Volunteer Training

LeGette Elementary SchoolAugust 2014

Volunteering Matters• Family engagement in school correlates with higher academic

performance and for individual students and the school.

• Parents who are involved at their child’s school have higher expectations for their child’s academic achievement, behavior and attendance.

• When teachers know a parent is involved, they have higher expectations for those students in the classroom.

• High school graduation rates increase when there is at least one parent communicating with the school and monitoring their child’s academics, attendance and behavior.

• Gains for students learning English are accelerated when their parents are involved at school

Sources: National Education Association (NEA) and Learning Leaders Program

This Following Will Include…

• District guidelines for volunteers• School volunteer guidelines • The opportunities for volunteers to help on

campus• Classroom strategies that support academic

achievement of all students• School rules and behavior expectations• How to handle difficult situations with

students• Who will supervise your volunteer activity at

the school

Getting StartedThese are a few things that are consistent in all San Juan schools:

• We value your time and commitment to our students• All volunteers will receive training and be given specific

assignments by a staff member• Volunteers should be given meaningful work that

supplements the educational program • Volunteers must be fingerprinted at the District Office if

they will ever be alone with students• All volunteers who drive or chaperone a field trip must go

through the fingerprinting process.

BP/AR 1240

Student Safety• In order to keep our schools safe, all volunteers and

visitors on campus need to sign in at the front office and wear a visitors badge*

• In case of an emergency, we must be accountable for everyone on campus

• Adults on campus without a badge will be reminded to go to the office to get one

* SJUSD Board Policy 1240

Do I Need To Be Fingerprinted?

• Yes, if you will ever be alone with students (chaperoning a field trip, walking students from the class to the office, tutoring students)

• No, if you have been fingerprinted by SJUSD previously

• Businesses and organizations cannot share fingerprinting results. You may have been fingerprinted in the past for another organization, but by law, we have to have you fingerprint again

• School sites may check the name of volunteers on their campus with the Megan’s Law database, whether or not they are fingerprinted

When, Where and How?

• Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (arrive no later than 1 p.m.)

• San Juan Unified District Office - 3738 Walnut Avenue, Carmichael

• There is no charge for volunteers to be fingerprinted

• TB test results are not required

• Process will take longer at the beginning of the school year and in the spring

What to Bring• Completed Fingerprint Authorization Form signed by a site administrator

• Valid photo ID – Current Driver’s License (from any state) or DMV Identification Card. District staff may also accept two of the items listed here:

State Issued Birth Certificate, US Military Identification Card, current US Passport, Social Security Card, foreign passport with appropriate immigration documents.

• Your patience - Service is first come, first served so allow for wait time

• Most Clearance Notifications are sent to the school Principal and Secretary within 7-10 school days.

• If the DOJ issues a DELAY notification to Human Resources, the DOJ cannot be contacted by district staff or the volunteer regarding the delay.

• The HR department reviews results from DOJ and determines permission or denial of clearance. This is not a site administrator decision.

Confidentiality Guidelines• As a volunteer, you are supporting all students at the school

• You will likely learn information about children other than your own in the course of volunteering. By law*, all staff and volunteers need to keep information about students other than their own child confidential

• Gossip is destructive and leads to misunderstandings and hurt feelings

• All adults are asked to keep a professional and positive attitude about our students and our school

* FERPA – Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

Student Concerns• If you have a concern about a student’s behavior,

please bring it to the teacher or an administrator’s attention

• Children may share information with you that makes you concerned for their safety. Please let an administrator or teacher know right away.

• Volunteers are not to discipline students

• Volunteers are encouraged to use praise when they notice students making good choices

Tips for Volunteers• We’re counting on you! Please show up at your

scheduled time.

• Notify your supervisor ASAP if you are not going to be able to show up for your volunteer assignment

• Cell phones should be on silent or vibrate – please take any calls outside of the classroom

• Dress comfortably, but professionally

Tips, cont.• You are a role model to the students in and out of

school. Please dress appropriately, following our school’s student dress code as a guide.

• Younger children cannot accompany you for most volunteer activities

• Teachers will not be able to conference with you during the school day

• Use adult restrooms when on campus

Our School’s Volunteer Guidelines

•If you remain at school to have lunch with your child, please eat at the tables next to the office.

•Please be sure to check-out at the office. If there is an emergency, we will be looking for you.

•Do not take any photos of students, even your own. Other children may be captured in the background of the picture.

School Volunteer Opportunities

We encourage you to become involved in:

Classroom volunteerClerical tasksSmall group guidanceArt Docent

Chaperones

Playground supervision

PTABoard Committees

Site Council

Questions?

• Nancy Miller; Principalo 867-2054o Nancy.miller@sanjuan.edu

• SJUSD Human Resources Department (re: fingerprinting process)

Thank you!On behalf of the San Juan Board of Trustees, school

and district staff, and most importantly, our students and leadership, we thank you for sharing

your time and talents with your child’s school.