Child Protection Policy & Volunteerism

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Volunteering

Each family is encouraged to contribute their time for the betterment of the school. Parental involvement enriches our students and gives the Principal and the faculty the support they need to provide a quality education in a safe, peaceful environment.

Virtus Training, part of the Archdiocese of Washington’s “Protecting God’s Children” initiative, is required for anyone who will be supervising or have substantial contact with children.

While we encourage as many parents as possible to seek Virtus training, there are many opportunities to serve the school that do not require this clearance.

Volunteer Opportunities:

GlobalFest – Our largest fundraiser each year and a great way to experience the cultural diversity of our school family!

Race 4 Education – A super-fun annual event that raises money for Catholic education and is fun for the whole family: kids, parents, even grandparents come out and cheer us on!

School Plays and Musicals – Every spring the School Drama Club performs a family-friendly play or musical. Volunteers help build sets, make costumes, rehearse lines with the students, and much more!

Hot Lunch Program – Help serve a tasty hot lunch to our students, and on Friday – it’s Pizza day!

School Board – Parents are invited to serve on the School Board and participate in the strategic planning processes that make our school even better!

Sports and Clubs – There are lots of opportunities to volunteer for various sports teams like Basketball and Soccer, and clubs like Chess Club, Robotics Club, Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts, and Math Counts.

Child Protection Requirements

Mother of God School has a comprehensive child protection policy which includes education and screening of adults as well as an educational component for students. This policy is derived from the Archdiocese policy.  Read the entire policy for complete information.
The policy distinguishes between volunteers who are key supervisors with “SUBSTANTIAL CONTACT” with children and those volunteers who are assisting them. The distinction is for those who may be supervising children directly or could be alone with a child. If you intend to serve in the school in a capacity where you will be supervising or have substantial contact with children (e.g., recess duty, chaperoning field trips, coaching), you will need to complete the following steps as required by Mother of God Community, our sponsoring organization:

1. Complete Volunteer Application
   Download, print, complete, sign and return the Volunteer Application. 
2. Register for Background Check
   Begin the background check.  There is a one-time fee of $18.50 for this service.
3.  VIRTUS Training Course
   Complete a one-hour child protection training program online (no cost) by visiting Virtus Online. Or attend a live class through the Archdiocese of Washington and submit your certificate of completion.

The steps outlined above are required by Mother of God Community. Parishes and entities in the Archdiocese requirements differ. This process is in place to protect children involved in ministries sponsored by Mother of God Community. We appreciate your cooperation. Please direct any questions or concerns to our Child Protection Compliance Coordinator, Teri Stief, Mother of God Community Administrator mogc@motherofgod.org