Meeting Schedule: First Wednesday of the month @ 6:30PM in LJE library
HOW TO GET YOUR CLEARANCES
Any adult who volunteers at LJE needs three clearances on file, per Lake-Lehman School Board Policy 916. Below is the process broken into 3 easy steps, so you know exactly where you stand at each phase.
1
Obtaining Clearances
You need all three of the following. A PA affidavit is not an acceptable substitute.
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PA State Police Criminal Record Check (Act 34) — apply free at epatch.pa.gov/home.
Select "New Record Check – Volunteers Only" -
PA Child Abuse History Clearance (Act 151) — apply free at compass.state.pa.us
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FBI Criminal History (Act 114) — register at uenroll.identogo.com and use service code 1KG6ZJ
You can also find the district's official volunteer clearance instructions under
Volunteer Clearance Info at llsd.org/parents.
2
Submission of Clearances
Once you have all three certificates, send them to the Lehman-Jackson office as soon as possible.
Attn: Ms. Miscavage Spagnuolo, Re: Clearances
Dropping them off at the office, or sending them in with your child, is faster than mail.
Timing matters: if you're a new volunteer, your clearances must be submitted within one year of the date printed on the certificates to be approved. Returning volunteers with clearances already on file don't need to resubmit unless their 5-year expiration has passed.
3
School Board Approval
Once submitted, your clearances go from the LJE office to the Lake-Lehman Board of School Directors for approval. You're not cleared to volunteer until you've been approved at one of these meetings.
Board meetings are typically held at 7:00 PM on the third Monday of the month, in the junior-senior high school auditorium. For the full-year schedule and any date changes, check the district's official calendar at llsd.org/governing-board.
Upcoming School Board Meeting Dates
August 25, 2026 **new date - meeting rescheduled
September 21, 2026
October 19, 2026
November 16, 2026
December 14, 2026 (Second Monday)
Already approved in a previous year? If you completed the PTO Membership Form for this year, paid the annual Membership Fee, and still have valid clearances on file, you don't need to wait for a board meeting — you're clear to volunteer right away.
What's Next?
Once you're approved, you're set for 5 years from the date printed on your certificates — no need to resubmit anything until they expire. Before you can volunteer, You'll need to fill out the PTO Membership Form and pay the annual membership dues. You can also let us know how you'd like to help out by completing the Volunteer Interest Form.
Good to know
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Returning Members: Your clearances are valid for 5 years from the date printed on the certificate, as long as you remain an approved, active PTO volunteer. If it's been a while, double-check your expiration date.
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Brand-new Members: If your clearances were completed through an employer, a coaching role, or another organization (not specifically for the PTO), they can be used to join only if they were completed within the last 12 months. Older clearances will need to be redone for new-member approval. This 12-month rule applies only to first-time volunteers. If you're rejoining and already have PTO clearances on file, the 5-year rule above covers you instead.
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Questions? Reach out to Ms. Miscavage Spagnuolo or email us at lehmanjacksonptoboard@gmail.com
PTO MEMBERSHIP
Membership is open to parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and guardians — anyone in a student's life who wants to be involved, as long as clearances and approval are in place.
You must be a paid and approved member to chaperone PTO Field Trips.
Membership needs to be renewed each year by November 1st.
Please fill out the form below to register & pay your dues online. It's quick, and it gets you on the list for volunteering, voting, and PTO updates.
Membership is $5 per person, per school year, and dues are collected annually.
This membership fee goes towards operational costs for PTO activities, events, and volunteer coordination.
If you wish to pay your dues in-person and not online, please click here.
A Note About Online Payment Processing Fees
We've partnered with Zeffy this year to help us implement online payment collection. Zeffy is 100% free for our PTO. We don't pay any processing fees, which means more of your money goes directly to LJE students. The "contribution" step you'll see during checkout is an optional tip to help Zeffy keep offering free service to nonprofits. It is not required. If you'd prefer not to add anything, simply select "Other" and enter $0 and your card will not be charge any additional fees.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
There are lots of ways to support LJE, from a single event to an ongoing committee role:
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Helping at school events (book fairs, family nights, fundraisers)
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Classroom, cafeteria, or teacher support
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Fundraising and event planning
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Communications and social media
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Joining a committee
Not sure where you'd fit best? Fill out the interest form below and we'll follow up with opportunities that match your availability.
FAQs
Below are the most common questions about obtaining clearances and joining the PTO. If you still have questions, please contact us.
1. How do I get clearances?
Follow our 4 step process for obtaining clearances above or visit llsd.org/parents and click on Volunteer Clearance Info.
2. Do I need all 3 Clearances?
Yes! Any school volunteer needs all 3 clearances including FBI fingerprinting, Child Abuse Check and Criminal History Check. The PA affidavit won't be accepted.
3. What should I do once I receive my Clearances?
Send them into the Lehman Jackson Elementary Office as soon as possible.
Attn: Ms. Miscavage Spagnuolo, Re: Clearances
Lehman-Jackson Elementary
1237 Market St, Dallas, PA 18612
Dropping clearances off directly to the office or sending them in with your child is acceptable and faster than mail.
4. Can I start volunteering right away?
No. To be an eligible volunteer you must have the following completed:
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PTO Membership Form submitted
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PTO Membership Fee paid
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Clearances completed and approved by the school board
If you completed the PTO Membership Form for this year, paid the annual Membership Fee, and still have valid clearances on file, you don't need to wait for a board meeting — you're clear to volunteer right away.
5. How long are my Clearances good for?
Your clearances are valid for 5 years from the date printed on the certificate. Check the expiration dates on your certificates if it has been a while since you completed them.
6. What if I have my Clearances through work or for another organization?
This is handled differently depending on whether you are a brand new member to the PTO or a returning member.
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Brand-New Members: Clearances completed through an employer, a coaching role, or another organization can only be used if they were completed within the last 12 months. Older clearances will need to be redone for new-member approval. This 12-month rule applies only to first-time PTO members.
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Returning Members: If you're re-joining the PTO and already have Clearances on file from another organization, your Clearances are valid for 5 years from the date printed on the certificate. You will not need to renew your Clearances until they expire. However, you will still need to submit those Clearances to the School Board for approval.
EXAMPLE # 1: Coach Smith renewed his Clearances for the local soccer league in July. His daughter is starting Kindergarten in the fall and wants to join the PTO. Because his clearances were completed within the last 12 months, he can submit those to the LJE office to be reviewed and approved at the next School Board meeting.
EXAMPLE # 2: Mrs. Johnson obtained her Clearances for her job as a police officer 2 years ago. She just moved to the Lake-Lehman School District and her son starts at Lehman-Jackson in the fall. She cannot use her current Clearances to join as a new member of the PTO because they are over a year old. She will need to renew her Clearances and submit the new certificates to the School Board for approval.
7. Do I need to submit my Clearances every year?
No. Once on file and approved you are good to volunteer for 5 years or whenever your Clearances expire.
8. Do I need to renew my PTO Membership and pay the $5 Membership Fee every year?
Yes. Membership must be renewed every school year by completing the PTO Membership Form and paying the $5 Membership Fee. Renewal is necessary to make you an eligible volunteer and to get you back on the list for the new school year.
9. Where can I sign up for membership?
Sign up for new & returning members can be done by submitting the PTO Membership Form online. We will also have sign-ups available in-person at our first PTO meeting of the year and Back to School Night (usually the 2nd or 3rd week of school).
10. Who can be a member of the PTO?
As long as they have clearances and approval, we love seeing a variety of volunteers from parents & grandparents to aunts, uncles, and guardians.