Volunteer

 If you are interested in volunteering, please call or email Trinity, Jess & Aliya. 

Trinity (Principal): (612) 668-1020 or trinity.raw@mpls.k12.mn.us

Jess (Assistant Principal): jessica.driscoll@mpls.k12.mn.us

All new Minneapolis Public Schools volunteers must:

1. Complete the Volunteer Application.  English and Spanish applications are available for the 22-23 school year.

2. Review the online orientation and agree to the MPS Volunteer Expectations. 

3. Some volunteer positions require you to complete a background check.  MPS will begin processing background checks in October for the 22-23 school year.  More information will be posted here when it is available. The school will notify you if a background check is required for your role. 

As a volunteer in Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS), you are required to know the following district volunteer expectations: Volunteers must always serve as role models. When serving in MPS, an individual must refrain from inappropriate behaviors including, but not limited to, the following:  

• Use of profanity  

• Use or possession of drugs or alcohol  

• Carrying weapons  

• Discussion of inappropriate topics  

• Making sexual or emotional advances to a student  

• Selling merchandise or actively promoting any business  

• Proselytizing (promoting a specific belief system)  

• Giving gifts or money

Some volunteer positions require a criminal background check, which must be completed and processed before beginning. 

Volunteers’ attire should follow school expectations for staff dress. Please check with your school contact to learn more. 

Volunteers are expected to comply with all school rules regarding the use of personal cell phones. Please follow the direction of school staff or turn off/silence your phone during active volunteer time. 

All volunteers must sign in and out at a location designated by the principal before proceeding to their volunteer role and must follow site expectations for volunteer identification. 

With the exception of verbally and politely requesting the students’ attention, volunteers are not to discipline students. It is permissible to ask students not to use inappropriate or disrespectful language in your presence. All discipline concerns should be directed to the appropriate school employee. 

Volunteers must respect privacy of the students and students’ families by not talking about a student’s academic progress, behavior, or a school-related incident. All student information is confidential. When in doubt about whether information can be shared, check first with the student’s teacher or school principal. 

Abuse: As you build trust with your students, you may become aware of abuse in their lives. This abuse may be sexual, physical, or emotional. By law, you are required to report any suspected abuse to the responsible agency. You can contact the teacher, principal, or school social worker to help you with that report. You have the right to follow up to ensure a report has been filed and can be held liable if a report is not filed. You CANNOT promise secrecy to your student, but you must maintain his/her confidentiality by not telling other students or your own friends. 

Student Contact: Volunteers should not seek to be left alone with a student. There should always be visual or auditory contact between the volunteer and a school employee. All 1:1 student contact should be conducted under the direction of school staff. Do not ask students for their home or cell phone number, address, email address or social media information; do not give them yours. Do not socialize with your student(s) outside of school. Do not give your student(s) gifts. Chances of misunderstanding are high and you do not want to be misunderstood. 

Social Media: Volunteers may not discuss and/or post any information pertaining to individual students, staff, or situations on social media sites. Do not interact with students on social media. Do not share photos of students not in your immediate family on social media. 

Tobacco Use: The use of tobacco products (including e-cigarettes) by staff, students, visitors, volunteers, or contractors is prohibited on school district property. School district property includes, but is not limited to; buildings, grounds, vehicles parked on grounds, and vehicles owned, leased or contracted by the school district and school sponsored functions. 

Touch: We strongly urge you not to initiate physical contact with any student not a member of your immediate family. You may be working with young people who may not be aware of appropriate boundaries. Keep in mind that your student(s) may see your physical contact as a sign of preferential treatment. 

Volunteer Dismissal: The school principal has the right to dismiss any volunteer who is deemed to have engaged in inappropriate behavior including, but not limited to, that described above. If a volunteer is dismissed, the MPS district and the office of Volunteer Services reserve the right not to reassign the volunteer at another school.