Volunteers are an essential part of the Notre Dame de Lourdes School Family!

Volunteers help ensure our students have opportunities to learn, grow, and explore in a safe environment. Additionally, volunteer participation can reduce costs incurred by the school for its programs.

Volunteer opportunities exist both during the school day and outside of school hours. Positions on campus during school hours will require proper clearances. Please consider the list of possible commitments in light of your family’s schedule:

• Homeroom Parent
• Lunch Aide 
• Library Aide 
• Coffee Sunday Coordinator
• CYO Coaches
• Parish Carnival Committee
• Home and School Association
• Board of Limited Jurisdiction

All volunteers in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia who may have any possible contact with or responsibility for children must possess clearances as required by Pennsylvania law and take the Mandatory Reporting of Suspected Child Abuse training.

The following clearances must be obtained by volunteers living in PA for less than 10 years: 

• Federal Bureau of Investigation Fingerprint Clearance 
• Pennsylvania State Police Clearance 
• Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance 

 The following clearances must be obtained by volunteers living in PA continuously for 10 years:

• Pennsylvania State Police Clearance 
• Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance 
• Disclosure Statement application for volunteers to be filed at the place of service.

Obtaining Required Background Checks

1. PA State Police Criminal Record Check

• Can be obtained online at https://epatch.state.pa.us/Home.jsp with results available within a few minutes

2. PA Department Human Services Child Abuse History Clearance 

• Can be obtained online at  https://www.compass.state.pa.us/CWIS

3. Federal Criminal Background Check:

• Go to www.pa.cogentid.com to schedule an appointment and pay for the background check

Clearance Renewal Requirements

All required clearances, including FBI, must be renewed every five years.

Volunteers who have been a resident of Pennsylvania for less than 10 years must renew their FBI Fingerprint clearance until they reach 10 years of residency in Pennsylvania. Once the volunteer meets the 10 year residency requirement, they must complete a Disclosure Statement Application for Volunteers which must be submitted every five years.

Through its Training Institute, the Office For Child and Youth Protection offers Mandatory Reporting of Suspected Child Abuse, a required training for all clergy, staff and volunteers who have regular contact with children. This online training provides an overview of Pennsylvania Child Protective Services law and Archdiocesan policy regarding the reporting of suspected abuse, as well as information on identifying common signs of abuse and how to handle a child’s disclosure.