Volunteers are an important part of student success in Duval County Public Schools. Our community contributes tens of thousands of volunteer hours each year, and we sincerely appreciate all that our volunteers do on behalf of our students.

The safety of those students while in our care also is of paramount importance. As part of the district’s focus on keeping our students safe, the Duval County School Board recently adopted a new policy requiring that all school volunteers complete a volunteer application and undergo a basic background screening before performing any volunteer duties. This policy applies to all kinds of volunteers, including classroom volunteers, mentors, field trip chaperones, event helpers and others.
(Because mentors often work alone with students, they also undergo additional background screening and training.)

If you anticipate volunteering in any way in a Duval County public school during the 2008-2009 school year, we encourage you to complete a DCPS volunteer application now to ensure that you will be able to participate in the manner in which you wish. Please seal your completed application inside an envelope. When you send it to the school, it will be forwarded, unopened, to the district Community Involvement Office, where it will be processed by district staff trained in conducting background screenings.

In order for us to process your application and conduct the required screening, you must include your Social Security number, date of birth and signature on the application. This information, in addition to any information developed during the background screening, will be kept in a secure location at the district office. It is not shared with anyone in the schools or with other district departments.

If you wish to volunteer but have concerns about information that a background screening may produce, please don’t hesitate to call us at 390-2960. In many cases, this information will not prevent you from becoming a volunteer. We will be happy to discuss your individual situation with you and answer any questions you may have.

Sincerely,
Tina Wirth
Duval County Public Schools
Community Involvement Office