Volunteering in Our Schools
While we encourage parent participation in our schools, please be aware to volunteer for the Penn-Trafford School District you must have current Act 34 (PA Criminal History), Act 114 (Federal Criminal Background Check), and Act 151 (Child Abuse). Current clearances are ones that you obtained within one year of the date you will be volunteering in the school. Once you receive your clearances, they will remain in effect as long as you are an active volunteer. An active volunteer is one that at least volunteers one time during the school year. If you do not volunteer at least one time during the school year, your clearances will be considered expired. Once your clearances expire, you must obtain new clearances if you want to assume your role as a volunteer.

Act 34 and Act 151 clearances take as long as 6-8 weeks to process, so you are encouraged to apply for the clearances as soon as you decide to become a volunteer. Each form will be available in the office of each school. The schools do not send the forms to the state. It is the responsibility of the volunteer to complete the forms and pay the fees. The forms are $10.00 each and require a money order to complete. As soon as you receive your clearances back from the state, please take the original forms to the school office and the school secretary will copy it for you and return the original. If you have a record, please make an appointment with your child’s principal to discuss. Minor incidents, that do not hinder the welfare of a child, do not prevent one from becoming a volunteer. Act 114 clearances require the volunteer to get fingerprinted. These clearances cost approximately $40.00. The forms and procedures for Act 114 will be available at your school’s office and linked to our website.

If you volunteer for any overnight trip as a chaperone, you must have current clearances. This means if you are going on an over-night trip as a chaperone, you must submit the forms for Act 34, Act 114, and Act 151 that are less than one year old.

Definition of Volunteer
A volunteer is a person who services the district without compensation on a planned, approved, and regular basis.

Examples of Volunteering
The following activities are samples of volunteering in our school that occurs on a regular basis which require clearances: Wisdom Program, Accelerated Reader and Support Programs, Student Store, Basket Raffle, Box Top For Education Sponsor, Cameras For Classroom Sponsor, Historian/Scrapbook, Recess Helper, Lunch Helper, Shop For Education, Weekly Readers, Bulletin Board Helper, Fitness Fridays, Campbell’s Labels, Friends of Sunrise Library, Library Helpers, Public Relations, and After School Clubs and Events.

Volunteers who do not require clearances
A volunteer who participates in an event that does not occur on a planned, approved, and regular basis. These our often one-time events that occur throughout the school year that can take place on a single day like field day, or it might last a few days like the book fair.

Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1) If a parent attends several one-time event during the year but does not volunteer for a regular basis, do they need to have clearances?

Answer 1) The parent will not need clearances because they are not committing to a regular scheduled activity. The parent might be present throughout the year but it is not permanent.

Question 2) If a parent or grandparent wants to attend a school play or Breakfast With your Child Day, do they need to have their clearances?

Answer 2) The attendee will not need clearances because they were invited by the school to either watch their child perform or socialize with their child as they eat. The attendee in this case is not volunteering.

Question 3) If a parent is scheduled to be on recess duty once a month, do they need clearances?

Answer 3) They need their clearances because they are performing the same duty on a regularly scheduled basis.

Question 4) If a parent volunteers for Accelerated Reader but has a rotated schedule due their work or family requirements, do they need clearances because they are not always scheduled on a certain time.

Answer 4) They will still need their clearances because the activity is an ongoing event that reoccurs on a regular basis.

Question 5) If a parent receives their clearances but can no longer volunteer to finish out the year because of family emergencies, do they need new clearances during the following year?

Answer 5) The parent will not need new clearances because as long as an individual volunteers at least one a year, the clearances remain active.

Links
PA Criminal History and Child Abuse Information/ Application – Acts 34
Child Abuse History Clearance- Act 151
Federal Criminal History Record Application Act 114