New Training

New MSGIA Training Resources – Sexual Abuse – Prevention and Awareness Training

By Shawn Bubb, Director of Insurance Services

We are nearing the time in a "normal year" that all of the preparations for a new school session are all seeming right in front of us.  This year, even a few weeks prior to the scheduled start dates, there are still many doubts and uncertainties.

Thoughts about a wide variety of issues...In-person or virtual classes?  How to address the concerns of parents and staff?  Personal protection items required?  Staffing concerns?   Budget concerns?  In addition to all of the thoughts and concerns related to the Pandemic of 2020, administrators have other issues that still come up.  I wanted to bring up a current safety scenario related to one of those.

SCENARIO
With the last part of the school year is done "virtually," administrators have been notified of some possible misbehavior of a staff member.  Parents have notified authorities that they feel that one of their daughter's teachers made some inappropriate contact with her during some of the virtual instruction time.  As they looked back on some of the communication, they felt he had been "grooming her."  His alleged improper behavior culminated at their delayed graduation ceremony, at which he approached her and asked her to go to dinner with him to celebrate her accomplishment.

SOME THOUGHTS TO CONSIDER

  • Does your district have a complete policy in place to address this type of situation?
  • Are students provided any guidance on how to report incidents such as this?
  • Are all staff members trained to report such behavior? What training is provided for staff in regard to issues of sexual abuse?
  • Are all administrators trained on how to respond when this type of behavior is reported to them?
  • What other steps would your district take to address the needs of the student, parents, staff, etc.?

 Beginning with the 2020-2021 school term, MSGIA will offer a full course of Sexual Abuse Management Prevention and Awareness (SAM Courses).  These courses are available for all MSGIA Platinum Risk Management members through the online SafeSchools program.  Below are the scheduled release dates:

  • July 15, 2020
    • Grooming Part 1 (Elementary, Middle and High Courses)
  • August 15, 2020
    • Grooming Part 2 (Elementary, Middle and High Courses)
    • On-site Isolation Boundaries (Part 1 and Part 2)
  • September 15, 2020
    • On-site Behavior Boundaries Part 1 (Elementary, Middle/High)
    • On-site Behavior Boundaries Part 2 (Elementary, Middle/High)
  • October 15, 2020
    • Off-site Boundaries (Part 1)
    • Off-Hours Boundaries (Elementary and Middle/High)
    • Electronic and Social Media Boundaries
  • November 15, 2020
    • Gift Boundaries (Elementary, Middle, High)
  • December 15, 2020
    • Student-to-Student Boundaries (Elementary, Middle/High) 

If your school district has not yet begun using the SafeSchools On-line Safety Training Program for employees, please contact Annette Satterly or our account manager, Allie Biggs, at allie.biggs@vectorsolutions.com  (513) 792-3941

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