Volunteering at Montlake

Volunteers are the reason Montlake has many vibrant programs, activities and strong classroom support! Volunteering helps create a wonderful and warm community for our kids and is a great way to get to know the families, teachers and staff at Montlake.

Montlake School offers opportunities to accommodate every interested volunteer, from one-time volunteering such as field trips or help with a school event to year-round engagement (e.g. room parent, lunchroom volunteer, reading coach, etc.) Montlake teachers and students appreciate your involvement!

Apply to Volunteer

In order volunteer in the classroom, interested volunteers must first complete the the Online Volunteer Application Process.

The application process consists of (1) viewing a brief video about Adult Sexual Misconduct Prevention; (2) filling the Online Volunteer Application Form; (3) providing proof of ID and length of residence in WA State and undergoing a background check.

Additional steps are required in order to be authorized to volunteer on field trips and also to drive students on field trips as applicable:

• To become a field trip volunteer, please complete the Chaperone Form K-12 Day & Overnight Field Trips process.
• To become an authorized driver for field trips, please complete the Driver Checklist for Volunteers.

You can find more information about volunteering in Seattle Public Schools in the Volunteer Handbook.

All volunteer forms must be turned into the office by 10/31/2019. If your form is not turned in by then, you will not be able to participate in classroom, field trip, or any other on campus volunteering.* Our student and staff safety is of utmost importance, and we appreciate your cooperation as we implement these policies. *Families registered after 10/31/2019 will be the exception. Others will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Questions? Email our Volunteer Coordinator at vavangelder@seattleschools.org.

For questions about volunteering with the Montlake PTA, please contact volunteer@montlakepta.org.

Volunteer Opportunities

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How to Apply to Volunteer with Seattle Public Schools

Why Volunteer in Your Child’s School?

• Higher grades, test scores & graduation rates
• Better attendance
• Increased motivation & self-esteem

Checklist for New Volunteers

Visit our volunteer website to:

• Review volunteer handbook
• Complete online training
• Apply securely online
• Background check required

Questions? Contact your school office or visit the SPS Volunteer page to learn more.

Additional Steps for Certain Volunteer Roles

The following volunteer roles require a national background check, regardless of how long the volunteer has resided in Washington:

1. Unsupervised volunteers who work with children regularly (including remote/virtual volunteers).
2. Volunteers chaperoning overnight field trips longer than three days.
3. Volunteers involved in any sports or gym activities coordinated by the school (for Athletics see *).

If situations 2 or 3 apply to you, visit the volunteer website to learn more.

* Important: Athletic coaches must apply via SPS Athletics Department.

Sports Safety

All gym and sports volunteers must be current on CPR, First Aid, Sudden Cardiac Arrest and Concussion Courses.

Field Trips

Field trip volunteers supervise students. Once approved to volunteer, request additional forms from the field trip organizer to review and acknowledge your important responsibilities.

Keeping Students Safe

Child Abuse Prevention

Nationally, one in four girls and one in six boys are sexually abused before age 18. Volunteers help to protect children by learning to recognize and report potential abuse.

At SPS, each volunteer completes an online Sexual Misconduct Prevention training before start of their service.

Criminal Background Check

• If you have lived in Washington State for the past three (3) years, SPS will complete your state background check at no cost to you.
• If you came to Washington from another state in the past three years, you will need to purchase a one-time national background check.

New or newly returned to the U.S.?

Visit the SPS Volunteer page for more information.

Why is there a fee for out-of-state background checks?

Unlike our state, the federal government does not provide schools with free screening tools. SPS selected a vendor to offer secure, affordable background checks for the volunteers who need them ($21 in most cases).

Frequently Asked Questions

I completed an online application last year. Do I have to reapply this year?

Your online application is on file so please do not create a new application. On your second volunteer anniversary, you will receive an email with login instructions to renew your application.

Can I use my smart phone to apply?
Our online volunteer application is smart-phone friendly.

Thank you for helping create safe schools, and for your generous donation of time and talent!