Volunteer at Arbor Heights

A dedicated and active parent community is one of the reasons Arbor Heights is such a special place. There are numerous ways to volunteer both directly with the school or through the PTSA. Volunteers can lend their skills, talents, and time in both big and small ways — during the school day and after school hours.

We would like to extend an enormous thank you to all our volunteers. Whether you work in the classroom, tutor, chaperone a field trip, serve on the PTSA Board, volunteer on a committee, or work an event — you name it — we can’t do it without you. For this, we thank you!

Frequently Asked Questions

What do I have to do to become an Approved Volunteer?
The Seattle School District requires EVERY volunteer working in our schools to complete a volunteer application.  To simplify the process (and reduce paper costs), Seattle Schools implemented an online application in the 2018-19 school year.  Overview of the volunteer application process with links to the volunteer application. 

If I’m just planning on chaperoning a field trip this year, do I still have to complete a Volunteer Application?
Yes, you do! All field trip chaperones MUST be approved volunteers. Even if you don’t plan on chaperoning a field trip until later in the year, please return your application at the beginning of the school year (late applications will be considered, yet will take longer to process). We will not be able to process last-minute requests e.g. day before a field trip.    

Who should I contact if I have any questions about my application?
Tracy Hughes, our friendly office assistant, is your point person. She can be reached at tlhughes1@seattleschools.org.

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!