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KAA-AP: School Volunteer Program

SCHOOL VOLUNTEER PROGRAM

The District shall operate a volunteer program. The program shall be designed and implemented in a safety-conscious manner but shall in no way overly consume district resources, monetary or otherwise.

Job Descriptions

The Superintendent is charged with developing job descriptions for each volunteer position. Descriptions shall, at a minimum, list all screening prerequisites, the scope of job duties associated with each position, and the title of the district employee charged with supervising the volunteer.

Job descriptions for most common volunteer positions are available on the District’s Website. A volunteer’s agreement to follow the job description shall be required at the time the District offers a position to the individual.

Volunteer Screening

Methods used to screen volunteers shall in no way discriminate against any minority group. Anyone wishing to volunteer in district schools shall complete a volunteer application. Completion of this application is a prerequisite for obtaining permission to volunteer in district schools. The application shall be developed by the Superintendent and shall, at a minimum, supply requested references, and attest that they have never been convicted of a crime.

Volunteers shall be subject to the following screening requirements:

  1. Volunteers applying for low risk positions shall submit current residency information and their social security number through the online application system. The Human Resources Department shall notify the Principal of the low risk volunteer application, and the Principal shall be required to screen that volunteer through the school’s LobbyGuard entry system on the day(s) that volunteer activities are to be performed.
  2. Volunteers applying for moderate risk positions shall be subject to the school’s LobbyGuard screening as described above. In addition, the volunteer shall be subject to a non-fingerprint based state background check. The applicant shall also submit current residency information and their social security number through the online application system. The Human Resources Department shall order a state criminal courts background check along with a background check of sexual offender registries in all states and counties where the volunteer resided.
  3. Volunteers applying for high-risk positions shall be subject to the same background checks as school employees who have unsupervised contact with students. This shall include all requirements in #1 and #2 above, plus a fingerprint-based federal criminal history background check.

A volunteer is exempt from these screening requirements if s/he has undergone previous screening through the District in the last 2 years, met district adjudication standards, was offered a position with the District, and is applying for a position with the same or lower risk level than the position in which s/he previously served.

The Superintendent shall determine the risk associated with each volunteer position based upon, but not limited to, the following criteria:

  1. The vulnerability of the individual(s) served by the volunteer;
  2. The amount of district supervision over the volunteer;
  3. The degree of potential for the volunteer to have regular unsupervised contact with a student or students;
  4. The degree of potential for a volunteer to build a sustainable and/or trusting relationship with a student or student(s).

Adjudication

The Superintendent or his/her designee shall adjudicate volunteer applicants’ criminal history records, shall make final determinations about suitability for service, and is authorized to offer qualified  applicants positions with the District.

The District is not obligated to utilize the services of any volunteer who, in the adjudicator’s judgment, exhibits qualities inconsistent with the district’s mission, potentially disruptive to district operations, or potentially threatening to district safety.

Volunteer applicants shall be disqualified for service for at least the following reasons:

  1. The applicant has committed a felony, sexual offense (as defined by NDCC 15.1-13-26), crime against a child (as defined by NDCC 15.1-13-26), or any other offense involving a child victim.
  2. The applicant falsified or omitted information submitted during the application process, including, but not limited to, information concerning criminal convictions or pending criminal charges.

Volunteer Rights

Records obtained by the District for background and other record checks will be used solely for purposes that they were requested and will only be disseminated and retained in accordance with the personnel records policy. The adjudicator shall advise applicants that the procedure for obtaining, correcting, or updating federal records is contained in 28 CFR 16.34 and shall give the applicant a reasonable time to correct and/or complete his/her criminal history record or decline to do so before making a determination on qualification for service.

Orientation & Training

The Board shall develop a list of district policies to which volunteers must abide. The building principal shall make volunteers aware of these policies, procedures, and rules before they begin service through a volunteer orientation, volunteer handbook, or other means and shall inform volunteers of the requirement to abide by these policies, procedures, and rules regardless of whether or not volunteers are specifically named in them. Volunteers shall agree in writing to this requirement prior to performing services for the District.

Volunteers shall also receive any required training as delineated in the job description prior to performing services.

Disciplinary Sanctions & Authority

Except when an emergency situation would warrant otherwise, volunteers shall perform only those duties that they are assigned and abide by applicable policies, procedures, and rules. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from service. The building principal or Superintendent is responsible for disciplining and dismissing volunteers.

Adopted: 01/10/11
Reviewed: 22/22/22
Revised: 12/11/18