Visiting and Volunteering FAQ
Who is Considered a Visitor, a Volunteer, and a Chaperone Volunteer?
A visitor at ISL is considered anyone who visits the campus in ANY capacity. This includes parents/guardians, caregivers, and other family members who enter the school in any capacity. This includes pickup person, open studios, delivering food items to classrooms, vendors, special guests, etc. Find more information on ISL Visitor Screening by clicking here.
A volunteer at ISL is considered any person who would like to volunteer during school hour events, during after hour events, on and off campus, helps in the classroom, cafeteria, office, and enrichment activities.
Volunteers are NOT ALLOWED to supervise any student or group of students (besides their own) without an ISL staff member present.
Find more information on volunteering at ISL by clicking here
A chaperone volunteer at ISL is someone who is entrusted to supervise a student or group of students (not their own child), whether on field experiences, in the classroom, or on campus.
Chaperone volunteers must complete a Mandated Reporter Training and successfully pass a background check in order to be approved.
For more information about Chaperone Volunteers and to start the Chaperone Volunteer process, click here.
For questions or concerns about Visiting, Volunteering, and Chaperone volunteering at ISL, please contact:
Julianna “Juli” Jones
Community Engagement Facilitator
jjones@isl-edu.org
504-881-9734
Who needs visitor screening approval and who needs a background check?
All VISITORS on campus must be screened within the National Sex Offender Registry.
All VOLUNTEERS must also be screened within the National Sex Offender Registry.
All CHAPERONE VOLUNTEERS must complete the mandated reporter training and background check.
I’d like to visit and/or volunteer on campus. How do I opt in to be screened through the National Sex Offender Registry?
Please fill out this visitor screening form.
I don’t remember if I opted in for visitor screening during registration. How can I find out?
Please reach out to your campus Family Liaison for confirmation.
I'm only on campus to pick up my child. Do I still need to be screened through the National Sex Offender Registry?
Yes, all visitors must opt in to be screened through the National Sex Offender Registry.
What if I want to participate in a class activity before I am approved as a chaperone volunteer?
You may volunteer, under the supervision of faculty/staff, if you opted to be screened through the National Registry of Sex Offenders and passed the screening.
All chaperone volunteers must complete the mandatory reporter training and pass the background check to be considered a chaperone volunteer.
I am interested in being a Chaperone volunteer, how do I begin the process?
The Spring chaperone application window is now closed.
The next chaperone application window will open in Fall of 2025 during the 25-26 school year.
If you have opted in to be screened through the National Registry of Sex Offenders then you are ready to begin the Chaperone volunteer process.
The first step to begin the Chaperone Volunteer Process is to complete the online Mandatory Reporter Training and submit your certificate of completion to volunteerdocs@isl-edu.org. Applicants can find the online Mandatory Reporter Training here.
What is the mandatory reporter training?
The online training explains what a mandated reporter is, who is a mandated reporter, and their legal obligations, how to recognize the signs and symptoms of child abuse and neglect, how to identify groups of children at higher risk for abuse/neglect and what to do if a child discloses abuse or neglect to you. The training includes instructions for reporting abuse or neglect by phone to the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) child abuse hotline, 1-855-4LA-KIDS (1-855-452-5437).
What is the deadline for the Chaperone Volunteer application?
The 24-25 chaperone application window is now closed.
Chaperone Application deadline for the fall was September 30, 2024.
Chaperone Application deadline for the spring was February 7, 2025.
Who at ISL coordinates the background checks and when?
Once applicants have submitted their Mandatory Reporter Training certificate of completion, ISL’s Community Engagement Facilitator will submit a request to schedule a background check with the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office. ISL will contact the Chaperone Volunteer applicant to provide the date and time of the scheduled background check. More information on this process can be found here.
Who pays for the background check?
Chaperone Volunteer applicants will pay for their background check ($41.00); financial assistance is available. To request financial assistance, please contact your campus family liaison. The background check fee of $41.00 goes directly to the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office to cover the fees associated with the fingerprinting session and background check record.
How long does it take for ISL to receive background check results?
Generally, Approved Chaperone Volunteers can expect their approval confirmation within 2 weeks- pending Orleans Parish Sheriff’s office response.
Is every applicant approved?
Only certain types of background check record results disqualify a person from volunteering; the results of the background check are confidential and will not be seen by teachers.
Can I schedule my own background check?
No, applicants cannot schedule their own background checks. ISL must submit the request to the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office and submit documentation on behalf of the Chaperone Volunteer Applicant. The background check is scheduled by the Sheriff’s office and the date is provided to ISL.
I have a background check through my employer, do I need to complete another one through ISL?
Approval is determined on a case-by-case basis, contact ISL’s Community Engagement Facilitator via email at jjones@isl-edu.org or by phone at 504-881-9734 for more information.
I completed the Chaperone Volunteer process last school year, do I need to complete a background check again every school year?
No, Chaperone Volunteer background checks do not expire as long as you are affiliated with ISL.
Please note: Chaperone volunteers will need to complete the Mandatory Reporter Training every year. Mandatory Reporter certifications expire one year from the date of completion.
How can I find out about volunteer and chaperone volunteer opportunities at ISL?
Volunteers can reach out to their child’s teacher or their campus Family Liaison for campus-specific volunteer opportunities.
Teachers will also inform caregivers if they are looking for volunteers for specific events. Teachers will only contact approved Chaperone Volunteers for Chaperone Volunteer opportunities, such as field experiences.
Volunteer opportunities can also be posted in:
- Campus Weekly Tidbits
- Campus Facebook groups
If you would like your campus to reach out to you with volunteer opportunities please fill out our volunteer interest form.
To learn about School-wide events and fundraisers and how to volunteer or become part of an event committee click here.
I have an idea or question for a family engaging event at ISL?
We would love to hear from you! For campus-specific event ideas please contact your campus Family Liaison. For School-wide event ideas or questions please contact Julianna “Juli” Jones, ISL’s Community Engagement Facilitator at jjones@isl-edu.org.