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For Volunteers
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What is the process of becoming a volunteer for WS/FCS?
- Go to: https://www.wsfcsvolunteers.com/
- For new, first-time volunteers, select “New Volunteer” and complete the registration form. Double check all information, make sure to click the Submit button, and write down your login and password or save it to your phone.
- Returning volunteers will use their existing login and password to update their volunteer profile. Double check all information and make sure to click the Submit button.
- If you’ve forgotten your password, select “Forgot your password.” Then enter the email address associated with the application and the login information will be sent to you. If the email has changed or is no longer accessible, please contact the District Volunteer Services Coordinator at 336-748-4000 ext. 70413 or volunteers@wsfcs.k12.nc.us.
- In accordance with WS/FCS Board Policy 4114.5, national and local (AOC) background checks as well as sex offender registry screenings are conducted on all applicants. Volunteer applications are typically reviewed within 7-14 business days. Email notifications will be received after applications are reviewed.
- Volunteers that have any offenses on their background check (even minor offenses like a speeding ticket) require additional steps as a part of the review process. These additional steps may extend the time that it takes to review an application.
- If notification has not been received within 21 days please contact the District Volunteer Services Coordinator.
- Go to: https://www.wsfcsvolunteers.com/
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How can I learn more about volunteer opportunities?
To ensure volunteers understand the expectations of the volunteer roles in schools, role descriptions for most volunteer interests are available.
Review Volunteer Role Descriptions -
Why do volunteer interests vary by school?
To enhance volunteer engagement, school administrators were asked to select from a broad list of volunteer opportunities that could be offered at their school. Schools only selected the opportunities at their campuses where they could truly engage volunteers.
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What makes you ineligible to volunteer?
In accordance with WS/FCS Board Policy 4114.5, applicants who have been charged with or convicted of the following offenses will not be allowed to volunteer with WS/FCS until the charges are dismissed or the conviction is expunged:
- Murder
- Conspiracy or solicitation to commit murder
- Rape or sexual offense
- Felonious assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill or inflicting serious injury
- Kidnapping
- Abduction of a child
- Crime against nature
- Incest
- Employing or permitting minor to assist in offense against public morality or decency
- Dissemination to minors
- Displaying materials harmful to minors
- Participating in prostitution of minors
- Taking indecent liberties with minors
- Solicitation of a child by computer to commit unlawful sex act
- Prostitution
- Child abuse
- Any other crime if there is reasonable and adverse relationship between the underlying conduct and the person’s ability to effectively volunteer, considering the nature, severity regency of the conviction, and age of the applicant at the time of the incident
Please note that other offenses may make volunteers ineligible for unsupervised engagement.
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What happens after I am cleared to volunteer?
- Schools generate a list of approved volunteers on an ongoing basis, often by the interests that volunteers selected at the time that they applied. When registering as a volunteer make sure to select all the opportunities that you want to be considered for at the schools that you have selected.
- Example: You sign-up to be a volunteer Lunch Buddy at a school. One day you are asked to assist with a project in a classroom as a Classroom Helper but the school does not show you as cleared on the Classroom Helper list. What should you do?
- Answer: Login to your profile (https://www.wsfcsvolunteers.com) and make sure you have selected Classroom Helper as a volunteer interest at that school.
- It is a best practice for you as a volunteer to contact the school(s) that you’d like to volunteer with to find out where help is needed.
- School will use the interest option “Other” to contact volunteers when there is a one-time need for volunteers that is not listed. Volunteers can also select this option if you are willing to help in any capacity needed at a school.
- Schools generate a list of approved volunteers on an ongoing basis, often by the interests that volunteers selected at the time that they applied. When registering as a volunteer make sure to select all the opportunities that you want to be considered for at the schools that you have selected.
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How are volunteer hours collected?
Volunteer time is calculated through the computer kiosk check-in and check-out system at each school. The school’s volunteer coordinator/faculty advisor has access to provide a report for volunteers as needed. Talk with the school's volunteer coordinator/faculty advisor for more information.
For Volunteer Coordinators/Faculty Advisors
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Where do I go to view cleared volunteers for my school?
Each school’s volunteer coordinator/faculty advisor can view their school’s cleared volunteers through the online volunteer management system.
Volunteer applicants must submit their information using the online application through a secure website, which protects their information from being lost or stolen. The online registration system also helps cuts down on the wait time for criminal background check approvals.
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How do I find out if my school’s volunteer applicants pass the background checks?
Upon registering, WS/FCS Community Engagement receives screening reports of volunteer applicants and review them to determine which volunteers should be cleared or denied.
Applicants who have registered online receive an automated email after they have submitted their application.
The school’s designated volunteer coordinator/faculty advisor and volunteer applicant receive an email when they have been cleared to volunteer. (Turn-around time varies, but most applicants are processed within 1-5 days).
If an individual’s name does not show on your online “Volunteer List”, they should not be allowed to volunteer. If additional information is needed from the volunteer applicant, the volunteer and school volunteer faculty advisor will be contacted by email by WS/FCS Community Engagement.
Contact the Office of Volunteer Services at volunteers@wsfcs.k12.nc.us or 336.727.2696 if you have any questions or need assistance with an applicant’s status in the system.
Parents who want to visit their child's classroom or eat lunch with their child are not required to be an approved volunteer.
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If a volunteer breaks the law after passing the background check, how will I know?
The volunteer management/registration system runs automated nightly criminal offense monitoring for NC. This way, if a volunteer breaks the law anywhere in North Carolina, WS/FCS Community Engagement will know about it the next morning and will inform the school principal and volunteer faculty advisor if the offense warrants a change in the volunteer's status.
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How will I see who is registered to volunteer at my school?
School volunteer coordinators/faculty advisors will have access to the online volunteer management system for their school. Central office administrators and the district’s Volunteer Coordinator will have access to all volunteer information.
Returning volunteers will need to update their volunteer profile and application by logging in at the designated time to reactivate their application, updating any contact information, schools or volunteer interests to allow the system to re-approve them for the upcoming school year.
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Will the system allow me to communicate with volunteers?
Yes, the online volunteer management system will allow you to export contact information for your school's volunteers. This will allow you to communicate with your cleared volunteers. This can be used for school announcements, reminders about assemblies/field trips, school events, or other communications applying to volunteers.
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How do I add an administrator for my school’s account?
The principals and volunteer coordinator/faculty advisor will have access to your school's volunteer information via the volunteer management system and will serve as point person for the school.
Principals can send their designated volunteer coordinator/faculty advisor names to the Office of Volunteer Services at volunteers@wsfcs.k12.nc.us so that appropriate access can be setup.