Volunteer Application Form

Please print out, complete, and return to St. Felix Office. Detailed information on being a volunteer at St. Felix located below form.

Contact Information

Name
Street Address
City ST ZIP Code
Home Phone
Work Phone
E-Mail Address

Availability
During which hours are you available for volunteer assignments? Use space to write comments:

___ Weekday mornings M/T/W/TH/F	___ Weekend mornings SAT/SUN
___ Weekday afternoons M/T/W/TH/F	___ Weekend afternoons SAT/SUN
___ Weekday evenings M/T/W/TH/F	___ Weekend evenings SAT/SUN

Special Skills or Qualifications

Summarize special skills and qualifications you have acquired from employment, previous volunteer work, or through other activities, including hobbies or sports.

Previous Volunteer Experience

Summarize your previous volunteer experience.

Volunteers play a vital role in our school. Your spirit of generosity and dedication is greatly appreciated. The areas in which we can use volunteers are listed below. Please indicate where you would consider donating your talents.

ð Library/AV

ð Lunch Program

ð Teacher's aide

ð Sports program assistant coach

ð Head coach (basketball)

Spring Cleaning Non-School Days

ð Baking for School Eve

Light Carpentry/Painting

SCRIP program volunteer

Drama Program/X-Mas Pageant

ð Helping Kids with Homework

Fundraising committee

Field Day

Arts and Crafts projects

Sewing

Word processing, data entry

Playground Duty

Grandparent Appreciation Day

Catholic Schools week events

Taking photos during the year

Fall marathon

Fall Festival

Bulletin Boards

Reading to students during class

Field Trip volunteer

If you know of anyone else who might be interested in serving in the school volunteer program (they do not have to be a school parent) please have them call school.

Person to Notify in Case of Emergency

Name
Street Address
City ST ZIP Code
Home Phone
Work Phone
E-Mail Address

Agreement and Signature
By submitting this application, I affirm that the facts set forth in it are true and complete. I understand that if I am accepted as a volunteer, any false statements, omissions, or other misrepresentations made by me on this application may result in my immediate dismissal.

Name (printed)
Signature
Date

When volunteering, confidentiality is a must. There are specific federal and state laws that protect information of a personal nature about children in a school setting. Persons who violate these laws open themselves up to litigation (a lawsuit). It is natural to want to go home or back to school and share your experiences. Just remember not to use names or specific identifying information concerning individual children. If you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to speak to the teacher or principal.

St. Felix School offers a wide variety of volunteer opportunities for parents, grandparents, and members of our community. Volunteers are an important asset to our school and provide the following:

§ Express your belief that education is a partnership between family and school.

* Students will see a clear relationship between families, community and school.

* Students will develop a feeling that school is important because they see their parents and community showing an interest and becoming involved.

* Students’ self-confidence improves when they notice the interest and involvement their families and community have in their school activities.

* Students are able to demonstrate firsthand their activities to their families and community.

* Statistics prove that students’ achievements are higher when their families are involved in their school activities.

Complete and return your Volunteer Application Form and Criminal Record History Release Form to the school Volunteer Services Coordinator before starting your volunteer assignment.

Stop in the office immediately upon entering school. Volunteers are asked to sign-in each time they work at the school. The sign-in book is located in the office. For security reasons, and in case of an emergency, it is important for the principal to know who is in the school and why.

Please be sure to record the time you volunteered before you leave. If you do volunteer work at home keep track of the time and be sure these hours are recorded. The hours you volunteer are calculated and sent to the district office, so it's important that we have all your time recorded. In addition, a record of our volunteer hours enables the school to evaluate its volunteer program and recognize volunteers for their contribution of time. The hours spent volunteering are examples of the commitment to quality education at our school.

Pick-up a name badge when you sign-in. By wearing a name badge designated for volunteers, you will immediately be recognized as a person whose specific purpose is to help the students and staff.

Accept direction and supervision. While recognizing that you are an important leader, you do not take the place of a staff member, but are a supplementary person who offers assistance and enrichment with your personal skill and competence.

As representatives of St. Felix, volunteers, like staff, are responsible for presenting a good image to students and to the community. Volunteers shall dress appropriately for the conditions and performance of their duties.

