Bucks County Montessori Charter School relies upon the efforts of parent volunteers to enrich all aspects of our school community. We are constantly amazed at the things that can be accomplished by a group of dedicated volunteers, and we invite your energy, creativity, ideas and input!
Every parent at Bucks County Montessori Charter School is required to fulfill a minimum of three (3) hours of volunteer time per month that your child attends school. You may choose to fulfill these hours in a way that best suit your skill set. There are a number of ways to get involved at BCMCS, and we invite you to check out the PTA Website for opportunities available on their committees, or with activities, events and happenings that they sponsor at the school. While we encourage you to become a member of the PTA, membership is not required to volunteer with one of their events or activities. Your child’s teacher and/or classroom ambassador also post volunteer opportunities on their Teacher Pages, and if interested in participating with any of the after school clubs please feel free to contact Mr. Long, to discuss same.
At Bucks County Montessori Charter School, clearances are required for any volunteer who may be working alone with small groups of students or with an individual student in the capacity of supervision, guidance or control. Therefore, volunteer clearances ARE required for parents, community members and other volunteers involved with the following activities:
• Chaperoning field trips
• Working with a small group of students or with an individual student
• Working in the library
• Driving a team/group to an activity
• Participating in after school clubs on-site and off-site
• College students observing or studying at the school,
Parents attending a classroom presentation or party, attending a school event, or whose volunteer efforts do not require them to work directly with students, do not need clearances.
When volunteer clearances are required, the following must be on file with the school. Parent clearances are accepted and considered valid when the date of the clearance is within one calendar year of the date of receipt by the school. Anyone interested in obtaining these clearances should follow these steps:
1. If you would like to start volunteering while your clearances are being processed, you must sign a Volunteer Registration & Statement of Confidentiality - and show proof of request of the required clearance forms. The affidavit is acceptable only for the interim period that the clearances are in process.
2. Fill out the Pennsylvania State Police background check - and print out your results. It will take about one minute on-line for the results to be returned to you. The cost of this search is $10. If you choose to send your application in via mail, you must wait until you have received an approval confirmation form from the state before proceeding with the Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance (Step 3).
3. Print out and complete the PA Child Abuse History Clearance form. Mail the form, along with a check for $10 and a printout of your processed Pennsylvania State Police background check (Step 2), to the address indicated on the form. Failure to include the background check form will add weeks to the processing time.
NOTE: Please check the box marked "Parent Volunteer" on all applicable forms, so the requisite clearances will be mailed directly to you.
You can be reimbursed for all expenses incurred after providing the school with your receipts. Please make sure to get prior approval for reimbursement prior to incurring the expense.