Volunteer & Chaperone Opportunities

IMAGE_Volunteers

Thank you for considering volunteering and/or chaperoning for the Simsbury Public Schools. The Simsbury Public Schools values the school to community relationship and believes that active involvement of family enhances and enriches the learning experiences for all students and staff. The safety of the students while in school and on field trips it of the utmost importance, and with that in mind, the Simsbury Board of Education has adopted a new Volunteer Policy effective August 28, 2013.

Effective August 28, 2013 volunteers/chaperones serving in the capacity to provide services to students when not in the direct presence of a Simsbury Public Schools Employee (Group II Volunteers/Chaperones) will be required to complete consent forms regarding the release of information for background check.

Group II Volunteers/Chaperones are defined as follows:

Accompanying a class on a field trip in which the plans include that students be divided into small groups supervised solely by the volunteer chaperone for any length of time;
Chaperoning an overnight trip;
Working in direct contact with students without the direct presence of a Simsbury Public Schools employee;
Coaching

If you plan to serve as a volunteer/chaperone and are not on the district's approved list you will be asked to fill out two forms: “Chaperone Background Review” and “Authorization for Release of Information” forms. These must be completed and returned to Cindi Freilinger, Human Resources Coordinator, Board of Education, 933 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury, CT 06070. Please plan for 3-4 weeks for the background check to be performed. Upon a successful background check, you will be added to the approved list and will remain on it for a period of 5 years at which time we will request authorization for an updated background check.

Forms

Policies

FAQs

If I am a room parent, how do I ensure that volunteers have been approved for Group II field trips?

Please contact the Human Resources Office at (860) 651-3361 or by email at cfreilinger@simsburyschools.net to ensure that for any Group II field trips, the chaperones have been approved.

If I fail to pass the screening, who sees that information?

The Superintendent and/or his designee will be privy to that information. All information will be held in the strictest of confidence.

If I am on the list for one school, am I approved for Group II trips in another school where my second child attends?

Yes

Once I am on the list, do I need to undergo background checks each year?

Once you are on the approved list, you will remain on that list for a period of five years unless you request that you be removed. A background check will be re-done every five years.

Is the background check done for each parent/guardian?

Yes. Each parent/guardian interested in being a Group II chaperone must undergo a separate background check.

How am I notified as to whether I pass/fail the screening?

A parent/guardian who has been approved to volunteer for Group II trips will receive a letter from the Superintendent or his designee.

Should we receive results indicating that there is involvement in an abuse or neglect investigation or that the parent/guardian is listed as a perpetrator of abuse or neglect on the DCF Registry, the Superintendent or his designee will notify the parent/guardian in writing of the results of the Registry check and provide an opportunity for the volunteer to respond to these results. If warranted by the results of the registry check or any additional information provided by the parent/guardian, the parent/guardian will not be allowed to volunteer.

If the criminal record check reveals a criminal conviction whether disclosed or undisclosed, the Superintendent will make a case-by-case determination as to whether to allow the individual to volunteer. Prior to any such decision, the Superintendent shall inform the parent/guardian in writing and provide an opportunity for the parent/guardian to respond.

What if something shows up on my criminal record check or DCF background check that does not belong to me?

In this case, we would conduct a second background check to ensure that the results provided are verified. If at that point, the charges are still on your record, your dispute would be need to be handled with the authority reporting the situation.

If I’ve already had a background check for another community agency (i.e. scouts, little league) do I need to have another one?

Yes. You will need to have the background check through the Simsbury Public Schools.