LINN  — What’s the difference between a visitor and a volunteer at Linn R-2? 

Superintendent Bob James answered that question at the end of the last meeting. “If you come to the campus and assume an uncompensated role or duty, you’re a volunteer,” he said. “If you come to campus just to visit, and you’re not assuming any uncompensated role or duty, you’re a visitor.”

The superintendent said he’s received a deluge of phone calls from people asking why they need a background check just to visit the school.

“If they come to a party, for instance, if they’re just visiting their student and not likely to be left alone for any amount of time with other students, they’re a visitor,” said James, “but we’re requiring them at this point to get a criminal background check, which is not in line with our policy. I want to make sure that I’m reading our policy correctly.”

James alluded to the two policies in effect at the school.

Policy 1430 begins with “Principals and teachers shall welcome and encourage visits by parents/guardians, Board members, volunteers and patrons of the schools. All visitors shall report to the principal’s office on entering the building so that the office will be aware of their presence. When a patron of the school has a need for a conference with a teacher or counselor, an appointment should be made so the staff member may proceed with his/her assigned duties without undue interruption.”

Groups of visitors wishing to visit the school or facilities shall notify the superintendent as far in advance as possible.

The policy also notes that students dismissed earlier in one school than others are not permitted to be on the grounds of any other school in the district.

All persons who do not obtain permission from the principal’s office to visit the school, or visitors who create serious distractions to the learning environment in the building or on the premises, shall be considered trespassers and subject to arrest and prosecution.

In order to minimize the potential harm to staff and students, persons listed on the sex offenders list may not be present in any school building, or on district property, in any district vehicle utilized to transport students, or be present at school activities without the written permission of the superintendent. If permission is granted for a specific event or events, the superintendent will notify the principal where the sex offender will be present. Sex offenders cannot reside within 1,000 feet of a school or victim unless the individual is receiving treatment in a treatment facility or nursing home for purposes of getting treatment.

James reiterated that the only requirement for a visitor on campus is to check in at the principal’s office.

“Maybe you’re the coat-check at a PTO event,” he said. “Now you’re an uncompensated volunteer.”

The first type of volunteer is “unscreened,” which means, according to James, that the individual is unlikely to be alone with students.

“We ask that you get a local background check,” said James. “I reached out to Sheriff (Mike) Bonham and asked what that was, and he said there’s no such thing.”

Bonham told the superintendent that he refers all screening requests to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

That led James to another consideration under Policy 1425, which is a fully-screened volunteer.

“They need to have a Missouri State Highway Patrol with FBI clearance, meaning we do a name search on you and fingerprint you for the database,” said James. 

A screened volunteer with clearance from the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the FBI may volunteer to regularly assist in the school office or library; mentor or tutor students; coach or supervise student activities before or after school; or chaperone students on overnight trips, according to Policy 1425.

“We are not following the policy,” said James. “We extended how we define a volunteer compared to a visitor.”

James said a basic name-search background check costs $14, and a full background check through the Missouri State Highway Patrol and FBI costs $20 more.

For $44, cleared individuals can enter the Missouri Automated Criminal History Site (MACHS), and if anything criminal occurs, the school is notified immediately.

James said he contacted at least six other districts and found they do things the same way, with the same distinction between visitors and volunteers.

“In 20 years, I’ve never heard of requiring a background check (for a parent) to attend a book fair with their student,” said James. “The librarian is in the room and may not be watching everyone, but they’re in the room. The principal is in the hallway, and teachers are in and out. Am I reading that correctly?”

Board President Dr. Shawn Strong said he entirely agrees with the superintendent’s understanding of the policies.

“The way you’re operating is the way the previous administration wanted to operate,” he added. “If you wanted to come to a Halloween party, you had to have a background check.”

Board members agreed with James’ understanding, and he said the administration would follow the policies to determine into which category a person wanting to be on campus falls.

“We’re going to figure out whether you’re a visitor or a volunteer, and we’re happy to see you,” said James, adding that the opening of each policy encourages visitors. “We’re glad to have visitors on campus.”

Board member Jamie Bish said that coming from St. George, where volunteerism is encouraged, the process seems cumbersome and discourages participation from community members.

“I absolutely want to know that whoever is going to be here is safe with the kids,” she added. “But it seems way harder here than it is at St. George. I want to make it easier for families to volunteer at the school.”

“I think we just did,” said Dr. Strong.