ECNS Volunteers & Visitors

Parents are always welcome in our school.  Please schedule visits with your child’s teacher. Teachers may also ask for parent volunteers throughout the year for various projects.  Remember to sign in on the class’s sign-in sheet when you arrive and leave.  Parents of children in our 2 year old playgroup are considered volunteers and will need to acquire clearances.  We require all volunteers complete the ECNS Volunteer Form

Volunteer Registration Form

Volunteers and Visitors are defined as:

(a) Volunteer:  An adult individual serving in an unpaid position who is responsible for the welfare of a child or children or has direct contact with children (care, supervision, guidance, or control of children, or routine interaction with children).  A Volunteer is someone who is more than a Visitor, and normally involves an adult individual working directly with one or more children, having responsibility for one or more children, and having repeated interaction with one or more children.

(b) Visitor:  An individual whose actions do not rise to the level of a Volunteer.  Examples of Visitors include, but are not limited to, a parent, close relative, or guardian who visits a child’s classroom for a birthday celebration, special event, to be a guest reader, or otherwise observe a child’s classroom.

(c) Volunteer Clearances:  Volunteers are required to submit to ECNS the following background check information which shall be updated at least every sixty (60) months as long as the Volunteer continues to volunteer at ECNS and any applicable notice of arrest:

1. Pennsylvania State Police Criminal History Report dated no more than 60 months prior to the application date.
   
   • Pennsylvania State Police Criminal History Report
     ● Electronic submission- https://epatch.pa.gov/home 
     ● Follow links for VOLUNTEER
2. Human Services Child Abuse Report dated no more than 60 months prior to the application date.
   
   • Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Child Abuse Report.
     ● Electronic submission- www.compass.state.pa.us/CWIS
     ● Create individual account
     ● Log in after account is created, you may be directed to change your password, no code needed
     ● Complete clearance
3. Federal Criminal History Report dated no more than 60 months prior to the application date.  A Federal Criminal History Report is not required for a Volunteer who provides a written statement found on the Volunteer Form (link above) that he or she has been a Pennsylvania resident during the entirety of the previous 10 year period.
   • • Federal Bureau of Investigations Criminal History Report.
       ● Required If you have not lived in PA for the previous 10 years
       ● NOT required for a Volunteer who provides a written statement that he or she
       has been a Pennsylvania resident during the entirety of the previous 10 year
       period.
       ● Electronic submission- https://www.identogo.com/
       • Follow the blue “Get Fingerprinted” link on the top right hand corner
       •  Use code 1KG6ZJ
4. Notice of arrest.  A Volunteer is required to provide written notice to ECNS of an arrest or conviction or if the Volunteer has been named as a perpetrator in a founded or indicated report within 72 hours of the arrest, conviction or listing as a perpetrator of any crime or offense listed under 23 Pa.C.S.A. §6344(c). 

You are eligible for one free clearance every 57 months.  Clearances requested before the 57 months are subject to an $8.oo fee.