Thank you for applying to volunteer. Your time is appreciated. After you submit your information, the volunteer coordinator will be in contact with you. Please allow a reasonable time for processing. If you have any questions, our contact info is at the bottom of this page.
Please complete all four sections of this application.
The items with asterisks are required and must be completed to submit this form. When you have finished the last section, the SUBMIT APPLICATION button will appear.
1 - Tell us about yourself
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Spokane Public Schools (SPS) conducts a routine Washington State Patrol background check on all volunteers. All volunteers must be cleared through the Washington State Patrol Criminal History (WATCH) program. By signing this application, you are granting SPS permission to conduct the background check.
If you do not sign below, we cannot process your request and you will be unable to volunteer. Your WSP results are available upon request.
- I understand I must answer this application truthfully and completely. Any falsification or deliberate misrepresentation, including omission of a material fact, and/or failure to notify SPS if disclosure information provided changes, can be grounds for denial of volunteer placement or continued volunteer service.
- I also understand this time is spent in a volunteer capacity only. Employees of Spokane Public Schools may not, as volunteers, perform the type of services they are employed to perform by the district. (Fair Labor Standards Act)
- I certify under penalty of perjury of the laws of the state of Washington that the information I provided above is true and correct.
Volunteer Type*Required
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Required Have you ever been convicted of a crime relating to DUI or drugs?* |
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Have you ever been convicted of ANY crime? (Convicted includes ALL instances in which a finding of guilty, a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, an Alford plea, or stipulation to the facts is the basis of conviction and/or all proceedings in which prosecution has been deferred or a sentence has been suspended or deferred.)* |
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Required Have you ever been convicted of a crime relating to abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, exploitation or physical abuse?* |
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Required Have you ever been convicted of a crime relating to financial exploitation, including extortion, theft, robbery or forgery?* |
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Required Do you currently have any outstanding criminal charges or warrants against you in WA or in any other state or country?* |
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Required Have you ever been convicted of domestic violence or assault?* |
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Required Have you ever had findings made against you for domestic violence, abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, exploitation or financial exploitation of a child or a vulnerable adult in any civil adjudicative proceeding? (A civil adjudicative proceeding includes a judicial or administrative proceeding as well as findings by the Department of Social and Health Services or the Department of Health that you have not administratively challenged or appealed.)* |
We are pleased you are interested in volunteering in Spokane Public Schools. As you take on this very important role, we want to provide information to you related to confidentiality so that each person who works in our school will understand the importance of this issue and the privacy rights of our students and staff.
Volunteers observe students working at different levels and with different needs and challenges. Some students need extra support in academic areas, some will need help in solving problems and others will need help making appropriate behavior choices. These areas of support might be observed while helping students with academic learning or while in the hall, cafeteria, on the playground or other common areas of the school. Anytime you notice conflicts or difficulties that are not resolved by the students, please make sure a staff member is informed promptly. Please make sure any conversations that take place with a staff member related to a specific student's or group of students* needs are done privately (out of earshot of all students and other adults). Please understand that teachers are not free to discuss other students with you.
We appreciate it when volunteers report any such incidents or concerns to us and we also request that volunteers not speak of such incidents or concerns with anyone after having left the school. In this way, we can protect the privacy of all children at our schools. This is expected of all staff members within our schools and we must require it of all volunteers as well. There can be no tolerance for violations of confidentiality. Continued volunteering is contingent upon respecting this request.
If you do have questions related to confidentiality please do not hesitate to ask a school staff member.
Thank you for your interest in volunteering in Spokane Public Schools. This information is provided for your safety as well as for the protection of the children with whom you will be working. Please review it carefully and ask any questions that may arise. We want the time you spend volunteering in a Spokane school to be a positive experience for all.
Relationships: For the protection of all, the relationship between you and all students with whom volunteer must be kept appropriate at all times. Continuing your volunteer relationship through out-of-school contact, such as phone calls, social media, home visits, or invitations to your home, social events, office, vehicle, or activities is not permitted. This prohibition, of course, would not restrict out-of-school contact with students who are family friends or known to you through other community contacts.
Appropriate touching: Handshakes, "high five's", an arm or hug around a shoulder are the only safe and friendly ways to touch a child when you are volunteering. For some children, or for some cultures, even these gestures may be unwelcome. No child should be subject to unwelcome touching no matter how well intended. If a child ever inappropriately touches you, please inform a staff member right away.
Communication: You are a role model. Your conversations with students and staff should demonstrate respect for others and avoid language that may be perceived as discriminatory, profane, sexist, or offensive. No student or staff person should ever be treated differently, spoken to disrespectfully or denied services on the basis of sex, race, religion, disability, age, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, or marital status. In addition, school personnel or volunteers cannot encourage or promote religious beliefs by class activities, comments or invitations to their place of worship.
Confidentiality: As a volunteer, you must respect and maintain confidentiality in regard to personal information obtained regarding a child or his/her family with certain exceptions. Reasonable suspicion of abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, illegal or dangerous activities should be shared with staff immediately. Be assured they will follow up on the information.
Discipline: Any discipline of a student is responsibility of staff member. Physical punishment is never permitted.
School safety plan: In the event of an emergency while you are on site (fire, earthquake, etc.) you need to be familiar with the Safety Plan of the building in which you volunteer. Each school will provide their Safety Plan to volunteers at orientation and training sessions.
Check in/out: All visitors, including volunteers, are required to sign in at the main office in the school and wear an identification badge while on campus.
Volunteer orientation & training: Volunteers may receive orientation to general building procedures, including an understanding of school polices, rules, and expectations; a tour of the campus; and instructions on what to do in the event of an emergency while you are on site. Specific training for the program you will be working in and instructions on how you will communicate with the assigned staff member should also be provided.
Spokane Public Schools complies with all federal and state rules and regulations and does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, marital status, race, color, creed, national origin, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, sexual orientation including gender expression or gender identity, or honorably discharged veteran or military status. This holds true for all students who are interested in participating in educational programs and/or extracurricular school activities, and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. Inquiries regarding compliance and/or grievance procedures may be directed to the school district's officers as follows: Title IX/Staff Civil Rights Officer, Tennille Jeffries-Simmons, (509) 354-7265 * Harassment, Intimidation, Bullying (HIB)/Student Civil Rights Officer, Dr. Adam Swinyard (509) 354-7393 *504 Compliance Officer, Gwen Harris (509) 354-7393 * ADA Officer, Tennille Jeffries-Simmons (509) 354-7265 * Affirmative Action Officer, Mary Templeton, (509) 354-5961 * Equal Opportunity Officer, Ramon Alvarez, (509) 354-7344 * 200 N. Bernard Street, Spokane, WA 99201-0206.
Volunteer Athletic Coaches will need to submit paper application and appropriate documentation to the school athletic director (AD).
You may download the application by clicking here, or call your school AD for further information on the process.
To continue the standard (non-coach) volunteer application process, click *Cancel* and choose a different volunteer category.
2 - Do you have students in the district?
Do you have a student in the district?*
4 - What are you interested in?
Thank you very much for your application. Volunteers are very important and are very much appreciated here at Spokane Public Schools.
We will be in touch as soon as possible and look forward to welcoming you as a volunteer.
If you have any questions, please contact us by phone - (509) 354-7340,
or email us -
your school or schools of interest.