Volunteer Information

    MCPS has updated the volunteer requirements to continue to ensure the safety of our students and community members.  Please read the information below carefully and visit the linked website for more information:

     MCPS Volunteer webpage

    ALL volunteers must complete the online Compliance Training:  Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect Training.

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

    • Volunteer coaches
    • 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.

    Volunteers who are chaperoning a field trip (during the day, within the 50 mile radius, etc.) DO NOT need to be fingerprinted if they are 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.)

    The regulation states that, “Volunteer working with students must be within view of others (e.g., either through a window in a door, a door left open, or in a public space).” MCPS staff are onsite and in public space to support the chaperone and students as needed.

    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.)

    Should you require fingerprinting and a background check based on criteria above, please follow the processes outlined on the MCPS Background Screening webpage.