 The success of our events is dependent solely on the support of our families. We look forward to another successful school year!
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SUNSHINE COMMITTEEThe intent of the Sunshine Committee “gifts” is to provide a small token of our esteem and consideration when our members are celebrating a happy occasion or facing a challenging time in their lives.
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Volunteering
Visiting our campus:
RAPTOR Screening
Florida state law and Sarasota County School District policy requires that every person who visits a district school must be screened through the national sexual predator/offender database. The district uses a program called RAPTOR, the district visitor management system, to perform this screening that is required upon every visit to a school. Although all school volunteers must be Level 1 Approved (see below) before they are allowed to volunteer in schools, they also are required to be screened through RAPTOR once they have reactivated or applied for a volunteer account, and each time they visit our campus.
Volunteering at SAA:
SAA welcomes volunteers in schools and is grateful for their support. The parent volunteer requirements at SAA are a minimum of 10 hours for the 2018-2019 school year. If the minimum volunteer hours are not fulfilled by May 1, 2019, your child's spot could potentially be affected for the following school year.
In order for you to volunteer at any Sarasota County Public School, you are required to sign up through the volunteer registration system, which is available in the SAA office or online at:
https://scs-datamgmt.sarasota.k12.fl.us/volunteerscount/
When you enter your information, please choose Sarasota Academy of the Arts in the drop down box, and enter your email address so that we can contact you.
Note: If you have been approved to be a Sarasota County School Board volunteer the prior school year, you will just need to reactivate your volunteer account every August. If you had been approved for Level 2 clearance last year, please be sure to reactivate your volunteer account every school year. If you skip a year, you will be required to pay for fingerprinting again.
Level 1 Screening
A Level 1 screening is required for volunteers when the volunteer is continuously and directly (within sight or hearing) supervised by a school staff member. Volunteer assignments that require Level 1 criminal background screening include, but are not limited to, the following:
A volunteer approved at Level 1 will receive an email notice of approval if an email address was entered during registration. The volunteer’s name subsequently will appear on the list of approved volunteers for the school(s) for which the volunteer registered. Volunteers not approved at Level 1 will receive a letter from the Department of School Safety and Security to that effect including information on how to file an appeal. Please be aware that if you are not approved for Level 1, then you will not be allowed to volunteer for any school event.
Also, if you are planning on attending any out-of-county field trips, you will need the additional Level 2 clearance and will need to obtain Level 1 approval prior to scheduling fingerprinting. They cannot be done simultaneously. Level 1 approval could take up to 2 weeks to come back, and then the same goes for Level 2, so please allow ample time and do not wait to sign up.
Level 2 Screening
A Level 2 screening is required for volunteers who chaperone field trips, work with students in unsupervised settings and/or when the interaction with students is of a more interpersonal interaction than academic focus. Level 2 screenings require an FBI fingerprint check of criminal history. Volunteer assignments that require Level 2 criminal background screening include, but are not limited to, the following:
OBTAINING LEVEL 2 CLEARANCE:
Following are the procedures for Level 2 background screening for volunteers:
IMPORTANT INFORMATION – PLEASE READ BEFORE SCHEDULING APPOINTMENT
RAPTOR Screening
Florida state law and Sarasota County School District policy requires that every person who visits a district school must be screened through the national sexual predator/offender database. The district uses a program called RAPTOR, the district visitor management system, to perform this screening that is required upon every visit to a school. Although all school volunteers must be Level 1 Approved (see below) before they are allowed to volunteer in schools, they also are required to be screened through RAPTOR once they have reactivated or applied for a volunteer account, and each time they visit our campus.
Volunteering at SAA:
SAA welcomes volunteers in schools and is grateful for their support. The parent volunteer requirements at SAA are a minimum of 10 hours for the 2018-2019 school year. If the minimum volunteer hours are not fulfilled by May 1, 2019, your child's spot could potentially be affected for the following school year.
In order for you to volunteer at any Sarasota County Public School, you are required to sign up through the volunteer registration system, which is available in the SAA office or online at:
https://scs-datamgmt.sarasota.k12.fl.us/volunteerscount/
When you enter your information, please choose Sarasota Academy of the Arts in the drop down box, and enter your email address so that we can contact you.
