In accordance with Pennsylvania state law, all individuals seeking employment with the Blackhawk School District in positions involving direct contact with children must complete a series of background clearance checks. These include the Child Abuse History Clearance, Pennsylvania Criminal Record Check, and FBI Fingerprinting Clearance. In addition, Act 24 and Act 168 forms must be completed and submitted. Detailed instructions and links for each requirement are provided below. Please follow all steps carefully and ensure that all documentation is submitted to the district as part of your employment application process.
Child Abuse Clearance
Please create a Keystone ID on this website. Once you have created your account, please login and choose "Access Clearances" and then "Create Application. Once you begin, you will need to choose "School Employment" as your application purpose. Follow the prompts on each page. A credit card payment of $10.00 is required. You will receive a notification via email once the application has been processed. The results can be sent electronically or by mail.
Criminal Record Check
For your criminal record check, fill out the form online. A credit card payment of $10.00 is required. Click on Submit a New Record Request. Results are immediate.
If a status of "No Record" is received, be sure to double click on the "Control Number". This will bring up the details screen where you can double click on the blue hyperlink "Certification Form". This will generate a PDF document that is your official "No Record" form.
Print the results and provide a copy to the school. Keep a copy for yourself.
If a status of an actual criminal record is received, the official results will be mailed to the applicant. Please provide a copy of this to the school.
FBI Fingerprinting Clearance
The applicant must register before going to the fingerprint site. Registration is completed online or over the phone. Registration is available online 24 hours/day, seven days per week at the website below. Telephonic registration is available at 1-888-439-2486 Monday through Friday, 8am to 6pm EST.
To register, click on the link or enter the website below into your web browser's search bar. When you reach the page, click on the top box that says Pennsylvania Department of Education. Then, in the column titled "Registration", click the second link "Register Online". You must agree to the disclaimer by clicking in the box on the next page and then clicking "Continue". Then, you will be able to enter your information on the next page.
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.
The fee is $28.75 payable online using a credit card or debit card. Money orders or cashier’s checks payable to 3M Cogent will be accepted at the fingerprint site for those applicants who do not have the means to pay electronically. No cash transactions or personal checks are allowed.
From the registration process, you will receive immediately, a registration number that starts with “PAE”. With your registration number which starts with “PAE”, and your photo ID, go to the fingerprint site, Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit at 147 Poplar Drive, Monaca, PA 15061. For hours of operation, go to The Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit web page at http://www.bviu.org/domain/41.
You will get a receipt from the BVIU. You must provide your receipt and the “PAE” number to the school. The applicant will receive their results in the mail.
You must register before arriving at the fingerprinting location. Appointments are not needed.
ACT 24
The new law includes an important mechanism to help ensure that current school employees, who may not have been subject to a previous background check, are now required to provide assurances that they have not been previously arrested or convicted of Section 111(e) offense. Accordingly, under Act 24, all current school employees are required to complete and return to their school administrator or other person responsible for school employment decisions (the School Administrator) a form developed by PDE to report prior arrests or convictions for any offense listed in Section 111(e).
ACT 168
This form has been developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, pursuant to Act 168 of 2014 to be used by school entities and independent contractors of school entities and by applicants who would be employed by or in a school entity in a position involving direct contact with children to satisfy the Act's requirement of providing information related to abuse or sexual misconduct.
Concussion Training
Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports is a free, online course available to coaches, parents, and others helping to keep athletes safe from concussion. It features interviews with leading experts, dynamic graphics and interactive exercises, and compelling storytelling to help you recognize a concussion and know how to respond if you think that your athlete might have a concussion.
Once you complete the training and quiz,
print out a copy of the certificate and provide it to the Athletic Department for your file.http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/HeadsUp/Training/index.html Cardiac Arrest (Annually)
Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in young athletes. CardiacWise is an online program, developed in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers’ Society, that is designed to educate coaches and others involved in sports and physical activity on the prevention of sudden cardiac arrest in athletes. This course is approximately 20 minutes in length. This course covers the following topics:
- Understanding Sudden Cardiac Arrest
- Causes of Sudden Cardiac Arrest in Athletes
- Signs and Symptoms – Cardiac-Related Conditions in Athletes
- Strategies for Preventing Sudden Cardiac Arrest
Once you complete the training and quiz,
print out a copy of the certificate and provide it to the Athletic Department for your file.
*** Click the ENROLL NOW icon at the bottom of the page and follow the steps to purchase the course (the cost will be $0.00). Once you have provided your information and created a login and password, you will have access to complete the course.
Child Abuse Reporting
Per Pennsylvania Law any school district employees who have direct contact with children are required to undergo child abuse reporting training. Notification of upcoming courses will be provided through the Athletic Office.
First Aid and CPR
Per Blackhawk School District Policy 123.1, all coaches in the Blackhawk School District are required to take this course within one (1) year of the date of hire. Details on the upcoming courses will be provided to you through the Athletic Office.
A certificate of completion must be on file in the Athletic Office.
American Sport Education Program (ASEP)
Per Blackhawk School District Policy 123.1, all coaches in the Blackhawk School District are required to take this course within one (1) year of the date of hire. Details on the upcoming courses will be provided to you through the Athletic Office.
A certificate of completion must be on file in the Athletic Office.