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WACHE Safe Organization Policy

Safe Organization Policy

 

Everyone in our organization is responsible to provide safety for the children in our care.

 

PROHIBITING THE ABUSE OR MISTREATMENT OF STUDENTS

WACHE School will not tolerate the mistreatment or abuse of students in its programs. Abuse includes, but is not limited to, the following types: 

  • Physical abuse – Injury that is intentionally inflicted upon a student.. 

  • Sexual abuse – Any contact of a sexual nature that occurs between a student and an adult or between two students. This includes any activity which is meant to arouse or gratify the sexual desires of the adult or the other student. 

  • Emotional abuse – Mental or emotional injury to a student that results in an observable and material impairment in the student’s growth, development, or psychological functioning. 

  • Neglect – Failure to provide for a student’s basic needs or the failure to protect a student from harm. Any mistreatment or abuse by a parent volunteer will result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of volunteer service.

 

PROHIBITING THE ABUSE OR MISTREATMENT OF ONE STUDENT BY ANOTHER STUDENT

WACHE School is committed to providing all youth with a safe environment. WACHE School will not tolerate the mistreatment or abuse of one youth by another youth. In addition, WACHE School will not tolerate any behavior that is classified under the definition of bullying, and to the extent that such actions are disruptive, we will take steps needed to eliminate such behavior. Bullying is aggressive behavior that is intentional, is repeated over time, and involves an imbalance of power or strength. Bullying can take on various forms, including: 

  • Physical bullying – is when one person engages in physical force against another person, such as by hitting, punching, pushing, kicking, pinching, or restraining another. 

  • Verbal bullying – when someone uses their words to hurt another, such as by belittling or calling other hurtful names. 

  • Nonverbal or relational bullying – when one person manipulates a relationship or desired relationship to harm another person. This includes social exclusion, friendship manipulation, or gossip. This type of bullying also includes intimidating another person by using gestures. 

  • Cyberbullying – is the intentional and overt act of aggression toward another person by way of any technological tool, such as email, instant messages, text messages, digital pictures or images, or website postings (including blogs). Cyberbullying can involve: 

    • Sending mean, vulgar, or threatening messages or images;

    • Posting sensitive, private information about another person; 

    • Pretending to be someone else in order to make that person look bad;

    •  Intentionally excluding someone from an online group 

  • Hazing – an activity expected of someone joining or participating in a group that humiliates, degrades, abuses, or endangers that person regardless of that person’s willingness to participate.

  • Sexualized bullying – when bullying involves behaviors that are sexual in nature. Examples of sexualized bullying behaviors include sexting, bullying that involves exposure of private body parts, and verbal bullying involving sexualized language or innuendos.


 

NEVER ALONE

Our 2 deep leadership policy ensures that no adult is ever alone with a student at any time. If a teacher or assistant needs to leave a classroom, they should call someone from the support team to take their place. There should always be another adult available as a witness to the interactions that take place between adult to child, and child to child. 

 

  • When meeting one-on-one with a student, always do so in full public view of others 

  • Avoid physical affection that can be misinterpreted. Limit affection to pats on the shoulder, high-fives, fist bumps, and handshakes 

  • Document and immediately report any unusual incidents, including disclosures of abuse or maltreatment, behavior problems and how they were handled, injuries, or any interactions that might be misinterpreted

 

PHYSICAL TOUCH

Physical contact between adults and the children/youth they supervise should always be public, age-appropriate, and non-sexual in nature.

 

BATHROOM SAFETY

No adult should be in the restrooms with children at any time. 

  • If you find that a younger student needs help, please find that child’s parent. If that child’s parent is not available, or in instances that require a faster reaction time, another adult should be near and visible. 

  • A family restroom is available for parents that need to assist younger children. No adult may take a child that is not theirs into the family restroom. 

  • Adult restrooms and children’s restrooms are clearly labeled. Adults are not permitted to use the same restrooms that are available to children. 

 

GOVERNING ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION BETWEEN TEACHERS AND STUDENTS 

Any private electronic communication between teachers and students, including the use of social networking websites like - Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, instant messaging, texting, etc. is prohibited. All communication between teachers and students must be transparent. The following are examples of appropriate and inappropriate electronic communication.

 

Appropriate:

• Sending and replying to emails and text messages from students ONLY when copying in the student’s parent 

• Communicating through “organization group pages” on Facebook or other approved public forums 

 

Inappropriate:

• Harsh, coercive, threatening, intimidating, shaming, derogatory, demeaning, or humiliating comments 

• Sexually oriented conversations 

• Private messages between teachers and students 

• Posting pictures of organization participants on social media sites 

• Posting inappropriate comments on pictures 

• “Friending” students on social networking sites

 

EVERY ALLEGATION OF ABUSE WILL BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY AND THERE WILL BE COOPERATION WITH AUTHORITIES 

All reports of suspicious or inappropriate behavior with students or allegations of abuse will be taken seriously. WACHE School will fully cooperate with authorities if allegations of abuse are made and investigated.

 

 

WACHE Safety Code of Conduct 

I promise to strictly follow the rules and guidelines in this Code of Conduct as a condition of my volunteer service and participation in WACHE School to the children and youth of WACHE School.

 

I will:

  • Treat everyone with respect, loyalty, patience, integrity, courtesy, dignity, and consideration.

  • Never be alone with individual students at organizational activities without another adult being notified.

  • Use positive reinforcement rather than criticism, competition, or comparison when working with students.

  • Maintain appropriate physical boundaries at all times, and touch students – when necessary – only in ways that are appropriate, public, and non-sexual.

  • Comply with the mandatory reporting laws of the State of Texas with the WACHE School Policies and Procedures to report suspected child abuse. I understand that failure to report suspected child maltreatment to civil authorities is against the law.

  • Cooperate fully in any investigation of abuse of students.

 

I will not:

  • Touch or speak to a student in a sexual or another inappropriate manner.

  • Inflict any physical or emotional abuse such as striking, spanking, shaking, slapping, humiliating, ridiculing, threatening, or degrading students

  • Smoke or use tobacco products, or possess, or be under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs at any time while working with students.

  • Give a student who is not my own a ride home alone.

  • Accept or give gifts to students without the knowledge of their parents or guardians.

  • Engage in private communications with students via text messaging, email, Facebook, Twitter or other similar forms of electronic or social media.

  • Use Profanity in the presence of students at any time.

 

I understand that as a person working with and/or providing services to students under the auspices of WACHE School I am subject to a criminal history background check. My signature confirms that I have read this Code of Conduct and agree to follow the standards it contains. I understand that any action inconsistent with this Code of Conduct, or failure to act as mandated by this Code of Conduct may result in disciplinary action up to and including removal from my position.

 

Name (Print):______________________Signature/Date:___________________________