VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION

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VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION

• Presented by
• School District of
• Pickens County
• 2009-2010
• 1348 Griffin Mill Road
• Easley, SC 29640

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Goals of the Volunteer Program

• Strengthen the involvement of parents in the
  education of their children
• Increase participation of business and industry
  in public schools
• Broaden community involvement in our schools
• Establish awards and recognition for individuals,
  businesses, and organizations that contribute to
  effective partnerships
• Establish mutually beneficial partnerships with
  business and industry, institutions of higher
  learning, and community organizations

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WE NEED YOU!

• We encourage volunteerism in our schools for the
  following reasons
• Students are provided with enriched learning
  experiences.
• Teachers are relieved of certain routine duties.
• Community provides input in planning by serving
  on committees, councils, and study groups.
• Volunteers can increase opportunities for
  personal attention and assistance to individual
  students.

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Volunteer

• A volunteer is a person or group who has been
  approved by completing the districts volunteer
  process and then provides goods and services of
  his/her own free will to the School District of
  Pickens County.

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Volunteer Hour

• A volunteer hour is one for which SDPC pays no
  monetary remuneration.
• According to Independent Sector, a leadership
  forum for charities, foundations, and corporate
  giving programs,
• The estimated dollar value of volunteer time is
  19.51 per hour for 2007.

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Volunteer Coordinator and Liaison

• The model that is used in our school district is
  a program that is headed by a volunteer
  coordinator and a volunteer liaison.
• The volunteer coordinator is a parent volunteer
  who handles the day-to-day volunteer
  responsibilities.
• The volunteer liaison is a school staff member
  who supervises the coordinator.

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Process to Become a Volunteer

• Complete an SDPC Volunteer Application.
• Attend a volunteer training program which will
  cover school procedures, blood borne pathogens,
  and sexual harassment policy. This can be
  completed at any local school or at Central
  Services.
• Undergo a South Carolina criminal background and
  sex offender check.

By completing the application you are agreeing
to abide by the policies and procedures of the
School District of Pickens County school board
and its facilities while volunteering.
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Volunteer Renewal

• Each year a volunteer will only need to update
  their application in KeepnTrack. A person may
  not volunteer until this is completed.
• Update every year after June 15th - so no time is
  wasted at the beginning of the school year.

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BLOODBORNE PATHOGEN TRAINING

• BBP training is required by OSHA-Occupational
  Safety Health Administration
• We want you to understand what BBPs are and
  how you can prevent transmission of these
  diseases.

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Bloodborne PathogensWhat do you need to know as
a volunteer?

• Bloodborne Pathogens Quick Review
• excerpted with permission from
  Bloodborne Pathogens-Fast Facts for Schools
  from Coastal Training Technologies
• Bloodborne pathogens are disease-causing
  organisms found in the blood and certain body
  fluids of an infected person.

HIV HBV HCV
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Your risk of being exposed to a BBP at school is
low.However, please keep these factors in mind.

• You should treat all bloody and body fluids as
  infected material and take steps to protect
  yourself.
• Use disposable gloves, and remove them properly
• Wash your hands thoroughly with non-abrasive soap
  and water.
• Be careful when you clean up any blood. When
  assisting someone who is bleeding, try to get the
  person to stop the bleeding by using direct
  pressure.
• Dont clean up potential BBPs if youre not
  trained or authorized to do so.
• Keep soiled hands away from your eyes, nose, and
  mouth.
• You are not expected to be a first responder.

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How do those viruses get passed from one person
to another?

• A needle-stick injury or a cut with a piece of
  contaminated glass could penetrate through your
  skin or
• through one of your mucous membranes found
  in your eyes, nose or mouth.
• Infected women may expose their newborn children
  to BBP's through amniotic fluid.
• Sexual contact

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The following body fluids are not expected to be
infectious sources of blood borne pathogens
unless they are visibly contaminated with blood

• tears
• vomit
• sweat
• sputum
• nasal secretions
• feces
• urine

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SC Good Samaritan Law SECTION 15-1-310

• Any person, who in good faith gratuitously
  renders emergency care at the scene of an
  accident or emergency to the victim thereof,
  shall not be liable for any civil damages for any
  personal injury as a result of any act or
  omission by such person in rendering the
  emergency care or as a result of any act or
  failure to act to provide or arrange for further
  medical treatment or care for the injured person,
  except acts or omissions amounting to gross
  negligence or willful or wanton misconduct.

Liability for emergency care rendered at scene of
accident.
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SEXUAL HARASSMENT

• Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination
  that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
  of 1964.
• Sexual harassment of any kind in the workplace
  will not be permitted or ignored
• VIOLATIONS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED AND MAY RESULT
  IN DISCIPLINARY ACTION OR TERMINATION.

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WHAT IS SEXUAL HARASSMENT?

• Any demand or sexual inference
• Verbal or non-verbal such as
• sexual innuendoes
• suggestive comments
• threats

• Jokes about specific traits
• Sexual propositions
• Suggestive or insulting noises
• Obscene gestures
• Physical body contact
• Insults

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BASIC REQUIREMENTS

• Be willing to assist classroom teachers and
  others at the school.
• Be friendly, cooperative, and professional in all
  activities and dealings with all people.
• Remember, everything you deal with is
  confidential.

• Dont criticize the teacher, principal, or
  school--be supportive
• Do school work, not personal work
• Be professional in appearance
• Familiarize yourself with the school handbook,
  routines, procedures.

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Remember

• Access to student records, grades, or personal
  student information is not allowed.
• The use of ALL tobacco products is prohibited on
  school property and while chaperoning or coaching
  students.

