Volunteering Policy

 

 

 

St. Louise Parish School requires all families to commit to a minimum of 40 volunteer hours between July 1 and June 30, by volunteering for school activities/events and assisting school staff. Volunteering for most St. Louise Parish activities/events and assisting parish staff also are accepted. Those unable to meet this volunteer hours requirement may be excused by paying an hourly fee in lieu of the unworked hours or be excused in urgent circumstances (e.g. illness-related) by making arrangements with the principal.

 

As a volunteer, parents are to understand that in the process of carrying out their volunteer service to the community of St. Louise School and/or Parish, they may have access to confidential information, both verbal and written. They understand, and agree, that all such information is to be treated confidentially and discussed only within the boundaries of their volunteer position at St. Louise. They agree to uphold the confidentiality of these matters both during and following their volunteer service with St. Louise.

 

Furthermore, all volunteers - and thus all school parents - are required to fulfill the background check and volunteer training requirements of the Seattle Archdiocese’s “Safe Environment” program. The Seattle Archdiocese and St. Louise Parish and School are very vigilant in protecting children. Through the required program – “Safe Environment” (aka “Virtus”) - the Archdiocese conducts criminal background checks on clergy, employees, parents, and volunteers. The Safe Environment program also teaches these people how to recognize the signs of abuse and neglect of minors and vulnerable adults, how to report suspected abuse, and how to keep our parishes and schools safe so the members of our community who are protected at all times. (Please note: all components of the Safe Environment program were reviewed and approved by the Archdiocesan Review Board, the Office of Catholic Faith Formation, and the Archbishop - found to be age-appropriate, research-based, and consistent with the teachings of the Catholic Church.)

 

Every family must log their volunteer hours online via the school website by the final day of each trimester, documenting their volunteer time. Hour totals will be viewed at the end of every trimester by the Parents’ Club volunteer coordinator, who will email families indicating the number of volunteer hours accrued or the amount of money received in lieu of hours. Once a family has reached the minimum 40 hour commitment, no more documentation of hours is necessary. Any family who has not paid their fee, has not volunteered 40 hours, or has not made arrangements with the principal by the end of the school year will not be accepted for registration for the upcoming school year. Student transcripts will be withheld until all hours are completed or fees paid. Those families electing to pay the per-hour fee should inform the volunteer coordinator during the first trimester that they will be paying for their hours. Full payment of the fee for un-worked hours is due by June 1. 

 

 

 

• https://www.virtusonline.org
• http://www.virtusonline.org/virtus/ParentHandbook.pdf