Volunteers

UPDATE:  October 7, 2021

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) welcomes volunteers to support the essential needs of the schools. Volunteers and partnership agencies are required to complete certain compliance measures in order to volunteer within our school district.

  • Online Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect Training via their myMCPS Classroom/Canvas account
    (Gradesheet will show 100% for successful completion)

  • COVID-19 Vaccination Attestation – NEW!
    (Gradesheet will show 83.3% for successful completion)

  • Fingerprinting/Background check (only if the volunteer is working alone with students without supervision of an MCPS staff member or other type of volunteer service, per the Volunteers Regulation and FAQ)

MCPS has created a step-by-step User-Guide (with pictures) on how to access create and access their myMCPS Classroom/Canvas account to complete the Online Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect Training module AND upload the Certificate of COVID-19 Vaccination from the state Department of Health.

The online course grade sheet will show a total of 183.3% for completion of both compliance modules. You can show the gradesheet as evidence of successful completion to schools and your name will appear on the MCPS volunteer roster after October 1.

MCPS is asking for a pdf copy of your vaccination certificate in order to upload it to this module, you can download a copy from Maryland MyIR (directions for completing this process are located in this support guide). As an alternative, you may also upload a copy of one of the following:

  • State Department of Health Certificate of COVID-19 Vaccination (DC, VA, WV)
  • Vaccination verification provided by the volunteer's health insurance provider
  • A letter from a primary care physician attesting to your vaccine status
 

Montgomery County Public Schools encourages and welcomes school volunteers. The academic achievement and educational experiences of all students are enhanced by a community invested in their learning.

We invite parents, families, and community members to engage in volunteer activities in our schools–from kindergarten to high school–and become partners in teaching and learning. Our volunteer activities vary from school to school, and volunteers can help with a wide variety of activities.

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. Contact the school(s) where you wish to serve and provide them with a copy of the following:  

Support guides with complete step-by-step instructions, the link to Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect Training, and answers to frequently asked questions can be found below.

Volunteer Training on Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect

Online Training Support Guide (All Users)
New2 Español | 中文 | français | tiếng Việt | 한국어 | አማርኛ | Português

Online Training for
Parents/Guardians
Online Training for Non-Parents

(Contractors, Volunteer Coaches, Community Members)

New2 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:

  1. Login to: https://md-mcps-psv.edupoint.com/PXP2_Login_Parent.aspx
  2. Go to the “Parent Resources” tab
  3. Navigate to “myMCPS Classroom”
  4. Click on the “Resources” folder
  5. Click the link for “Volunteer Training”
  6. 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

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 2021-2022 school year

No. If you completed the training within the past three years, you will only be required to return to your existing Volunteer Training course to complete the COVID-19 Vaccination and Safety Module. 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 that portion of the course. As a reminder, the training is required every three years (with the exception of volunteers who took the training the first year it was offered), so if training was taken in:

  • 2018-2019 or earlier, renew in 2021-2022
  • 2019-2020 renew in 2022-2023
  • 2020-2021 renew in 2023-2024
  • 2021-2022 renew in 2024-2025

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.