Volunteer Policy
Policy Code: 9022 School Volunteers The New Hanover County Board of Education (Board) supports community involvement by encouraging schools to develop and maintain strong volunteer programs. These programs shall provide varied opportunities for parents and community members to be actively engaged in the academic, cultural and social development of students and schools. The Board encourages all schools to develop and implement plans for using school volunteers and promotes the use of innovative strategies that support volunteers and their involvement in school-related activities, while maintaining an adequate level of safety and security. This Policy shall apply to all school volunteers serving in New Hanover County schools, programs or activities. A “school volunteer” is any person who offers to perform a service or carry out an activity during the school day or during extended-day, school-related programs, including volunteer chaperones on student field trips or other travel trips, without pay or other material compensation. A “school volunteer” also includes athletic coaches who do not receive compensation or remuneration for their services. This Policy does not apply to incidental adult visitors. An “incidental adult visitor” is an adult who visits a school upon invitation by a staff member of the school or district, for a specific, limited purpose, including, but not limited to, speaking to a class or assembly, judging an academic or extra-curricular competition or other one-time only activities. The Superintendent or designee shall be responsible for implementation and supervision of volunteer programs. The Superintendent or designee may set criteria for volunteers, which may include Board Members, to be subject to a criminal background check, and the volunteer may be required to pay for this service. Volunteers shall not be used in situations where they may have access to or provide student information. The Superintendent or designee shall generate procedures to enforce this Policy. Volunteer programs shall provide: Reasonable supervision of volunteers based in part on the amount of contact time they have with students. Coordination and collaboration with school instructional staff in an effort to support the instructional mission of the school system. Assurance that volunteers shall not have access to confidential student or personnel information as prescribed by applicable laws, policies, and procedures. A database of active volunteers. Cross Ref: New Hanover County Schools School Volunteer Handbook Adopted: 09/03/13 Reviewed: 09/12/17, 07/16/19