Volunteers
We believe that community involvement is essential to student success. Whether you are a parent looking to help in the classroom, a community member interested in mentoring, or a chaperone for a field trip, your time and talents make a world of difference. Thank you for your commitment to our students and our schools!
How to Volunteer at SVUSD
To ensure the safety of our students and to comply with California state law, all volunteers must complete a background clearance and mandated reporter training before beginning their service.
🛑 Volunteers are not authorized until all mandatory district requirements are fulfilled.
Step 1: Start at Your School Site
The volunteer process begins at the school where you wish to serve. Please visit the School Office Manager at that site. They will provide you with the necessary paperwork and instructions tailored to your specific role.
Step 2: Fingerprinting (Live Scan)
To provide the safest environment possible, SVUSD requires all volunteers to undergo a DOJ/FBI fingerprint clearance.
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The Office Manager will provide you with a Live Scan Request Form.
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You must take this form to a local fingerprinting site.
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Note: We cannot accept clearances from other organizations; fingerprinting must be completed specifically for SVUSD.
💡 Pro-Tip for Faster Processing: Write the name of your school on the Live Scan form (e.g., Volunteer - Sassarini Elementary). This helps our District Office route your clearance to the correct school site immediately!
Step 3: Mandated Reporter Requirements
To ensure the highest level of protection for our students, SVUSD complies with California’s latest safety legislation regarding child abuse prevention. These laws ensure that every adult authorized to work with students—including our valued volunteers—is equipped with the knowledge to recognize and report concerns.
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The Goal: By training our volunteers, we create a "safety net" across the entire Sonoma Valley community, ensuring every student has a safe environment in which to learn.
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Current Requirement: All volunteers must review and sign the Mandated Reporter Acknowledgement Form provided by the school Office Manager.
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Effective Summer 2026: In accordance with updated state mandates, the district will transition to a brief, mandatory training video. This video will provide clear guidance on recognizing safety concerns and understanding the reporting process.
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Questions?
Our school office managers are your best first point of contact for site-specific volunteer needs. For general clearance questions, contact the HR Technician: Email Danielle Contreras or call (707) 935-4258
Volunteer Drivers
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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No. Once your fingerprint clearance is on file with SVUSD, it remains valid for the duration of your continuous service with the district. You do not need to repeat the process for subsequent school years.
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Unfortunately, no. State law and privacy regulations prevent the sharing of background check results between organizations. Even if you have been cleared by a youth sports league or another school district, you must be fingerprinted specifically for SVUSD.
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To provide the safest environment possible, SVUSD maintains a universal clearance policy. This ensures that every adult interacting with our students has met the same high safety standards, regardless of the specific volunteer task or the amount of time spent on campus.
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The background check process typically takes anywhere from a few days to two weeks. Results are sent directly to the District Office, and your school’s Office Manager will be notified as soon as you are officially cleared to begin.
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New California legislation requires all school volunteers to be trained in recognizing and reporting student safety concerns. Currently, this involves signing a brief acknowledgement form at the school office. Starting in Summer 2026, this will include a brief training video to ensure our schools remain as safe as possible.
