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Series 9000 - Bylaws of the Board

9180 - School Volunteers

School Volunteers

The Board of Education recognizes that the services of community volunteers can enrich the educational program, assist teaching staff members in the performance of their duties, and enhance the relationship between the school district and the community.  The Board directs the Chief School Administrator to develop and institute a program to use the services and abilities of community volunteers in the school district.

The Chief School Administrator or his/her designee will develop a procedure and be responsible for the recruitment and screening of volunteers.  In selecting volunteers, their character, sense of responsibility, and integrity will be considered.  Community volunteers need not be parents of current Lopatcong School District students.  The Chief School Administrator and Building Principals will have the right, at their sole discretion and without being required to provide a reason, to not accept the offer of any individual to volunteer in the school district.  The assignment of volunteers to specific tasks may be delegated to other staff members, as appropriate.

The Chief School Administrator or his/her designee will prepare and distribute rules of conduct (a volunteer’s handbook) for school volunteers.  Each volunteer will be given a copy of the rules of conduct before volunteering in either school.

The following guidelines shall govern the service of school volunteers:

1. Volunteers will serve only under the direction and supervision of an administrator, his/her designee, or a teaching staff member.

2. Volunteers must report to the main office and sign in before going to their volunteer assignment.  They will be given a “visitor” badge which must be visibly worn at all times they are on school property.  At the end of their assignment they must return the badge to the main office and sign out.

3. Volunteers are not free to walk about the school or visit their child’s classroom; they must remain in the area of their volunteer assignment.

4. Volunteers should clearly understand the duties, responsibilities, and scope of each of their volunteer assignments; they should only be involved in activities that support the given assignment.

5. Volunteers serve in a support capacity; only teaching staff members are responsible for educational planning and decisions, and the teaching of new concepts.

6. A volunteer who imparts information to students must be mindful of the age, maturity, and sensibility of those pupils and exercise proper care and discretion accordingly.

7. Volunteers shall respect the individuality, dignity, and worth of each child.  A volunteer must never belittle, rebuke, or discipline a student.

8. Volunteers are not permitted access to student records.

9. Volunteers should exercise discretion in discussing their school activities with others in the community.  They must respect the confidentiality of any information they learn about a child in the course of their volunteer assignment.

10. Volunteers may consult with the Chief School Administrator or his/her designee regarding their duties and responsibilities.

11. Volunteers will receive no financial remuneration from the Board.

The tasks to which volunteers may be assigned include, but need not be limited to the following:

1. Duplicating handouts, workbooks, tests, and other materials;

2. Helping with classroom housekeeping;

3. Typing class materials such as handouts or tests;

4. Setting up audio-visual and other instructional equipment, if qualified to do so;

5. Providing computer or network support, if qualified to do so;

6. Correcting workbooks, as qualified to do so and as appropriate to the sensitivity of the materials;

7. Reading aloud and telling stories to students;

8. Assisting with the school library program, such as cataloging and shelving books, helping students locate books or reference materials; or checking out books.

9. Assisting with the school lunch program;

10. Serving as chaperones on field trips or at dances; and

11. Serving as a resource person in a special subject area.

Each school volunteer must certify in writing that he/she has never been convicted of a violation of any crime set forth in Chapters 9, 12-14, 17-18, 20, 24, 27, 29, and/or 39 of Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes whether in New Jersey or a similar crime another state and sign a waiver for workers’ compensation.  The Volunteer Application and Lopatcong Township Board of Education – Agreement and Release must be completed by a volunteer for each new school year.  A Mantoux test will be required for all volunteers that are in the schools five (5) hours or more per week at the expense of the school district.  In addition, the Chief School Administrator may, if (s)he feels that it is needed, request a criminal background check for volunteers that spend a significant amount of time in the school, again at the Board’s expense.

The Chief School Administrator or a Building Principal may temporarily suspend or permanently revoke volunteer privileges for an individual that fails to adhere to the rules of conduct.  In addition, a volunteer who is being disruptive, in the sole opinion of an administrator, may be asked to leave the school immediately.

The Chief School Administrator will report periodically to the Board on the number of volunteers serving in the district, the duties performed by volunteers, and the hours served, by school building.  This report will also include a list of names of volunteers that have been or will likely be in the school on an ongoing basis (e.g., PTA members, lunchroom or library volunteers) and those of volunteers that have had their volunteer privileges revoked.  In addition, a list of names of volunteers who have submitted a Volunteer Application will be provided to the Board at its October meeting each year.

Legal References:

Key Words:

Volunteers

Adopted:    January 10, 2006

Reviewed:  January 10, 2006

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