Volunteer Guidelines

The school program is greatly enriched by the volunteer services of many parents. Volunteers play an important role in the quality of life in our school. The assistance and support they offer to students and staff is invaluable and their contributions are part of what makes our school so special.

The following guidelines have been developed to assist you in serving this unique function. Offering to volunteer in our school assumes your understanding and agreement of these guidelines.

Confidentiality
Information you see or hear can affect the lives and futures of individual students. Volunteers must respect the privacy of this information and maintain the same in strict confidence.

Relations with Students
Volunteers are viewed by students and parents as representatives of the School Board and the School Administration, and are perceived by students as authority figures. When students raise issues of a personal or controversial nature, volunteers are placed in a difficult position. While working in a volunteer capacity in school or at school-related activities, however, volunteers must refrain from debating, discussing or imposing their opinions on students in personal or controversial issues.

Attendance
School personnel and HSA volunteer chairpersons depend upon and plan for the assistance of volunteers as scheduled. Volunteers are encouraged to be courteous and notify the individuals with whom they work as far in advance as possible if they are unable to help as scheduled.

The following information is regulation 1300 from the T/E School District Policies and Regulations regarding volunteers. The PDF form is available at R1300.pdf if you wish to download it.

These guidelines apply to all volunteers involved with the District in any capacity including, but not limited to volunteers involved with:

1. District educational programs including field trips;
2. District sponsored cocurricular activities, extracurricular activities or clubs;
3. District administration such as clerical work on behalf of schools; and
4. Activities sponsored or promoted by District schools.

“Regular volunteers” means volunteers who have regular and significant contact with students or with confidential student information and includes volunteer coaches, activity advisors, clerical volunteers, and all regularly scheduled volunteers.

All volunteers will be expected to follow these guidelines:

1. Respect the authority of the teacher or supervisor as the decision maker and as the person responsible for the instructional program, all classroom activities, and the well-being of all children in the classroom or school. Teachers or supervisors bear the ultimate responsibility for the welfare of students during school activities. When working with students or chaperoning field trips or school activities, parent volunteers must report all incidents of inappropriate behavior or situations in which students might be in danger to the teacher or supervisor in charge of the activity.

2. Respect the privacy and anonymity of each child by maintaining the confidentiality of information regarding students. Information regarding student classroom performance and/or behavior and information contained in student records must be shared only with District employees with an “educational need to know” the information. Information from student records is regulated by the Family Educational Rights Privacy Act.

3. Report all incidents of suspected child abuse to the teacher or supervisor in charge.

4. Maintain a professional relationship with students. Volunteers are viewed as representatives of the School Board and Administration. When issues of a personal or confidential nature are raised by students, volunteers are placed in a difficult situation. Nonetheless, volunteers must refrain from imposing their own opinions on students regarding matters of a personal nature.

5. Courteously inform your supervising teacher or supervisor if unable to attend volunteer activity and document attendance as requested by supervising teacher or supervisor.

Regular volunteers are expected to be familiar with District policies and receive training provided by the District for volunteers. In particular, regular volunteers are expected to comply with the following:

1. District policies and administrative regulations regarding child abuse identification and reporting. Regular volunteers who have direct unsupervised contact with students are expected to provide child abuse clearance checks consistent with the District child/student abuse policy.

2. District policies and administrative regulations regarding the prohibition of discrimination within the District.

3. District policies and administrative regulations regarding unlawful harassment.

4. District policies and administrative regulations regarding student accidents.

5. District policies and administrative regulations regarding student hazing.

6. District policies and administrative regulations regarding student discipline.

7. District policies and administrative regulations regarding drugs, alcohol and tobacco.

8. District policies and administrative regulations regarding the accommodation of special needs students in 22 Pennsylvania Code Chapter 14.

Adopted: June 2005
Tredyffrin/Easttown School District