Volunteers

Volunteers are a vital part of the Bexley Schools’ community, helping to enrich the educational experience for our students and support the efforts of our dedicated staff.

IMPORTANT: All Volunteers must complete a NEW application and sign a NEW confidentiality agreement EVERY SCHOOL YEAR.

A Support Volunteer is someone who:
- DOES NOT have direct supervisory responsibilities for students and will be in visual proximity to the supervising staff member at all times (e.g., on a class field trip, the support volunteer remains in eyesight of the teacher).
- DOES NOT have sustained access to students for an extended period of time (e.g., a volunteer who makes copies or volunteers for a class period at recess/lunch).

An Independent Volunteer is someone who:
- Has direct student supervisory responsibilities outside of the direct observation of a staff member (e.g., overnight field trips).
- AND has sustained access to students for an extended amount of time (e.g., overnight field trips out of state/country along with a supervising teacher/staff member).

The prospective volunteer reads this handbook thoroughly.
The prospective volunteer completes and submits the volunteer application and all agreements (Google Form).
The Building Principal reviews and signs or declines the volunteer application.
The Director of Employee Relations reviews and signs or declines the application.
Central Office receives the approved application and adds the volunteer to the approved volunteer list.

The prospective volunteer reads this handbook thoroughly.
The prospective volunteer completes and submits the volunteer application and all agreements (Google Form).
The Building Principal reviews and signs or declines the volunteer application.
The Director of Employee Relations reviews and signs or declines the application.
Central Office receives the approved application and contacts the volunteer to schedule an appointment.
The volunteer responds to Central Office contact and makes an appointment to come to Central Office with their driver’s license or state ID for:
- An FBI/BCI background check.
- A photograph for an ID badge.
Once the FBI/BCI background check results are received and cleared, the Board of Education approves the volunteer application at its next scheduled meeting.
Central Office emails the volunteer regarding the approval and instructions for picking up their ID badge.

IMPORTANT:

Independent Volunteers must fill out a NEW application and sign a NEW confidentiality agreement EVERY SCHOOL YEAR.
The BCI/FBI background check is valid for 5 YEARS pending their annual application to be a BCSD volunteer.
CRITICAL: If an Independent Volunteer fails to submit a new application and confidentiality agreement for the subsequent school year, their BCI/FBI BACKGROUND CHECK EXPIRES IMMEDIATELY, regardless of when the fingerprints were taken.

In such cases, an individual wishing to become an Independent Volunteer again will be required to PAY FOR A NEW BACKGROUND CHECK OUT OF POCKET.

Volunteers who donate their time in the schools are covered by the Volunteer Liability Act (1997) and the district’s liability insurance policy, which covers volunteers who are acting within their scope of responsibilities.
BUT:
- This coverage does NOT extend to willful or criminal acts of negligence or omission.
- It also does NOT cover harm caused while operating a motor vehicle.
- Volunteers are NOT covered by the district’s health insurance policy.
- Volunteers are NOT eligible for Workers’ Compensation.
If you become ill or suffer an injury as a result of volunteering for the Bexley City School District, you release the Bexley City School District from any obligation, agreeing that you are and shall be responsible for any and all hospital and medical charges that may accrue. By volunteering, you release the Bexley City School District from any and all liability for any damages, whatever their nature, which may result as a consequence of my volunteer services.