Employment of Staff and Disclosure of Criminal History for Staff and Volunteers - 5005P

Citizenship Status

Prior to official employment, the district will document the citizenship/immigration information regarding employment eligibility that is furnished by the prospective employee.  The information that is recorded may come from single documents which establish both identity and authorization to work, including:

Acceptable Verification Document for New Hires

1. One Document Establishing Both Identity and Employment Authorization

-   OR –

2. One Document Establishing Identify, plus
3. One Document Establishing Employment Authorization

The district must complete an Immigration Service Form (I-9) for each staff employed after November 5, 1986, and keep that form on file for three years.

Volunteers

The voluntary help of citizens should be requested by staff through administrative channels for conducting selected activities and/or to serve as resource persons.

Volunteers shall:

A.     Serve in the capacity of helpers and not be assigned to roles which require specific professional training. Instructional services shall be rendered under the supervision of certificated staff.

B.     Refrain from discussing the performance or actions of a student except with the student's teacher, counselor or principal.

C.     Refer to a regular staff member for final solution of any student problem which arises, whether of an instructional, medical or operational nature.

D. Receive such information as:

1. General job responsibilities and limitations;
2. Information about school facilities, routines and procedures;
3. Volunteer schedule and place of work;
4. Expected relationship to the regular staff;

E.  Be provided appropriate training at the building level, if new volunteers, consistent with their tasks and existing district standards. This training shall be developed under the leadership of the principal in consultation with a district supervisor.

F.  Have assignments and activities carefully defined in writing. Examples of suggested duties for volunteers may include:

1. Bulletin Boards;
2. Preparation of materials for art, science, math classes;
3. Clerical duties including keyboarding, inventories, putting booklets together, newsletters and related, student lunchroom counts and attendance and class records.
4. Clean up activities:
5. Library and audio visual duties;
6. Assistance with physical education exercises;
7. Instructional activities appropriate to the volunteer's training and classroom needs such as monitoring math assignments, listening to oral reading and others;
8. Vision and hearing testing and approved medical surveys;
9. School activities supervision; and
10. Playground supervision with a staff member;

G.  Have their services terminated for these and other reasons:

1. Program and/or duties completed;
2. Resignation of the volunteer;
3. Replacement by paid staff member; and
4. Circumstances which in the judgment of the administration may necessitate asking the volunteer to terminate services.

Background Check

As per Board policy, the Superintendent may employ staff members on a temporary basis until the Board takes final action on the recommendation of the Superintendent.  Employees are subject to a background check with fingerprints to be furnished by the Washington State Patrol and Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Volunteers shall have name and date of birth background checks provided by the Washington State Patrol.

If a volunteer has undergone a criminal record check in the last two years for another entity, the district shall request a copy from the volunteer, or have the volunteer sign a release permitting the entity for whom the check was conducted to provide a copy to the district.  The entity from whom the record check is obtained is immune from criminal or civil liability for the dissemination of the information.

In this instance, the district will also require that the volunteer sign a disclosure statement assuring the district that the volunteers has not been convicted of a covered crime since the completion of the criminal record check.

All such records shall be treated as confidential and only the Director of Human Resources and specific designees identified in writing shall be authorized to access the Superintendent of Public Instruction’s record check data base and district record check data including records of arrest and prosecution (RAP sheets).  RAP sheets shall be secured by the district in storage separate from personnel and applicant records.  Further use of the record following initial employment or dissemination of the records to another organization or individual is expressly prohibited.  Lawful use of such information does not constitute liability for defamation, invasion of privacy, or negligence, but noncompliance with this policy, relevant rules and statutes may allow for the recovery of civil damages under applicable federal and state statutes.

Date:    11/12/02