Thank you for your interest in volunteering with Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools! We welcome volunteers to serve all schools and grades, from pre-kindergarten to high school, in all subject areas, activities, athletics and more!

Get started: If you have a specific school in mind, please contact the school directly to check on volunteer opportunities. If you are a CHCCS parent, you may also hear about volunteer opportunities directly from a principal, teacher, coach, etc. 

• Effective January 2023: Anyone (parent, caregiver, community member, UNC student, etc.) wishing to volunteer with CHCCS will make contact through individual schools instead of what was previously known as the CHCCS Volunteer Office. (In December 2022, Volunteer Office staff transitioned to full-time employee recruitment and engagement functions under our Human Resources Division.)
• Exceptions include AVID tutors, Blue Ribbon Mentors and volunteer athletics coaches. Those volunteers will contact those programs/departments directly. However, tutors, mentors and volunteer athletics coaches will still participate in the background screening process.

Review the "Volunteering & Background Checks" menu item for additional details about the background screening process, which is required for volunteers aged 18 and over (just as background checks are required for CHCCS employees.)

Typically, volunteer roles that would require a background check include: 

• Chaperones on field trip(s).

• AVID tutors.

• BRMA mentors.

• Volunteer athletics coaches.

• Non-staff helpers or assistants in close proximity to students in or outside of the school.

• Non-staff club advisors meeting with students after school.

• Participants in the Learning Bridge Program.
  
  

Once approved, volunteers would follow the same process as visitors upon entering the front office of a school:

• Check in at the front desk.

• Enter ID into the Verkada Guest kiosk.

  • Note: If you enter your cell phone number, Verkada will text you with a link to a QR code guest pass that you can use to check in faster in the future if you would like. The text will also contain a link for you to sign out. 

• Wear the Verkada badge/sticker while on CHCCS property (there is no longer a “volunteer badge”).

• Proceed to the designated location where a CHCCS staff member would be expecting you.

• Upon leaving, sign out either in the front office or by using the link sent to you via text message by Verkada Guest.
  
  

School Visitors: If you plan to be in the schools to visit your own child, or to attend a scheduled event, but do not intend to volunteer in any specific capacity or to work with students other than your own child, you will be considered a “visitor” and will be expected to follow the school procedures for visitors. A background screening is not required. 

Expectations for Volunteers: CHCCS’ expectation for all volunteers is that they will be supervised by a CHCCS staff member and follow all staff-directed procedures while on school property. Other guidelines include: 

• Never take a student off campus without written permission from the parents and the school principal.  

• Maintain confidentiality. Information regarding students must not be shared with anyone outside of the school. 

• Wear appropriate clothing at school. Clothing that is revealing or advertises anything inappropriate for children may not be worn while volunteering.

• Be sensitive to all of the students’ various diverse backgrounds, cultural experiences, and achievement levels.

• Do not administer medications or food to any student.

• Do not exchange phone numbers or text messages with students.

• CHCCS are smoke-free, alcohol-free, and drug-free zones.

• If you hear or see anything that may be deemed a threat to the safety of students or staff, contact a staff member immediately.

• If there is a potential threat or unsafe situation, your role as a volunteer is to follow the directions of staff.

• To ensure the safest learning environment possible, we ask that all visitors and volunteers please enter the buildings through the main entrance at each school.