School Volunteer Information

Clearances

If you are a visitor or volunteer, you must obtain Child Abuse Clearances. Guidelines and Requirements for School Volunteers can be found in Section 800 of our Board of School Directors Policies. Holding the position of a volunteer is not a right, but a privilege conferred upon the volunteer by the Board, acting through the building principal of each school within the school district. All volunteers have specific requirements that need to be completed PRIOR to participating in any volunteer experience. Volunteer forms are available to download.

Classroom Visitations by Parents

A great time to visit the classrooms is during American Education Week. Watch for more information about this fun event. If you are visiting your child’s classroom because you are a mystery reader, attending a meeting/conference, assisting the teacher with a special project/event please adhere to the following procedures:

  1. Please ring the bell for admittance into the building
  2. Sign-in and obtain a visitors badge from a secretary and make sure the badge is clearly visible at all times
  3. All parents dropping off forgotten items (homework, birthday treats, books, etc.) are to leave them in the vestibule. Our secretaries check this periodically and ensure the items are delivered to the classroom.  

*Please keep in mind that upon entry into the school building, you will be asked to show proper identification (Driver’s License) for purposes of visiting a classroom or picking up a child*

Public Events 
(Clearance Not Required)

Private Events
(Clearances Required)
  • Attending the Costume Parade Outside along the parade route.
  • Evening Events (Festival of Arts, Concerts, parent and family nights, back to school night, etc.)
  • Volunteering and/or visiting classrooms during American Education Week
  • Color Day- Outside
  • Events held in the gym, library, or cafeteria deemed as public events.
  • Attending the 4th grade Constitution Walk outside in front of the school
  • 5th Grade Celebration
  • Sneak-a-Peek
  • Parent/Teacher conferences
  • Attending the Sing-a-Long and remaining in the gym
  • Attending any classroom celebrations pertaining to the Costume Parade
  • Assisting with classroom or building special events/celebrations (excluding public events such as concert or parade)
    • For example: pumpkin math, music informances, visiting your child’s classroom after the 5th grade celebration, wax museum, end of year classroom events, etc.)
  • Assisting the classroom teacher with anything pertaining to Color Day in the building/classroom
  • Assisting the classroom teacher with anything pertaining to the 4th grade Constitution Walk in the building/classroom
  • Chaperoning a single day field trip and/or overnight field trip/competition
  • Advising or assisting an extracurricular activity during school day
  • Providing supplemental assistance to a student
  • Being a Mystery Reader
  • Volunteering in a classroom
  • Volunteering to eat lunch with child in the cafeteria or classroom
  • Volunteering at the Book Fair while school is in session.

Chaperone Guidelines

All field trip chaperones are required to have a Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance on file in the school office

  • Inform the nurse if you have a chronic medical condition or if you take medication, in case of an emergency.
  • Follow all procedures of the trip as outlined by the teacher(s).
  • Know the itinerary and follow it closely.  No detours or side trips.
  • Know and understand the rules of behavior.
  • Clarify your expectations to all students about their compliance with the rules of behavior. Report mishaps or misbehaviors to the teacher right away.
  • Follow role model behavior, i.e., refrain from smoking, using profanity, dress appropriately. Refer to the list of our students and know their medical needs.
  • Report to the nurse any medical questions or problems, as soon as possible, and make sure children go to the nurse to receive medications on time.
  • Stay with the students at all times.  Escort them to the washrooms and wait for them either outside or inside the washroom.  If you do not enter the washroom, have a planned secret code to use.
    • For example, if the child seems to be taking too long, open the door of the washroom and say in a loud voice, “Happy,” and instruct the child to say, “Birthday,” or some other code.  If the child does not respond, go into the washroom after the child, or call for help.
  • Make sure you take a roll call of the children before you leave any place and before the bus leaves.
  • Be careful of distractions that interfere with your supervision of the children at all times, i.e., cell phones, long conversations.