Purpose of this Policy
To provide a procedure for background checks to ensure a safe school environment. This policy will govern the use of background checks for all staff, faculty, coaches, substitute teachers, drivers, contractors, volunteers, visitors, or any persons using any of the GRACE Christian School facilities.
Background check requirements for specific functions:
Employees
- At the time of initial employment, a full background check is performed.
- For employees who are in the financial department, a credit search is also required.
- A sex offender registry search is performed at least annually.
- Full background checks will be repeated every three years.
Substitute Teachers
- A full background check is required before the first day working.
- A sex offender registry search is performed at least annually.
- Full background checks will be repeated every three years of employment with GRACE Christian School.
Coaches
- A full background check is required before the first day of work.
- A full driving record check is required for all coaches responsible for driving team members.
- A sex offender registry search is performed at least annually.
- Full background checks will be repeated every three years of employment with GRACE Christian School.
Bus Drivers
- A full background and driving record check is required before the first day of work.
- Bus drivers need to be willing to submit to pre-approval and random alcohol and drug testing.
- A sex offender registry search is performed at least annually.
- A Motor Vehicle Record check is repeated every two years.
- Full background checks will be repeated every three years of employment with GRACE Christian School.
School Volunteers
- Level One Volunteers – Volunteers within the classroom only and who are supervised in their interactions with students are required to be screened through an immediate sex offender registry search upon their arrival to volunteer. Field Trip volunteers who are not driving are also included in this level of volunteers.
- Level Two Volunteers – Volunteers who may drive or be unsupervised with students (as in an overnight field trip), are required to have a full background check performed. Upon each visit to GRACE, an immediate sex offender search will be conducted. Full background checks on volunteers must be repeated every three years.
Independent Contractors/Tutors
- Necessity of full or partial background checks is at the discretion of the administration based on contact that may occur with students.
- Upon each visit to GRACE, an immediate sex offender search will be conducted.
Procedure for Obtaining Background Check
GRACE Christian School uses “Securly” on each campus to immediately screen visitors, volunteers, coaches and employees using the National Sex Offender Registry. This information will be obtained by scanning an individual’s license in the Raptor system upon admittance into the buildings or as the administration deems necessary in the case of employees.
GRACE currently uses an external vendor to perform full background and driving record checks. Anyone required to have a full background check performed must complete an application and waiver via this link. The type of information that can be collected and verified through the background check and/or motor vehicle driving check includes, but is not limited to: name, date of birth, social security number, current and former addresses and driver’s license number and state of issuance. This online application and waiver should be submitted within one week of the individual needing to have this check completed to allow sufficient time to receive the results.
Any individual required to submit to a background check through Raptor or who refuses to sign a release form is no longer considered eligible to perform work or other activities on GRACE Christian School’s campuses.
Evaluation of Results
Whereas the background check results include driving records, there are specific instances in which these records would preclude an individual from some capacities of volunteering at GRACE. In the event of the following findings, an employee, coach or volunteer would NOT be allowed to transport students:
- Two (2) or more traffic violations within the past 3 years (may be subject to review after 1 year without infractions).
- Single violation reflecting disregard for the safety of self and others within the last 5 years.
- A single revocation or suspension of the driver’s license within the past 10 years.
- A single driving while impaired conviction within the past 10 years.
If the background check returns information on a prospective employee, coach, bus driver or volunteer that indicates criminal history, the school administration will first work to verify that the results match the correct individual. It may be necessary for the school administration to inquire further about the nature of the criminal history to determine the ability to employ an applicant or allow the participation of an individual as a volunteer at GRACE.
The results of a criminal history will be considered by the Executive Leadership Team to determine the suitability of an individual for employment and/or as a volunteer. However, any conviction of “crimes against children or other persons” (see below) will result in an automatic designation as unsuitable for employment or volunteering.
It should be noted that pursuant to NC law, it is unlawful for anyone registered as a convicted sex offender of a crime relating to minor children to be on school property. The Securly system will identify anyone attempting access to GRACE who is listed in the National Sex Offender Registry immediately so that proper action may be taken by the school administration.
Privacy Concerns Regarding Background Reports
GRACE Christian School considers all information obtained from an investigative background check or Raptor search to be confidential. This information will only be used as a part of the employee, bus driver, coach or volunteer screening process. GRACE will maintain a copy of every background report result within its secure files maintained by Human Resources. The school will provide the screened individual with a copy of the results at the individual’s request.
Definitions
- For the purposes of this policy, “full background check” includes a Social Security trace, a
statewide criminal history, a national criminal search, and a national sex offender registry
search. - The following conditions or findings are considered “crimes against children or other people”:
- Aggravated murder
- First or second-degree murder
- First or second-degree kidnapping
- First, second or third-degree assault
- First, second or third-degree assault of a child
- First, second or third-degree rape
- First, second or third-degree rape of a child
- First or second-degree robbery
- First-degree arson
- First-degree burglary
- First or second-degree manslaughter
- First, second or third-degree extortion
- Indecent liberties
- Incest
- Vehicular homicide
- First-degree promoting prostitution
- Communication with a minor for immoral purposes
- Unlawful imprisonment
- Simple assault
- Sexual exploitation of minors
- First, second-degree criminal mistreatment
- Endangerment with a controlled substance
- Child abuse or neglect
- First or second-degree custodial interference
- First or second-degree custodial sexual misconduct
- Malicious harassment
- First, second or third-degree child molestation
- First or second-degree sexual misconduct with a minor
- Patronizing a juvenile prostitute
- Child abandonment
- Promoting pornography
