Volunteer Information/Requirements

The Oak Grove School District (OGSD) recognizes and appreciates that volunteer assistance in schools can significantly enrich the educational program, increase supervision of students, contribute to school safety, and strengthen a school’s relationship with the community. We encourage parents/guardians and other community members to share their time, knowledge, and abilities with students.

In compliance with California Education Code Section 35021 and Board Policy 1240, the Board requires school volunteers to be screened and authorized to volunteer. Volunteers who may be in contact with students outside the presence of certificated staff, however briefly, must arrange for a California Department of Justice (DOJ) fingerprint submission prior to volunteering. Also, volunteers who will have frequent or prolonged contact with students must also have tuberculosis (TB) tested and cleared. These requirements are in place, given an abundance of caution for student safety and well-being.

Individuals are not allowed to begin a volunteer school assignment until the following steps are completed:
School principals have the discretion to determine which volunteers must be fingerprinted for a DOJ background check based on the type of volunteerism. The table below highlights some common examples.

Determine which volunteer activities you will be doing to determine the need to be fingerprinted and undergo a background check by the California Department of Justice (DOJ).

COLUMN A Fingerprinting/DOJ Background Check and TB Clearance are Required *	COLUMN B Fingerprinting/DOJ Background Check and TB Not Required. No Application Needed
Regularly volunteers in contact with students	Visits the office for the purpose of conducting business there. (e.g., Assisting teacher(s) with picture day, organizing curriculum packets, making copies, etc.)
Could be outside the presence of a certificated staff member (teacher or administrator), even briefly	Short-term, non-recurring volunteers of 8 hours or less during the school year under the immediate supervision and direction of certificated personnel of the district
Drivers and/or chaperones for field trips, including after-school sports. (Note: A valid CA Driver's License and proof of insurance coverage are also required. These additional forms can be accessed in the school front office)	Volunteer supervisors for breakfast, lunch, or other nutritional periods pursuant to California Education Code Sections 44814 and 44815, and nonteaching volunteers, as defined in Education Code Section 35021, under the immediate supervision and direction of certificated personnel of the district, shall not be required to be fingerprinted
Coaches or assists with special events, including dances, sports competitions, drama, and musical productions	Attends school events at which parents are expected to supervise their own children (e.g., Walk-A-Thon, Family Math Night, or Ice Cream Social)
*NOTE: Please note that this chart is not necessarily an exhaustive list.	Attends a guardian/parent-staff conference
	Presents at a “Career Exploration Day” once during the school year
	Attends a musical, drama production, athletic performance, awards night, academic or art event as a member of the audience, etc.

In This Section

If your volunteer activity falls under column A above, please continue to step 2

Step 2

Volunteer applicants should submit an OGSD Volunteer Application with ONE of the following attached to the Human Resources Department:

Proof of TB Test (within the last 4 years)
Volunteer TB Risk Assessment (within the last 4 years) or
Clear chest x-ray

TB Screening of Volunteers: Upon initial volunteer assignment, a volunteer shall have on file with the district a certificate showing that they have submitted to a tuberculosis (TB) risk assessment and, if tuberculosis risk factors were identified, was examined and found to be free of infectious tuberculosis (Ed Code 49406). Each volunteer needs to have a risk assessment every four (4) years to determine whether a TB test is required. Please check with your school principal if you have a question about needing TB tested and/or fingerprinted.

Applications & Proof of TB clearance may be submitted online.

Step 3

Fingerprint Clearance - Once an application is received by Human Resources (HR), volunteers will receive an email with the Department of Justice form and fingerprint details. Once you have received the details from Human Resources, please complete your fingerprint clearance. Fingerprinting is available at the District Office and locations within the community. (Please note that a valid picture ID is required for fingerprinting.) The cost for fingerprinting is $32.00. Please contact your school principal for a fingerprinting fee waiver. Waivers are limited.

Step 4

Step 5

Volunteers applicants should contact the School Secretary and/or Principal to inquire whether they are cleared to start volunteering.

Note: School volunteers and campus guests must sign in at the school office upon entering the school premises and must sign- out when they exit the campus. For more information and opportunities, please visit or contact your school office. In addition, you can contact our Human Resources Division at 408-227-8300 or email Elisabeth Navarro at enavarro@ogsd.net

Step 6 (Volunteer Drivers Only)

Information for Parent Volunteer Driver Application

We appreciate parents and guardians that are able to volunteer in our classrooms and/or on a field trip, including being a parent driver. Requirements for volunteering in schools and on field trips can be found above. Any volunteer cleared in the prior year remains on the school’s approved list and can volunteer in the current year.

IMPORTANT – Being an approved volunteer does NOT automatically qualify you as the approved parent driver. Below are the requirements and steps to take in the District Volunteer Driver Certification Process:

You must be first approved as an OGSD Volunteer BEFORE applying for Volunteer Driver
Complete the Volunteer Driver Certification Form. You can either download a copy HERE or obtain a copy from the School Office or your child’s classroom teacher.
Attach legible copies of: a valid proof of liability insurance policy and the driver's license (front and back). Your insurance policies must include a minimum of $100,000/$300,000 per occurrence for bodily injury and $100,000 per occurrence for property damage. If these two required limits are increased to cover for only the day of the field trip, your application will not be accepted. Please note that the coverage period of your insurance policy must be beyond the date of the field trip.
Submit the complete application package to the School Office for review and approval.
Once approved through the School Office, the package will be sent to the District Office for the DMV Record Process and Certification. This process can take up to two weeks.
The District Office will notify the School Office of the District’s final approval or denial of the parent driver application.
School Office will notify your child’s classroom teacher of the District’s final approval or denial approximately two weeks after the District Office received the complete package.

Following all steps early is highly recommended to avoid the possibility of the need to cancel a field trip due to a lack of approved parent drivers.

volunteer words being held up by lots of children's hands