Thank you for your interest in volunteering with Eden Prairie Schools through Community Education's districtwide program! We are passionate about partnering with volunteers to enhance student learning and help us accomplish our mission and district strategies. Below is an overview of the placement process.
Step 1: All volunteers should first complete a volunteer application. Submitting an application does not guarantee a volunteer placement with Eden Prairie Schools.
Step 2: The Outreach and Engagement Supervisor will then contact you via email to share current opportunities and the links to complete the remaining next steps. This usually happens within 2 business days of submitting your application, but may take up to 7.
Step 3: All volunteers must watch an orientation video and complete a corresponding quiz. This typically takes 15-20 minutes and is updated annually. If necessary, you will also receive directions to complete a background check through Trusted Employees, the district's background check vendor. The amount of time it takes to complete this step mostly depends on how quickly the volunteer responds. Some volunteers prefer to wait until placement in the desired role has been arranged. Others prefer to complete these steps right away to ensure they are ready to volunteer as soon as an opportunity becomes available. Once a volunteer has submitted the requested information to Trusted Employees, the background check is typically completed within 48 hours, but may take longer if you have lived out of the state or country.
Step 4 (only if a background check is required): Once Trusted Employees has completed the background check, Human Resources is notified of the results. Once approved by Human Resources and Community Ed, the Sharing Inspiration Volunteer Program staff are notified, which happens in real time.
Step 5: After the volunteer has completed all of the required steps (watched the video, completed the quiz, and potentially passed a background check), the volunteer will be placed on an "approved list of volunteers." If a position has already been identified, the Outreach and Engagement Supervisor will reach out to you via email to confirm your completion. If not, the volunteer will remain on the "approved volunteer list" until an opportunity becomes available.
Step 6: The district host will provide additional onboarding or training tailored to the role in which you've been placed.
Additional Information About Background Checks
Background checks are required for most positions for new volunteers or those for whom it has been more than a year since you last volunteered through the Sharing Inspiration Volunteer Program. This includes, but is not limited to the following volunteer roles:
- Classroom Volunteer
- Field Trip Chaperone
- Homework Helper/One-on-one Tutor and Mentor
- Media Center Volunteer
- Playground Volunteer
- Eagle Nation Station Volunteer
These are examples of positions that do not require a background check, assuming the volunteer will never be without supervision of a district employee:
- Guest Speaker
- Lunchroom Volunteer
- Special Classroom Event Volunteer
- Other Select Special Event Volunteer
There is a $21 fee to complete the background check. We offer financial assistance and reimbursement to ensure the fee is not a barrier to volunteering. Once you complete a background check through Trusted Employees, you will not be required to complete an additional one as long as you volunteer once per year. Starting October 1st, 2024, financial assistance is supported by a grant from Eden Prairie Community Foundation.
Unfortunately, we cannot accept background checks that have been completed by other entities, such as a youth sports association, as every entity has their own set of specific checks and varying thresholds for what is approved.
Current Eden Prairie Schools students and current employees do not need to complete background checks.
