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NEW TEMPORARY COVID-RELATED POLICY AND REGULATION-EDITS IN
BOLD/ITALICS/UNDERLINE
1000.3T
SERIES 1000 C-19: COMMUNITY/BOARD OPERATIONS
This policy supersedes existing policy Series 1000 Volunteers, Student Interns, and
Other Non-Employees.
This policy will be reevaluated by the Board of Education post-pandemic.
VOLUNTEERS, STUDENT INTERNS, AND OTHER NON-EMPLOYEES
The Board of Education recognizes the importance of school volunteers at all levels of
schooling. Volunteers can enhance collaboration between the school and community,
broaden the school’s educational environment and ultimately enrich students’ school
experience. The Board further acknowledges that it may, from time to time, be asked to
provide learning experiences for student interns within the school environments. In
recognition of the benefit of having volunteers, interns and other such non-employees
providing services within the schools, the Board supports the involvement of these
individuals in accordance with suitable regulations and safeguards to be developed by
the Administration.
Volunteers, interns and other such non-employees working within the schools
(“volunteers”) must work under the supervision of Colchester Public Schools staff.
Volunteers are held to the same standards of conduct as school staff and must observe
all Board of Education policies, including applicable policies on the confidentiality of
student information.
Volunteers may be required to submit to state and federal criminal record checks and a
record check of the Department of Children and Families (“DCF”) Child Abuse and
Neglect Registry. No person who is required to register as a sex offender under state or
federal law, or whose name is currently listed on the DCF registry, may volunteer in the
Colchester Public Schools.
All volunteers must comply with all school health and safety protocols in place at the
time, including any health screening protocols. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the
Board may limit or restrict volunteers based on the guidance of federal, state, and
local health authorities.
VOLUNTEERS Page 1 of 6
No employee of the Colchester Public Schools shall serve as a volunteer in any capacity,
except as may be approved by the Superintendent or his/her designee based on the
specific situation.
Persons interested in volunteering their services should contact the school principal.
Legal References:
Connecticut General Statutes § 10-4g
Connecticut General Statutes § 10-220
Connecticut General Statutes § 10-235
Connecticut General Statutes § 54-250 et seq.
“Adapt, Advance, Achieve: Connecticut’s Plan to Learn and Grow Together,”
Connecticut State Department of Education (June 29, 2020), available at
https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/SDE/COVID-19/CTReopeningSchools.pdf.
TEMPORARY POLICY ADOPTED: September 8, 2020
COLCHESTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Colchester, Connecticut
VOLUNTEERS Page 2 of 6
1000.3T
SERIES 1000 C-19: COMMUNITY/BOARD OPERATIONS
ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS REGARDING
VOLUNTEERS, STUDENT INTERNS, AND OTHER NON-EMPLOYEES
Screening Procedure
The following procedure has been established for screening volunteers, interns and
other non-employees (“volunteers”) within the Colchester Public Schools. For the
purpose of this procedure, volunteers are defined as those individuals who volunteer
their time to assist in schools for the benefit of the student body with the express
knowledge, consent and direction of a Colchester Public Schools employee. Student
interns are defined as individuals currently enrolled in a post-secondary program for
which an authorized internship is required or for which the student may be granted
credit as part of an approved course of study. As with other volunteers, all student
interns must be approved in advance by the building administrator or his/her designee
and must be under the direction of a Board employee.
This procedure identifies those situations in which an individual may be required to
submit to state and federal criminal record checks and a record check of the
Department of Children and Families (“DCF”) Child Abuse and Neglect Registry within 10
days of application and/or request to volunteer within the Colchester Public Schools. All
results must be received by the [Human Resources Office] before the volunteer may
commence his or her services. No person who is required to register as a sex offender
under state or federal law, or whose name is currently listed on the DCF registry, may
volunteer in the Colchester Public Schools.
Screening Procedure Definitions
The District has identified two classifications of volunteers: Group I and Group II.
