Qualifications

Volunteers should demonstrate the following attributes:

1. A sense of responsibility
2. Enthusiasm
3. Ability to follow directions and good listening skills
4. Skills that match a specific need in the school
5. Ability to maintain confidentiality

Expectations

1. Volunteers must keep all information about students, families, and personnel confidential.
2. Volunteers will follow district policies and procedures, including use of profanity, use of tobacco and controlled substances, possession of weapons, and appropriate dress.
3. Volunteers will act under the direction of an administrator, teacher, or volunteer coordinator. When working with students, the teacher designs and directs all activities.
4. Volunteers will not engage in political or religious activities while performing services for the district.
5. Volunteers are asked to inform the school as soon as possible if they are not able to carry out a volunteer commitment.
6. Volunteers must follow sign in procedures at their work site.
7. Volunteers are not to administer discipline or medication.
8. Volunteers should not be assigned to work alone with students in areas where they are not within sight and sound of responsible district employees.

Safeguarding the Community and School Partnership

Volunteers provide assistance and help with many vital activities at the school like Art Literacy, Field Trips, Tutoring, Clerical Work, Coaching, and Screening Programs.

It is inevitable that volunteers at some time may encounter information about specific students while performing their duties. As a volunteer, you must assume responsibility for protecting the privacy of children and information about their education and/or personal like of which you may become knowledgeable.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) requires that only individuals with educational need, access information. The teacher or principal is required to limit your access to this information. However, sometimes information is encountered in informal ways. You may notice a student leaving class to work with a special educator, observe the student going to the health room, hear a child talk about a sensitive family issue, or overhear a conversation in the school office.

Other information may come to your attention as a direct result of your volunteer duties. Some examples may include calling the absentee list, filing information in the office, or recording results of a vision or dental screening. Whether you encounter information formally or informally, your responsibility is the same --- always keep this information strictly to yourself. Your 'job' as a volunteer depends on it!

Here are some examples of how you as a Volunteer can carry out the responsibility of being confidential:

Don’t seek out information.
If you are filing in the office, just look at the name or date and not the written information. If there are papers on a desk, only look at the ones you have been asked to deal with.

Keep information you hear or see to yourself.
If you are uncomfortable or uncertain about something, it is always appropriate to tell the teacher or principal, but never another parent.

Remove yourself from opportunity.
If you walk into a classroom at the end of a team meeting, excuse yourself until the conversation is completed. If you cannot leave and discussion about a student is taking place, remind the speaker that you are present and should not have exposure to the information.

Help other volunteers remember these obligations.
Stop inappropriate conversations immediately, whether you are at school or the grocery store. If there is a persistent problem, notify the principal. The school district cannot legally allow individuals who ignore the obligations to continue in their volunteer duties

Remember to always abide by this motto at school: “What you SEE here, What you Do here, What you SAY here; let it STAY here.