TCU Laboratory Schools Application to Volunteer/Conduct Research1

TCU Laboratory Schools

Application to Volunteer/Conduct Research

PLEASE PRINT

Full name (as it appears on your state-issued identification):

Date of birth:

Permanent address:

Email address:

Phone number:

I am a (check all that apply):

TCU student

Student at another university (Which? )

TCU Faculty member or TCU staff (Which college/department/office? )

Faculty from another university (Which? )

Community member

I want to: (check all that apply):

Volunteer at KinderFrogs

Volunteer at Starpoint School

Conduct/direct a research project at KinderFrogs

Conduct/direct a research project at Starpoint School

Fulfill a course requirement at KinderFrogs (field-based experience) (What course?

Which professor/instructor? )

Fulfill a course requirement at Starpoint School (What course?

Which professor/instructor? )

Attach to this application:

♦ A copy of your TCU ID or your state-issued identification card

♦ Evidence of successful completion of the Protecting Youth online training (for TCU Students and employees) or

for the Alliance for Children “Stewards of Children” training (non-TCU students/employees). [See FAQ page

for directions/information]

If you are planning to volunteer, conduct research, or otherwise be involved in classrooms at KinderFrogs more

than twice per month, you must complete a parallel, secondary check as well. Complete this form and the required

“Protec�ng Youth” or “Stewards of Children” training, and visit with Vivian Unger at the Laboratory Schools for

further instruc�ons.

FAQs for Prospective Volunteers, Researchers, and

1. How can I volunteer at Starpoint School and/or KinderFrogs?

To minimize risk to our students, anyone who works with children in any capacity (volunteer or research) must

complete a brief training course focused on recognizing and reporting abuse and neglect, and must pass a

background check. Persons (students or otherwise) may not have contact with children at either school until

these requirements are met.

2. How do I go about completing the required training and background checks?

• If you are a TCU student enrolled in a course that requires all students to complete field hours at one of

the laboratory schools, you will complete the application on the other side of this form and turn it in to

Vivian Unger at the TCU Laboratory Schools. Concurrently, your professor will submit your course

information to the university, and you will receive an email invitation to complete the online training

“Protecting Youth.” As you are doing that, the TCU Police Department will complete a background check.

If there is anything unclear in the background check, you will be contacted by the TCU Police for further

information before a final determination is made. Once you have completed the online training, return

the certificate of completion to Vivian Unger at the Laboratory Schools. We will notify you when you have

cleared both portions of the requirements. Approval is good for one calendar year.

• If you are a TCU student who is NOT enrolled in a course that requires all students to complete field

hours, or you are a TCU student who simply wishes to volunteer at one or both of the laboratory

schools, you will complete the application on the other side of this form and turn it in to Vivian Unger at

the TCU Laboratory Schools. On the first of each month, the lab schools will submit names and emails of

volunteer/research applicants to TCU administration, who will issue an invitation for you to complete the

online training “Protecting Youth.” As you are doing that, the TCU Police Department will complete a

background check. If there is anything unclear in the background check, you will be contacted by the TCU

Police for further information before a final determination is made. Once you have completed the online

training, return the certificate of completion to Vivian Unger at the Laboratory Schools. We will notify you

when you have cleared both portions of the requirements. Approval is good for one calendar year.

(Please note—we submit a roster of persons for training at the start of each month; if you do not want to

wait for the next round of training enrollment, you may opt to complete the Alliance for Children

“Stewards of Children” training—at a cost to you of $10—in lieu of the “Protecting Youth” course.

• If you are a TCU faculty member or staff—whether you want to volunteer or conduct research—

complete the application form and attach a copy of your “Protecting Youth” certificate (available via the

Training link in my.tcu.edu) The TCU Police Department will complete a background check. If there is

anything unclear in the background check, you will be contacted by the TCU Police for further information

before a final determination is made.

• If you are a community member who simply wishes to volunteer at one or both lab schools, or a faculty

member or staff from another institution wanting to conduct research, you will complete the application

form complete the Alliance for Children “Stewards of Children” training—which will cost you $10—and

submit the certification of completion to The TCU Police Department will complete a background check. If

there is anything unclear in the background check, you will be contacted by the TCU Police for further

information before a final determination is made.

3. Where can I find out more about the Alliance for Children Stewards of Children training?

https://www.allianceforchildren.org/communityeducation

4. What if I’m a faculty member and want to bring my class to one of the laboratory schools for field experiences

or a tour?

If you’re simply wanting a tour, we have an ID-scanning system that will suffice; please set up a tour

through LaJean Sturman (Starpoint) or Vivian Unger (KinderFrogs) 817-257-7141 and ensure that on the

day of the visit, all of your students bring a state-issued ID.

If you are TCU faculty member who wants your students to complete field-based hours, you will need to

do two things, preferably 3-4 weeks (or more) prior to when you want the students to begin: (1) have

students complete the Volunteer/Researcher application and submit these—as a bundle—to Vivian Unger

at the Laboratory Schools; and (2) send your course information (course name and unique number) to

Vivian Unger (via email) for submission to university officials/subsequent enrollment in the “Protecting

Youth” online training module. Upon receiving your course information, Ms. Unger will process the

request, and your students will receive an email invitation for—and should complete—the online training.

Collect the certificates of completion for your students and submit as a bundle to Vivian Unger. She will

pair these with our clearances on background checks; if any student’s background check does not return

as “clear,” the TCU Police Department will contact the student for further information to rectify the

situation. Students must have both a satisfactory completed background check AND evidence of

successful completion of the “Protecting Youth” training before they may interact with students at the

Laboratory Schools.

5. What if my fraternity/sorority or other group wants to volunteer?

Follow the directions for TCU Students. However, in cases of groups of volunteers, the group leader may

also opt to seek out a group “Stewards of Children” training from the Alliance for Children, rather than

moving through the process of enrollment and completion of the “Protecting Youth” online course.