• Check in and out of main office (KeepnTrack)
• If you volunteer after office hours report your
  hours to your volunteer coordinator.
• Wear your ID Badge to identify yourself as a
  volunteer.
• Be prompt.

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Volunteer RecognitionLocal, District and State

• Local school recognition throughout the year and
  during National Volunteer Week
• District recognition for Gold winners
• are invited to SDPC s Celebrations of
  Learning reception- a gathering of principals and
  district leaders to honor exceptional teachers
  and volunteers.

• District and National recognition through the
  Presidential Volunteer Service Awards
• 100 hours -Bronze
• 250 hours- Silver
• 500 hours- Gold

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SC State Board of Education Volunteer Award

• SC State Board of Education recognizes
• individuals
• businesses
• civic organizations
• School Improvement Councils
• Criteria for selection include
• promoting student achievement
• enhancing school-community relations
• strengthening school or district resources
• encouraging a positive climate
• promoting teacher effectiveness.

SC State Board of Education 2007 winner, Mary
Galloway from Ambler Elementary School. Carlton
Lewis, principal at Ambler Elementary on the left
of Mary. To the far right is State Superintendent
of Education, Dr. Jim Rex. Past winner Lisa
Bates 2005 Holly Springs El. 2008 winners Mary
Kelly Six Mile Elementary
St. Jude Medical Liberty El.
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Hints to bring district and state recognition to
your school.

1. Always sign in/out of KeepnTrack
2. Count your hours when you are not at school, but
   working on volunteer activities such as PTO
   events, cutting out items for teachers,
   chaperoning trips, planning events for your
   school, and travel time to and from your place of
   service.
3. Even if you might be hesitant to count your own
   hours, do it anyway so that your school might be
   recognized.
4. Encourage any group you are volunteering with to
   report their hours such as Band Boosters,
   Athletic Boosters, Academic Foundations,
   Wrestling, Volleyball, Softball, or any sport
   where you take on a helping role. ( as compared
   to simply being a spectator).
5. Make sure to find out who in your organization is
   collecting hours.
6. Update your application yearly and early. As
   early as June 15th.
7. Recognize with a simple thank you all the people
   around you who are enhancing your school by their
   gift of time.

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VOLUNTEERS IN THE CLASSROOM

• Inform the teacher of possible problems
• Ask for permission to branch out into areas that
  you havent been asked to assist with
• Be aware of no student/children areas office
  areas, teacher mailbox area, teachers lounge
• Phone conferences in your hearing range

• Get assignments, materials, and information on
  duties from teachers or other staff members
• Do not visit other classrooms or teachers or
  students
• Do not bring your child with you to volunteer or
  chaperone.

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And one more thing. As cute as they are, please
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Dont bring your child with you to volunteer or
chaperone.
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Things you can do...

• Assist with class parties/field trips and chess
  club
• Serve as a greeter at district events
• Become a School Improvement member
• Run off copies
• Join and participate in PTO activities
• Assist in programs/assemblies
• Assist in writing nominations for outstanding
  volunteers and school staff.

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Things you can do...

• Assist with extra-curricular events like marching
  band, sports, and academic clubs
• Assist with supervision as long as a teacher or
  administrator is present.
• Presentations
• Assist schools who have butterfly gardens

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And we always need tutors, mentors , coaches and
service groups to help
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FIELD TRIPS AND OTHER OFF CAMPUS EVENTSBy LEZLIE
PATTERSON excerpts from The State

• Chaperone
• Teachers need chaperones to help them supervise
  and control students in public places. Its not
  an opportunity for a free trip. Its not a chance
  to schmooze with friends, spoil your child or
  relax.

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Be on time or early.

• Be prepared. Field trip mornings are usually
  hectic, so ask ahead of time what you can do to
  help.
• Know whats going on.
• Ask for an itinerary with times and locations.
• Remember youre not there to make friends.

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Supervise the kids in your group at all times.
Count and recount!

• Realize you have to follow the rules, too.
• And no special treatment for your child.
• Make sure the kids are settled and eating lunch
  before you do.
• Have a cell phone for emergencies. Know where
  some tissues, bandages and gloves are in case of
  emergency.

• Be patient and helpful. And remember, treat the
  kids in your group the way youd want someone to
  treat your child.
• Dont complain.

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Remember, you volunteered for this!
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DISCIPLINEHow You Can Help!

• CHECK WITH THE TEACHER FIRST!
• The teacher handles discipline, not the
  volunteer.
• Discuss any discipline issues that have come up
  and how did you handle it?
• How can you help?
• Praise
• Respect
• Support the teacher

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LEGAL ASPECTS

• You are responsible.
• Confidentiality is essential.
• Treat other children like you would want them to
  treat your child.
• Do not discuss individual students outside of the
  school setting.

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REVIEW!

• Be prompt.
• Check in at main office--wear ID badge.
• Turn in your out-of-school volunteer hours to
  your volunteer liaison.
• Check with the teacher for the plan to follow.
• Dont visit other classes or teachers or
  students.
• Be positive.
• Dont criticize or be argumentative.

• If you have a question, ask--dont assume
  anything.
• Keep your eyes open and be aware of what is going
  on around you.
• Everything you hear, see, or learn about students
  is confidential.
• Please do not bring your children with you while
  volunteering during the school day.

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Volunteering is the ultimate exercise in
democracy. You vote in elections once a year, but
when you volunteer, you vote every day about the
kind of community you want to live in. Marjorie
Moore, Minds Eye Information Service, Belleville,
IL, USA

• You are greatly appreciated by our
  superintendent, school board, entire faculty and
  staff and the students of the School District of
  Pickens County.

Thank you!