A Community of #10Strong

As a community-focused charter school, volunteering is crucial to the fabric of our culture. Research shows that when parents are involved at school, ALL students do better. Therefore, we ask that all Amana parents commit to volunteer 10 hours per school year to create a community of families involved in their children’s learning. Whether volunteering in your child’s classroom, at an event, through our PTO, or at home, the opportunities to commit your time are endless. Volunteer hours can be logged via the Amana website and also at the Front Desk info kiosk. Our PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) is a great resource to utilize as you begin your search for a volunteering initiative that is the right fit for your time/skills. You can reach them at awpto@amanaacademy.org

 

COMPLETE VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION HERE

FAQs

Volunteer orientation is a mandatory process at Amana as a measure to ensure the utmost safety and security of all children and in order to provide our volunteers with insight into our unique Expeditionary Learning instructional format – hands on learning, field studies, overnight trips, etc.  Even if you completed the Volunteer Orientation in the past, a review and acknowledgment of the 2022-2023 Volunteer Handbook is required this school year. 

There are a few easy steps to becoming a volunteer at Amana:

  • From the comfort of your home, log onto the Amana Academy website homepage and click on the tab that reads “Parents” and then “Volunteering”
  • Read through the information on the How to Become an Amana Volunteer page. View the Volunteer Orientation Video and register for and complete this FREE Mandated Reporter Training class. 
  • Print, complete and bring with you to the orientation the Volunteer Confidentiality Agreement and Parent Volunteer Registration Form (linked below)
  • Follow the additional steps listed below on the website if you would like to become certified to chaperone on an overnight field study

    What Type of Volunteer Will You Be? 

    Supervised Volunteer:  A “Supervised” Volunteer is someone who volunteers in the school, in a classroom, or on a local field trip. Supervised Volunteers work in the presence of school staff.

    Unsupervised Volunteer: An “Unsupervised” Volunteer or Chaperone is an individual who performs their volunteer duties without direct supervision from school staff. Unsupervised Volunteers/Chaperones may work independently, without staff presence. The category of Unsupervised Volunteer includes, but is not limited to, overnight field trip chaperones.

    Because they have direct, potentially unobserved contact with students, Unsupervised Volunteers & Chaperones must undergo a background check to ensure the safety and security of the school environment and its students, according to O.C.G.A § 353-34.2.

    How Long Will This Process Take & What Does it Cost?

    This process requires scheduling an in-person appointment at an approved fingerprinting location. Please allow at least 5 days to complete the process.  

    The fee to complete the background check is around $55. While we greatly appreciate our volunteers, Amana cannot cover the associated fee for this background check. The fee is the responsibility of the volunteer.  

    Background Checks expire after 2 years. Volunteers will be required to renew their background check after two years.

    What Are The Steps? 

    This process requires 2 steps to complete. 

    1. Complete the required Background Consent Waiver allowing Amana to process your background check. 
    2. Register & schedule your background check.
     
    STEP 1:  Background Consent Waiver 

    You must complete this waiver prior to registering for your background check.  

    Background Consent Waiver

    I am a current or prospective:(Required)
    Have you ever been convicted of a crime?(Required)
    PLEASE READ CAREFULLY(Required)
    I hereby authorize the submitting of my fingerprints through an authorized agency to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for the purpose of accessing and reviewing state and national criminal history records that may pertain to me. I further understand the following

    Personal Information

    Enter your FULL LEGAL NAME as it appears on your state issued ID or drivers license(Required)
    Address(Required)
    MM slash DD slash YYYY
    Email(Required)
    By checking the "I AGREE" box, I authorize the dissemination of any state or national criminal history record that may pertain to me, to the requesting authorized agency. I have read and understood the foregoing and the information provided is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief.(Required)
    This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
    STEP 2:  Register for a Background Check

    The Background Consent Waiver above MUST BE COMPLETED before you proceed with this step!

    • CLICK HERE to register for fingerprinting
    • Enter the Service Code: 2TGQXV and click GET STARTED.
    • Enter the Reviewing and Requesting Agency ID: GA931398Z and click CONTINUE.
    • Information on following page MUST match the information below before clicking START ENROLLMENT. If information does not match, click back and enter code and ID again.
      • Agency: Georgia Education Agencies
      • Reason For Fingerprinting: Public Schools – Volunteers Providing Direct Care
      • Reviewing Agency: GA931398Z Amana Academy
    • Read the Non-Criminal Justice Applicant’s Privacy Rights, check the acknowledgement box and click CONTINUE.
    • Complete the Personal Information and click REVIEW. 
    • Confirm that information is correct and click SUBMIT ENROLLMENT.
    • You will then receive an Application Approval page and an email from no-reply@ga.state.identogo with your registration details. Please allow 24 hours for verification that you have a completed waiver and application on file. If all forms are on file, your Idemia registration will be approved. If not, your registration will be denied. You will receive another email from no-reply@ga.state.identogo with your application approval or denial details.
    • Click SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT located in approval email or log back into your Idemia account to continue.
    • Schedule an appointment at the location of your choice. If you are located out of state, there is a physical fingerprint card option. Be advised that this process can take several weeks and is ONLY for out of state candidates.
    • Lastly, provide your payment details and confirm your appointment.
    • You will receive a confirmation screen and an email from no-reply@ga.state.identogo with your appointment details.

    The time commitment for the Volunteer Orientation is 60 minutes, but we advise you allow at least one week before your volunteer opportunity to ensure the completion of all necessary paperwork. 

    A desire to make a difference!

    A Crew Parent is the primary liaison between the teachers and their students’ families to communicate and coordinate volunteer opportunities and announcing special events within the classroom. These opportunities include assisting the teacher in organizing special classroom events or celebrations, communicating classroom needs for the teacher to the parents, organizing teacher appreciation activities, and also being a “go-to” person if assistance is needed to help encourage people to volunteer for school-wide events. 

    Crew parents are an important part of initiating and promoting the “Crew” effort between school and home that Amana Academy strives to embrace with the whole child education philosophy. Crew parenting is a great way to stay involved and stay informed within your child’s school community and earn those required volunteer hours quickly! Email your child’s teacher or the PTO for more information.

     

     

    Remember that not everyone is suited for the same type of involvement — you may have to “try on” a number a few activities before you find something that feels right. If you’re at a loss for how you can help, just ask your child’s teacher, who will likely be glad to help you think of something!

    Here are just some of the ways a parent volunteer can help:

    • Become a Crew Parent
    • Attend a monthly Board Meeting
    • Become a committee chair
    • Chaperone a field study
    • Do “take-home” projects for teachers such as cutting out bulletin board pieces
    • Read in your child’s class
    • Organize or assist fundraising committees
    • Organize school-wide events such as International Festival, 8th Grade Promotion, Kindergarten Graduation, Field Day, or any grade-level sponsored event
    • Organize or assist with a specific club or interest group (if you have an interest in an activity that isn’t currently available to students, offer to help get a group started — for example, a dance club or art)
    • Help the school administrators prepare grant proposals, letter-writing campaigns, or press releases or provide other administrative assistance
    • Work as a library assistant or offer to help with storytime or reading assistance in the school library
    • This list is not all-inclusive! There are many things that come up throughout the year that will give you the opportunity to earn your required hours quickly.
    2022-2023 Required Volunteer Paperwork