6910.1: Screening Procedures for Volunteers in the Classroom

I. All persons interested in serving as volunteers in the Millard Public Schools who will have an ongoing volunteer schedule and will have direct contact with students and who are not current District employees, current students, parents, or grandparents of current students, shall apply through the school where he or she wishes to volunteer and shall provide the following information on an approved Millard Public Schools volunteer application form:

A. Statistical and directory information including, but not limited to, name, address, telephone number, email address and current or former place of employment (if any).

B. Names of not less than three references to be contacted directly by the principal or designee at the site where the person wants to volunteer. Applicants shall supply a phone number and email address for each reference.

C. A written authorization to permit the District to obtain a criminal background check and check of the Child/Adult Abuse and Neglect Registry/Register for purposes of evaluating the Applicant’s ability and fitness to serve as a volunteer in the District.

II. For all interested volunteers whose volunteer services may result in interaction with students and which may not be directly and continuously supervised by District personnel, the Associate Superintendent for Educational Services or designee and the principal or designee shall undertake the following Applicant screening procedures:
 

A. All application forms shall be reviewed by the building principal or designee and the Associate Superintendent for Educational Services or designee.

B. The principal or designee at the site where the person wants to volunteer shall contact each person identified as a reference on the application.

C. The Associate Superintendent for Educational Services or designee shall submit the applicant's paperwork for a criminal background check and a check of the Child/Adult Abuse and Neglect Central Registry/Register.

III. While the application is being processed and all references and background checks made, the Applicant shall not be placed in a temporary volunteer position by the principal and/or the program staff.

IV. When all reference and background checks are completed and are determined to be satisfactory and consistent with the District’s policy, the Associate Superintendent for Educational Services or designee shall contact the principal and/or program staff and advise that the volunteer has been approved. 

V. In the event the reference and criminal background checks reveal information that appears to be unsatisfactory, not consistent with the District’s policy, or otherwise indicates that the Applicant is not qualified or fit to serve as a volunteer, the District shall provide the Applicant such notice as may be required by law.

VI. If the Applicant’s references or the Associate Superintendent for Educational Services or designee review of the Child/Adult Abuse and Neglect Registry/Register shows that the Applicant is not qualified to serve as a volunteer, the Associate Superintendent for Educational Services or designee shall send a letter to the Applicant advising that the Applicant has been denied.

VII. All references and reference checks shall be strictly confidential and shall not be available to any person, including the Applicant.

VIII. All information other than reference information obtained or gathered in the application and screening process shall be strictly confidential and shall not be available to any person other than the Applicant.

IX. Volunteers are expected to perform approved volunteer services under the supervision of a Millard Public Schools employee.

X. Volunteers shall be subject to the District’s personnel policies and rules, including but not limited to non-discrimination and harassment, sexual harassment, appropriate boundaries with students, behavior and conduct on District property, dress, use of tobacco, substance use, use of District computers and property, confidentiality, corporal punishment and physical contact, and safety and security.

XI. Volunteers in the Millard Public Schools are intended to enrich the learning experiences for students through the performance of volunteer services. Persons interested in serving as volunteers so as to fulfill community work requirements for other agencies shall not be accepted.

XII. The District reserves the right for the Associate Superintendent for Educational Services to require any individual, including current District employees, current students, parents, or grandparents of current students, to complete a criminal background check and a check of the Child/Adult Abuse and Neglect Central Registry/Register prior to being allowed to perform any volunteer service or participate in any District-related activity.

XIII. The Superintendent or his/her designee may grant an exception to the requirements herein if, in an emergency situation, the Superintendent or his/her designee deems that an exception is in the best interest of the class activity, District, and student(s).