Emily Liska, a fourth-grader at McCullough Elementary School, addressed the Penn-Trafford School Board Monday night with a request to eliminate security clearances for school volunteers.

Her mother, Diane Liska, an avid volunteer, was informed last spring that she would no longer be able to help at school functions without the Pennsylvania State Police Request Criminal Records Check (Act 34), Department of Public Welfare Child Abuse History Clearance (Act 151) and Federal Criminal History Record (Act 114).

Mrs. Liska and her husband told the board they were unhappy with having to pay the one-time fee of $65 for the three clearances. They added that parents and other volunteers should be more informed about the district policy.

According to district policy that went into effect in 2007, clearance is needed by "regular" volunteers or those working with students on a regular basis without the direction or presence of a cleared staff member. An example would be a weekly classroom volunteer.

Superintendent Deborah Kolonay said the board was considering changing the number of times an occasional volunteer can serve from one to three.

Several parents spoke in favor of keeping that number at one.

"It's the responsibility of the school district to ensure every student is safe while in school. Three times is three times too many [without a clearance]," said parent Tracy Conley.

Lisa Popovich, the PTO president at McCullough Elementary, said that when the clearance policy was implemented, volunteer numbers dropped significantly. That is no longer the case.

Solicitor Mike Brungo said the Penn-Trafford policy was "pretty standard" among districts.

School board President Philip Kochasic said the board would review the current policy and discuss it with various PTO groups.

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