School Volunteers:

Volunteers  make valuable  contributions  to the learning  process  by providing  assistance  to the students  and staff members  of the Tipton Community  School District.

The following guidelines were created to ensure the safety of students, volunteers and staff. 

All Volunteers:

1. Will adhere to volunteer guidelines outlined by the school district and building(s) in which they serve.

2. Will identify themselves to the building administrator/designee before beginning each volunteer assignment.  They will report to the office or designated place prior to beginning volunteer service.  The volunteer will receive a volunteer identification generated by the Raptor system with official I.D. and will sign in and sign out.

3. Who work directly with students or assist staff on a regular basis; supervise/chaperone students; or act as a primary authority figure must complete voluteer information and disclosure statements.  The disclosure statement will be collected and kept on file in the school building.  After notification of approval, principals may allow volunteers who have completed a disclosure statement to begin their volunteer experience.                         

Examples of volunteers who must complete this screening process include:

• Classroom volunteers/teacher assistants

• Field trip supervisors/trip chaperones/trip drivers

• Volunteer sport coaches/assistants

• Volunteer club or activity sponsors/assistants

Examples of volunteers excluded from completing the information and disclosure statements but still provide a picture I.D for Raptor in necessary, include:

• Classroom resource speakers

• Concession workers, ticket takers, other volunteers whose primary role is not interacting with students, etc.

The principal will provide:

1. Orientation and information sharing for volunteers.

2. Supervision, monitoring and evaluation of volunteer efforts.

3. Accounting and reporting of volunteer activities in the Tipton Community School District.

Approved:  12/11/1995          Reviewed: 3/8/2021         Revised: 3/8/2021

The Tipton athletic staff is very happy to have the assistance of volunteer personnel in meeting some of the need of our high school programs.  Volunteer coaches can play an important role in assisting with the tasks of working with a high school team.  However, the Tipton athletic staff and administration reserve the right to select the personnel and ask that they abide by the following guidelines in assisting with any of our programs.

1. All volunteer  coaches  must hold a State of Iowa Coaching  Endorsement  and receive and sign a copy of the Volunteer  Coaching  Contract  prior to beginning  their volunteer  coaching  duties.
2. Volunteer coaches may begin their duties with the approval of the head coach, athletic director, principal, and superintendent, but final approval for their continuation as a volunteer coach requires approval of the Board of Education.
3. Volunteer coaches will attend all practices and contests unless excused by the head coach.
4. The volunteer  coach shall not initiate or change instructions  given by the head coach and must carry out specific  directions  given by the head coach and other assistant  coaches.
5. The volunteer coach may assist in starting, executing, and completing the specific play of the learning experience as defined and directed by the head coach and other assistant coaches.
6. The volunteer coach should not attempt any duties unless they have been specifically prepared for those duties under the direction of the coaching staff. Volunteer coaches will discuss with the coaching staff the extent of the responsibilities of the volunteer coach.
7. Volunteer coaches are working in support of the Tipton Community Schools, coaching staff, and athletes. The volunteer coach should not make public statements which may be construed as negative or not in the support of the athletic program, school, administration or faculty, coaching staff, or individual athletes. Volunteer coaches with concerns should direct these concerns to the head coach.
8. A volunteer coach will never override a decision or method of instruction presented by a coach or the staff (head or assistant). Any input from a volunteer coach concerning these matters will be done in private, with the coaching staff, in a professional manner.
9. Volunteer coaches will not assist in the treatment of any athletic injury or emergency situation unless working directly under the supervision of a head or assistant coach.
10. In working with athletes in a coaching situation, it is important to remember that the volunteer coach is to act in the manner of an adult and coach. They must maintain that professional distance from the athletes with whom they are working, and not attempt to become “friends” with them. It is strongly emphasized that volunteer coaches do not become involved with student athletes in any manner other than an adult-student working relationship in the coaching situation. The volunteer coach has a responsibility to represent themselves as a positive role model to the athletes they work with.
11. Volunteer coaches will not interact with game officials concerning calls made by the officials or concerning  the duties  of the official.

I hereby agree to the above stated stipulations  in serving  as a volunteer  coach in                                         (sport) During  the                           school year.

Volunteer (signature) ____________________________________     Date:   ____________________________ 

Head Coach (signature): ________________________________        Date:  _____________________________                                                             

Athletic  Director (signature): _____________________________       Date:  ______________________________                                                           

Principal (Signature):___________________________________         Date:  _____________________________   

Superintendent (Signature):                                                                     Date:  _____________________________

Board President (Signature):                                                                    Date:  _____________________________

Approved:  12/11/95                                              Reviewed:      3/8/2021                          Revised:         9/20/04

It is the policy of the Tipton Community School District Board of Education to make every reasonable effort to provide a safe learning environment for students working with volunteers. Therefore, the District requires the following confidential information from volunteers who work directly with students or assist staff on a regular basis, supervise/chaperone students or act as a primary authority figure. This statement must be completed and returned to the school building office prior to beginning any volunteer experience.

Have you ever been convicted of a serious misdemeanor, aggravated misdemeanor, or felony under Iowa law or any other state/country law?

                          Yes                                                          No

Have you ever been convicted, or had an administrative finding, of violating any law involving child abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse, sexual harassment or exploitation, or any other crime related to children?

