For access to the Google document, click here.
Policy IICC
It shall be the policy of the Board of Education to provide an organizational structure for volunteers to assist professional staff in the daily function of the schools. It is the responsibility of the Director of Community Partnerships to administer the recruitment, screening and training for the program. The guidelines are developed in conjunction with the Office of the Superintendent of Schools. It is the responsibility of the Director of Community Partnerships to record in a confidential google doc, viewable by staff the date of every volunteer’s training, completion of application and background check.
Volunteers are to understand that all school activities are under the direct supervision of the school staff. The duties of volunteers are to be specifically detailed and are not to be confused with those of professional personnel. No volunteer shall ever perform the job of a paid employee. All volunteers must complete a Volunteer Training designed by the South Portland School Department to be appraised of these topics, as well as other best practices for being in South Portland schools. In keeping with articulated safety standards and concerns for student welfare, all persons who volunteer in South Portland schools must submit a Volunteer Application every school year. On the application, volunteers must, with their electronic submission, agree to:
Comply with the rules of confidentiality;
Attest they have not been convicted or adjudicated in a criminal offense and there are not currently charges pending against them in Maine or in any other state;
Comply with the South Portland Board of Education policies GBEC Drug Free Workplace and GBEBB Conduct with Students;
As of the start of the 2020/2021 school year all classroom based, school based and field trip chaperones must submit to a background check. All volunteers will be vetted through searches through state of Maine and national sex offender registries, state of Maine criminal history registry as well as state of Maine prisoner/probation searches. The exceptions to this guideline are as follows:
Anyone currently employed by SPSD or other Maine school district with a current CHRC will not be subject to a background check, and will not be required to attend a Volunteer Training.
Individuals who hold a current CHRC who are not currently employed, are not subject to a background check, but will need to provide a copy of their CHRC and to attend a Volunteer Training.
Guest Readers and Guest Presenters are considered visitors to the school and under the supervision of a school employee and do not need to attend a Volunteer Training and are not subject to a background check.
The following tiered system exists for the safety of our students and volunteers:
General volunteers will be screened using the above practices.
Students from accredited post secondary programs who do not hold a current CHRC will be subject to background check and Volunteer Training.
Students from the South Portland Schools wishing to volunteer, or students from neighboring schools will not be subject to background checks, but must complete a Volunteer Application and attend a Volunteer Training.
Visitors are encouraged to visit the schools. In the interest of student welfare, all visitors to South Portland Schools must register their presence in the sign-in notebook in the school office, and wear a school-supplied identifying badge while in the school.
The Superintendent of Schools may also request public participation on committees that affect the development of school programs.
The Superintendent of Schools may terminate a volunteer at any time if determined to be in the best interest of the school department.
Adopted: April 14, 1975
Revised: January 4, 1978
Revised: June, 2001
Revised: July 8, 2002
Revised: September 8, 2014
Revised: July 13, 2020
Revised: December 12, 2022
*Please excuse any formatting errors.
