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New Hanover County Tightens School Volunteer Policies

United States Army

Those hoping to volunteer with New Hanover County public schools may soon be required to get a background check—at his or her own expense. On Tuesday, the Board of Education approved two new changes to its volunteer policy.

Volunteers will no longer be able to hold school front-office positions, and those who work with students without direct staff supervision will need to present background checks. An acceptable background check will run in-state residents between seven and fifteen dollars, and out-of-state volunteers thirty or forty dollars, according to Valita Quattlebaum, spokesperson for the school district. Volunteers will also no longer be able to access student and personnel records.

District assistant superintendent for human resources John Welmers says the Board has no current concerns with its volunteers, but wanted to bring its code up to par with that of neighboring school districts. The Board waived the customary first reading of the policy, and instead voted unanimously to pass it. Welmers says the volunteer policy should go into effect within the next two months.