Test-policy

Date: 2000 12 01 / 2004 09 01 / 2013 03 05 / 2023 06 20 / 2026 06 19

Administrative Procedures

  1. Responsibilities

    1. The Volunteer will:
      1. Perform assigned duties as directed by the Principal or designate.
      2. Comply with all Board requirements regarding vulnerable sector screening, offence declarations and confidentiality.
      3. Maintain confidentiality of all information pertaining to staff and students.
      4. Demonstrate a clear understanding of their activities, duties, responsibilities, rights and the parameters of their involvement.
      5. Understand that volunteers will neither be responsible for discipline or evaluation of students nor for the identification or diagnosis of students’ learning strengths or difficulties.
      6. Inform the Principal and/or teacher if experiencing difficulty or concerns in carrying out assigned duties.
      7. Ensure that views expressed support the mission and vision of the Board.
      8. Participate in any training or orientation sessions offered to volunteers in the school that would assist them in their role.
      9. Become familiar with and comply with all appropriate and applicable classroom, school, and Board policies and procedures.
    2. School Staff will:
      1. Welcome volunteers as a support to the school and staff.
      2. Understand that volunteers do not assume any responsibility for the diagnosis of learning strengths or difficulties, the assignment of program, or the assessment and evaluation of student progress.
      3. Understand that volunteers do not assume the responsibility for classroom discipline.
      4. Bring to the Principal’s attention any difficulties with the work or behaviour of a volunteer in the school.
      5. Provide volunteers with a clear understanding of tasks.
      6. Supervise volunteers working within their classrooms.
    3. The Principal will:
      1. Determine volunteering needs in the school.
      2. Recruit, select and screen volunteers (see Recruitment, Selection and Screening).
      3. Promote and maintain a positive partnership with volunteers.
      4. Maintain ongoing communications with volunteers.
      5. Approve and clarify the tasks and assignments of volunteers.
      6. Provide training and orientation of volunteers.
      7. Develop and supervise the implementation of a tracking system indicating those volunteers in the school on a daily basis (i.e., Volunteer sign in book and identification badge).
      8. Provide and ensure the utilization of volunteer identification badges for all volunteers.
      9. Monitor and support the volunteer involvement in the school (i.e., deal with volunteer concerns, ensure volunteer supervision, assist with communication of school and Board policy where appropriate).
      10. Consider the well-being of both the child and the teaching staff when determining the appropriateness of volunteer placements.
      11. Place and remove, when necessary, volunteers within the school.
      12. Keep on file in a secure location all forms signed by volunteers for the current school year.

  2. Expectations

    1. Determining Volunteering Needs

      Principals should consult with the school staff and the school Catholic Community Council to determine needs, equitable access to the opportunity to volunteer, and tasks/assignments which could be supported with a volunteer.

    2. Recruitment, Selection and Screening

      The recruitment, selection and screening process is aimed at filling the needs of the school.

      1. Recruitment

        Inform the community of volunteer opportunities through a variety of means, including, but not limited to:

        • Newsletters
        • School Website
        • School Catholic Community Council Meetings
        • Meet the Teacher Night/Curriculum Evenings
        • Surveys

      2. Selection
        1. In selecting a volunteer who performs duties on a regular basis, Principals will encourage volunteer participation from a wide representation of the community.
        2. The Principal should, in consultation with staff inviting volunteers, determine the best placement for the volunteer.

