San Diego Unified School District Types of Volunteers

The San Diego Unified School District offers several ways to volunteer and each requires different forms and screening measures. Click here to view descriptions of each volunteer category. Most of our parents, guardians, and care-givers who volunteer in the classroom or at specific events on campus will fall into Category B. Field trip chaperones fall into Category D with a LiveScan requirement. Please see the McKinley front office for details on what type of clearance is needed for the ways in which you plan to volunteer this year.

In general:

  • Category B volunteers are people who might do volunteer work onsite or people who volunteer for a specific event, such as Jog-A-Thon. These volunteers are never unsupervised in their interactions with students.
  • Category C/D volunteers are people who work with children in the classroom (reading groups, tutoring, etc.) independently and parents/guardians who accompany children on field trips. These volunteers must submit to a criminal background check conducted by SDUSD School Police Services and obtain fingerprints. LiveScan is required at McKinley for both Category C and D volunteers. LiveScan clearance is good for 10 years.

If you have any questions regarding these requirements, please contact the office and speak to the McKinley Volunteer Coordinator, Gloria Fernandez, gfernandez1@sandi.net, or via phone at 858 988 2400.

Steps to Volunteering at McKinley

Step 1: Get This Year’s Forms

Volunteer requirements can change from year to year, and new forms are required every school year. Please get the current forms from the McKinley front office or the school’s volunteer page, and ask the front office which ones you need. Please don’t use forms from a past school year.

Current volunteer forms

Step 2: Wait for Clearance

Wait for clearance from the front office. Clearance for Level B is 3-4 days on average, clearance for Level C/D 4-6 weeks on average. Individuals may not volunteer until notified of clearance by the McKinley front office.

Step 3: Volunteer!

Sign in to the volunteer binder in the front office and get a volunteer sticker every time you visit campus. Be sure to sign out when you leave.

Updated October 29, 2026