Guidelines for Volunteers and Partners in Education

School Board of the City of Virginia Beach
Policy 7-18

COMMUNITY RELATIONS

Community Engagement/Volunteers and Partnerships

1. Generally
   1. The School Board recognizes that volunteers from families and community members as well as volunteers from and partnerships with community businesses, military or other public or private agencies or faith-based organizations make valuable contributions to the educational program and that their engagement increases the support of the schools by the community.
   2. The Superintendent, or designee, in collaboration with family and community members, will review annually and revise as necessary the Guidelines for School Volunteers and Partners. The publication will contain a volunteer/partner code of ethics and guidelines for serving as a volunteer or partner in education.
      • Family/community members shall be encouraged to become involved as volunteers and partners in education for the purpose of assisting and enhancing the educational experience for all public school students.
      • The principal or designee will provide orientation, job descriptions and specific assignments for the volunteers/partners. For special events, volunteers and partners who are family members of students may be permitted to ride the school bus to and from school under School Board regulations of the Superintendent.
      • Prior to service as a school volunteer or partner, all candidates for these programs will be provided information/training to familiarize them with the procedures governing their service.
      • All volunteers and partners will be provided a copy of the Guidelines for School Volunteers and Partners, and the code of ethics requirements for volunteers and partners will be explained.
2. Responsibilities
   1. The administration of the schools and the instructional program are the responsibility of School Board employees, and the responsibility cannot be delegated. Volunteers and partners work under the direction of the School Administration and School staff who retain the responsibility for the instruction and supervision of students in their charge.
   2. All volunteers and partners will be required to comply with the code of ethics requirements and responsibilities listed in the Guidelines for School Volunteers and Partners.
   3. The Office of Family and Community Engagement will coordinate partnerships and carry out the following responsibilities:
      • Establish program goals;
      • Identify community partners;
      • Match partners with schools to meet student needs;
      • Orient appropriate personnel from partnering organizations;
      • Support school-based Community Engagement Liaisons;
      • Monitor the program; and
      • Conduct an annual evaluation of the program.
3. Volunteers and Partners in Education Programs
   1. Volunteer in Education

      Each school will maintain a Volunteer in Education program coordinated by the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) or Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) and overseen by the school principal or designee. Volunteer opportunities shall be identified by school principals and may include mentorship programs to provide students with social, emotional and additional academic support.

   2. Partners in Education

      A Partners in Education program designed to pair individual public schools with businesses, military or other public or private agencies or faith-based organizations will be coordinated by personnel in the Department of Communications and Community Engagement as designated by the Superintendent to support student success. The principal at each school shall designate a staff member as the school's community engagement liaison to support the Department of Communications and Community Engagement’s initiatives.

Related Links

Community - Virginia Beach City Public Schools (vbschools.com)

Adopted by School Board: August 21, 1990
Amended by School Board: July 16, 1991
Amended by School Board: October 20, 1992
Amended by School Board: May 25, 2004
Amended by School Board: August 19, 2014
Amended by School Board: June 25, 2019
Amended by School Board: November 26, 2024