Volunteer Program

Volunteering allows parents to make a positive impact on the educational process of the children. The teachers, students, and staff benefit from your participation in school-related activities. As a parent volunteer, your time involved in school related activities ultimately benefits your child and their education. Anyone who wishes to volunteer at St. Barnabas School, whether working directly or not with children needs to complete the following:

1. Read the Indianapolis Archdiocesan Policy titled To Be Safe and Secure. This may be found at the website: www.archindy.org/aguse/index.html. It may be read online or printed, signed and submitted.

2. Complete background check paperwork. This is available on the St. Barnabas School webpage under FORMS. Each applicant is asked to donate $15.50 to underwrite the cost of the background check - if you feel you are able to do so. You will be notified when a repeat background check needs to be completed. If you have already had one done through another school, parish, or organization within the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, it will not need to be repeated.

3. Read the Volunteer Information.

4. Complete the Volunteer Form and submit it to the school office.

5. Attend a VIRTUS training session. VIRTUS is a program on recognizeing sexual abuse and keeping children safe. This is offered at many parishes and you may attend the program that best fits your schedule. Information about the VIRTUS program may be found on the website: www.virtus.org. Registeration for the program is done online.

• a. After attending a VIRTUS training, complete the online VIRTUS registration at www.virtus.org. Send documentation to the school office.


• b. Complete the training modules emailed to you by the VIRTUS organization.

All items must be completed and the paperwork sent to school before volunteering can begin.

Ambassador for the school

As an ambassador for St. Barnabas School, all volunteers are expected to be supportive both in action and words.

Confidentiality

The privacy of all children and teachers/staff members must be respected. Being within a school environment allows you access to information regarding students and teachers. This includes information about student learning and behaviors, student to student, teacher to student, and teacher to teacher interactions. Information obtained about students or teachers during your volunteering is not to be discussed with others.

Sign In

All visitors and volunteers to the school must sign-in and out at the office window and wear a name tag. Report directly to the area and teacher or staff person you will be working with. You are asked not to interrupt any other class or teacher. Appointments should be made if you need to speak with a teacher. If you need to communicate with or drop off something for your child, leave a message or the item at the office window with Mrs. Bridgewater.

Dress Attire

Dress should be appropriate for working within an environment of school- aged children and may be tailored to the activity you are participating.

1. Clothing with tears, regardless of style is not appropriate.

2. Length of shorts/skirt/dress should be of tasteful, modest length.

3. Tight clothing, as well as halter and shoulder-less tops are never appropriate.

Interaction with children

1. All interactions with the children should be positive.

2. You should never place yourself in a situation where you are alone with a child or where no one can see you and the child interacting.

3. In the event you are with children who are acting inappropriately or saying inappropriate things - and the teacher is not aware of what is occurring -please inform a staff member.

Safety

If you are in the building when a fire or severe weather alarm sounds, you must follow the directions of the teachers. If you are routinely in the classroom, please make sure you know where the children are to go in the event the teacher is not present. The children are not released from school during a severe weather warning.

Siblings

Siblings who are not St. Barnabas students should not be in the building during school hours unless supervised by an adult. Infant/toddler/preschool-aged siblings, as a matter of routine, should not accompany a volunteering parent. The exception to this would be in the event that your volunteer responsibilities will occur outside the classroom, away from students, and you are able to carry on your activities as well supervising your children.