School Check-In Procedure: During school hours, every volunteer must sign in and out at the school office each time he/she is on campus to volunteer. Each volunteer must also wear a nametag. The school must maintain a record showing the days and hours each volunteer works. For security purposes and in case of emergency, it is important for administrators to know who is on campus and why.
Supervision of Volunteers: Volunteers work under the direct supervision of the professional staff at each school and only with those teachers who have requested the services of a volunteer. It is the responsibility of the school administration to dismiss any volunteer whose actions are not in the best interest of our students or the schools.
While volunteers are an important part of the educational team, the professional staff is responsible by law for decisions that are made regarding the instruction of students, the management of the school, and student safety and discipline. Therefore, volunteers will always work under the supervision of teachers and administrators. We welcome the suggestions and opinions of volunteers as you supplement and support our programs. There are, however, a few things that volunteers should NOT do:
• Discipline students • Be used as a substitute teacher • Use student restrooms • Counsel students • Diagnose student needs • Grade student work or record grades • Revise the curriculum or teaching plan • Have access to student records or medical files • Dismiss students from school • Discuss student progress or student difficulties with parents • Give food or medication to students • Evaluate achievement • Drive District vehicles • Distribute advertisements or solicitations or other non-approved literature • Work in similar or identical duties as found in their job if employed by the district
Confidentiality/ FERPA: The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal Law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education. Schools must have written permission from the parent or eligible student in order to release any information from a student’s education record. Volunteers may not access materials in the student’s permanent or electronic records files. It is imperative that all matters pertaining to students remain confidential. Any information regarding problems, progress, grades, relationships, and confidences of students, their parents, and the staff should remain confidential. If the information shared with you is necessary for the school to have, please discuss the child's conversation in private with his or her teacher or school administration. Please be aware that volunteers may not telephone students or visit them at their homes. Volunteers may not meet students off campus, or invite students to the volunteer's home. They also may not walk or drive a student home. Contacting or visiting students or any of their family members outside of school without parent permission is strictly prohibited and includes but is not exclusive to email, social media, telephoning, or texting.
Child Abuse Reporting: All school district personnel including volunteers are required by Arizona state law (A.R.S. § 13-3620) to report any cases of suspected child abuse. We have a duty to report the following types of suspected conduct: Child Abuse, Neglect, and injuries that appear not to be accidental. District personnel includes anyone who has responsibility for the care or treatment of a minor. Failure to report is a crime. This applies to all employees and volunteers when acting in the scope of their work with Scottsdale Unified School District. If abuse is suspected, contact the child's teacher, the principal, or the school nurse. They can assist you in making the requisite report by calling Department of Child Safety (DCS) at (1-888-767-2445), and local law enforcement- which can be the school’s SRO or the local police department. Suspected child abuse must be reported immediately. Never delay a telephone report until the next day.
Behavior and Dress: Please take your lead from the professional staff and dress appropriately for the job you are doing. We ask that your wear professional attire that is neat and conservative. Your appearance should attract no undue attention. Please do not wear spaghetti straps, revealing clothing, tube tops, tank tops, short-shorts or show bare midriffs. T-shirt messages should be of a positive nature. Keep in mind that you are in a position to set an example for students, therefore your dress, speech and behavior should serve as good models for them to follow.
Supervision of Students: Supervising field trips- Volunteers should be within the physical presence and within the line of vision of the students to have the opportunity to monitor the students’ behavior, and assist the students. In no event shall the teacher supervising a field trip leave the students unsupervised. When you volunteer to chaperone a trip plan on being there the whole time. If you have to leave, the school will need to be informed and find a replacement in order to stay in compliance with chaperone to student ratios. Students will require close supervision during transitional times on a field trip. When splitting up groups, arriving, or departing a field trip take special care to supervise the students and ensure all the students are monitored and accounted for. District regulations do apply when on a field trip. The Student Code of Conduct applies on field trips and during the summer to the same extent that it applies in school. All field trips must be educational, and must be designed to enrich curricular or extra-curricular programs. All field trips must be supervised by at least one certificated employee.
