Smethport Area School District

Employment Opportunities

The SMETHPORT AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT is accepting applications for SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS. Send a letter of interest, a standard teaching application, Act 34, Act 114, and Act 151 clearances, certification or emergency certification paperwork, and references to Mr. George J. Romanowski, Superintendent of Schools, Smethport Area School District, 414 South Mechanic Street, Smethport, PA 16749. EOE

The SMETHPORT AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT is accepting applications for SUBSTITUTE CUSTODIANS. Send a letter of interest, non-teaching application, Act 34, Act 114, and Act 151 clearances, and references to Mr. George J. Romanowski, Superintendent of Schools, Smethport Area School District, 414 South Mechanic Street, Smethport, PA 16749. EOE

Act 114 of 2006, 24 PS 1-111 as amended, requiring State and Federal Criminal Background Checks for all prospective school employees, contractors' employees and student teachers

COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SCHOOL SERVICES UNIT

April 15, 2009

SUBJECT:

• Act 114 of 2006, 24 PS 1-111 as amended,
• Act 34 Report of 1985 BACKGROUND CLEARANCE REQUIREMENTS 24 PS 1-111 as amended (Act 61 of 2008, Act 114 of 2006,
• Act 70 of 2004, Act 48 of 2003, Act 153 of 2002, Act 30 of 1997 and Act 211 of 1990) 22 Pa Code, Chapter 8

ALL applicants for employment with public and private schools including student teachers and independent contractors and their employees must undergo background checks. As of April 1, 2007, there are three required background checks:

• State Police Criminal History Record - ACT 151
• Dept of Public Welfare Child Abuse Report - ACT 34
• Federal Criminal History Report (CHRI) FBI Report - ACT 114

Procedures for obtaining the three required background checks are listed on the Department of Education's Background Check webpage and are also listed below. Criminal history reports (results of background checks) shall be no more than one year old at the time of employment.

APPLICATIONS

Standard Application for Teaching Positions in Pennsylvania Public Schools

Smethport Area School District Non-Teaching Application

• Application
• Application for Teacher's Aide, Clerical, Cafeteria, and Custodial

CLEARANCES

Criminal Record Check Clearance

• Act 151 Clearance Application
• or applications can be filed on-line at https://epatch.state.pa.us/Home.jsp

FBI Federal Criminal History Records Clearance (more information below)

• Act 114 Clearance Application

Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance

• Act 34 Clearance Application

Online Review of Applicant Federal Criminal History Records (CHRI) - Act 114 Clearance

November 2008

Beginning December 1, 2008 the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) will begin providing Applicant Federal Criminal History Records (CHRI) online to approved entities that are required to review applicant criminal histories. This process will be totally electronic and will reduce the amount of time it takes for PDE to turnaround an applicant background check to approximately two days.

The Process

There will be no change in the way an applicant will conduct their fingerprint-based background check. Applicants will still register online or by phone and then proceed to be fingerprinted at a Cogent Systems fingerprint site. Applicants must be registered with Cogent Systems prior to arriving at a fingerprint location.

All that will change will be the manner in which the results will be retrieved. Currently, Criminal History Record Information reports (CHRIs) are mailed to the applicant by PDE. All individuals who are fingerprinted prior to December 1, 2008 will receive their results by mail from PDE. The new online system will NOT contain records of those fingerprinted prior to December 1, 2008.

When applicants register to be fingerprinted on or after December 1, 2008, they will be instructed as to how they may request an unofficial paper copy of their CHRI. Applicants will not have online access to their CHRIs.

Beginning December 1, 2008, applicant CHRIs will be made available online to approved entities, via a secure web site. Only PDE approved entities that are required to review applicant criminal histories will be given access to this web site. These PDE approved entities will require unique applicant information in order to retrieve a specific applicant's criminal history and review that report in order to make a determination as to the fitness of the applicant to perform work that places the individual in contact with children.

Approved entities include public schools, private schools and Teacher Training Institutions (higher education), further detail on approved entities may be obtained from PDE.

The Process

The fingerprint-based background check is a multiple-step process:

1. The applicant must register prior to going to the fingerprint site. Walk in service without prior registration will not be provided at any fingerprinting location. Registration is completed online or over the phone. Registration is available online 24 hours/day, seven days per week at http://www.pa.cogentid.com. Telephonic registration is available at 1-888-439-2486 Monday through Friday, 8am to 6pm EST. During the registration process, all demographic data for the applicant is collected (name, address, SSN, etc.) so there is no data entry required at the fingerprint collection site.
2. The applicant will pay a fee of $36.00 for the fingerprint service and the CHRI. The new system provides the CHRI online to the employer. In order for the applicant to receive a paper copy of the report, the applicant will pay an additional fee of $2.50 for processing. If the applicant requests a paper copy, the total fee will be $38.50. The applicant must make the choice to receive a paper copy at the time of registration. The applicant will have no other access to a paper copy other than during the registration process.
3. Applicants may make their payment online at www.pa.cogentid.com using a credit card or debit card. Money orders or cashiers checks payable to Cogent Systems will be accepted on site for those applicants who do not have the means to pay electronically. No cash transactions or personal checks are allowed. Agency Billing. Agencies that request to pay applicants' fees may arrange to be billed by Cogent Systems for the cost of these services. Billing may only occur after the requesting agency has completed Cogent Systems' Agency Pay Agreement. To establish a billing account visit www.pa.cogentid.com and download an application. The billing account must be established prior to sending applicants to the fingerprint site.
4. The applicant proceeds to the fingerprint site of choice. Location of fingerprint sites and days and hours of operation for each site are posted on Cogent Systems' website at www.pa.cogentid.com. The location of fingerprint sites may change over time; applicants are encouraged to confirm the site location nearest to their location.
5. At the fingerprint site the Applicant Livescan Operators (ALO) manage the fingerprint collection process.
6. The fingerprint transaction begins when the ALO reviews the applicant's qualified State or Federal photo ID before processing the applicant's transaction. A list of approved ID types may be found on Cogent Systems' website at www.pa.cogentid.com. Applicants will not be processed if they cannot produce an acceptable photo ID.
7. After the identity of the applicant has been established, all ten fingers are scanned to complete the process. The entire fingerprint capture process should take no more than three to five minutes.
8. For individuals fingerprinted on and after December 1, 2008 -- The process was redesigned with approval from the Pennsylvania State Police and the FBI. The time for processing is anticipated to take no longer than two days.
   • Applicants' scanned fingerprints will be electronically transmitted to the FBI by Cogent Systems.
   • The FBI will electronically transmit the CHRI to Cogent Systems, where the CHRI will be stored in a secure server.
   • The CHRI will be available online for the School Administrator to review. Administrators receive login and password information from Cogent Systems.
   • The CHRI that is available for review online constitutes the official record. Applicants give permission for the School Administrator to review the report during the registration process.
   • The School Administrator will review the CHRI to make a determination as to the fitness of the applicant to work in the position in which they will have contact with children.
   • If the applicant is hired for the position, the School Administrator will print a copy of the CHRI for the school's files.
   • Applicants may request a paper copy of the CHRI when they register to be fingerprinted. This will be the applicants' only opportunity to request a copy.
   • The paper copy will be mailed to these applicants by Cogent Systems. The "unofficial" paper copy is a copy of the CHRI that the School Administrator will review online.
   • The applicant may share the paper copy of the CHRI with prospective employers. However, the School Administrator is required to review the official CHRI online and print a copy of the CHRI if the applicant is hired by the public school or private school or their contractor, or if the applicant is approved for student teaching.

1. For individuals fingerprinted prior to December 1, 2008 -- Applicants will receive the official report on watermarked paper from PDE.
   • PDE will receive the CHRI from the FBI via Cogent Systems.
   • PDE's School Services Unit will copy the CHRI and mail it to the applicant. The CHRI will be printed on standard 8.5" X 11" paper with the Commonwealth Seal imbedded on the paper.
   • The applicant will provide the CHRI to their prospective employer. The School Administrator will review the CHRI to make a determination as to the fitness of the applicant to work in the position in which they will have contact with children. If the applicant is hired for the position, the School Administrator prints a copy of the CHRI for the school's files.
   • The CHRI must be less than 12 months old at the time of employment to be considered valid. The date of the CHRI is considered to be the date on which the individual was fingerprinted.
   • This document constitutes an official Record. If an applicant, fingerprinted prior to December 1, 2008, presents their CHRI and the Commonwealth Seal is not embedded on the paper, it should be considered as invalid and not an official record.
   • Applicants who were fingerprinted prior to December 1 2008, who have not yet received their CHRI from PDE, should contact PDE at (717) 783-3750 or email PDE at dwolfgang@state.pa.us.

Inquiries or Questions

• Information regarding process, policy, and fingerprinting locations may be found at http://www.pa.cogentid.com
• Fingerprint Services Sites should contact Blake Godard at bgodard@cogentsystems.com
• Fingerprint applicants should contact Denise Wolfgang at (717) 783-3750 or dwolfgang@state.pa.us
• School entities who have questions regarding access to the online system may contact RA-PDE-SchoolService@state.pa.us, or 717-783-3750.

The site of service for the Smethport Area School District is the SENECA HIGHLANDS INTERMEDIATE UNIT NINE. After registering with COGENT, you may go to the IU9 for your fingerprinting.

TITLE IX STATEMENT

It is the policy of the Smethport Area School District not to discriminate on the basis of sex in its educational programs, activities, or employment policies as required by Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendments.

SECTION 504 STATEMENT

It is the policy of the Smethport Area School District not to discriminate against any qualified handicapped persons in the employment and operation of its school, its educational programs, services, and activities and in any other areas where compliance is required by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.