If the assignment does not prove to be what you expected, please notify the supervising staff person. If you feel hesitant to discuss it with the staff person, please contact the school principal.

Come when promised and on time. Students, staff and other volunteers count on you. If you are unable to keep a commitment, call the office and leave a message for the appropriate teacher, chairperson or volunteer services coordinator as far in advance as possible.

Keep good communications with staff and other volunteers. Any question is a good question - be sure to ask! Make every effort to arrange a time to talk with the teacher when there are problems or questions.

Information regarding our students is confidential. Minnesota Government Data Practices Act states:

1. No information can be shared regarding a student, without the written and witnessed signed consent of the adult student or underage student’s parent or guardian.

2. Discussing personal information regarding an adult student or underage student will be cause for disciplinary action and/or lead to termination of the volunteer.

Confidentiality is important to the integrity of our program. It is important to respect the privacy of all students, staff and other volunteers. Never repeat anything you have heard or seen about individuals while volunteering.

It is important that we work with one another positively and consider cultural, moral, and value differences.

Volunteers may not discipline students beyond maintaining order in their group or activity. Please report any problems with students’ behavior to the supervising staff person. The professional staff of the school is always responsible for discipline.

It is important that all volunteers stay within the parameter of the assignment that the teacher or supervisor has directed. Consult with the teacher or supervisor if you have any question regarding your assignment.

Volunteers are considered “mandated reporters.” That means, you must report when you have knowledge or reason to believe that a child is being or has been neglected or physically or sexually abused. Report any incident or suspicion immediately to a staff person.

Keeping accurate records is an important part of the volunteer program. Accurate records allow us to assist volunteers who might request records for use on job applications, they allow us to track how, when, and where volunteers are utilized in the district and they serve in future program planning. Accurate records enable us to recognize the contributions of all volunteers.

Volunteers are an important part of the educational team. The suggestions and opinions of volunteers are always welcome. It is the professional staff, however, that is held responsible by law for the decisions that are made regarding the instruction of students and school management. For this reason, volunteers always work under the direct supervision of the professional staff. The professional staff is responsible for everything that goes on in the building including student instruction, safety and discipline.

As a volunteer you will meet many students and will enjoy working with them! However, volunteers should not telephone students, visit them at their homes or meet students off school grounds without permission from the parents and/or school principal. In addition, when working with students, whether individually or in small groups, we recommend you work in a highly visible area. This is not only for the protection of students but volunteers as well.

Some of your out-of-pocket expenses connected with volunteering may be deductible when you file your income tax. Consult with your tax advisor concerning your personal tax situation.

It is important that we are in compliance with the Drug Free Workplace Act of 1988 prohibiting the manufacture, distribution, possession or use of controlled substances in the workplace. This policy applies to paid staff, volunteers and students.

Volunteers are a valuable asset to our school. They dedicate many hours of their time to give teachers more time to teach and to provide opportunities for students to learn and enjoy school. Volunteers represent a great gift to St. Felix and to the children who attend our school!

· Do not give any student materials on your own without first discussing it with the teacher.

· Accept students as they are. Be sensitive to differences in background, culture, religion,

· Do not eat candy, snacks or gum when working with students unless it is part of

· And by all means, enjoy yourself! You have the opportunity to make a positive difference in

I dreamed I stood in a studio and watched two sculptors there. The clay they used was a young child’s mind and they fashioned it with care. One was a teacher; the tools he used were books and music and art. One a parent with a guiding heart. Day after day the teacher toiled with touch that was deft and sure, while the parent labored by his side and polished and smoothed it o’er. And when the task was done, they were proud of what they had wrought, For the things they had molded into the child could neither be sold nor bought. And each agreed he would have failed if he had worked alone, For behind the parent stood the school and behind the teacher the home.

Adapted from Sauk Rapids - Rice Public Schools. and Anoka Hennepin SchoolsDIVERSITY

Volunteer Information

Volunteer Application Form

Please print out, complete, and return to St. Felix Office. Detailed information on being a volunteer at St. Felix located below form.

Contact Information

Availability

Special Skills or Qualifications

Previous Volunteer Experience

Person to Notify in Case of Emergency

Agreement and Signature