How To Volunteer In Calgary School District 7

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1 Information for Volunteers in the Calgary Board of Education Topics covered in this publication: Volunteer Opportunities in the CBE...1 Who is a CBE volunteer? How are CBE volunteers screened?...1 Volunteer Security Clearance Process...2 Volunteer Registration...3 Concerns...3 Expectations of Volunteers:...4 Routines...4 Recognition...5 VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CBE There are many meaningful and enjoyable ways that you can serve in schools. Here are just a few examples: Help with certain tasks in the classroom, the library, or the office Assist with supervision on field trips Coach a school team Serve fun lunches to students Assist with supervision at a school dance Read with students who require extra support Organize special events for students Come volunteer with us! WHO IS A CBE VOLUNTEER? HOW ARE CBE VOLUNTEERS SCREENED? In the CBE a volunteer is defined as a person who assists schools and/or students in either curricular or extra-curricular activities. All volunteer positions must have a specified purpose and must be sponsored by the teacher, principal or the Calgary Board of Education. As a CBE volunteer, you are placed in a position of trust with students, staff or property of the Calgary Board of Education. Therefore, reasonable background checks must be completed prior to utilizing your services. In the CBE, all adult volunteers require a valid security clearance. This includes teachers volunteering at other schools, police officers, firefighters and recent immigrants to Canada. There are no exceptions. Note that guest speakers or presenters, visitors to the school, and parents assisting their own child only in the school are not considered to be volunteers, and therefore do not require a security clearance. Information for Volunteers Effective June 2007 Page 1

2 Students are not required to have a security clearance to volunteer at another school because they must be directly supervised at all times and cannot be responsible for the supervision of any other students. Student volunteers who will be off-site with another school, such as at a camp, do require police background checks. Student drivers must also obtain a security clearance. In addition to the requirement for a security clearance, school principals may also choose to interview you, check references, or organize volunteer orientation sessions at which the school s expectations of volunteers are reviewed. It is the responsibility of the principal to determine the suitability and deployment of a volunteer and you will not be assigned to a teacher without the teacher s consent. If you will be driving students to an activity, you must obtain a Driver s Abstract in addition to completing the Driver Agreement form. These are required by CBE Insurance and Risk Management in order to assess the qualifications of drivers and mitigate the risk associated with non-professional drivers transporting students. Application for an abstract is made at the school at no cost to you. VOLUNTEER SECURITY CLEARANCE PROCESS Security Clearances are valid for five years from date of issue. You can apply at any school, and once cleared, are able to volunteer anywhere in the CBE. If you reside outside Calgary you must obtain a security clearance from the police agency in the jurisdiction where you live. If you reside within the Calgary city limits you must complete the Calgary Police Service (CPS) Consent to Search and Disclosure of Personal Information form and must also supply two pieces of identification from the following lists (at least one must be photo ID): Photo Identification Driver s License Citizenship Card Firearms Card Military Identification Native Status Card Passport Provincial Photo Identification Permanent Residency Card Non-photo Identification Birth Certificate Health Care Card Immigration Document Marriage Certificate Social Insurance Card Only the above identification is acceptable. There are no exceptions (no college identification, no credit cards, no hospital cards, no police identification, etc.). CPS security clearances are normally completed within three business days after being submitted by the school. Please note that as a prospective CBE volunteer you cannot request a security clearance by going in person to the CPS Security Clearance Unit. Information for Volunteers Effective June 2007 Page 2

3 If the CPS is unable to issue a security clearance based on the information you provided, you will be notified that it is necessary to attend in person at the Security Clearance Unit. Once background checks are completed, a confidential letter will be issued to you by the CPS indicating that you are cleared, or disclosing criminal charges and convictions. In order to volunteer you must present the letter to the school principal. If there is a criminal history, the principal will contact CBE Corporate Security to carefully consider the nature of the charges and determine whether or not you are permitted to volunteer. If the decision is to approve you as a CBE volunteer notwithstanding the criminal history, a copy of the letter will need to be retained by CBE Corporate Security. You are responsible for reapplying for a new security clearance before your current clearance expires after five years. If this is not done, you will have to wait for a new clearance before you can resume volunteering. Security clearances done for another purpose such as employment or volunteering for another agency cannot be accepted by the CBE. This is because the police do similar background checks for all those who request a clearance, but the report they issue varies from agency to agency depending on the nature of the request. It is not possible to know if that clearance was done to the CBE standard. VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION You must complete the CBE Volunteer Registration Form when you begin volunteering and annually thereafter. By completing the form you agree to abide by the conditions that protect the safety, confidentiality and working environment of schools. You also make a signed declaration with regard to criminal charges. CONCERNS You should bring any questions our concerns about your role to the teacher in charge or to the school s administration. Every effort will be made to respond in a timely and appropriate manner. Information for Volunteers Effective June 2007 Page 3

4 EXPECTATIONS OF CBE VOLUNTEERS You are required to: Receive direction from and be accountable to the teacher in charge Maintain confidentiality in all matters relating to your role Be a positive role models for students Report poor student behaviour to the teacher in charge Have appropriate qualifications for the activity Dress appropriately for your duties and present a positive image to the community at large Refrain from smoking while on school property or on a field trip Refrain from bringing children with you who are not students enrolled at the school Comply with all applicable CBE policies and regulations and school rules If these conditions are not met, your volunteer position may be terminated. ROUTINES Parking: Most school parking lots are full. It is best to park on the street until specific directions regarding parking are given. Check In: Please report to the main office when you arrive to volunteer. Expect to be asked to sign in and wear visible identification. Valuables: Avoid bringing valuables into the school unless absolutely necessary. Keep wallets/purses with you. The CBE is not responsible for lost or stolen personal property. Washrooms: You should only use washrooms designated for adults or staff members. Emergency Procedures: Every school has a plan to deal with emergency situations. You are encouraged to ask about specific protocols in the event of a lockdown, evacuation, or bomb threat. In the event of an emergency, the teacher in charge and/or school administration will provide further direction to you. You are expected to participate fully in fire drills or other safetyrelated training conducted during the school day. Information for Volunteers Effective June 2007 Page 4

5 RECOGNITION The CBE is grateful for the thousands of hours contributed yearly by our volunteers. Schools recognize your work in a variety of ways ranging from acknowledgement in newsletters to certificates to volunteer teas. But we believe that the greatest reward for you will be seeing students benefit from your time and effort. Thank you for volunteering - you make a real difference in helping the CBE to accomplish its mission: Educating Tomorrow s Citizens Today References: Administrative Regulation 5003: Volunteers ( Executive Limitation EL-7: Treatment of Staff and Volunteers ( Information for Volunteers Effective June 2007 Page 5