SPS along with the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh and the State of Pennsylvania Law ACT 15 OF 2015, require ALL ADULTS who want to volunteer at the school in ANY capacity to complete Safe Environment clearances. Only those adults with CURRENT Safe Environment clearances will be permitted to volunteer for the school.
Please see below for step-by-step instructions on how to obtain your Safe Environment Clearances.
1. Complete your Diocesan "Safe Environment Database" application.
- Click here to print out the "10 Easy Steps" for applying online. PLEASE NOTE: The password for the "access code field" mentioned in Step 6 is "Protect."
- Then click here to be taken to the online application login page.
- Once you submit this online application, the Diocese will automatically run your State Police Criminal Record Check and the SPS Principal will be notified when you have passed your clearance.
- You will need to repeat this process every five years.
2. Obtain, waive or submit a copy of an FBI fingerprint-based federal criminal history check. You need to complete only one of the following three steps, based on your PA state residency history:
a. If you have been a resident of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the entirety of the previous 10 years, you do not need to obtain the FBI fingerprint-based federal criminal history check. However, you must affirm in writing that you are not disqualified from volunteer service based upon a conviction of an offense under §6344.
- To complete this affirmation (waiver), please print and complete the form found here and submit it to the SPS school office.
- This waiver will need to be re-signed every five years, as long as your Pennsylvania residency continues.
b. If you have not been a resident of Pennsylvania for the entirety of the previous 10 years, but obtained your FBI certification within the past five years, you must provide a copy of the certification to the SPS school office.
- You will not be required to obtain any additional FBI certifications at this time, but will need to renew your certification every five years.
c. If you have not been a resident of Pennsylvania for the entirety of the previous 10 years, and have not obtained your FBI certification, you must obtain that certification in order to volunteer at the school.
- To register for this certification, please apply online by clicking here.
- You will be taken to a "Memorandum of Understanding" page. Click on the checkbox that reads: "Notice: By registering you are accepting to submit to a fingerprint based check through the Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation."
- After checking this box, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on "Continue" to proceed with the registration.
- You will need to re-obtain this Certification every five years.
3. Complete a Child Abuse History Certification for the State of Pennsylvania.
- The form can be found by clicking here.
- Please print, complete and mail the form as instructed.
- You will need to renew this Certification every five years.
4. Complete a Protecting God's Children Class. You may do this ONLINE or by attending a local workshop.
- To take the class online, follow the instructions in the PDF document below entitled "Online PGC Class - Instructions to Register."
- To take the class by attending a workshop, please click here for a list of upcoming workshop locations, dates and times. At the completion of the workshop, the instructor will provide you with a Certificate of Attendance. Please submit this Certificate to the SPS school office.
5. Complete the online training for Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse: Mandated and Permissive Reporting in Pennsylvania.
- You can complete this training online by clicking here.
- At the completion of your online training, please print the certificate indicating you have completed the training and submit it to the SPS school office.
