All persons volunteering or completing projects at Centennial School must complete security clearances prior to working with students. These include a criminal records check and a child abuse clearance. A money order in the amount of ten dollars will be required for each security clearance. Volunteers should complete and mail these forms immediately and prior to beginning placement at Centennial School.

When arriving at Centennial School, please park along the side of the building. Parking in front of the building is reserved for parents and visitors.

Upon entering the building, volunteers MUST sign in at the front desk and obtain, and wear a visitor’s badge while in the school. Upon leaving the school, volunteers should remove and return the visitor’s badge and sign out. Having volunteers record their time in this matter is critical, as this will be the official record of the days and hours spent at Centennial. Recording the time spent at the school is important for those completing duties as part of their university or college coursework. Failure to record time information may lead to the encumbrance of additional hours.

If you will be late or absent on a given day you are scheduled to volunteer, please contact the program coordinator to whom you are assigned, either through or phone or e-mail message.

Repeated absences will result in a poor summative evaluation and may lead to the termination of the volunteer’s services. Volunteers should be aware of the seriousness of their commitment and make every effort to be on time to their work assignments.

Volunteers are expected to use good judgment in matters of dress and grooming and to model standards that are appropriate for Centennial School students. Attire may be casual but should be neat and appropriate for the activities that are planned for the day. Items that are not allowed include clothing with explicit sexual, drug-related, alcohol-related, obscene, or vulgar references. In addition, hats and coats are not to be worn in the building and during class times.

Volunteers are assigned to a classroom and supervised by classroom staff. Volunteers should not be left alone with students, nor should any volunteer be assigned supervisory responsibilities. Additionally, volunteers should never engage in physical altercations or restraints with students. If a student engages in violent, disruptive behavior, the volunteer should simply leave the area and allow Centennial staff members to handle the situation.

Centennial School of Lehigh University expects certain standards of performance, safety, and conduct among its employees. Behaviors such as stealing, dishonesty, drunkenness, insubordination, fighting, and possession of drugs (including alcohol) at work will not be tolerated. These examples are not all inclusive. Generally, these standards are recognized and observed by staff without any intervention on part of supervisors. When these standards are not observed, Centennial School of Lehigh University has the right to discipline a volunteer up to and including termination of the voluntary experience.

Volunteers who suspect a student of possession of an illegal substance or item (e.g., drugs, alcohol, firearms, or other weapons, firecrackers) should immediately report their suspicion to the classroom teacher. Similarly, volunteers who hear of statements made by students that threaten harm either to the students themselves or to others should be reported immediately to the classroom teacher.

Centennial School strives to provide an environment that is free from harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Harassment is unacceptable behavior that will not be tolerated. There are two types of harassment: hostile work environment and quid pro quo sexual harassment.

A hostile work environment occurs when a member of Centennial School or a guest is subjected to

• Unwelcome statements
• Jokes
• Gestures
• Pictures
• Touching

or other conduct that offends, demean, harass, or intimidate.

Harassment includes offensive verbal and physical conduct that has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.

The conduct may involve a serious and offensive event or a series of events deemed to constitute persistent harassing behavior. Quid pro quo sexual harassment occurs when a member of Centennial School explicitly, or implicitly, promises or withholds job-related or education-related benefits based upon the employee’s acquiescence to sexual advances or behavior, including unwelcome sexual advances and requests for sexual favors, where submission to the conduct is made a term or condition of employment or educational opportunity. Harassment of this sort may involve behavior by a person of either sex against a person of the same or opposite sex.

As a volunteer at Centennial School, you have the right to a safe work environment. Should you be the victim or have concerns about harassment, you should contact the Director of Centennial School, Dr. Michael George (room 3), or Dr. Lauren Arbolino (room 37) immediately to report your concerns.

Centennial School of Lehigh University is committed to maintaining a healthy, drug-free environment. In compliance with the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1990, the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensation, possession, or use of a controlled substance is prohibited in the workplace and subject to disciplinary action. The use of legally obtained substances, including alcohol, to the point of where such substance impairs or adversely affects performance, is prohibited.

Centennial School is a smoke-free environment. Smoking within the building is prohibited at all times.

Centennial School of Lehigh University treats Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) the same as any other disease. Victims of AIDS or other diseases are permitted to work unless their personal physician, campus officials or federal public health officials declare that the disease represents as substantial risk to the health and safety of the individual or other members of the community. In such instances, appropriate measures will be taken to protect the individual and the community.

Centennial School is not responsible for the loss or damage to personal items left at school or on the school vans. Volunteers are encouraged to leave items of value at their homes or in their cars, which should be locked. Purses, car keys, and other valuables that are brought to school should be stored in locked cabinets.

Volunteers should not bring cell phones or pagers with them into the school building.

When school is to be closed due to inclement weather, announcements will be made before 6:30 AM and throughout the morning on a number of local radio stations. The following stations broadcast school cancellations:

• Radio Stations - To find up-to-the minute weather information in our area:
  • Bethlehem:
    WLEV 100.7 FM
    WCTO-CAT COUNTRY 96
    WEST 1400 AM
    WGPA 1100 AM
  • Allentown:
    WAEB 790 AM
    WAEB FM B104
  • Easton: WODE 99.0 FM
  • Reading:
    WRFY 102.5
    WEEU 830 AM
  Television Stations - To find up-to-the minute weather information in our area:
  • WFMZ CHANNEL 69 (TV Station) or www.WFMZ.COM

A summative evaluation will be conducted for those volunteers who are completing their duties as part of a course requirement. The evaluation consists of the volunteer’s performance in relation to adherence to the schedule, ability to work effectively with students and staff, degree of helpfulness, professional work behaviors, and overall performance. A copy of the summative evaluation will be forwarded to appropriate college/university personnel if the volunteer is working at Centennial for course credit.