2024-2025 Volunteer Handbook

Madison Volunteer, 

Thank you for choosing to serve the students of the Madison Elementary School District! Each hour you spend on a school campus has a direct impact on our students and staff. Madison volunteers are partners who work hand in hand with staff to create positive learning environments for students. Caring adults make each school a special place for students.

This Volunteer Handbook is intended to help you, our staff, and our students have the best volunteer experience possible. If you have any questions about your volunteer experience, please feel free to contact your school’s administrator. Thank you for investing your time in working with our students. Your role in fulfilling our vision of inspiring passion for leading and learning in an ever changing world is truly appreciated.

Respectfully, 

Dr. Kimberly Guerin
Superintendent 

In keeping with the mission statement of the District, the major goal of the volunteer program is to inspire passion for learning and leading in an ever-changing world. The services of volunteers are utilized in schools to accomplish the following goals: 

• Future-Focused Learning
•  Inclusivity & Wellness
• Community Strength
• Optimized Resources

Volunteerism is encouraged and supported (A.R.S. § 15-102). Volunteers make valuable contributions to educational programs and staff support. As such, the volunteer’s role is an important one. The purpose of this handbook is to assist in screening, training, utilizing, and supporting volunteers.

Visitors

A visitor is an individual who attends a school on occasion and for small increments of time. A visitor typically visits a school to meet with staff, pick up students during the school day or perform temporary, contractual and/or substitute service. Examples of a visitor include, but are not limited to, a District employee from another location, substitute and temporary employees, third-party contracted personnel, parents picking up students or meeting with a teacher, persons providing service and repair to facilities, vendors, and community members meeting with school personnel. 

Volunteers

A volunteer is an individual who performs hours of service for a public agency for civic, charitable, or humanitarian reasons without promise, expectation or receipt of compensation for services rendered. 

All volunteers must complete the appropriate forms and be approved by site administration prior to volunteering.  Volunteers for Madison School District must be at least 18 years of age. 

Volunteers can fall under four different categories as follows:

• School Site Volunteers: Site volunteers must work under the direct supervision of the professional staff at the school site.  Site volunteers must be a parent, or legal guardian who has a student at the school where he/she wishes to volunteer.  Volunteers who are not the natural or adoptive parent or legal guardian are considered community site volunteers. (see below)
• Chaperones: Any individual who attends a field trip is considered a chaperone. Those chaperones who are not the natural or adoptive parent or legal guardian will need to submit the online volunteer forms, complete a background check, and be fingerprinted. Any chaperone, including parents and legal guardians, who attend an overnight field trip will need to complete a background check and be fingerprinted. All chaperones must adhere to the procedures outlined in this handbook prior to participating on any field trips.
• Community Volunteers: All of our community volunteers, including coaches, are recommended by the school site and are required to register online through the Raptor System. They must also obtain an administrator’s approval, complete a background check, and be fingerprinted before being assigned to a volunteer position. It is important that each volunteer understands and agrees to our policies and procedures.
• Employee Volunteers: According to fair labor laws, volunteers who are also employed by the District may not volunteer to do similar or identical duties as found in their job because doing so requires overtime compensation. 

If you have any questions about our policies or procedures, call the Community Education Department at (602) 664-7580.

Supervision of Volunteers

Volunteers work under the direct supervision of the professional staff at each school and only with those teachers who have requested the services of a volunteer. It is the responsibility of the school administration, supervising teachers, or volunteer coordinator to dismiss any volunteer whose actions are not in the best interest of our students or the schools. 

Volunteer Restrictions:

While volunteers are an important part of the educational team, the professional staff is responsible by law for decisions that are made regarding the instruction of students, the management of the school, and student safety and discipline. Therefore, volunteers will always work under the supervision of teachers and administrators. We welcome the suggestions and opinions of volunteers as you supplement and support our programs. There are, however, a few things that volunteers should NOT do: 

• Discipline or counsel students 
• Have access to student records or medical files 
• Dismiss students from school 
• Work with students without a teacher or staff member present 
• Discuss student progress or student difficulties with parents 
• Give food or medication to students 
• Evaluate achievement which includes grading student work
• Drive District vehicles 
• Distribute advertisements or solicitations or other non-approved literature 
• Work in similar or identical duties as found in their job if employed by the district 

Child Abuse Reporting: 

All school district personnel, including volunteers, are required by Arizona state law (A.R.S. § 13-3620) to report any cases of suspected child abuse. District personnel includes anyone who has responsibility for the care or treatment of a minor. Failure to report is a crime. This applies to all employees and volunteers when acting in the scope of their work with Madison School District. If abuse is suspected, contact the child’s teacher, the principal, or the school nurse. They can assist in making the requisite report by calling the Department of Child Safety (DCS) at (1-888-767-2445), local law enforcement—Phoenix Police Department (602-262-6151), or both, depending on the circumstances. Suspected child abuse must be reported immediately. Never delay a telephone report until the next day.

