Senior Citizen Volunteer Tax Relief Program

Avon Grove residents who are 60+ years old and pay school taxes are invited to participate in a Volunteer Tax Relief program through Avon Grove School District. Participants receive a $10.00 per hour credit for up to 50 hours of volunteer service in our District buildings. Rebates are issued in July for services rendered during the prior school year, not to exceed a net payment of $500. Please consider joining this rewarding program! 

ELIGIBILITY

  • Any Avon Grove resident who will be 60+ years old by December 31 of the serving year and pays school taxes. 

  • According to the Public School Employees' Retirement System (PSERS), volunteering for a rebate through Avon Grove School District’s Senior Citizen Volunteer Tax Relief Program qualifies as a “return to service” and subjects a retiree to the “return to service” provisions of the Retirement Code, including the stoppage of the retiree’s monthly annuity. Therefore, if you are receiving a PSERS pension benefit and you participate in AGSD’s Senior Citizen Volunteer Tax Relief Program, your PSERS benefit will cease. It is important to note that PSERS retirees may still actively volunteer in the District but should not submit paperwork to receive a tax rebate through the Senior Citizen Volunteer Tax Relief Program if they wish to continue to receive their pension payments.

BENEFITS

  • Earn up to $500 in school tax relief
  • Support your community and public schools
  • Enjoy the satisfaction of a job well done

REGISTRATION

  1. Complete an application packet 
    (Printed copies available at the District office)
  2. Complete the online volunteer clearance process
  3. Return your completed application packet and clearances to the District office
  4. AGSD will contact you to complete an online training and an attend an onboard training session to learn about the program. 

OPPORTUNITIES

Opportunities vary by school/building. Examples include: 

  • Office/Clerical
  • Tutoring/Aide
  • Cafeteria/Hall Monitor
  • Light Gardening

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • How does the program work?
    This is a tax relief program that allows a maximum of 50 hours of volunteer participation at $10.00 per hour credit. 
     
  • When will I receive my check?
    The tax year runs from July 1 through June 30 of each year. You will receive a check in July for services rendered during the prior school year. You must turn in required documentation to be eligible for the rebate.
     
  • Can two people living in the same household participate?
    Married couples who are both listed as owners of an eligible property can each earn 50 hours or $500.00 in tax relief. If your spouse has a medically certified disability, you may earn his/her 50 hours in addition to your own 50 hours.
     
  • What does the volunteer clearance process involve?
    In order to work in our schools, all volunteers must complete the clearance process. The process involves completing the following clearances and forms.
  1. Act 34 State Police Criminal History Report
  2. Act 151 PA Child Abuse Clearance
  3. Act 144 FBI Federal Criminal History Report (Volunteer code 1KG6ZJ) or Waiver (if you have lived in Pennsylvania continuously for the past 10 years). Note: All school volunteers must obtain a volunteer Service Code from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS). This change is in response to a bulletin issued by DHS that indicates all individuals governed by the Child Protective Services Law (CPSL) must obtain clearances through DHS. This change includes all public, private, and nonpublic school volunteers. To obtain a volunteer Service Code, individuals must contact DHS directly at 1-877-371-5422 or RA-PWCPSLQUESTIONS@pa.gov. 
  4. Employee/Volunteer Self-Reporting Commitment Form
  5. Volunteer Acknowledgement of Policy No.916 Volunteers and Policy No. 806 Child Abuse Form
  • Does it cost anything to become a volunteer?
    All of the clearances are free to volunteers except the FBI Federal Criminal History Report. This report costs $22.60 unless you have lived in Pennsylvania continuously for the past 10 years. If so, you need only complete the Volunteer Request for Waiver of FBI – Federal Criminal History Record Check, which is free. Regarding the Act 151 PA Child Abuse Clearance, there is no charge for requests made for the purpose of volunteering unless you have already requested this clearance within the past 57 months. 
  • Is there anything else I need to do before I can volunteer? 
    Once your application and clearances are received, you will be contacted to complete an online child abuse recognition and reporting training and invited to attend an Onboard training session. The Onboard session will help you to understand the volunteer process and procedures for tracking your hours. Onboard training sessions will be conducted monthly throughout the school year.
      
  • Additional questions?
    Please call us at 610-869-2441 and we will be happy to answer all of your questions.