                          Yes                                                          No

Have you ever been the subject of or listed as the perpetrator in a founded child abuse report?

                          Yes                                                          No

Are you required to register as a sex offender with the Sex Offender Registry?

                          Yes                                                         No

Do you currently have charges pending or are there any ongoing investigations relating to any of the aforementioned?

                          Yes                                                          No

Has your driver's license ever been revoked for any reason? (Answer to be used in determining volunteer drivers.)

Yes                                                           No

A "Yes" answer  to any of the questions listed above requires an interview with a district administrator.

Name:  ________________________________________________ (Print Name)                                                                                                                                                                                              

Street Address:   ________________________________________       City/State/Zip:  __________________________________________                     

Day Phone:  __________________________________                 Evening Phone:  _____________________________                                                              

School in which you wish to volunteer:  elementary               middle                   high (one school per form)

By signing this form, I agree that should any of the above information change in the future I shall contact the school building principal immediately.

Volunteer's Signature:  ___________________________________________                               Date:  _______________________                                  

Building Principal’s  or Activities Director Signature:  _____________________________________   Date:  _______________________                               

Please return this form to:  Tipton Community  School  District, Office of the Superintendent, 400 E 6th St., Tipton IA 52772

Approved:  12/11/1995                                Reviewed: 3/8/2021                                 Revised: 3/8/2021

I)      Guidelines

Individuals, including students, may have the right to distribute on school premises, at reasonable times and places, unofficial written material, petitions, buttons, badges or other insignia, except expression which:

a)   is obscene  to minors;

b)  is libelous;

c)   contains indecent, vulgar, profane or lewd language;

d)   advertises any product or service not permitted to minors by law;

e)  Constitutes insulting or fighting words, the very expression of which injures or harasses other people (e.g., threats of violence, defamation of character or of a person's race, religion, gender, disability, age or ethnic origin);

 f)   presents a clear and present likelihood that, either because of its content or the manner of distribution, it will cause a material and substantial disruption of the proper and orderly operation and discipline of the school or school activities, will cause the commission of unlawful acts or the violation of lawful school regulations.

Distribution on school premises of material in categories (a) through (d) to any student is prohibited.  Distribution on school premises of material in categories (e) and (f) to a substantial number of students is prohibited.

II)   Procedures

Anyone wishing to distribute unofficial written material must first submit for approval a copy of the material to the building principal at least twenty-four hours in advance of desired distribution time, together with the following information:

a)   Name and phone number of the person submitting request and, if a student, the homeroom number;

b)   Date(s) and time(s) of day of intended  display or distribution;

c)   Location where material will be displayed or distributed;

d)   The grade(s) of students to whom the display or distribution is intended.

Within twenty-four hours of submission, the principal will render a decision whether the material violates  the guidelines  in subsection  I or the time, place and manner  restrictions  in subsection  III of this policy.   In the event that permission  to distribute  the material  is denied, the person submitting  the request should be informed  in writing of the reasons for the denial.  Permission to distribute material does not imply approval of its contents by either the school, the administration, the board or the individual reviewing the material submitted.

If the person submitting the request does not receive a response within twenty-four hours of submission, the person will contact the building principal's office to verify that the lack of response was not due to an inability to locate the person.  If the person has made this verification and there is no response to the request, the material may be distributed in accordance with the time, place and manner provisions in subsection III.

If the person is dissatisfied with the decision of the principal, the person may submit a written request for appeal to the superintendent.  If the person does not receive a response within three school days of submitting the appeal, the person will contact the superintendent to verify that the lack of response is not due to an inability to locate the person.  If the person has made this verification and there is no response to the appeal, the material may be distributed in accordance with the time, place and manner provisions in subsection III.

At every level of the process the person submitting the request will have the right to appear and present the reasons, supported by relevant witnesses and material, as to why distribution of the written material is appropriate.

Permission to distribute material does not imply approval of its contents by either the school district, the board, the administration or the individual reviewing the material submitted.

III)   Time, place and manner  of distribution

The distribution of written material is prohibited when it blocks the safe flow of traffic within corridors and entrance ways of the school or otherwise disrupts school activities.  The distribution of unofficial material shall be limited to a reasonable time, place and manner as follows:

a)   The material will be distributed from a table set up for the purpose in a location designated by the principal, which location will not block the         safe flow of traffic or block the corridors or entrance ways, but which will give reasonable access to students.

b)   The material will be distributed  either before and/or after the regular  instructional  day.

C)   No written material may be distributed during and at the place of a normal school activity if it is reasonably likely to cause a material and               substantial disruption of that activity.

IV)  Definitions

The following  definitions  apply to the following  terms used in this policy:

a)   "Obscene  to minors"  is defined  as:

i)     The average person, applying contemporary community standards, would find that the written  material,  taken as a whole, appeals  to the prurient  interest  of minors of the age to whom distribution is requested;

ii)   The material  depicts  or describes,  in a manner  that is patently  offensive  to prevailing standards  in the adult community  concerning  how such conduct  should be presented to minors  of the age to whom distribution  is requested,  sexual conduct  such as intimate  sexual acts (normal  or perverted),  masturbation,  excretory  functions,  and lewd exhibition  of the genitals;  and

iii)   The material,  taken as a whole, lacks serious literary,  artistic,  political  or scientific value for minors.