In an effort to protect the children in our care during school hours, the Diocese of St. Petersburg is requiring each school to follow the procedure outlined below in screening the volunteers who will work directly with our children. Please read the descriptions of the types of volunteers below and follow the procedure that outlines the type of volunteer you will be at Guardian Angels Catholic School.
LEVEL1
Level 1 volunteers are defined as volunteers who will be working on fundraising activities, at – home volunteer activities, and activities that do not require the volunteer to assume the care, responsibility and supervision of children. Volunteers who work in the library, technology classes, middle school “Pay – to Play” activities, and lunchroom are considered Level 1 volunteers. Parents who volunteer outside of school, either working on at – home projects for teachers, or with the PFA on the various functions need not complete an application. Guardian Angels will follow the following procedure to screen Level 1 volunteers:
1. The volunteer will complete a Volunteer Application (available in the school office) and return it to the school office as soon as possible. If both parents wish to volunteer, a separate application packet must be completed for each parent.
2. If possible, complete a diocesan approved Safe Environment Training. While this is not mandatory for Level 1 volunteers, it is strongly recommended in the event that a volunteer wishes to volunteer at a Level 2 situation at a later time.
The link to complete the initial Safe Environment training online is found under
Quick Links on this website. This training must be renewed every five years. Renewals can be done online,
as well. A copy of the class certification should be provided to the school office.
LEVEL 2
Level 2 volunteers are defined as volunteers who will or may be left to care, supervise or assume responsibility for children. Volunteers who fall into this category are classroom volunteers, room parents, coaches, and field trip chaperones. Guardian Angels will follow the following procedure to screen Level 2 volunteers:
1. The volunteer will complete a Volunteer Application (available in the school office) and return it to the school office as soon as possible. If both parents wish to volunteer, a separate application packet must be completed for each parent.
3. Diocesan policy requires that all volunteers in this category have a Level 2 Background screening. This screening can be scheduled through the diocese. The link to the site to schedule the screening can be found on the Guardian Angels website under “Quick Links” at the top of the page. The volunteer will be required to be rescreened every five years. If you are scheduling a rescreening, you will go through the same link on the website.
4. A Level 2 volunteer must complete a diocesan approved Safe
Environment Training. The link to complete the initial Safe Environment
training online is found under Quick Links on this website. This training must be renewed every five years. Renewals can be done online,
as well. A copy of the class certification should be provided to the
school office.
While this procedure may seem a bit time consuming, we cannot lose sight of the fact that we will always do our best to provide a safe learning environment for our students. I appreciate your willingness to share your time with our students.
Dear Parents: