• Volunteers


    School volunteers play an important role in the success of our schools. They provide an extra set of hands, help increase community support for schools, and give teachers more time to concentrate on instruction.

    Our volunteers are parents and grandparents, retirees, business people, and community members anyone who cares about schools and wants to be involved in the education of our children.

    Volunteers are welcome!

    The Human Resources Department prefers that the online     Volunteer Services Application be completed (in lieu of completing a paper application). The online application can be accessed by going to the Community section of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools (WS/FCS) website at: http://wsfcs.k12.nc.us .

    LEVEL 0 VOLUNTEERS:     No formal screening or training is required for Level 0 volunteers since they do not have direct contact or supervision of students. These persons include: current and retired employees, office clerical assistants, PTA/PTSA fund raising activities, proctors, outdoor projects such as landscaping, athletics concession sales, school fairs, student teachers and interns (when under the direct supervision of a teacher) or guest speakers. Level 0 volunteers must complete the online or paper Volunteer Services Application. 

    LEVEL 1 VOLUNTEERS:     Level 1 screening is required for volunteers who have direct contact with and controlled access to students under the supervision of the professional staff, such as: reading or lunch buddies, in-class volunteers, chaperones for day field trips (in-county or out-of-county), corporate volunteer program tutors or health room assistants.

    Level 1 volunteers: (a) must complete the online or paper Volunteer Services Application; (b) must receive appropriate training; (c) must be screened through the National Sex Offender Registry.

    LEVEL 2 VOLUNTEERS:  Level 2 screening is required for volunteers who have direct contact with and supervision of students for extended periods of time without direct supervision of the professional staff. Level 2 volunteers include, but are not limited to:

    volunteer athletics coaches, after hours remediation/tutors, overnight field trip chaperones (regardless of the location), and after-school one-on-one mentors. Level 2 screening consists of all the steps for Level 1 screening and: (a) a personal interview (or if a staff member can attest to the applicant"s character and qualifications, may be waived); (b) a reference check; and (c) a criminal history check (must be completed once per volunteer lifetime with the WS/FCS).
    A volunteer chaperone must be approved as a Level 2 volunteer before the volunteer may be asked or required to pay any fees for the trip.

    Level 2 volunteer applications must be submitted online to the Human Resources Department not less than forty-five (45) calendar days before beginning volunteer services (e.g., the date of an overnight out-of-town field trip).

    COLLEGE STUDENTS/INTERNS/STUDENT TEACHERS:     College students, adult interns and student teachers must be screened using the same volunteer guidelines as other volunteers if they desire to serve as a volunteer (when not under the direct supervision of a teacher or staff member).
    HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT VOLUNTEERS: High school student volunteers do not have to be screened as volunteers but must complete the online or paper Volunteer Services Application. However, high school students should not be assigned Level 2 volunteer duties. 
    WS/FCS EMPLOYEES AS VOLUNTEERS: Current and retired employees are eligible to volunteer in the WS/FCS and are exempt from the screening procedures. Each employee must complete an online Volunteer Services Application and reference "WS/FCS" or "WS/FCS Retiree" in the Employer field of the volunteer application.


    EMPLOYEE AND VOLUNTEER DRIVERS: If a volunteer agrees to drive students on a field trip or some other school sponsored activity, the volunteer must complete the online Volunteer Driver Application form certifying that he/she has a good driving record and authorizing the WS/FCS to conduct a driver record check. 
    A Volunteer Driver Application must be completed once per school year by each volunteer driving students. Volunteers must also produce the following documents once per school year: (a) a copy of the driver"s or vehicle owner"s current Insurance Identification Card; (b) a copy of the current vehicle registration form; and (c) a current copy of the driver"s license from the driver. These documents must be reviewed and approved by the principal or assistant principal before a volunteer can be allowed to transport students. In the case of a volunteer who is not an employee of the WS/FCS, the school administrator must also review the completed and approved online Volunteer Services Application form and the online Volunteer Driver Application form. 
    All people driving a school vehicle or transporting students must have the appropriate license for the category or type of vehicle they are driving (e.g., Commercial Class A, Commercial Class B, Commercial Class C), a current not suspended or expired diver"s license and a good driving record. In addition, school buses, activity buses and/or insured and approved commercial motor coach carriers are the preferred choices for transporting students on field trips or for any other school-sponsored or related purpose or activity. Use of private vehicles or rental passenger vehicles driven by employees or volunteers to transport students for field trips, extra-class activities, special programs or any other purpose is permitted but is subject to the regulations set forth.
    Volunteer/Employee Drivers - Field Trip Permission Forms: WS/FCS field trip permission forms must include information about the method of transportation and should be used to obtain parent permission for the use of cars and vans for a field trip.
    Volunteer/Employee Drivers - Extra-Class Activities: Coaches or activity sponsors must obtain written permission for the transportation of students in private vehicles . One permission form may be used for the school year or the sports season.
    Volunteer/Employee Drivers in the Event of an Emergency: In an emergency, parent permission may be obtained by email, fax or (as a last resort) orally by telephone.
    INELIGIBLE VOLUNTEERS: All former employees of the WS/FC Board of Education who are coded as ineligible for rehire are ineligible to volunteer in WS/FCS. Any person who is a registered sex offender may not serve as a volunteer.
    REGISTRATION AND NAMETAG:  Volunteers must register/sign-in at the main office at the beginning of each school visit. Volunteers must wear a nametag while in the building.
    VOLUNTEER ADD or TRANSFER FORMS:
    If an individual has already been approved as a Level 0, Level 1, or Level 2 volunteer at another WS/FC school and that person would like to volunteer at Atkins High School, they must complete the Volunteer Add or Transfer Form and submit it to Sherri Crenshaw (Volunteer Faculty Advisor). The form will be forwarded to the Volunteer Coordinator at the previously approved school. 

     
Last Modified on September 11, 2011