Visit or Volunteer

Visitor & Volunteer Information

Thank you for your interest in volunteering in Floyd County Schools. We recognize that community support is vital to the success of our schools, so we welcome and appreciate visitors and volunteers to our school!

A volunteer is one who performs a duty that a staff member could also perform (i.e. reading to your child's class, making copies, working in the media center, handling money, etc.). Volunteers must be over the age of 18 who wish to contribute their service to the school system. Floyd County Schools reserves the right to deny volunteer privileges if it deems appropriate and in the best interest of FCS. Note: School visitors are not considered volunteers.

Procedures have been put into place by our school district to ensure the safety of all students when a visitor or volunteer is on campus. Sometimes these processes can seem cumbersome, but we appreciate your patience in helping us maintain our number one focus; the safety of our children!

Visitors

A visitor is one who acts only in the capacity of a parent (i.e. lunch visits, at parties, field day spectators, parent/teacher conferences, 504/IEP meetings, and school-wide and classroom programs or competitions; this list is not exhaustive). Visitors will be asked to present their GA state issued ID upon entering the school. This ID will be run through Raptor and, upon clearance, you will be given and must wear a nametag for the duration of your visit. Name Tags must be clearly visible at all times.

Guidance & Information for Volunteers

Volunteer Approval Process

Volunteer Approval Procedures:

Note: School visitors are not considered volunteers.

If you have any questions please contact the appropriate school designee.

Determine the volunteer level (see Volunteer Registration Procedures).
Complete the documents required for the respective volunteer level.
Return completed documents to the school office.
Wait for the approval notice from the school designee prior to volunteering

Expectations of Volunteers

FCS volunteers are representatives of the school community and role models for students. As such, volunteers are expected to adhere to the system’s policies and procedures. Volunteers must take personal responsibility for understanding the system’s ethical standards and applying them in volunteer activities.

All volunteers are expected to:

Inform the teacher of any inappropriate behavior/language
Maintain honest, equitable, professional relationships with students, parents, staff members, community members and other volunteers
Observe local, state and federal laws, policies, rules, and regulations
Treat any information regarding pupils, parents and staff with total confidentiality
Respect the guidance of the teacher at all times
Refrain from promoting partisan politics, sectarian religious views, or propaganda of any kind
Safeguard school property, equipment, and materials
Implement board policies in a spirit of good faith
Comply with appropriate standards of professional conduct including, but not limited to, displaying appropriate behavior, language and attire at all times

As a volunteer, I understand I should never:

Take photographs of children using any camera other than the school’s camera
Use my cell phone while on the trip either for making/receiving calls or taking photos
Speak ill of a child as a result of something I may have seen them do in school
Discuss things with parents or any one else outside of school which I may have had access to as a result of my position in school
Mention anything regarding school/pupils/staff or upload any photographs on social media websites (eg. Facebook/Twitter)

Criminal Background Check Requirements

Volunteer Resources & Forms

Guidelines for Volunteer Levels

Level 1 volunteers are non-district personnel who will have no unsupervised or direct interaction with students such as volunteers working on playground construction or assisting with facilities maintenance when school is not in session.

Examples include: classroom readers, high school student mentors or career day speakers with school/district personnel present

at all times, outside student agency with parent release.

Clearance Requirements

▪ Volunteer Release Form

▪ Confidentiality and Mandated Reporter Agreement

▪ State-issued photo identification required

▪ Georgia sex offender registry through Raptor

▪ Approval from the principal or designee.

Level 2 volunteers are non-district personnel who interact with students, with or without other adults present at all times.

Examples include: one-day field trip chaperones, book fair volunteers, classroom helpers, in-class tutors, field

experience students, retired educators that supervise students, and local bus route chaperones.

Clearance Requirements

▪ Volunteer Release Form

▪ State-issued photo identification required

▪ Georgia sex offender registry through Raptor

▪ Clearance requirements: GA criminal background check through PSI

▪ Confidentiality and Mandated Reporter Agreement

▪ Approval from the principal or designee

Registered sex offenders may not volunteer. School administrators shall have the discretion to pursue any other screening methods including, but not limited to, personal interviews and reference checks.

Level 3 volunteers are non-district personnel who will have direct, unsupervised interaction with students and non- district personnel who handle or verify funds.

Examples include: chaperones on overnight field trips, mentors, individuals who handle and verify funds, individuals who assist with programs that require Cogent Fingerprinting and individuals who have unsupervised interaction with students

Clearance Requirements

▪ Volunteer Release Form

▪ Georgia sex offender registry through Raptor

▪ Clearance requirements: Federal & GA criminal background through GAPS

▪ Confidentiality and Mandated Reporter Agreement

▪ Cogent fingerprinting on file with HR

▪ Approval from HR and principal or designee required

Summary of Clearance Requirements

Level 1

Volunteer Release Form
Confidentiality and Mandated Reporter Agreement

▪ State-issued photo identification required

▪ Georgia sex offender registry through Raptor

▪ Approval from the principal or designee.

Level 2

Volunteer Release Form
State-issued photo identification required
Georgia sex offender registry through Raptor
Clearance requirements: Ga Criminal background check through PSI
Confidentiality and Mandated Reporter Agreement
Approval from the principal or designee

Level 3

Volunteer Release Form
Georgia sex offender registry through Raptor
Clearance requirements: Federal background check through GAPS
Confidentiality and Mandated Reporter Agreement
Cogent fingerprinting on file with HR
Approval from HR and principal or designee

Disqualification of Volunteer

Disqualification of Volunteers

School administrators with justified concerns have the authority to exclude individuals from participating in volunteer activities in their schools or request an up to date background clearance. Volunteers—including parents— who are excluded from Level 2 or 3 volunteer activities due to a disqualifying offense on the background check or sex offender registry may not participate in Level 1 volunteer activities. Parents/guardians who are excluded from volunteer activities may attend public events at the school such as Parent-Teacher meetings and student performances.

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Visit or Volunteer