Rationale: The West Chester Area School District recognizes that community volunteers can make valuable contributions to the school district’s educational and extracurricular programs. The use of community volunteers is endorsed by the School Board and substantial volunteers will be subject to legal requirements and administrative procedures. School Board Policy 916 will govern school volunteers.

Who needs clearances?

Substantial Contact Volunteers: Volunteers who work with the students for recurring events or activities, or at more than one event per school year, under the direct supervision of a teacher or another school district employee. Substantial Contact Volunteers may be expected to have unsupervised contact with students.

Who does not need clearances?

Single Event Volunteer, Short-Term Volunteer, Long-Term Volunteer or Limited Contact Volunteer. These volunteers work directly under the supervision or direction of a teacher, administrator or paid employee of the school district. These individuals do not have unsupervised contact with students. These volunteers will be required to submit their driver’s license for clearance through Raptor Security System in the front office.

What are the three required clearances?

The three required clearances are: Act 34 - PA Criminal History Check, Act 151 - Child Abuse Clearance Statement, and Act 114 - Federal Criminal Check.

Do I have to submit the original clearance forms or may I submit photocopies of each?

You do not need to submit original paperwork. You may submit photocopies.

I have children in multiple school levels (a child in elementary, middle and high school). Where do submit my clearances?

Please submit your clearances to the school where your youngest child attends. You will be asked to notify all buildings where you children attend and alert each building where your youngest child attends school.

Where will my clearances be on file at the school?

All clearances will be on file in a secure file cabinet designated only for volunteer clearances. The building principal and his or her designee will have access to the volunteer clearance file cabinet.

What will happen to my volunteer clearances once they have expired?

The school will shred all expired volunteer clearances.

Events for which clearances will be required