Student Engagement → Volunteers

Volunteers

Interested in becoming an MCPS Volunteer? There are a few steps to complete before beginning your service as a volunteer in our schools.

If you are currently serving as a volunteer coach or are interested in becoming a volunteer coach for high school athletics, please visit this page for more information

Steps to Complete for MCPS Volunteers

Volunteer Form

Complete the MCPS Parent/Guardian and Community Volunteer Form or the MCPS Volunteers in the Virtual Classroom form as appropriate. These forms serve as an introduction of yourself, your interests and availability in volunteering, and some important reminders about volunteers in schools.
Online Training

Complete the mandatory online Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect Training. This training is required for any volunteer who regularly supports schools, chaperones a field trip, etc. and is available in multiple languages. When the course is completed, a report is created to serve as proof of satisfying the training requirement.
Contact School

Contact the school(s) where you wish to serve and provide them with a copy of the following:
- Appropriate MCPS Parent/Guardian and Community Volunteer Form or the MCPS Volunteers in the Virtual Classroom Form and
- Your online course grade sheet that will show 100% for completing the online Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect Training.

Volunteer Training

Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect

Online Training for Parents/Guardians

Online Training for Non-Parents
(Contractors, Volunteer Coaches, Community Members)

Instructions for Parents/Guardians Only

A ParentVUE account is needed to access and complete the Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect training. If you have already activated your ParentVUE account, refer to the support guide linked above and follow the steps below:

Login to: https://md-mcps-psv.edupoint.com/PXP2_Login_Parent.aspx
Go to the “Parent Resources” tab
Navigate to “myMCPS Classroom”
Click on the “Resources” folder
Click the link for “Volunteer Training”
Enroll, go to, and complete the training course.

If you do not have a ParentVue account, you will need to activate your ParentVUE account in order to access the training, Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect. To activate your ParentVUE account, please contact your child’s school and request a ParentVUE activation letter. This letter has a unique key assigned to you that will allow you to create an account that is linked to all of your children in MCPS.

Need help with ParentVUE? Answers can be found in the ParentVUE Support Guide and on the MCPS Digital Backpack webpage.

Types of Volunteers

One-time Volunteers

Volunteers at one-time events ALWAYS working under the supervision of MCPS staff members do NOT need to complete compliance measures other than registering as campus visitors through the Visitor Management System (VMS).

Examples:

Parents/guardians staffing concessions and ticket booths at large events
Guest readers and speakers in classrooms
Parents/guardians or other relatives who are observing or supporting a celebration (e.g. parade) or helping with a class party.

Regular Volunteers

Volunteers who regularly support school or school-sponsored activities must complete the MCPS online training on Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect.

Examples:

Student teachers and interns
Volunteers who regularly help with school dismissal or recess
Chaperones for field trips occurring during the school day.

Frequent Volunteers

Volunteers who have frequent and independent contact with students, unsupervised by MCPS staff members, must complete the MCPS online training on Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect AND a criminal background check, including fingerprinting.

Examples:

Volunteer coaches (please visit this page for more information)
Grade 6 Outdoor Environmental Education Programs chaperones
Volunteers on out-of-area (50 miles or more from Rockville) and/or overnight field trips
Volunteers on extended day trip that require Office of School Support and Improvement approval. (e.g., if departure time is not within the MCPS operations start time and/or return time is later than 7:00 p.m.)

There may be unsupervised volunteers who work 1-1 with students in an office or classroom (i.e. mentor, youth service provider, etc.). These volunteers need to be fingerprinted.

Field Trip Chaperones

Volunteers who are chaperoning a field trip (during the day, within the 50 mile radius, etc.) DO NOT need to be fingerprinted if they accompanying an MCPS staff member to supervise students. (Example: A teacher has a group of 30 students in their class and 2 volunteer chaperones. The teacher and each volunteer chaperone are responsible for 10 students each, but the group stays in the same general area. This tends to be the bulk of our field trips.)

Volunteers who are chaperoning a field trip (during the day, within the 50 mile radius, etc.) DO need to be fingerprinted if they are SOLELY responsible for a group of students and will not be accompanying an MCPS staff member. (Example: A teacher has a group of 30 students in their class and 2 volunteer chaperones. The teacher and each volunteer chaperone are responsible for 10 students each, but the groups separate leaving the volunteer chaperone by themselves to supervise the students.)

Volunteers who are chaperoning a field trip (Grade 6 Outdoor Environmental Education, out-of-area (50 miles or more from Rockville), returning later than 7:00 p.m., and/or overnight field trips DO need to be fingerprinted.

Volunteer Visitors to School Buildings

Visitor Management System (VMS). On arrival at school, one-time and regular volunteers WILL need to check-in and check-out of the main office and scan their driver's license/identification cards through the Visitor Management System (VMS). Once the volunteer clears the VMS, they must be badged (the VMS creates a sticker badge) and remain under supervision of an MCPS professional while with students.