Fingerprinting and Background Clearance: 

In accordance with Arizona Revised Statute (A.R.S.) § 15-512, volunteers who are NOT a natural or adoptive parent or legal guardian of a child in the school where they will be working must complete a background check and be fingerprinted before beginning work. The District may require any person performing volunteer activities to complete a background check and to be fingerprinted at its discretion. 

Background checks and fingerprinting services are offered free of charge to the volunteer. Once the volunteer’s online registration has been completed, the Human Resources Department will call to schedule an appointment. Please bring a valid photo identification card when you come to the District Office to be fingerprinted. Once Human Resources receives the cleared background check, the school site will notify the volunteer that they may begin work. This process can take an average of three to five weeks. 

School Check-In Procedure:

During school hours, every volunteer must check in and out at the school office each time he or she is on campus to volunteer. Your picture ID is required each time you volunteer. At check-in, a name tag will be printed for you and must be worn while on campus. The school must maintain a record showing the days and hours each volunteer works. For security purposes and in case of emergency, it is important for administrators to know who is on campus and why. 

Communication

As a volunteer, you will meet many wonderful students. Please be aware that volunteers may not telephone students or visit them at their homes. Volunteers may not meet students off campus, or invite students to the volunteer’s home. They also may not walk or drive a student home. Contacting or visiting students or any of their family members outside of school without parent permission is strictly prohibited and includes but is not exclusive to email, social media, telephoning, or texting. 

Confidentiality

It is imperative that all matters pertaining to students remain confidential. Any information regarding problems, progress, grades, relationships, and confidences of students, their parents, and the staff should never be discussed with anyone who does not have the professional right or need to know them. Student information is protected as confidential by federal law (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act). Anything that a child may confide in you about family matters or personal problems should be kept confidential. Probing into a student's family life or private matters is not acceptable. If the information is vital for the school to have in order to help the student, please discuss the child’s conversation in private with his or her teacher or school administration. 

Dress

Please take your lead from the professional staff and dress appropriately for the job you are doing. We ask that you wear professional attire that is neat and conservative. Your appearance should attract no undue attention. Please do not wear spaghetti straps, revealing clothing, tube tops, tank tops, short-shorts or show bare midriffs. T-shirt messages should be of a positive nature. Keep in mind that you are in a position to set an example for students, therefore your dress, speech and behavior should serve as good models for them to follow. Please follow the District dress code. 

Behavior

Volunteers may not engage in any behavior or activity that may cause harm to themselves or others. In addition, physical contact is not encouraged and should be limited to a brief encouraging behavior such as a “high five”. 

Health

Schools are particularly concerned about keeping students and staff healthy. If you are not feeling well, please do not try to keep up with your volunteer duties.  Please call in advance to let the staff member know you won’t be coming in at your scheduled time.  

School Rules

Become familiar with the rules, policies, and procedures of the school where you will be volunteering. This can be done through reading the Student-Parent Handbook located on the Madison website at madisonaz.org. The handbook is also available from either the teacher you are working with or the school secretary. 

Dependability

Please be prompt and consistent. We realize that there may be times that you may be ill, on vacation, or otherwise unable to volunteer. Please notify the school office and leave a message for the teacher or staff member with whom you work and give advance notice when you are unable to volunteer, as the teacher and children are expecting you. Also remember that it is important to be prompt and consistent when working with students. Please do not park in visitor parking spaces. 

Allergies

The needs of students, staff, and volunteers vary when it comes to allergies. For that reason, please consult your school about procedures to be followed regarding allergies. It is critical that these procedures be followed exactly. Do not bring anything to school or give anything to students without consulting the teacher first. For example, a classroom may be a peanut-free zone, or a school may be latex-free, and something as simple as an eraser may be a hazard. Please do not wear perfume or cologne. Please remember to share any special needs you may have with the staff as well. 

Cell Phones

To ensure that the learning environment is not disrupted, cell phones are to remain completely silent with limited use when volunteering. 

Insurance

Madison School District does not carry health insurance or worker's compensation insurance for volunteers. Any injuries that occur while volunteering must be reported immediately to the school nurse. 

Field Trips

School administrators and teachers decide how many volunteer chaperones are needed, and which chaperones will attend field trips and overnight trips. 

Bathrooms

Staff restrooms are located in the school offices and are available to volunteers.  Do not use student restrooms. Never go to the restroom alone with students. Chaperones should be in pairs when taking students to the restroom. 

Children of Volunteers

Volunteers and chaperones may not bring other children while volunteering in schools, on field trips, or on overnight trips.

Photos/Videos

Visitors are not permitted to photograph and/or record any students other than their own.

You will need to complete the application through the Raptor system to create your volunteer account. Directions on how to complete that application are listed on the District website.

This process must be completed by ALL volunteers including chaperones, parents and legal guardians. 

Click here for the volunteer registration page