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Ballard High School/Get Involved/Volunteer

Volunteer

Volunteering at BHS

Thank you signs help up during a Zoom Meeting

Welcome Ballard Beavers! It’s time to think about school. The Staff and Administration at Ballard HS are preparing to make this the best year for everyone. We need all of you to become Ballard Beaver Volunteers.

Volunteering is one of the best ways to create a community and support your student. These steps will tell you how to get approved through Seattle Public Schools, check your Volunteer status, and tell you about current Volunteer Opportunities!

Refer to the many different ways to volunteer and show your support for the BHS PTSA and the staff and students at Ballard High School. Thank you to all the volunteers that have supported us each school year!

If you have already completed your paperwork and are a school volunteer please refer to our Current Volunteer Opportunities for some immediate school needs. If you haven’t completed your paperwork or don’t know where to start refer to the Steps To Becoming a Volunteer instructions below on getting started. Refer to the district page on Volunteering for even more helpful information!

If you have any questions at all reach out to PSTA Volunteer Coordinator, Tanya King at volunteers.ballardhs@gmail.com

Current Volunteer Opportunities

Steps To Becoming a Volunteer

Getting Started & Process for New Volunteers

New volunteers are required to complete a video training and follow health and safety protocols. Refer to the district Volunteer Information and Application page.

Refer to the district Volunteering page for even more helpful information.

Note: The following items will be needed (Emergency contact and Phone, Two references, Government photo ID (uploaded), and certificate of completing the SPS Adult Sexual Misconduct (ASM) Prevention Training video).

* If you have not lived in WA State for the past (3) years you will need to complete a national background check.

If you’ve signed up to be a volunteer before, you can check your status at the SPS Volunteer Portal

Process for Ongoing or Returning Volunteers

All on going volunteers and chaperones must complete the online paperwork prior to volunteering directly with students. Please complete your application at least (2) weeks before you plan to volunteer.

You can check your status at the SPS Volunteer Portal.

Ballard HS Current Volunteer Opportunities

Refer to our Current Volunteer Opportunities page often for all the ways you can help out at Ballard HS!

One Time Volunteer – Start of School Volunteering

Thank you to all the parents/guardians who volunteered to help make our First Week of School successful for staff and students!

Reminder! You must sign in at the Main Office, be vaccinated and prepared to show card/picture.

If you have any questions or need more information, please contact Gloria Kruzner or Tanya King at volunteers.ballardhs@gmail.com or Cindy Peterson in the Main Office at crpeterson@seattleschools.org

Thank you again Ballard HS Families. Ballard HS has a strong sense of community and is well supported by an outstanding staff and a robust PTSA.

District Updates

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 Volunteer

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 in 2021. 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 log-in 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!