Additional Compliance Measures for Regular and Frequent Volunteers:

Online Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect Training is required for regular or frequent volunteers and is completed using a myMCPS Classroom/Canvas account. MCPS has created a step-by-step User-Guide (with pictures) on how volunteers can create and access their myMCPS Classroom/Canvas account to complete the Online Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect Training modules. Volunteers completing the training will receive a gradesheet as proof of successful completion, and their names will be listed on the MCPS volunteer roster. It will show 100% for successful completion. This training must be completed every 3 years.
Fingerprinting/Background checks are required for (only if the frequent volunteers working is working alone with students without supervision of an MCPS staff member, volunteer chaperones on overnight or extended day field trips, or certain other type of volunteers as specified by MCPS service, per the Volunteers Regulation.) More information is available on the MCPS Background Screening Office website.

Volunteer Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Read FAQs

As a community, we are mindful of our shared responsibility to create safe, nurturing environments for our students. MCPS is grateful for your commitment and partnership. Below are answers to frequently asked questions to help clarify volunteer training and background check requirements.

Who can be a volunteer?

Volunteers may include parents/guardians and other family members, as well as members of the community interested in the education of children, who are willing to donate their time and skills to support the students of Montgomery County.

How do I become a volunteer?

All volunteers who regularly support schools and school sponsored activities must complete the Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect training for volunteers and contractors. This training requirement also applies to student teachers and interns, volunteers who regularly help with school dismissal or recess, and those who attend field trips and chaperone outdoor education. The online training is provided in English, Spanish, Chinese, French, Korean, Amharic, and Vietnamese.

Does everyone who provides support for schools and students need to complete the MCPS online training?

While we encourage all volunteers to view the informative training, currently only individuals who regularly support schools must complete the training. Individuals who support at large events or those who assist at one-time events under the supervision of school staff members are not required to view the training at this time. Below are examples of the types of activities that do not require completion of the training:

Guest readers or speakers in classrooms where they will be supervised by a MCPS staff member
High school/college recruiters and volunteers at job and college fairs
Individuals who are observing or supporting a celebration, party, or parents/guardians eating lunch with their children
Individuals staffing concessions and ticket booths at large events

How will MCPS know that I have completed the training?

Participation is recorded and tracked by MCPS. Schools will access a report listing the family and community members who have successfully completed the training.

If I completed MCPS training in a prior school year, do I have to do so again in the 2024-2025 school year

No. If you have completed the MCPS Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect training during the past three years, you do not have to retake the course. Any volunteer who completed the training in the 2021-2022 school year or prior, will need to renew their training certification in 2024-2025.

Completed 2022-2023 renew in 2025-2026
Completed 2023-2024 renew in 2026-2027
Completed 2024-2025 renew in 2027-2028

Once I've completed the training, can I begin volunteering?

Yes. However, volunteer coaches, overnight or extended day chaperones must wait until their criminal background check and fingerprinting results have been returned (see below).

How do I find volunteer opportunities?

The best way to begin volunteering is to contact the school directly to find out what volunteer opportunities are available.

What procedures do I follow when volunteering?

To best support school staff and students, volunteers are expected to follow these procedures each time they volunteer:

Volunteers must sign-in and sign-out of the building using the Visitor Management System (VMS).
Volunteers must wear the VMS produced volunteer identification name tag at all times while on school property.
Volunteers may not access confidential student or personnel records and should respect the confidentiality of students.
Volunteers working with students must be within view of other MCPS staff members and avoid unsupervised, one-on-one student contact.
Volunteers may not discipline students and should report behavior concerns to the supervising staff member.

What are the background check requirements for volunteers?

The following categories of volunteers are required to complete fingerprinting and background checks:

Volunteer coaches
Overnight chaperones on grade 6 Outdoor Environmental Education Programs
Volunteers on overnight field trips
Volunteers on extended day trips that require additional approval from the Office of School Support and Improvement. For example, if departure time is not within the MCPS operations start time and/or return time is later than 7:00 p.m.*

*All Athletics/Fine Arts trips travelling less than 100 miles on a single-day trip do not require fingerprint or background checks.

Where do I get information about background checks and fingerprinting?

MCPS BACKGROUND SCREENING
The Department of Systemwide Safety and Emergency Management (DSSEM) with MCPS is responsible for conducting a fingerprint review of individuals who are seeking employment, as well as those wishing to serve in the capacity of a volunteer, chaperone, coach, advisor, student-teacher, or intern. Such background checks are necessary to ensure a safe and secure learning and working environment.

For information regarding background screening for MCPS New Hires, Interns, and Volunteers/Chaperones please click here.

For information regarding background screening for MCPS Contractors please click here.

HOURS OF OPERATION
Fingerprinting: Monday–Friday from 9am–3:30pm (Closed 1–2pm)
Paperwork Submission: Monday–Friday from 9am–3:30pm (Closed 1–2pm)

Who should I contact if I have questions or concerns about my role as a volunteer, required volunteer training and/or background checks?

Please contact the school you wish to volunteer directly. For concerns not addressed at the school level, contact the Office of School Support and Improvement, Student Leadership and Extracurricular Activities at 240-740-3977. We also invite you to read our MCPS Volunteer Regulation to learn more about the requirements and expectations of school volunteers.