Procedure No. 5400P

 

Volunteer Personnel

Definitions:

1. Volunteers: Adults who assist in auxiliary or supplemental roles in the school district

1. without material compensation
2. under the supervision of a district employee
3. for at least 10 days scheduled by or with a school district employee in a given school year
4. for an average of at least 15 minutes per occasion of service.

2.

1. Access Position: A volunteer position in which the volunteer may be expected to have access to students as a normal part of his/her volunteer duties.
2. Non-access Position: A volunteer position in which the volunteer will not have contact with students as a normal part of his/her volunteer duties.

Qualifications:

Volunteers shall:

1. demonstrate and encourage positive attitudes towards self and others so as to provide a better school life for learners.
2. demonstrate levels of competence in reading, writing, speaking, and computing appropriate to the roles which they will serve in the school.
3. demonstrate specialized skills needed to fulfill roles assigned.
4. volunteers shall be registered with volunteer services throughout the duration of their regular volunteer service.

Selection:

1. Prior to placement, volunteers shall be subject to a screening procedure to insure the safety of the students and discover the volunteers' suitability for the task(s) for which they are being considered. Volunteer applicants shall be required to disclose any previous criminal history and be subject to a Washington State Patrol background investigation, pursuant to RCW 43.43.830-840.
2. Equal opportunity irrespective of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, marital status, sexual preference, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical handicap will be ensured.
3. Whenever possible, personnel who will be working with volunteers will be involved in the selection process.

Prior to placement, regular volunteers complete a volunteer registration form including a statement affirming the voluntary nature of their service and their acknowledgement of expectations.

Assignment and Supervision:

1. Volunteers are to assist professional personnel in auxiliary or supplemental roles; volunteers shall not relieve teachers of their responsibility for instruction, serve as substitute teachers, or be used to replace any existing paid positions.
2. Placement of volunteers will be consistent with their interests and competencies.
3. Prior to placement, regular volunteers shall receive an appropriate orientation.
4. Prior to placement, supervising administrators shall ensure that both volunteers and employees with responsibility for direct supervision have a clear understanding of the role(s) which can and are to be played by volunteers. Input from persons with direct supervisory responsibility will be a part of this process.
5. The placement of volunteers should be such that it is clear to which district employee they are directly responsible.

Recognition and Evaluation:

Regular volunteers shall receive:

1. Recognition for their voluntary service
2. Opportunities for advancement within the volunteer program
3. Opportunities to express their opinions and concerns
4. Feedback regarding their service

Termination:

1. A volunteer may terminate his/her service at any time.
2. A volunteer’s service may be terminated by the school district at any time.
3. Should a direct supervisor, building administrator, or the volunteer services coordinator determine that a volunteer's service is not enhancing the educational goals of the school, that volunteer may be reassigned, retrained, or removed from the volunteer program, according to the judgment of the volunteer services coordinator. The volunteer shall receive prior notification of the proposed action and the reasons for it. The volunteer shall have the right to appeal such a decision to the superintendent, whose decision will be final.

 

 

Initially Adopted: October 16, 1974

Adopted: March 22, 2010