Volunteer (Parent & Community) Protocol and Procedures

Volunteer (Parent and Community) Protocol and Procedures

1. District Responsibilities and Volunteer Definition: 

The district is required by KRS 161.148 to arrange for a state criminal records check on all volunteers who have contact with students on a regularly scheduled and/or continuing basis, or who have supervisory responsibility for children at a school site or on school-sponsored trips. (Policy Reference 03.6) Visitors are not required to have a background check to attend a party, school program or play, eat breakfast or lunch, etc.…

2. School Responsibilities:

The Community Education Director and School Counselors are responsible for the administration and implementation of the volunteer program. 

3. Community Education Director Responsibilities

1. Conduct all new parent/community volunteer orientation trainings and background checks
2. Set a schedule for monthly new parent trainings during the school year, which shall be published on school and district web site.
3. Update the list of approved volunteers on a monthly basis and forward to the school counselor.

4. School Counselors shall adhere to the following time-line at the beginning of each school year.

1. Promote and encourage parents and community members to volunteer at their local school
2. Refer parents or community members who wish to volunteer with no background check on file to the Community Education Director

5. Volunteers must adhere to the following process

1. Complete the required paper work needed for the criminal records check
2. Abide by all policies and procedures adopted by the school.
3. Parent information on the criminal records check:     

• The records check is good for a 5-year period as long as they attend an annual orientation meeting.
• The district/school reserves the right to complete another records check for any individual during this 5-year period at the district expense.

4. If a volunteer is charged with a criminal offense, the volunteer has an obligation to inform the principal of the school, who should immediately report such occurrence to the superintendent and/or their designee.  The incident shall be reviewed by the superintendent and/or designee to determine if the volunteer can continue to serve at the school.
5. Failure of the volunteer to disclose such and event will result in an indefinite suspension of all volunteer activities.

6. Procedure for Dealing with Back Ground Checks that have Prior Offenses

1. All prospective volunteers have a responsibility to disclose any violation that may appear on their background check at the time of their application.
2. Minor offense such as driving violations and other misdemeanors will not disqualify an individual from serving as a volunteer
3. Any major violation, as deemed by the superintendent and/or designee, that has occurred within the past 5 years will disqualify an individual from volunteering
4. Any major violation, which is over 5 years old, will be reviewed by the superintendent and/or their designee.  The decision of the superintendent and/or their designee will be final and not subject to appeal to the local board. A volunteer that serves under this provision shall be considered to be on probationary status.
5. Volunteers under probationary status waive the 5-year period and understand that they can be asked to submit to background check at any time at the expense of the district.
6. Any person with any type of activity that indicates a history of violence or crimes against children will not be allowed to volunteer in any district facility, regardless of when that event occurred.

The Estill County School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, genetic information, age, marital status, sex or disability in employment, educational programs or activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups as set forth in the Title IX, Title VI or Section 504.  For inquiries involving non-discrimination policies please contact: 504/Title IX Coordinator, PO Box 930, Irvine, Kentucky 40336, (606) 723-2181.