Volunteers

Volunteer Clearances

At Quaker Valley School District we could not do all that we do for children without the help of volunteers. In October 2014, the Pennsylvania Legislature passed a bill, referred to as Act 153, requiring school volunteers to have clearances and background checks every 60 months. 

All non-staff entering a QV school building during the school day will fall into one of two categories: Visitor or Volunteer. Board Policy 906.00 defines visitors and volunteers as below:

A visitor is someone who comes into the school building to assist under the direction of a staff member. Examples of visitors include: a presenter, a class speaker, a college recruiter, a helper for a class activity or celebration, a guest reader. A visitor will only have interaction with children under the supervision of a QVSD staff member. A visitor will never assume the responsibility of a professional staff member. Visitors are not required to have clearances, but will be required to show a valid U.S. Driver’s License to enter the school building during the school day, and will be escorted through the school building.

A volunteer is someone who has an ongoing presence in the school and whose role requires them to have routine interaction with students in a supervised or occasionally not directly supervised basis. Examples of volunteers include: homeroom parent, PTA/HSA party volunteer, field trip chaperones, athletic volunteers, assistant or volunteer coaches, band chaperones, musical or performing arts assistants.

All school volunteers must have the following:

• Pennsylvania State Police Request for Criminal Record Check
• Department of Human Services Child Abuse History Clearance
• Federal Criminal History Background Check
• TB Test
  Please note: The PA Department of Health Division of School Health requires school volunteers to have a TB test. This test only needs to happen one time. If you are currently a QV school volunteer, you do not need to resubmit TB test results. If you are a new QV Volunteer, you must submit a TB test, dated within the last year.)
• Volunteer Confidentiality Agreement

All clearances must be dated within one year of the application date. (Example: If you apply for a volunteer badge on August 10, 2022, your clearances must be dated between August 11, 2021-August 10, 2022.) Clearances must be updated every 60 months to maintain volunteer status. A copy of volunteer clearances will be kept on file at District Office.

1) Pennsylvania State Background Check:
You can apply directly online https://epatch.pa.gov/home. There is no cost for volunteers. When you visit the site you will select the yellow box that says 'New Record Check'.

2) Act 151 – Department of Human Services Child Abuse History Clearance:
You can apply directly online https://www.compass.state.pa.us/CWIS
There is no cost for volunteers. When you visit the site you will need to create a new account, unless you have a valid login from a previous child abuse clearance.

The fingerprint-based background check is a multiple-step process, as follows:

1. 1. Registration - The applicant must register prior to going to the fingerprint site. Walk-in service is allowed but all applicants are required to complete pre-enrollment in the universal enrollment system. Pre-enrollment can be completed online or over the phone. The registration website is available online 24 hours/day, seven days per week at https://uenroll.identogo.com. You will need to enter the service code 1KG6Y3. Registration is also available by calling 1-844-321-2101 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.- 6 p.m. During the pre-enrollment process, all demographic data for the applicant is collected (name, address, etc.) along with notices about identification requirements and other important information. Applicants will need to enter a service code. The code for volunteers is 1KG6ZJ.
       
   2. Payment - The applicant will pay a fee of $25.25 for the fingerprint service and to secure an unofficial copy of the Criminal History Record. Major Credit Cards as well as money orders or cashier’s checks payable to IDEMIA will be accepted on site for those applicants who are required to pay individually. No cash transactions or personal checks are allowed.
       
   3. Fingerprint Locations  – After registration, the applicant proceeds to the fingerprint site of their choice for fingerprinting. The location of the fingerprint sites and days and hours of operation for each site are posted on IDEMIA's website at https://uenroll.identogo.com. 
       
   4. Fingerprinting - At the fingerprint site the Enrollment Agent (EA) manages the fingerprint collection process. The fingerprint transaction begins when the EA reviews the applicant’s qualified State or Federal photo ID before processing the applicant’s transaction. A list of approved ID type may be found on the IDEMIA website at https://uenroll.identogo.com . Applicants will not be processed if they cannot produce an acceptable photo ID. After the identity of the applicant has been established, all ten fingers are scanned to complete the process. The entire fingerprint capture process should take no more than three to five minutes.

Volunteer Clearances Collection

Volunteers can drop off completed clearances at Quaker Valley District Offices located at 100 Leetsdale Industrial Drive, Suite B, Leetsdale, PA 15056. Clearances will be collected Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and evenings by appointment.