Would you like to Volunteer with Leading Edge Academy?
We LOVE Volunteers and NEED them! Volunteers help chaperone field trips, help teachers inside the classroom, and so much more!
To become a volunteer at Leading Edge Academy you must first read and agree to our Leading Edge Academy Volunteer Handbook. We ask that you watch a short video regarding student information and privacy. Then you must submit a volunteer application. Once your application is approved you can start volunteering at any one of our campuses!
We have two options for volunteering:
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Option 1: JDP Background check
This option is good for one year and costs $32. It does not allow you to volunteer on overnight trips, but does allow you to volunteer at all other events. You will be required to provide your Social Security Number (SSN). Your SSN is not stored on Raptor or viewable by any employee at the school. Instead it is sent to the third-party company that runs background checks.
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Option 2: Fingerprint Clearance Card
This option is good until your Fingerprint Clearance card expires (they last for 6 years initially). The card can be obtained through Arizona Department of Public Safety(azdps.com). The cost is $65 plus any fee for fingerprinting. Using the IVP Fingerprint card to verify your clearance to be a volunteer does allow you to volunteer for overnight functions with Leading Edge Academy.
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It is very important that the information you enter on the application matches your government issued identification card including your full legal name. It is important that you provide a valid email address so you can be notified as to the status of your application and for future communication. All information collected on the application will remain confidential and not be shared outside the volunteer program.
All Volunteers will remain active for one full year from the time of their approval. Our volunteers will receive a renewal notice 30 days before their volunteer status expires. This notice will be sent to the email address on file.
*If you are enrolled at our online school please choose the campus closest to you or the campus you plan to physically volunteer at.*
**Student information and privacy is extremely important to us! Just like all staff members, all volunteers must abide by the FERPA guidelines. Please be sure to watch the “School Volunteer and FERPA” video below so you understand your responsibilities as a volunteer when it comes to student information and privacy**
Ready to Volunteer?!
1. Read and be familiar with Leading Edge Academy’s Volunteer Handbook. Click HERE
2. Watch The School Volunteer and FERPA Video. Click HERE
3. Fill out the Volunteer Application. Click HERE for application in English
Click HERE for application in Spanish
4. Wait for approval and Start Volunteering!!
FAQ:
Why do you require this?
Our student’s safety is our top priority. One way that we ensure student safety is by making sure that any adult who comes on to our campus and volunteers alongside our students and staff have no criminal history or are a registered sex offender.
Do I need to fill out a volunteer application if I don’t want to volunteer, but want to be able to attend events such as plays, school dances, etc.?
No! You only need to fill out a volunteer application if you plan on chaperoning any events or have consistent volunteering within the classroom. If you are just coming to the classroom once for a classroom party, etc you may attend with the regular, free background check that happens every time an adult walks through our doors using your Driver’s License.
What is the difference between option one and option 2?
The big difference for Option 2 is that it’s good for six years, can be approved quickly(no wait for the BGC reporting!) and you can volunteer on overnight trips. You will still need to renew annually to Volunteer.
With Option 1, you will have to pay for the BGC reporting again in a year, and it is not valid if you want to volunteer on an overnight trip.
How do I apply for a fingerprint clearance card?
If you need to apply for your fingerprint card you may do so by clicking HERE.
*We recommend applying for the IVP fingerprint clearance card, that is the only one we will accept in place of a background check.
I have more questions about the fingerprint clearance card. Who do I go to?
You can click HERE for FAQ or more information on Fingerprint Clearance Cards.
Do I have to provide my Social Security Number?
Yes! To be able to process either the background check or to apply for a fingerprint clearance card, your SSN will need to be provided.
Who gets to see my Social Security Number(SSN) and is it stored?
Neither the Raptor Volunteer system or Leading Edge Employee will be able to see or store your SSN at any time. Your privacy is of the utmost importance. A third party background check system receives the information directly from our volunteer application to run the required background check.
I don’t want to provide my SSN, can I still volunteer?
You must have an approved volunteer application to be able to volunteer on campus or as a chaperone at an event. To complete the volunteer application this information will be required. However, there are other ways to volunteer on our campus! Teachers are always needing help with projects that can be sent home and returned (cutting things out, etc.) If you would like to find ways to volunteer off campus please contact your campus principal.
What on my background check would disqualify me from being able to volunteer?
Arizona State Statute 41-1758.07 determines what disqualifies an adult from obtaining an IVP card. Please click HERE to find the updated list. This statute determines whether you pass using Option One or Option Two on the application.
Will I be reimbursed if my application gets denied?
You will not be reimbursed if your application gets denied. Any funds are collected by a third party company and we do not have the ability to reimburse you. Please check the criteria ahead of time that would make you ineligible to be a volunteer on our campus. For an application to be denied you will either become ineligible through the background check process or you have been trespassed from any one of our campuses. An adult who has been trespassed from any one of our campuses may not be a volunteer at any campus within our network.
Does applying to be a volunteer guarantee that I get to go on a particular field trip?
No. Please reach out to your campus about whether or not there is room to be a volunteer at the particular volunteer opportunity that you are wanting to participate in. However, submitting a volunteer application early may help you get chosen as other volunteers are still waiting for approval. We recommend applying at the beginning of the year so you are ready as volunteer opportunities arise.
How long does my approval to volunteer with Leading Edge Academy last?
This will depend heavily on how you are verified to be able to Volunteer.
If you possess a level one IVP Fingerprint Clearance Card(FCC for short) and used that to verify your background, your expiration will be one year from the anniversary of your approval date or the date of your IVP card, whichever comes first.
If you had to have the Background check (by Raptor and JDP) then your expiration is on the anniversary of your approval date.
*For example:
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- If you were approved to volunteer Dec 14th of 2026, Did not have an FCC and you were verified through a background check, then the expiration date would be Dec 14th 2027.
- If you were approved September 15th 2026 with an FCC that was set to expire on Dec 15th 2028, your Volunteer expiration date would be September 15th 2027.
- If you were approved September 15th 2025 with an FCC that was set to expire on Jun 15th 2026, your Volunteer expiration date would be June 15th 2026.
*Volunteer Renewal notices will be sent out via Raptor 30 days before a volunteers expiration date. Even though your volunteer application expires in one year with a FCC, you just reapply with that same number until your FCC expires. There is no cost to reapply when you have your FCC! We do require an annual submission to ensure every volunteer is aware of any updated policies or changes.
LEA Volunteer Portal
This portal is only for volunteers that have already applied. Please use the Volunteer Application link above if you have never applied to be a volunteer at Leading Edge Academy.
Just click on the image to follow the link!