A thank you from PSD’s superintendent
April 17, 2023
Dear Poudre School District volunteers,
A few weeks ago, I visited Johnson Elementary School. Not only did I get to meet some incredible student leaders and staff, but I also had a special meeting with Principal Georgie Dawson and a few of Poudre School District’s unparalleled volunteers.
Through their stories about how they support teachers and students, I heard their abundant dedication and heart. I felt their care for children and, by extension, our community. In short, they inspired me.
You inspire me.
Poudre School District is one of the top public-school systems in the State of Colorado because of the people who support us, because of our students, staff, families, and community partners – including volunteers.
April 17-21 is National Volunteer Week, and I couldn’t be more grateful for your time, energy and commitment – this and every week. So far this school year, 9,393 active PSD volunteers have logged an astounding 64,631 hours (about 7 and a half years) of service. That’s 64,631 hours of making copies, re-shelving books, screening students’ hearing and vision, working one-on-one with children, and so much more.
When you do that, our staff can spend more time with students. That matters more than you will ever know.
I would also be remiss if I didn’t thank my school office colleagues and Dawn Feit, volunteer and partnership coordinator, for managing the systems and people who make your volunteerism possible in PSD.
So, from the bottom of my heart and on behalf of our entire district, thank you.
I couldn’t be prouder to be your superintendent and do this work alongside each of you.
With appreciation,
Brian Kingsley
Superintendent
Poudre School District
Thank you for sharing your time and talent!
PSD sends frequent emails to currently registered volunteers, but those are getting lost in some recipients' junk mail folders. If you are registered as a volunteer with PSD, please check your junk mail and mark those sent by "Volunteer Coordinator" as safe to receive.
Please use the links below to register and see volunteer opportunities.
For charter schools, please contact the school office for volunteer registration and information. DO NOT register with PSD. Charter schools are: Compass Community, Global Village Academy, Fort Collins Montessori, Liberty Common, Mountain Sage and Ridgeview Classical.
Register to Volunteer (English) (Spanish)
After registering, allow 5-10 business days for processing.
Volunteer Opportunities
COVID Protocols: Self-monitoring for symptoms is required before entering a school. Volunteer opportunities at schools may be designed to limit the potential for close contact as much as possible. Volunteers should report to the school as quickly as possible if:
- Identified as a close contact of an individual who tested positive or probable for COVID-19
- You test positive or are considered probable for COVID-19.
- Visit the PSD COVID Health and Safety web page for information about returning to school.
Raptor Volunteer Check-In System
Poudre School District utilizes a visitor and volunteer check-in system called Raptor. Nothing is more important than the safety of our students and staff. That is why PSD is using the nationally recognized Raptor Technologies visitor and volunteer management system, which is used in more than 50,000 K-12 schools worldwide.
With Raptor, PSD can:
- Verify the identity of visitors and volunteers at all schools to ensure that they are there for educational and approved support purposes
- Know who is in a school in real-time in the event of an emergency.
What you need to know and do
- Always enter schools through the secure front entrance. Do not attempt to go through side doors or prop doors open for others.
- If dropping off your child’s lunch or homework at the front desk/entrance, do NOT check in using Raptor.
- If going beyond the school’s front entrance, DO follow these steps to check in:
First-time visitors and volunteers
- See front desk staff.
- Provide an ID to be scanned (e.g., driver's licenses, passport ID cards, or other government- and military-issued ID cards with a bar stripe).
- Don’t have one? See the front desk staff, who can manually confirm identification using passports, birth certificates, permanent resident cards, Native American tribal documents, voter registration card, and more.
- Raptor system runs a real-time check of the national registered sex offender database.
- PSD has protocols to promote safety and maintain the dignity and confidentiality of individuals, should this search yield any results.
- If there are no results, the individual will be given a badge and cleared to enter.
- Return to the front desk to sign out upon leaving.
Returning visitors and volunteers
- Check in at the front desk.
- Returning visitors with an existing record can be checked in without scanning their identification card/verifying document.
- If there are no results, the individual will be given a badge and cleared to enter.
Questions about the check-in system? Find FAQs on the the School Visitor Check-In System web page.
FAQs
What's the difference between a visitor and a volunteer?
Visitors are occasional and infrequent
Visitors do not engage with students in an unsupervised setting, for instance:
- Lunch with your student (infrequent)
- Someone touring site
- Contractor working on site
- Deliver supplies to site
- Meet with a teacher
Visitors are security screened upon entry to the school building.
For visitor questions: Norm Bastian, security manager - nbastian@psdschools.org or 970.490.3523
Volunteers are regular and ongoing
Volunteers may engage with students in school settings, such as :
- Small groups
- Field trips
- Activities or clubs
- Classroom parties
- Library or Specials Helpers
Volunteers must register and have a background check in advance.
For volunteer questions: Dawn Feit, Volunteer & Partnership Coordinator - dfeit@psdschools.org or 970.490.3517
Who can register to volunteer?
Any individuals over the age of 18, as well as PSD students and staff.
What happens when I register to volunteer? Do I have to sign an agreement?
What happens when I register to volunteer? Your application can take up to 10 business days to complete. If your background check clears, you will receive an automated notification and may proceed to volunteer.
Do I have to sign an agreement? Yes, When you apply you will be agreeing to the Volunteer Confidentiality Agreement or the Acuerdo de Confidencialidad del Voluntario.
Do I need to register if I only volunteer for one day or one event?
Yes. This requirement applies to all volunteer service, whether it is only for a single occasion or will occur on a sporadic or regular basis, and regardless of the program, event or activity involved. Review the PSD Volunteer Policy KJ here.
Am I required to register each new school year?
No. Please keep your volunteer account updated with school preferences and contact information. PSD's policy is to re-run background checks every three years, 30 days before your registration expires you will get notified from our Raptor system. Please check your junk mail frequently.