Volunteer Assistance

The Governing Board recognizes that volunteer assistance in schools enriches the educational program, increases supervision of students and contributes to school safety while strengthening the schools' relationships with the community. The Board also encourages community members to share their time, knowledge, and abilities with students. The Superintendent or designee shall develop and implement a plan for recruiting, screening, and placing volunteers, including strategies for reaching underrepresented groups of parents/guardians and community members. The Superintendent or designee may also recruit community members to serve as mentors to students and/or make appropriate referrals to community organizations. The Board prohibits harassment of any volunteer on the basis of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, or military and veteran status. (Government Code 12940) As appropriate, the Superintendent or designee shall provide volunteers with information about school goals, programs, and practices and an orientation or other training related to their specific responsibilities. Employees who supervise volunteers shall ensure that volunteers are assigned meaningful responsibilities that utilize their skills and expertise and maximize their contribution to the educational program. Volunteer work shall be limited to those projects that do not replace the normal duties of classified staff. The Board nevertheless encourages volunteers to work on short-term projects to the extent that they enhance the classroom or school and comply with employee negotiated agreements. The Superintendent or designee shall establish procedures for determining whether volunteers possess the qualifications, if any, required by law and administrative regulation for the types of duties they will perform. Volunteers shall act in accordance with district policies, regulations and school rules. The Superintendent or designee shall be responsible for investigating and resolving complaints regarding volunteers. The Board encourages principals to develop a means for recognizing the contributions of each school's volunteers. The Superintendent or designee shall periodically report to the Board regarding the district's volunteer assistance program. Workers' Compensation Insurance The Board desires to provide a safe environment for volunteers and minimize the district's exposure to liability. Upon the adoption of a resolution by the Board, volunteers shall be entitled to workers' compensation benefits for any injury sustained while engaged in the performance of service for the district. (Labor Code 3364.5)