Thank you for applying to volunteer. Your time is appreciated. After you submit your information, the volunteer coordinator will be in contact. Please allow a reasonable time for processing. If you have any questions, our contact info is at the bottom of this page.
This application contains four very short sections. Please complete all four, they really are short and will just take a few minutes. This information will help us link you to the best opportunities at the best locations for you, especially if you have children in the district.
The items with asterisks are required and must be completed to submit this form. When you have finished the last section, the SUBMIT APPLICATION button will appear.
Required Have you ever been convicted of a crime relating to DUI or drugs?* |
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Have you ever been convicted of ANY crime? (Convicted includes ALL instances in which a finding of guilty, a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, an Alford plea, or stipulation to the facts is the basis of conviction and/or all proceedings in which prosecution has been deferred or a sentence has been suspended or deferred.)* |
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Required Have you ever been convicted of a crime relating to abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, exploitation or physical abuse?* |
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Required Have you ever been convicted of a crime relating to financial exploitation, including extortion, theft, robbery or forgery?* |
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Required Do you currently have any outstanding criminal charges or warrants against you in WA or in any other state or country?* |
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Required Have you ever been convicted of domestic violence or assault?* |
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Required Have you ever had findings made against you for domestic violence, abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, exploitation or financial exploitation of a child or a vulnerable adult in any civil adjudicative proceeding? (A civil adjudicative proceeding includes a judicial or administrative proceeding as well as findings by the Department of Social and Health Services or the Department of Health that you have not administratively challenged or appealed.)* |
We are pleased you are interested in volunteering in the Olympia School District. As you take on this very important role, we want to provide information to you related to confidentiality so that each person who works in our school will understand the importance of this issue and the privacy rights of our students and staff.
Volunteers observe students working at different levels and with different needs and challenges. Some students need extra support in academic areas, some will need help in solving problems and others will need help making appropriate behavior choices. These areas of support might be observed while helping students with academic learning or while in the hall, cafeteria, on the playground or other common areas of the school. Anytime you notice conflicts or difficulties that are not resolved by the students, please make sure a staff member is informed promptly. Please make sure any conversations that take place with a staff member related to a specific student’s or group of students’ needs are done privately (out of earshot of all students and other adults). Please understand that teachers are not free to discuss other students with you.
We appreciate it when volunteers report any such incidents or concerns to us and we also request that volunteers not speak of such incidents or concerns with anyone after having left the school. In this way, we can protect the privacy of all children at our schools. This is expected of all staff members within our schools and we must require it of all volunteers as well. There can be no tolerance for violations of confidentiality. Continued volunteering is contingent upon respecting this request.
If you do have questions related to confidentiality please do not hesitate to ask a school staff member.
Thank you for your interest in volunteering in Olympia Public Schools. This information is provided for your safety as well as for the protection of the children with whom you will be working. Please review it carefully and ask any questions that may arise. We want the time you spend volunteering in a Olympia school to be a positive experience for all.
Relationships: For the protection of all, the relationship between you and all students with whom volunteer must be kept appropriate at all times. Continuing your volunteer relationship through out-of-school contact, such as phone calls, home visits, or invitations to your home, social events, office, vehicle, or activities is not permitted. This prohibition, of course, would not restrict out-of-school contact with students who are family friends or known to you through other community contacts.
Appropriate touching: Handshakes, “high five’s”, an arm or hug around a shoulder are the only safe and friendly ways to touch a child when you are volunteering. For some children, or for some cultures, even these gestures may be unwelcome. No child should be subject to unwelcome touching no matter how well intended. If a child ever inappropriately touches you, please inform a staff member right away.
Communication: You are a role model. Your conversations with students and staff should demonstrate respect for others and avoid language that may be perceived as discriminatory, profane, sexist, or offensive. No student or staff person should ever be treated differently, spoken to disrespectfully or denied services on the basis of sex, race, religion, disability, age, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, or marital status. In addition, school personnel or volunteers cannot encourage or promote religious beliefs by class activities, comments or invitations to their place of worship.
Confidentiality: As a volunteer, you must respect and maintain confidentiality in regard to personal information obtained regarding a child or his/her family with certain exceptions. Reasonable suspicion of abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, illegal or dangerous activities should be shared with staff. Be assured they will follow up on the information.
Discipline: Any discipline of a student should be left up to a staff member. Physical punishment is never permitted.
School safety plan: In the event of an emergency while you are on site (fire, earthquake etc.) you need to be familiar with the Safety Plan of the building in which you volunteer. Each school will provide their Safety Plan to volunteers at orientation and training sessions.
Check in/out: All visitors, including volunteers, are required to sign in at the main office in the school and wear an identification badge while on campus.
Volunteer orientation & training: Volunteers may receive orientation to general building procedures, including an understanding of school polices, rules, and expectations; a tour of the campus; and instructions on what to do in the event of an emergency while you are on site. Specific training for the program you will be working in and instructions on how you will communicate with the assigned staff member should also be provided.
Thank you very much for your application. Volunteers are very important and are very much appreciated here at Olympia School District.
We will be in touch as soon as possible and look forward to welcoming you as a volunteer.
If you have any questions, please contact us by phone - 360 596-6130,
or email us - volunteer@osd.wednet.edu