IPS - Renewing Your Background Check - For Imported Volunteers

(Keywords: renewal, process, volunteering, background, check, password, reset, issues)

This article will go over how to renew your background check. These instructions are designed for individuals who were previously authorized to volunteer via background check services not affiliated with Sterling.

This support article has likely been shared with you. However, if you have never submitted a background check application to the Indianapolis Public Schools district, you can click here.  

IMPORTANT: AfterSchool HQ and the Indianapolis Public Schools District do not charge a fee for background checks. If you're asked to pay a fee or find any online references to fees, please contact [e-mail] to report and receive clear instructions before proceeding.

❗Before getting started, make sure you are not signed in to your account. If you are, please log out. ❗

Let's Begin!

If you would like to follow alongside a video, click below:

Step 1. You will need to reset your password. Even if you have never accessed the AfterSchool HQ (AHQ) platform, you will need to do this step to create your password. Click here to reset your password.

• Once you are on this page, you will need to enter your email address and click Reset Password:

• Once you have clicked this button, you will be notified that a reset password email has been sent to your inbox:

• The subject line of the email will be, "Password reset request from AfterSchool HQ". Please make sure to check your Spam folder. Once you've located it, open it.
  
  

• Click on the password reset link:
  
  

• Once you've clicked the link, you will prompted to enter a new password. Once you have done so, click, "Update Password".
  
  

❗Do not log in at this point. ❗

Step 2. Once you have successfully reset your password, we can now begin to register for a Volunteer Opportunity. To begin, you can click here to access the IPS Volunteer Opportunities Directory. Here, you can search for the school you want to volunteer at and access their volunteer registration page.

• At the top, you can type in the name of the school/program you want to volunteer for:

Step 3. Once you've located the school/program, click "Learn More".

Step 4. After clicking the button, you will be directed to the Volunteer Opportunity page for that school/program. Once you have located the Volunteer Opportunity you want to register for, click "VIEW DETAILS".

Step 5. After reviewing the registration page for the selected Volunteer Opportunity, click "Register".

Step 6. You will need to now log in. To begin, enter your email address and click "NEXT".

Step 7. You will be greeted by a Welcome back window. You will need to enter the new password you created in Step 1 and then click "Log In".

❗If you are greeted instead with an account creation screen, it means the email address entered was not found in our platform to be linked to an account. Please make sure to double-check that there are no errors in the email entered.

❗If you are a college/university student, please make sure you are using your school email.

⭐ Please remember that you can always reach out to us if you require assistance. ⭐

Step 8. You will need to complete the registration form by answering all of the indicated questions.

 

❗Step 9. Once you have made it to the Confirm Registration page, you will see a message that says that your background check has expired. To initiate the background check process, you must tick the checkbox.

Step 10. After making sure you ticked the checkbox, enter your E-Signature and click "Confirm Registration".

❗Step 11. After you have registered, you are not done yet. You will be sent an email containing your unique Sterling link. Sterling is the background check service provider used by IPS to conduct screening reports. You will need to access it.

To access your link, you have two options:

Check Your Email Inbox

• You will receive two emails. One confirms your registration and the other that contains your Sterling link. The subject line will include, "ACTION REQUIRED".

• Towards the bottom of the email, click, "Click here to begin background check".

❗Make sure to check your Spam folder. ❗

Through Your AHQ Account

• You can also access your unique Sterling page through your AHQ account. From where we left off, click, "Find Another Opportunity".
  
  

• At the top of the page, click "Account".

• On your Home page, you locate the To Dos area and click, "Start Background Check".
  
  

Step 12. Once you're on your unique Sterling page, create a Password and click Create Account to continue.

Note: Your email address will already be auto-filled. You must use the email address you used when registering.

❗Although you have registered through AfterSchool HQ, you must create a Sterling account by entering a password and clicking Create Account.  Do not click I am a returning user if you haven't created a Sterling account.

Step 13. You will be sent a confirmation email to your inbox. Locate the email to continue. Remember to check your Spam folder.

Note: If you do not receive the confirmation email, you can go back to your Sterling page and click Get a new confirmation email located at the bottom.

Step 14. You will need to locate the confirmation email from Sterling. It will be a "noreply" email with the subject line, "Please confirm your email"

• Once you have located the email, click, Click here to confirm your email.

Step 15. After verifying your email, you will be redirected back to Sterling. Click Continue.

Step 16. Enter your newly created Sterling password and click Log in.

Step 17. You will be taken to a welcome page and be provided information regarding submitting information to Sterling. Once you've read through it, click Let's Get Started.

Step 18. Lastly, you will need to provide Sterling with information and submit it in order for them to conduct their screening report.

❗If you need to continue another day, you can do so by logging in again, but you have to submit all of the information they ask.

Once you complete the registration process on Sterling, it can take up to 7 days for your background check to be completed. Please note: This is an estimate. This does not mean it will take the full 7 days for Sterling to complete its report.

For more information, visit Sterling's candidate information page.

In the meantime, you can check the progress of your report in two ways.

• The first would be to click here to log in to your Sterling account and navigate over to the Activity Center.

• The second way would be to click here to receive an email notification informing you of the screening status. You will need to provide the email address that you used to create your Sterling account and the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number.

Step 19. After your application has been reviewed, you will receive an email stating if it has been approved, declined or if it requires further review.
     • If your application requires further review, the school district will conduct a review and reach out to notify you whether it has been approved or declined.

FAQs

Q: I've clicked on my Sterling link, but it says it's not the most up to date link. What can I do?
A: Contact us at [e-mail].

Q: If I have a valid background check from the previous service provider IPS used to conduct their background checks, do I have to renew through Sterling?
A: No. You will need to renew when it expires.

Q: How long will it take for Sterling to complete my screening report?
A: It can take up to 7 days.

Q: Will it take the full 7 days for Sterling to complete my screening report?
A: This is an estimate.

Q: It has been over 7 days since I submitted my information and I have not received any email from Sterling. What can I do?
A: Contact us at [e-mail].

Q: I was declined and I disagree with the results. What can I do?
A: The parameters of the background check screening report were set up by IPS. You can contact them at [e-mail] for assistance.

Q: How long is a background check valid for?
A: One year.

Q: Do I have to go through this process again if I want to volunteer at another school?
A: No. As long as you have a valid background check, you can volunteer at other IPS schools. Click here to view the IPS Volunteer Opportunities Directory.

Q: I don't see my question here. Who can I contact for help?
A: Us! Contact us at [e-mail].

💡If you have any questions or experience any technical difficulties with IPS - Renewing Your Background Check - For Imported Volunteers, don't hesitate to get in touch with our support team at [e-mail].