Any Boosters member who has regular interaction with students, including as a chaperone, is required by Pennsylvania state law to complete a background clearance. This process is overseen by the South Western School District for our volunteers:
Volunteers are those who offer assistance or a service to the school district without receiving compensation and have direct contact with learners. (Direct contact with children is defined per the law as: “The care, supervision, guidance or control of children and routine interaction with children.”) The District makes the distinction between a volunteer and visitor on a case-by-case basis. As a part of our ongoing efforts to ensure learner safety, all volunteers are required to complete a Volunteer Registration Form, a PDE-6004 Form (Act 24 of 2011), a Child Abuse Background Check, and a Pennsylvania Criminal Background Check. For anyone who has not lived in Pennsylvania for the last ten (10) consecutive years as an adult, you will be required to complete an FBI Federal Criminal History Clearance as well. Copies of all clearances and completed volunteer forms will be maintained at the administration office as confidential documents.
The School District issues identification badges to all volunteers successfully completing a volunteer clearance. Pennsylvania currently waives the background fees for volunteer-only state clearances. To begin this process, follow the directions below.
Complete instructions for obtaining volunteer clearances and approvals are on the South Western School District website. You will find the link for the volunteer manual and the forms that need to be filled out and turned into the school. In the forms link you will also find the links to the clearances that need to be obtained and included with the forms to the school. If you have lived in PA for the last 10 consecutive years, you do not need the FBI clearance. For any questions concerning volunteer clearances, please contact the Administration Office at 717-632-2500.