KN Policy - School District Volunteer Program

Volunteers may be utilized by the school district for accomplishment of the mission and role of the school district in all ways that are appropriate and in accordance with established laws and regulations relating to the educational and activity program of the school district. It shall be the duty and the responsibility of the principal of each building to cause to be developed written guidelines and procedures for the organization, the management, and the utilization of volunteers. Such written procedures shall be approved by the Board of Trustees with a copy of such on file in each building and in the central office no later than the last day of August of the school year. Such written procedures shall address but not be limited to the following provisions:

1. No reimbursement of any form shall be provided to volunteers serving the school district.

2. As a general rule, the volunteer shall not have direct involvement with activities of his or her children.

3. While volunteers may participate in instructional activities, at no time shall they be given a role of instructing or supervising students in the role of being the sole supervisor.

4. Volunteers shall not be used in the function of a substitute teacher if they do not possess the certification of a substitute teacher.

5. The district shall seek to provide volunteers participating in an approved volunteer program with protection and defense of actions brought against them if such actions occur in the performance of assigned duties and if the volunteer was performing in accordance with written regulations of the attendance center to which assigned.

6. The building principal of each building shall have the authority to assign volunteers, to maintain a listing of volunteers, and to delete from the list any individual not meeting the requirements or observing the provisions of volunteer work.

7.Each building principal shall seek to recruit quality volunteers and shall seek appropriate methods of recognizing the contribution of volunteers to the educational program of the school district. In addition, each building principal shall be responsible for developing and preparing the materials necessary to ensure volunteers are properly and adequately trained for the assumption of their responsibilities. 

8. Volunteers shall also be required to submit to fingerprinting for purposes of obtaining a criminal background check if the volunteer 1) will assist or chaperone on overnight trips with students; 2) will likely assist or help students without supervision or other school district personnel present, even for short periods of time; 3) will work with students in one-on-one situations; or will volunteer on a regular basis.  A “regular basis” shall mean volunteering, assisting or otherwise helping at the school or during school related activities at least two times per month during the school year.  Individuals shall not volunteer at school or for school activities if a criminal background check reveals that a prospective volunteer has been convicted of, pled guilty or no contest to, or entered into a deferred prosecution or sentencing agreement to any felony; any offense involving the safety or welfare of children, or where a child was a victim; any offense involving the possession, consumption, sale or distribution of illegal or controlled substances; or any other offenses which in the sole discretion of the superintendent or his or her designee place the health, safety or welfare of the students at risk. The cost of fingerprinting will be borne by the district.

Adoption date 2/ 18/ 87

Amended August 20, 2013