Dependability: We realize that there may be times that you may be ill, on vacation, or otherwise unable to volunteer. Please notify the school office and leave a message for the teacher or staff member with whom you work and give advance notice when you are unable to volunteer, as the teacher and children are expecting you. Also remember that it is important to be prompt and consistent when working with students. Please do not park in visitor parking spaces.
Allergies: The needs of students, staff, and volunteers vary when it comes to allergies. For that reason, please consult your school about procedures to be followed regarding allergies. It is critical that these procedures be followed exactly. Do not bring anything to school or give anything to students without consulting the teacher first. For example, a classroom may be a peanut-free zone, or a school may be latex-free, and something as simple as an eraser may be a hazard. Please do not wear perfume or cologne. Please remember to share any special needs you may have with the staff as well.
Cell Phones: To ensure that the learning environment is not disrupted, cell phones are to remain completely silent with limited use when volunteering. Do not take photographs of students on your cell phone.
Insurance: Scottsdale Unified School District does not carry health insurance or worker's compensation insurance for volunteers. Any injuries that occur while volunteering must be reported immediately to the school nurse.
Field Trip/Bathrooms: School administrators and teachers decide how many volunteer chaperones are needed, and which chaperones will attend field trips and overnight trips. Never go to the restroom alone with students. Chaperones should be in pairs when taking students to the restroom.
Working with Students: The staff appreciates your willingness to be a part of the educational team. Following are some tips for working effectively with the staff.
• Let the staff know what you enjoy doing and what your special skills are so that they can fully utilize your talents.
• Feel free to ask questions to clarify anything you may need information about to ensure a job well done. We want you to enjoy volunteering and have a rewarding experience.
• Observe the techniques used by the teacher and model the instructional methods when working with students. Be consistent with the teacher's rules for classroom behavior. The teacher is always available and ready to handle discipline issues.
• Encourage and affirm the students. Your positive words of encouragement will go a long way in helping students feel good about themselves and the work they are doing.
• Reinforce good behavior. Let students know how proud you are of their good behavior and hard work. Let each child know that you care about him or her. You and the teacher can discuss the use of motivational materials such as stickers. Please do not give students any food items.
• Patiently allow the students to think for themselves and form their own answers. We want learners to have the opportunity to solve problems on their own. Keep them on task to maximize your learning time together.
• Be a good listener; get down on the student's level. Be careful not to give advice or to make promises that you may not be able to keep.
• Under no circumstances should students be left unsupervised. Be aware of what they are doing at all times.
• Never accompany students into the restroom without another adult.
• Be friendly and enthusiastic. Keep your sense of humor and smile! It's contagious! You can make a difference!
Commitment: Before you agree to volunteer, carefully consider the commitment you are making. The work volunteers do is important. Whether they work in the classroom, front office, library or health office, the staff and students quickly become dependent upon volunteer assistance. Don’t promise to volunteer more time than you will be able to follow through with. It’s better to start out with a few hours a week and gradually increase if you find you have the additional time. Volunteering is a scheduled, pre-arranged activity. Volunteers and chaperones may not bring other children while volunteering in schools, on field trips, or on overnight trips. Volunteers and chaperones are representatives of the District. Therefore, the District appreciates your positive attitude as you share your volunteering experiences with others. The District thanks you for your commitment to volunteering with Scottsdale Unified School District and serving the needs of our students. Your work is important to the District, the teachers, and especially the students. They look forward to your arrival and appreciate the work you do. Thank you for volunteering in Scottsdale schools!
School Rules: Become familiar with the rules and policies of the school where you volunteer. It’s a good idea to read through the Student Code of Conduct. Ask your supervising teacher to explain the school’s policy for use of telephones, cell phones, eating facilities, fire drills and emergency procedures. Ask for the guidance of a staff member if you are unsure of a policy or procedure.
Training Acknowledgement Form
I have read and understand the Volunteer Guidelines required for all volunteers in the Scottsdale Unified School District. My electronic signature and date below indicate agreement with the Volunteer Guidelines.
