April is Child Abuse Awareness Month

According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, April is National Child Abuse Awareness month. In an effort to raise awareness around child abuse, the Department of Health & Human Services has created a calendar of events that includes ways you can promote child well-being throughout the month of April. To view the calendar of events and tips, or to get involved in child abuse prevention efforts in your community, visit the Department of Health & Human Services' website. While child abuse seems unimaginable to many people, it is important to know the signs so that you can intervene should the situation arise.

With PublicSchoolWORKS’ Child Abuse Prevention course, available in English and in Spanish, staff will learn how to identify child abuse and neglect, as well as the appropriate procedure for reporting such cases. With this course, school staff will also learn the contributing factors of abuse and neglect.

To learn more about PublicSchoolWORKS’ Child Abuse Prevention course, email sales@publicschoolworks.com

SPOTLIGHT

School Child Abuse Scandal

According to a recent NBC news story, Martin Bernard Springer has been ordered to return to court on April 16, 2012, to face criminal charges for three felony counts of lewd acts upon a child under the age of 14. Springer is one to two teachers at Miramonte Elementary School facing charges. The other teacher, Mark Berndt, was arrested in connection with inappropriate student photos and spoon-feeding students semen. According to the article, Berndt is charged with committing lewd acts against 23 students.

In cases like those at Miramonte Elementary School, it is essential that educators and parents know how to identify abuse and have the ability to notify the appropriate person immediately. With PublicSchoolWORKS’ Parent InfoCenter districts have the ability to be proactive in providing parents with information that benefit the health and safety of students. It provides an online tool where (if a district requests it or a state requires it) parents may view the same training given to school personnel on the prevention and identification of child abuse, bullying prevention and other content, in addition to the obligations for reporting bullying and other safety concerns.

To share what your district is doing to prevent and report child abuse, comment on our Facebook page.

SPOTLIGHT

Georgia Principal Faces Criminal Charges

In Marietta, Georgia, a Cobb County middle school principal, Jerry Dority, faces criminal charges for failing to report an incident of reported child abuse at Tap Middle School. Also facing charges is school counselor, Yatta Collins. According to the recent article on WSBTV, the case revolves around a student’s attempted suicide at school. The incident was the result of the student reportedly being sexually assaulted at home. Dority and Yatta failed to report the incident within the time frame mandated by Georgia law. Both educators had clean records prior to the incident.

Has your school experienced a similar situation? What was the outcome? Share your comments with us on Twitter @PSWORKS.

Industry Insider News:

PublicSchoolWORKS Helps Districts Meet New CIPA Requirements

PublicSchoolWORKS, a Cincinnati-based company that offers the one and only comprehensive, fully-automated risk management system available for schools, is helping districts fulfill the new 2012 CIPA requirements by offering a series of courses designed specifically for teachers and students. There are four grade-appropriate courses for students, in addition to staff courses, that help schools receiving E-Rate funding meet this new training requirement.

PublicSchoolWORKS’ CIPA courses include:

• Student Use of Technology: Appropriate online behavior, social networking, cyberbullying – For educators and staff, it covers appropriate online behavior for students, online safety and mobile and wireless safety. In addition, this course helps educators initiate and lead classroom discussions on the use of technology and internet safety, and addresses student questions and concerns.
• District Acceptable Use Policy Signoff for Staff – This course for educators is updated to ensure that staff understands the district’s policy regarding appropriate use of the internet and social media.
• Internet Safety (Gr. K-2) – For students to view as a group, it covers information about online predators, cyber bullying, internet safety, and protecting the students identity.
• Internet Safety (Gr. 3-5) – For students to view as a group , it covers online predators, cyber bullying, social networking, identity protection, internet safety and other online behavior, such as peer-to-peer networks, internet etiquette and mobile internet safety.
• Internet Safety (Gr. 6-8) – For students to view as a group , it covers online predators, cyber bullying, social networking, identity protection, internet safety, online scams and other online behavior, such as peer-to-peer networks, internet etiquette, copyright and plagiarism issues, as well as mobile internet safety.
• Internet Safety (Gr. 9-12) – For students to view as a group, it covers online predators, cyber bullying, social networking, identity protection, internet safety, online scams, peer-to-peer networks, internet etiquette, copyright and plagiarism issues, mobile internet safety, the protection of personal information, use of chat rooms, and avoiding adult material.

In addition to the PublicSchoolWORKS’ CIPA courses, students and parents will have access to the Student Bullying Reporting System, a 24/7 hotline and anonymous reporting system that allows for the reporting of harmful behavior in a non-threatening environment. It immediately notifies principals of behaviors or threats so that they can intervene before a situation escalates. The CIPA Parent InfoCenter provides supportive information that allows parents to gain awareness of internet dangers and the steps needed to keep their children safe.

To learn more about PSW’s CIPA courses,visit the CIPA website or call 1-877-77WORKS.