Volunteers
We believe that community involvement is essential to student success. Whether you are a parent looking to help in the classroom, a community member interested in mentoring, or a chaperone for a field trip, your time and talents make a world of difference. Thank you for your commitment to our students and our schools!
How to Volunteer at SVUSD
To ensure the safety of our students and to comply with California state law, all volunteers must complete a background clearance and mandated reporter training before beginning their service.
🛑 Volunteers are not authorized until all mandatory district requirements are fulfilled.
Step 1: Start at Your School Site
The volunteer process begins at the school where you wish to serve. Please visit the School Office Manager at that site. They will provide you with the necessary paperwork and instructions tailored to your specific role.
Step 2: Fingerprinting (Live Scan)
To provide the safest environment possible, SVUSD requires all volunteers to undergo a DOJ/FBI fingerprint clearance.
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The School Office Manager will provide you with a Live Scan Request Form.
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You must take this form to a local fingerprinting site.
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Note: We cannot accept clearances from other organizations; fingerprinting must be completed specifically for SVUSD.
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For FAQs and a list of fingerprinting sites, please see our Fingerpriting with SVUSD Info Sheet
💡 Pro-Tip for Faster Processing: Write the name of your school on the Live Scan form (e.g., Volunteer - Sassarini Elementary). This helps our District Office route your clearance to the correct school site immediately!
Step 3: Mandated Reporter Requirements
To ensure the highest level of protection for our students, SVUSD complies with California’s latest safety legislation regarding child abuse prevention. These laws ensure that every adult authorized to work with students—including our valued volunteers—is equipped with the knowledge to recognize and report concerns.
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The Goal: By training our volunteers, we create a "safety net" across the entire Sonoma Valley community, ensuring every student has a safe environment in which to learn.
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Current Requirement: All volunteers will need to complete an online training through Public School Works.
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NOTE: You will need to create a free account with Public School Works so that you can complete the online training.
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Public School Works - Registration Video
Public School Works - Training for Volunteers
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Questions?
Our school office managers are your best first point of contact for site-specific volunteer needs. For general clearance questions, contact the HR Technician: Email Danielle Contreras or call (707) 935-4258
Volunteer Drivers
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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No. Once your fingerprint clearance is on file with SVUSD, it remains valid for the duration of your continuous service with the district. You do not need to repeat the process for subsequent school years.
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Unfortunately, no. State law and privacy regulations prevent the sharing of background check results between organizations. Even if you have been cleared by a youth sports league or another school district, you must be fingerprinted specifically for SVUSD.
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To provide the safest environment possible, SVUSD maintains a universal clearance policy. This ensures that every adult interacting with our students has met the same high safety standards, regardless of the specific volunteer task or the amount of time spent on campus.
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You are cleared to volunteer once both required components of the clearance process are completed and verified by the district:
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Background Check Clearance: Results from Live Scan fingerprinting typically take between a few days to two weeks to be processed by the California Department of Justice (DOJ).
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Mandated Reporter Training: Completion of your online Public School Works training module.
How you'll be notified: Completion of your Public School Works training automatically logs into our system, and background check results are sent directly to the District Office. Once both requirements are checked off, your school’s Office Manager will be notified as soon as you are officially cleared to begin.
Note: Please do not report for volunteer duties until you have received this direct confirmation from your School Office Manager.
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Under California law (including Senate Bill 848 and Assembly Bill 506), individuals who supervise or have direct, regular contact with children are classified as mandated reporters.
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What it means: A mandated reporter is legally required to report any known or suspected instances of child abuse, neglect, or safety concerns observed during their volunteer duties to appropriate protective agencies.
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Why it matters: Student safety is our highest priority. This requirement ensures that all adults who interact with students are trained to recognize warning signs and know the proper channels to advocate for a child's safety and well-being.
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How to fulfill it: Before beginning volunteer duties, all qualifying volunteers must complete a brief online safety and mandated reporter training module provided through Public School Works. Once completed, your certificate will be automatically recorded with the district.
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