Jordan Public Schools welcome volunteers of all ages who want to share their talents, skills and resources to help support students, teachers, and school programs. Volunteers play an important role in our efforts to ensure academic success for every student. Every day parents, grandparents, community and business members bring fresh perspectives and enthusiasm to our schools while enriching the learning experience of our students. Volunteers have discovered that spending time and sharing talents with students is an energizing and worthwhile experience. Whether you have an hour a day, a week or month, we have students and classrooms that can use your help. Some of the ways you can share your skills and contribute are:

• Read to students or listen to them read
• Work one-on-one or in small groups helping students master basic skills in math, reading or writing
• Visit a classroom as a resource speaker and add first-hand experience by sharing your career, travel or ethnic heritage
• Assist with classroom and school activities
• Work behind the scenes on school projects and events
• Serve on a school or district-wide committees and councils

We are committed to working with you to ensure volunteering is a rewarding experience for everyone. We ask that you follow the policies and expectations outlined below to help us maintain a safe and respectful environment for students, staff, and volunteers.

Confidentiality
Confidentiality is very important. While volunteering, you may observe, read or hear much about individual students and their school or home experience. Do not discuss your observations or opinions about a student with anyone other than the student’s teacher or school principal. All information about student abilities, behavior, relationships, grades or background is confidential. We depend on our volunteers to maintain confidentiality of our students, staff and volunteers. 

Sign-In/Out
You are required to sign-in before you begin your volunteer activity. Stop in the office immediately upon arrival each time you volunteer. For the safety of everyone, we need to know who is in the building and where to locate you in case of an emergency. Don’t forget to sign out.

Name Badges
Volunteers must wear an official volunteer name badge while in the building. Name badges identify you to students, staff and other volunteers as a registered volunteer.

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

Student Contact
For the protection of both you and the students, observe the following when working with students:

• Avoid being isolated with a child, such as a room with a closed door. Work only in areas of the school that are in continual, direct supervision of district staff.
• Use the staff/adult restroom facilities rather than the student facilities.
• Refrain from giving students gifts, rewards, or food items without the teacher’s permission.
• Interactions between you and students may take place only at scheduled times and in the school.

Cultural Differences
Our school community is diverse. It is important that we work with one another without bias and consider cultural, moral, and value differences.

Younger Children
Many of the volunteer jobs require your undivided attention, and bringing your younger child with you to school could prohibit you from doing your best work. Please talk to your staff contact about volunteer projects that you can do at home instead.

Use of Controlled Substances
The distribution, possession or use of tobacco, alcohol or controlled substances by staff, students, visitors or volunteers is prohibited on school grounds.

Background Check
Minnesota state statute 123B.03 requires that a background check be performed as this volunteer position may involve working with or near children.  Jordan Public School District Policy 404 outlines the procedures for a background check.

• If you will be volunteering in the school under the direct supervision of a school district employee, the District will not require a criminal background check.
• However, if you are volunteering in the school and will be working with children in areas not supervised by a school district employee, you will need to complete a District-paid criminal background check through Trusted Employees, which can be accessed by completing the following Google form > Background Check Form
• For volunteers chaperoning for field trips or other events outside of school, the volunteer will need to pay for a criminal background check.  Please complete the Google form > Background Check Form and subsequent information on the Trusted Employees website if you plan on volunteering for the upcoming school year.

If you have any questions regarding volunteering for Jordan Public Schools, please contact the District office at 952-492-6200.