      3. Screening
        1. The depth and degree of screening by the Principal will be dependent upon the volunteering activity, the extent of interaction with and responsibility for students, and the degree of direct supervision of the volunteer.
        2. New volunteer applicants must be interviewed by the Principal. This may be an informal process for candidates who are well known to the school.
        3. When parents/guardians or grandparents wish to volunteer in their home school, the Principal, in consultation with staff, should screen and approve the volunteer candidate. The knowledge that teachers and other staff members have about prospective volunteers should be considered.
        4. Volunteers from the community who are not parents/guardians or grandparents of students attending the school, should provide two references which will be checked by the Principal.
        5. All volunteers are required to submit a Police Record Check in accordance with the Board’s Police Record Checks for Employees and Volunteers Policy and Procedures.
        6. All volunteers are required to provide one of two types of Police Record Checks, either a Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC) or a Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check (CRJMC). Only employees and volunteers who will be in a position of trust or authority in relations to students will be required to obtain a VSC.
        7. The Principal will identify to volunteers the type of Police Record Check required.
        8. If volunteer services are required by the school and there are delays in obtaining the appropriate Police Record Check, the Principal may permit a volunteer to commence their role or continue in their role if the volunteer:
          • Provides a transaction receipt confirming they applied for the appropriate Police Record Check
          • Has signed an offence declaration
        9. All volunteers are required to sign an annual Offence Declaration (Appendix D).
        10. All volunteers must sign the following forms, to complete the formal screening process:
          1. the Volunteer Interview Form (Appendix A)
          2. the Volunteer Agreement (Appendix B)
          3. the Volunteer Confidentiality Agreement (Appendix C)
        11. The Principal and/or designate retains the authority to accept or decline any volunteer’s offer of service

      4. Training and Orientation
        1. All volunteers need to be properly welcomed and provided with essential basic information. A tour of the school, introduction to staff and orientation workshop is essential. The orientation workshop should include information regarding the daily routine, schedules, pertinent health and safety information (e.g. fire escape routes), and any pertinent information from school and Board policies.
        2. Volunteers must follow sign in procedures and wear visitor badges at all times.
        3. Every volunteer must demonstrate a clear understanding of their activities, duties, responsibilities, rights and the parameters of their involvement.
        4. Volunteers should demonstrate a clear understanding of the procedures to be followed if they encounter any difficulties with students.
        5. Volunteers shall be made aware of health and safety issues, legal liability, and procedures to report abuse.
      5. Monitor
        1. The Principal is ultimately responsible for the actions and activities of any volunteer within the school.
        2. It is essential to monitor the activities of individual volunteers and to provide them with feedback as necessary.
        3. The Principal will determine whether a change in volunteer assignment or the decision to terminate volunteer activity is necessary.
        4. The performance of volunteers should be reviewed as determined by the Principal.
      6. Recognition of Volunteers
        1. The efforts of all volunteers should be recognized. Volunteers are giving of their time, energy, skills and resources.
        2. The type of recognition may vary from school to school. Some suggestions for acknowledgment are:
          • Acknowledging contributions through the school newsletter;
          • Annual school recognition assembly, event, luncheon, etc.; and
          • Invitation to special school events.

  3. Additional Information

    1. The St. Clair Catholic District School Board is committed to the principles of equity and inclusive education, consistent with our Catholic teachings, which value and promote human rights and social justice in all Board policies, programs, guidelines, operations and practices.

Definitions

Volunteer
An individual approved by a Supervisory Officer, Principal or Manager who provides regular services without remuneration and agrees to undertake a designated task that is compliant with current legislative requirements and collective agreements. Volunteers may support a classroom, school, or system-wide initiatives.
Police Record Check
in accordance with the Police Record Checks Reform Act, 2015, means a document indicating a search of the Canadian Police Information Centre Databases or another police database maintained by a police service in Canada to determine whether the databases contain entries relating to an individual in order to screen the individual for the purposes of determining their suitability for employment. Employees and volunteers are required to provide one of two types of police record checks, either a Vulnerable Sector Check or a Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check.
Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check
includes all information permitted to be disclosed in a basic criminal record check plus additional information such as outstanding charges, warrants, certain judicial orders, and absolute and conditional discharges.
Vulnerable Sector Check
is a more in-depth check that includes all information permitted to be disclosed in a Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check as well as applicable findings of not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder, record suspensions related to sexually-based offences, and non-conviction charges-related information in certain circumstances and when a strict test is met.
Offence Declaration
for the purposes of the Board, means, a written or electronic declaration signed by an individual listing all of the individual’s convictions for offences under the Criminal Records Act (Canada) up to the day of the declaration:
  1. that are not included in a Police Record Check collected by the Ontario College of Teachers
  2. that were not included in the last Police Record Check collected by the Board
  3. for which a pardon under Section 4.1 of the Criminal Records Act (Canada) has not been issued or granted.