Volunteer Policy
PLEASE READ THIS CAREFULLY: If you’re planning on volunteering in the classroom or during field trips, you will need to apply for your LAUSD volunteer badge as soon as possible.
In response to changes in LAUSD’s Volunteer Program Policies, our teachers and the Carpenter Governance Council have voted to keep Carpenter a 'Tier III' school as per the definition set out in the new LAUSD policy, and have approved the following policy to take effect with the beginning of the 2019/2020 school year.
Carpenter's volunteer policy distinguishes between:
A. volunteers who are interacting with children during the instructional day under the supervision of a certificated employee (classroom and field trip volunteers)
B. visitors who are either not interacting with children (e.g. attending meetings, or for event set-up), or attending social events (e.g. for birthday or holiday celebrations, or class plays or performances)
A. Volunteers interacting with children during the instructional day (classroom and field trip volunteers)
All volunteers interacting directly with students during the instructional day (i.e. during school hours) under the supervision of a certified employee (teacher) have to have been fingerprinted and screened by the school district. This includes volunteers working with children in the classroom, or anywhere on campus, as well as volunteers accompanying classes on field trips.
HOW TO APPLY:
Step 1: Application
Volunteers must complete all steps of the District’s Volunteer Application, Part A (Attachment A), or online at https://volunteerapp.lausd.net, sign the application, and submit the signed form to the school office.
Step 2: Volunteer Commitment Form
A signed copy of the volunteer commitment form needs to be on file in the school office.
Step 3: TB Clearance
You will need TB Clearance, signed by a healthcare provider within 60 days prior to beginning volunteer service. The TB Clearance must be submitted to the office and remains valid for 4 years
Step 4: Fingerprinting
The Carpenter office will set up an appointment for you to be fingerprinted at an LAUSD office. Most of our volunteers are fingerprinted in Reseda (6505 Zelzah Ave., Building 6, Reseda, CA 91335). Appointments are usually in the morning and take approximately 20 minutes. LAUSD no longer asks volunteers to pay a fee, the fingerprinting is free of charge.
***What to expect when you arrive at the fingerprinting office***
From a former Carpenter parent: "My appointment was at 8:30am. I arrived at 8:20am. Once inside I was asked to sign in, to provide my current/non-expired driver's license and my social security card. If you take your passport, take your DL with you anyway if you have one as it will save time. I had one form to fill out, front and back. I was asked to wash my hands in the restroom. I returned to the office and was then taken to a machine and fingerprinted. The entire process took about 20 minutes."
Renewal
All volunteer badges need to be renewed for each new school year, but you do not have to be fingerprinted again, and your TB clearance only needs to be redone after four years. For renewal, simply pull up your online application again and re-submit, marking yourself "Returning Volunteer" under "Volunteer Type".
B. Volunteers or visitors not interacting with children during the instructional day (e.g. meetings, event set-up, birthdays, or performances)
Volunteers who want to access the school campus, but are either not interacting with students (for example to help set up events), or visiting to attend a social function (e.g. birthday, class play, holiday performance) need to come in through the office with a valid photo ID to be issued a visitor’s badge through the RAPTOR ID system.
Lunch Visitors: Any parents wishing to visit their child during recess or lunch time need to come in through the office with a valid photo ID to be issued a visitor’s badge through the RAPTOR ID system. They will also be required to check-out their child from school. Parents/volunteers will not be permitted to visit or sit with their child at the lunch pavilion tables during breaks.
**ATTENTION: Anyone without a pass/clearance will not be allowed into the school due to LAUSD policy. Please direct any questions/concerns to our school principal, Mr Martinez, in the main office at (818) 761-4363.