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Who is a volunteer?
Under Act 15 of 2015 (the Act), which amends the provisions of the Child Protective Services Law, volunteers who are responsible for the child’s welfare or who have “direct volunteer contact” with children at a school— meaning the care, supervision, guidance, or control of children and routine interaction with children will be required to have background checks. The Act clarifies that “routine interaction” means “regular and repeated contact that is integral to a person’s employment or volunteer responsibilities.”

The Pennsylvania Department of Education's view is that mere visitors are not normally required to obtain background checks to the extent that such visitors are not responsible for a child’s welfare or are visiting the school irregularly and not providing for the care, supervision, guidance, or control of children. Some examples of situations where such visitors normally would not be required to have background checks would include but are not limited to: Back-to-School nights, parent/teacher conferences, school assemblies, school concerts, assisting with school birthday parties, parent guest readers, chaperones for field trips and dances (so long as not routine or responsible for the child’s welfare), Halloween parades, collecting tickets to sporting events, working concession stands, participating in “Career Day,” Etc. In this capacity, school visitors do not need clearances. By contrast, persons who are responsible for the child’s welfare or who wish to visit the school regularly to serve as volunteers and to provide for the care, supervision, guidance, or control of children would be required to have background checks. Some examples of persons needing background checks would include but not be limited to regular classroom volunteer assistants, recess and library volunteers, and volunteer coaches/club advisors. 

Who can help?
If you have you any questions about volunteering in the Reading SchoolDistrict or you need assistance with the мÓÆÂÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø Volunteer Application and/or obtaining your checks and clearances, please call the мÓÆÂÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø Office of Human Resources at 484-258-7010 or stop by the Administration Building at 800 Washington Street.  

How can I become a мÓÆÂÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø volunteer? 

• Step 1:
  Download and complete the мÓÆÂÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø Volunteer Application. 
  
  
• Step 2:
  Complete the Pennsylvania Criminal History Background Check
  Link: Select "“New Record Check” - Volunteers Only
  
  
• Step 3:
  Complete the Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance
  Link: 
  Log in to Child Welfare Portal and access your clearance or create a new account and apply for a clearance
  
  
• Step 4:
  a. Complete the FBI Criminal History Record (fingerprinting) if you have not lived in Pennsylvania continuously for more than 10 years. Note, FBI Criminal History certifications obtained through the Department of Human Services will also be accepted by the District. 
  Link:  
  
  
  b. Or complete the Volunteer Disclosure Statement if you have lived in Pennsylvania continuously for more than ten years
  Link:
• Step 5: 
  Submit your completed volunteer application, Pennsylvania Criminal History Background Check, Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance and FBI Criminal History Record or Volunteer Disclosure Statement to the main office of the school where you plan to volunteer or to the мÓÆÂÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø , located at 800 Washington Street, Reading.
  
  
• Step 6: 

  Volunteer FBI Background Check (COST $$)

  All school volunteers must now obtain a volunteer Service Code from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS). This change is in response to a bulletin issued by DHS that indicates all individuals governed by the Child Protective Services Law (CPSL) must obtain clearances through DHS. This change includes all public, private, and nonpublic school volunteers. To obtain a volunteer Service Code, individuals must contact DHS directly at 1-877-371-5422 or RA-PWCPSLQUESTIONS@pa.gov. 

   

The district has established a Knight's Closet at each of our school buildings to help students in need, particularly those who are homeless or at-risk. Our goal in creating the Knight Closet is to meet students basic needs with items such as food, clothing, hygiene products and school supplies. We are hopeful by fulfilling these needs students will be able to focus on their education. If you would like to donate to Knight's Closet, please contact social worker/RHS homeless liaison Leanne Eckenrode at 610-371-5705 Ext. 81401. Monetary donations are accepted and can be made payable to RHS Knight Closet.

Support a teacher's special classroom project through DonorsChoose.org, an online crowdfunding tool. Funded мÓÆÂÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø projects have included bean bag chairs for flexible seating, chair pockets to organize classroom materials and acoustic guitars for an innovative guitar lab.