Become a Volunteer at SJCA
Are you interested in becoming a volunteer through the Lions Council to give your time, effort, and talents to the scholars and staff at St. Johns Classical Academy? We know you have many competing responsibilities; the fact that you are willing to give of yourself is sincerely appreciated and enables us to do so much more for our school.
Lions Council works with the SJCA administration to facilitate the school volunteer program.
In accordance with the new Florida State Statue 435.12, the SJCA Governing Board adopted a new policy on February 23, 2023 requiring a more thorough background screening for all volunteers. Level two background checks include a biometric screening in addition to what is required with level one. This is common and even required by law for those in education, healthcare, and many other employees holding positions of trust and responsibility.
If you were a screened volunteer for the 2021-2022 school year, you do not need to re-register. Your background check is valid through June 30, 2023. If you are unsure, please contact [email protected] or [email protected]
Additional Information
Who does the volunteer policy apply to:
– volunteers/chaperones on campus when scholars are present
– coaches outside of school hours when scholars are present
– class chaperones off-site (field trips)
What does this mean to you?
As a NEW volunteer and/or school field trip chaperone you are required to have a level two background check screening*. This effective date is March 1, 2023.
As a CURRENT volunteer and/or school field trip chaperone (meaning you previously applied to volunteer/chaperone and have a level one background clearance) you are required to have a level two background check screening effective July 1, 2023. Be on the lookout for information at the end of summer to update your clearances.
The information below will explain how the level two screening works (it is different and requires additional steps on your part to complete).
Step 1:
- Register with the Lions Council via www.lionscouncil.org under the Volunteer tab.
- The Lions Council Communications Director will review the information and confirm that the time frame for volunteering allows for time to complete screening. Once the time frame is confirmed, you will receive an email (from [email protected]) with instructions on how to complete the biometric screening. In this email, you will be given a link to register or call for an appointment.
How to complete the electronic fingerprinting:
- SJCA has partnered with Drs Choice First for LiveScan electronic fingerprinting.
- Drs Choice First is located at 4501 Irvington Ave, Jacksonville, Florida.
- SJCA will occasionally schedule a day(s) when an agent from Drs Choice will be on campus to complete a group of electronic fingerprinting.
Once the SJCA Human Resources Director receives the screening results, you will receive a welcome email from the Lions Council volunteer program.
FAQ:
I was just cleared to volunteer earlier this school year. Do I need to do level two in order to chaperone or volunteer for the remainder of the 2022/2023 school year?
No. You are cleared to volunteer/chaperone until June 30, 2023. However, you WILL need to complete level two screening if you intend on volunteering/chaperoning for the 2023-2024 school year.
I already paid $25 for a background check. Why do I need this level two screening?
The level two screening is a biometrics (fingerprinting) screening and does a deeper and wider dive in order to better protect all of our scholars. The level two is also valid for five years as opposed to two years with the level one.
What is the retention fee? How will that work?
Incoming Florida arrest fingerprints are searched against these retained fingerprints on file. If a fingerprint match is made on an individual, FDLE notifies the entity that the person was arrested, and provides the name of the county where the arrest occurred as well as contact information for the arresting agency. The fee for the retention of applicant fingerprints is $6 per year per applicant transaction. The retention of the fingerprints eliminates the cost of the state of Florida $24 fee since all incoming Florida arrest information is compared to the retained applicant database
If I do not plan to volunteer for the next five years at SJCA, do I need to pay the retention fee?
No. Your options are to pay for the initial scan only which will be valid for the year; OR for the initial scan plus the $24 retention fee for years 2 through 5.
What do I “get” for the $85 fee that I don’t get for the $60 fee?
Both fees will get you a level two biometrics screening allowing you to volunteer/chaperone for the school year. However, the $85 fee will “cover you” for 5 total years. The $60 fee will only be valid for a year since the state charges fees to retain your fingerprints.
What will an appointment look like?
The process is fast. You should not need more than 30 minutes to complete it. Just bring a government issued photo ID, and the ORI code provided to you by Lions Council.
My spouse and I both want to be able to volunteer/chaperone while our scholar is attending SJCA. The fee of $85 each will cause financial hardship. Is there assistance available?
There are scholarship opportunities for those who are in need. Please contact Headmaster Johnson or the Chairman of The Lions Council to discuss your situation.
I had my driver’s license scanned before I went on a field trip last year. Am I cleared?
No. A driver’s license scan through the RAPTOR system is not a complete background check and does not qualify you to volunteer or chaperone. These scans are still used by the school, but will not be sufficient for chaperoning. You will need to apply for the Level 2 screening. If you are unsure, please contact [email protected].
Please note: Lions Council is the facilitator of the volunteer screening process. We collect the fees from the volunteer and pay the background check fee to the agent. Lions Council does not have access to any results of the background check or profit from this process.
Please review the handbook and reference as needed.
How will you find out about volunteer opportunities?
- After your volunteer application is approved, you will be added to the volunteer group in PT Board.
- We will be temporarily using PTBoard for volunteer opportunities. Please make sure the 2022-2023 School Year is selected. (This is done via the “Switch School” link at the top right once you log in.)
- Please be sure to check your email and/or the “Volunteers” PTBoard group at least once a week if you are interested in helping on campus.
If you have any questions, please reach out to: Leandra Cramer, Lions Council Communications Director, [email protected] or Nicole Andrews, Lions Council Chairman, [email protected].