Group I
Volunteers will be classified in Group I when they assist school staff members with
school activities in the presence of a Colchester Public Schools employee. Background
checks will not be required of Group I volunteers. Group I volunteers are those who
assist school staff members with school activities such as those listed below:
VOLUNTEERS Page 3 of 6
a. assisting in a classroom, cafeteria, or library when a staff member is
present; or
b. accompanying a class on a field trip during the school day with a staff
member; or
c. helping in the school office during regular school hours; or
d. assisting in the cafeteria or library during regular school hours; or
e. assisting during extracurricular events, i.e., dances, fairs, open house,
sporting events, etc.
Group II
Volunteers will be classified in Group II when they provide services to students when
not in the direct presence of a Colchester Public Schools employee. Group II volunteers
will be required to complete a consent form regarding the release of information
concerning any prior or pending criminal offenses, and such volunteers will be required
to submit to a record check of the Department of Children and Families (DCF) Abuse and
Neglect Registry. Group II volunteers are those who engage in activities such as those
listed below:
a. 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; or
b. chaperoning an overnight field trip; or
c. working in direct contact with students without the direct presence of a
Colchester Public Schools employee;
d. working as a student intern; or
e. coaching.
Upon receipt of DCF Abuse and Neglect Registry results indicating that the volunteer is
involved in an abuse or neglect investigation or that the volunteer is listed as a
perpetrator of abuse or neglect on the Registry, the Superintendent or his or her
designee will notify the volunteer of the results of the Registry check and will provide an
opportunity for the volunteer to respond to the results of the Registry check. No person
who is required to register as a sex offender under state or federal law, or whose name
VOLUNTEERS Page 4 of 6
is currently listed on the DCF registry, may be approved to volunteer within the
Colchester Public Schools.
When a criminal record check of a volunteer reveals a criminal conviction, whether
disclosed or undisclosed on the volunteer’s consent form, the Superintendent will make
a case-by-case determination as to whether to allow the individual to volunteer in the
Colchester Public Schools. Prior to any such decision by the Superintendent or designee,
the Superintendent or designee shall inform the volunteer and shall provide an
opportunity for the volunteer to respond. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
falsification or omission of any information on a volunteer consent form, including, but
not limited to, information concerning criminal convictions or pending criminal charges,
may be grounds for the Superintendent or designee to prohibit the individual from
becoming a volunteer.
Prior Approval Required
All school volunteers (including student interns or other non-employee working in the
schools) must be approved in advance by the building principal or other administrative
designee. The school district, acting through the appropriate building administrator or
his/her designee, reserves the right to discontinue or disallow the services of any
volunteer at any time at the discretion of the administration. Due to the COVID-19
pandemic, the school district may limit or restrict volunteers based on the guidance of
the federal, state, and local health authorities.
Sign-in Procedure
All volunteers must report to the school office upon arrival to sign in and must report to
the office prior to departure to sign out. A sign-in/sign-out log will be maintained in
each school office. Volunteers must indicate the purpose of their visit and include any
other information (i.e. destination; provide proof of identification etc.) as may be
required by the log. Additionally, volunteers will be provided with identification
badges, which must be displayed during each visit. All volunteers must comply with all
school health and safety protocols in place at the time, including any health screening
protocols.
VOLUNTEERS Page 5 of 6
Legal Reference:
Connecticut General Statutes § 10-4g
Connecticut General Statutes § 10-220
Connecticut General Statutes § 10-235
Connecticut General Statutes § 54-250 et seq.
“Adapt, Advance, Achieve: Connecticut’s Plan to Learn and Grow Together,”
Connecticut State Department of Education (June 29, 2020), available at
https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/SDE/COVID-19/CTReopeningSchools.pdf.
TEMPORARY REGULATION ADOPTED: August 17, 2020
COLCHESTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Colchester, Connecticut
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