IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT SCHOOL VOLUNTEER SCREENING REQUIREMENTS FOR HAPPY VALLEY ELEMENTARY

Deadline: January 2, 2024

August 8, 2023

Dear Happy Valley Elementary Parents and Caregivers,

Volunteering in our Lafayette schools is a fun and meaningful way to contribute to our schools, and we are very fortunate to have so many parents and community members contribute their time to our classrooms. 

In the 23-24 school year, our schools will update the requirements for on-campus volunteering. These new procedures will better align our practices across all our Lafayette schools, and ensure that we are adhering to most recent guidance about TB screening from the California Department of Public Health.

I ask that you please take a moment to review these new requirements, which appear below. You’ll see that the requirements vary depending on the level and type of volunteer activity. For occasional volunteers, screening requirements will include becoming familiar with student privacy laws and a basic background check. For ongoing volunteers with regular interactions with students, requirements will also include a background check similar to those performed for employees and TB screening.

You’ll also notice that we will begin to require volunteers to be familiar with federal law related to student privacy.

We encourage you to use this month to begin submitting your volunteer screening documents. Because some of these requirements are new and require time to complete, we have established a deadline of January 2, 2024 for all volunteers to have submitted their required documentation. 

Please complete this form to confirm that you have completed these school volunteer requirements. (Please note that each school has its own unique form; families with children in more than one school will need to complete the volunteer form for each school.)

Please know that we appreciate your cooperation - and your ongoing volunteer support in our schools.

Warmly, 

Brent Stephens

Superintendent

2023-2024 Lafayette School District Volunteer Screening Requirements

Voluntary Start Date: August, 2023

Deadline: January 2, 2024

Types of School Volunteer

First, please determine how often you plan to volunteer at school.

Type 1: Helper at one-time school or classroom event with no or minimal student interaction

Type 2: Non-driving school-day field trip chaperone

Type 3: Volunteer for recurring classroom activities and/or playground

Type 4: Driver for school-day field trip or extracurricular activity

Type 5: Driver and chaperone for overnight trips

Level of Required School Volunteer Clearance

Depending on how often you plan to volunteer, you will be required to submit documentation that you have completed each of the following steps.

One-Time Volunteer or Chaperone, Level 1: FERPA training video and a search by school office staff of the sex offender registry (Megan’s Law)    

Frequent Volunteer, Level 2: All of the above plus TB Clearance (see below for additional information)

Driver or Overnight Chaperone, Level 3: All of the above plus valid driver’s license & declaration of insurance, and fingerprinting

School Volunteer Clearance Requirements

How to Submit Your Volunteer Screening Documentation

We ask that you please use this Google form for 23-24 Volunteer Screening Requirements to upload your volunteer screening information. All information will be kept confidential and will be available only to school office staff, school administrators, and the District.

In the Google form, you’ll be able to indicate what type of volunteering you plan to do, and you can upload the corresponding required documentation.

Updated Tuberculosis Screening Requirements

Beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, the District will no longer be able to accept a self-assessed TB Risk Assessment Questionnaire for new TB screens and TB renewal.

• All new TB screens and TB renewals must be obtained from a healthcare provider.  TB clearance may be based on the result of a TB skin test, TB blood test, or an interview (i.e. TB Risk Assessment Questionnaire).  The method of TB screening is up to the discretion of the health care provider

• A signed TB clearance must be provided to the school’s office before a new or renewing volunteer is added to our master list of school volunteers.

• Current unexpired TB clearances remain valid until the expiration date (i.e. 4 years from date of initial assessment)

Fingerprinting

If required for the type of volunteering you intend to perform, please follow these instructions and use this form.  Please allow 3-4 weeks for your results to be processed.   Your results will be automatically sent to the District.