Frequently Asked Questions

Edina Public Schools welcomes middle school students, high school students, parents/guardians, and community members to support students and programs through a variety of volunteer opportunities.

Students must be entering grade 7 or older to volunteer. Some volunteer opportunities are only available to students entering grade 9 or older. All student volunteers are required to complete:

• A volunteer application
• Volunteer orientation

Additional training may be provided depending on the program or placement.

Parents and guardians can volunteer through their school’s PTO, classroom opportunities, or district programs. Families are encouraged to contact their school PTO to learn about current opportunities.

Some volunteer roles may require a background check, depending on the assignment. Parents/guardians may also complete a volunteer interest form to be considered for future opportunities.

Community volunteers are required to complete:

• A volunteer application
• Orientation
• A background check

A fee is required for the background check. Instructions and forms will be shared prior to orientation. Parents may also need to complete a background check depending on the volunteer opportunity or location of the assignment.

Parents or guardians volunteering at a different school site must follow the same process as community volunteers, including orientation and a background check, if required.

Example: If your child attends an elementary school but you plan to volunteer at the high school, you will complete the community volunteer process.

Volunteer placements are coordinated by program staff based on:

• Volunteer interests and strengths
• Program and classroom needs
• Requests from school staff

Volunteers are placed only in programs or classrooms where support has been requested.

Yes. All volunteers must complete orientation before beginning their volunteer experience.

Orientation may include:

• Volunteer expectations
• School and program procedures
• Student and staff interactions
• Assignment-specific training

Our goal is to help volunteers feel prepared, informed, and comfortable in their role.

If you need to make changes to your assignment or availability, please contact program staff as soon as possible so adjustments can be made.

A volunteer’s contact with students is limited to the scheduled time during the volunteer assignment. This protects both you and the student(s). All volunteers work under the direct supervision of a teacher, staff member, or school administrator and should follow their direction regarding when they are scheduled to work with a student.

If you are unable to make your commitment, notify the staff person and the volunteer staff as soon as possible.

Wear appropriate, practical, and comfortable clothing when you volunteer.

Volunteers may not discipline students, but please report any problems with student behavior to the supervising staff, as they are responsible for any disciplinary actions.

Volunteers are considered mandated reporters. As a mandated reporter, you must report when you have knowledge or reason to believe that a child is being or has been neglected or physically or sexually abused. Volunteers are expected to report any incident or suspicion immediately to a staff person. 

Due to privacy laws, consider all information about student progress, performance, and behavior to be confidential. In addition, consider personal details learned about teachers’ and students’ lives to be private information. However, you are welcome to discuss any of this information with your supervisor or Edina Volunteer Program staff if any of the information creates cause for concern.

Yes. Students who demonstrate a commitment to volunteerism may be eligible for student service awards and recognition. These are available to middle school and high school student volunteers.

Learn More

Volunteer experiences can help students build and demonstrate leadership, responsibility, collaboration, and community involvement on college, scholarship, and job applications. Students are encouraged to keep a record of their service experiences and hours to highlight these skills and experiences for future opportunities.

Depending on the program or opportunity, volunteers may be able to request verification of service hours or participation. Contact program staff for more information.

Possibly. If you built a positive working relationship with a staff member during your volunteer experience, you may ask whether they would be willing to serve as a reference for a job, scholarship, college, or other opportunity.

When asking for a reference, students should be respectful, ask in advance, and choose an adult who is familiar with their contributions, reliability, and character through volunteering or service experiences.