File: IJOC - School Volunteers File: IJOC - School VolunteersThe Board of Education recognizes the need to develop a volunteer program to support district instructional programs and extracurricular activities.
Purpose:
1. Assist school employees, allowing greater time and flexibility for diversified instructional techniques, including enrichment and more individualized instruction.
2. Strengthen and build school and community relations, facilitated by greater understanding of school programs, greater familiarity with school personnel, and greater support of public education.
3. Provide children with the benefit of small group instruction, through greater supervision and facilitation of instruction. Allowing teachers to concentrate on teaching by having volunteers take on greater roles in "non-teaching" duties.
4. Assist the district in carrying out its mission to allow each child to reach his/her maximum potential.
5. Allow greater opportunities for parent, grandparents, and retired professionals to remain vital parts of the educational process.
A volunteer is a person who works on an occasional or regular basis at school sites or other educational facilities to support the efforts of professional personnel. Such an adult volunteer worker shall serve in that capacity without employee benefits of any type. Pursuant to state law, some volunteers may be covered by Workers' Compensation and liability protection.
Use of volunteers within the district is not to conflict with or replace any regularly authorized personnel allotment.
Volunteers will work with students under the immediate supervision and direction of a licensed person. Volunteers shall not teach, but may reinforce skills taught by the professional staff. Volunteers shall not provide transportation to students, in their personal vehicles/automobiles, for any school-sponsored activities.
Volunteers are expected to comply with all policies and regulations set forth by the district.
1. Volunteers shall be required to make written application for specified services and such services must be approved in writing by the appropriate school personnel listed in paragraph one of this policy. [See Volunteer Program Packet — Policy IJOC-R]
2. The completed forms shall be retained in the files of the school official accepting the services of the volunteers.
3. Complete a background check with Colorado Bureau of Investigation to determine if there is any information on record indicating the applicant has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor crime involving unlawful sexual behavior or misdemeanor crime involving unlawful drugs or unlawful behavior involving children or a misdemeanor crime that involves domestic violence.
4. Approval of volunteers will be contingent on results of the background check. (Sexual/Drug related violations will not be considered.)
5. Volunteers cannot begin until background check has cleared and they have been approved by the school board.
Volunteers shall be insured for industrial injury/illness and liability under the district insurance programs.
Adopted December 10, 2002
Revised October 21, 2008
Revised December 18, 2008
Reviewed August 21, 2023
LEGAL REF: C.R.S. 8-40-202 (Workers' Compensation Act)
C.R.S. 24-10-103(4)(a) (Colorado Governmental Immunity Act)