and employees that the individual may not be used as a volunteer.

The Superintendent shall develop a volunteer application form that includes mandatory reporting of prior arrests or convictions of any offense that involves misconduct toward a minor. Any person who fails or refuses to complete this portion of the volunteer application form shall not be permitted to serve as a volunteer.

The Superintendent shall inform all volunteers who work or apply to work unsupervised with children on a regular basis of the need to display appropriate behavior at all times, and that they may be required to provide a set of fingerprints at any time so that a criminal records check can be conducted. If a criminal records check is then conducted, it will be done as a condition of continued service as a volunteer and will be at the volunteer’s expense.

If a criminal records check indicates that a volunteer has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a crime, or if criminal convictions are disclosed on the volunteer application form, the Superintendent, in his/her sole discretion, may determine that the presence of the volunteer in the schools would present an unreasonable risk to the safety and welfare of students. In such case, the volunteer will be informed that she/he may not serve as a volunteer. If a volunteer engages in behavior in violation of policies, written or oral instructions by school personnel, or engages in any behavior that is adverse to student safety and welfare, or which has the potential to adversely affect student safety or welfare, the Superintendent, in his/her sole discretion, may determine to discontinue service by the volunteer.