Note: If you have been approved to be a Sarasota County School Board volunteer the prior school year, you will just need to reactivate your volunteer account every August. If you had been approved for Level 2 clearance last year, please be sure to reactivate your volunteer account every school year. If you skip a year, you will be required to pay for fingerprinting again.
Level 1 Screening
A Level 1 screening is required for volunteers when the volunteer is continuously and directly (within sight or hearing) supervised by a school staff member. Volunteer assignments that require Level 1 criminal background screening include, but are not limited to, the following:
- assisting a teacher in the classroom
- working in an office, cafeteria, or media center
- assisting with a school event
- tutoring a student in academics
A volunteer approved at Level 1 will receive an email notice of approval if an email address was entered during registration. The volunteer’s name subsequently will appear on the list of approved volunteers for the school(s) for which the volunteer registered. Volunteers not approved at Level 1 will receive a letter from the Department of School Safety and Security to that effect including information on how to file an appeal. Please be aware that if you are not approved for Level 1, then you will not be allowed to volunteer for any school event.
Also, if you are planning on attending any out-of-county field trips, you will need the additional Level 2 clearance and will need to obtain Level 1 approval prior to scheduling fingerprinting. They cannot be done simultaneously. Level 1 approval could take up to 2 weeks to come back, and then the same goes for Level 2, so please allow ample time and do not wait to sign up.
Level 2 Screening
A Level 2 screening is required for volunteers who chaperone field trips, work with students in unsupervised settings and/or when the interaction with students is of a more interpersonal interaction than academic focus. Level 2 screenings require an FBI fingerprint check of criminal history. Volunteer assignments that require Level 2 criminal background screening include, but are not limited to, the following:
- working with a student(s) in a setting not continuously supervised by current school staff;
- working with a student in a long-term, interpersonal relationship (e.g., formal mentoring);
- transporting students other than his/her own children;
- volunteering when not under the continuous supervision of current school staff; chaperoning all field trips and daytime activities when volunteers may not be under the continuous supervision of current school staff. Please note that the minimum age for volunteer chaperones on overnight field trips at all grade levels is 25.
OBTAINING LEVEL 2 CLEARANCE:
Following are the procedures for Level 2 background screening for volunteers:
- Volunteers approved at Level 1 may apply for Level 2 background screening by making an appointment for fingerprinting with the Sarasota County School District Department of Safety and Security at the school district administration complex - 1960 Landings Blvd., Sarasota, FL 34231, Safety and Security, blue awning
- Fingerprinting hours are 8:00am – 3:30pm BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
- Cost is $38.00. They accept Visa, MasterCard, and Discover credit and debit cards (no preloaded cards). Also money order or cashier’s check made payable to Sarasota County School District.
- To schedule an appointment, call 927-9000, extension 31132.
- Once approved at Level 2, your name will appear on the Approved Volunteer list at the SAA or any school that you registered for, with the notation of Level 2 approval. You will not receive notice when approved and will be contacted only if there is a problem with the fingerprints or if not approved.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION – PLEASE READ BEFORE SCHEDULING APPOINTMENT
- Please be advised that the fingerprint costs are non-refundable if the volunteer is not approved. Therefore, it is essential that volunteers are approved at Level 1 before applying for Level 2 screening.
- Volunteers must present a current photo ID at the pre-scheduled fingerprinting appointment. Acceptable forms of ID include the following: state or federally issued driver license, state ID, military ID, or alien registration card with photo. Expired photo ID cards are not accepted.
- Schedule the appointment 2-3 weeks prior to the date the school needs proof of Level 2 approval.
- Volunteers must reactivate in the volunteer registration system at the beginning of each school year. The Level 2 clearance will stand for those volunteers who reactivate and who have no criminal dispositions.
- For questions regarding volunteer requirements and the Level 2 screening process, please call Kelly Marsh at 941-350-3767.
- Principal/School-based Administrator Authority
- All registered and approved volunteers serve with the approval of the principal or director who may rescind this approval should they determine the volunteer is not a good fit with the school.
- The principal determines staff appropriate to supervise volunteers.
- School District Employees Serving as Volunteers
When a school-district employee serves as a volunteer and not as an employee, the employee must register in in the volunteer registration system and notify the Volunteer and Partnership Office that they have Level 2 clearance.
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Our mission is to support our school by fostering a sense of community among school families, assisting in the creative learning of our students, and raising needed funds for school and student use.