Our children depend on us to protect them. We require anyone who wishes to work with our children and teens, or to apply for any position, must take Safe Environment Training and submit to a criminal background check, and they must also be acquainted with the education staff for at least 6 months. The safety of our children is our prime concern. We need the entire parish to be on guard and keep St. Paul a safe haven for our children.
If you have any question about becoming safe environment trained, please contact Joan at 719-219-2712.
St. Paul Catholic School Training Schedule
All New & Returning Volunteers:
As mandated by the Bishop's charter all volunteers involved with children must complete Safe Environment Training (annually), Background check, Volunteer application, and a Volunteer Interview. This must be completed before you can volunteer. This includes, but is not limited to Field trips, homeroom parents and lunch & recess duties. These forms can be obtained from the office. Please allow 1.5 hours for initial Safe Environment Training. Dates are scheduled as follows - all training's will be held at 8:45am (following Mass) and 1:30pm in the cafeteria.
Tuesday, September 10th
Thursday, September 12th
Monday, September 16th
Wednesday, September 18th
Friday, September 20th
Tuesday, September 24th
Monday, September 30th
Returning Volunteers:
To complete the Safe Environment UPDATE online, click here. Click Sign In on the upper right hand corner. Do not create a user name, we have done that for you.
User Name: firstname.lastname.docs
Password: 1234 (please change when you log in)
THE ONLY TRAINING YOU HAVE TO DO IS THE 2019-2020 UPDATE
You can also click here to visit the Diocesan website with additional training opportunities.
INTERACTIONS AND BEHAVIORS SUMMARY
The lists below are not intended to be exhaustive, but are provided to serve as a guide to interactions and behaviors with minors. Violations should be reported immediately.
Appropriate Physical Interaction
Side Hugs
Shoulder to shoulder or "temple" hugs
"A-frame" hugs
Handshakes
"High-fives" and hand slapping
Pats on the head or back when culturally appropriate
Holding hands (with smaller children in escorting situations)
Holding hands during prayer
Inappropriate Physical Interaction
Any form of affection unwanted by the minor
Showing affection in isolated areas
Physical contact insisted on or requested by an adult or minor volunteer
Inappropriate or lengthy embraces
Full frontal hugs
Kisses
Touching knees or legs
Touching buttocks, chest, or genital areas
Wrestling, "rough-housing," tickling
Corporal punishment
Allowing a child to cling to another's leg
Massage
Appropriate Behavior
Consistently applying the Guidelines for Working with minors (for adult volunteers only)
Providing a safe environment where the dignity of and respect for every individual is ensured
Knowing how and to whom to report inappropriate behavior
Awareness of the powerful attraction of minors to those in positions of trust, and ability to refer minors developing dependency to another qualified adult
Inappropriate Behavior
Contact with minors via any personal communication tools (such as phone, instant messaging, e-mail, social networking site…)
Being alone with minors while working in the scope of volunteer duties (such as a vehicle, restaurant, residence, sleeping facility, locker room, rest room, hot tub or pool, etc.)
Allowing or assisting minors to have access to alcohol, drugs, pornographic material, inappropriate website, DVD, CD or any illegal substance.
Photographing minors without parental consent
Singling out a minor with a personal gift
Appropriate Verbal Interaction
Positive reinforcement
Appropriate jokes
Encouragement
Verbal praise
Program content communications
Inappropriate Verbal Interaction
Name calling
Cursing
Off-color or sexual jokes or innuendo
Shaming or belittling
Compliments/comments related to physical attributes
Telling secrets/asking children to keep secrets
Racial or ethnic insults, slurs or derogatory remarks about others
Discussing personal adult matters, including sexual issues
Using harsh language that may intimidate or frighten minors
To view the complete Safe Environment Training Handbook, click here.
Check out this video from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
