Green Children’s House Montessori School

Instructional Personnel and School Administrators

Green Children’s House Montessori School takes seriously its responsibility to protect students from abuse, neglect and abandonment therefore we will adhere to the following principles and statements based on the laws and regulations from Florida Statutes 39.203 and 768.095:

1. We value the worth and dignity of every person, the pursuit of truth, devotion to excellence, acquisition of knowledge, and the nurture of democratic citizenship. Essential to the achievement of these standards are the freedom to learn and to teach and the guarantee of equal opportunity for all.
2. My primary professional concern will always be for the student and for the development of the student’s potential. I will, therefore, strive for professional growth and will seek to exercise the best professional judgment and integrity.
3. Concern for the student requires that our instructional personnel: 

• Shall make reasonable effort to protect the student from conditions harmful to learning and/or to the student’s mental and/or physical health and/or safety. 
• Shall not unreasonably restrain a student from independent action in pursuit of learning. 
• Shall not unreasonably deny a student access to diverse points of view. 
• Shall not intentionally suppress or distort subject matter relevant to a student’s academic program. 
• Shall not intentionally expose a student to unnecessary embarrassment or disparagement. 
• Shall not intentionally violate or deny a student’s legal rights. 
• Shall not harass or discriminate against any student on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, marital status, handicapping condition, sexual orientation, or social and family background and shall make reasonable effort to assure that each student is protected from harassment or discrimination. 
• Shall not exploit a relationship with a student for personal gain or advantage. 
• Shall keep in confidence personally identifiable information obtained in the course of professional service, unless disclosure serves professional purposes or is required by law. 

4. I am aware of the importance of maintaining the respect and confidence of my colleagues, of students, of parents, and of other members of the community. I will strive to achieve and sustain the highest degree of ethical conduct.

• Shall maintain honesty in all professional dealings. 
• Shall not on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, marital status, handicapping condition if otherwise qualified, or social and family background deny to a colleague professional benefits or advantages or participation in any professional organization.’ 
• Shall not interfere with a colleague’s exercise of political or civil rights and responsibilities. 
• Shall not engage in harassment or discriminatory conduct which unreasonably interferes with an individual’s performance of professional or work responsibilities or with the orderly processes of education or which creates a hostile, intimidating, abusive, offensive, or oppressive environment; and, further, shall make reasonable effort to assure that each individual is protected from such harassment or discrimination. 
• Shall not make malicious or intentionally false statements about a colleague.

5. Reporting Misconduct by Instructional Personnel and Administrators – All employees, educational support, instructional personnel and administrators have an obligation to report misconduct by instructional personnel and school administrators which affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student. Examples of misconduct include obscene language, drug and alcohol use, disparaging comments, prejudice or bigotry, sexual innuendo, cheating or testing violations, physical aggression, and accepting or offering favors.
6. Reporting Misconduct by Instructional Personnel and Administrators– All employees, educational support, instructional personnel and administrators agree to abide by the following procedures when reporting alleged misconduct of instructional personnel or school administrators:

• Immediately report all allegations or any suspicion of misconduct of employees should be made to school Director, Crystal Acosta at crystal@greenchildrenshouse.com or 954-946-7215.
• Immediately report all allegations or any suspicion of misconduct that affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student engaged in by the school principal or supervising principal or administration to the President, Danyiel Louis, danyiel@greenchildrenshouse.com or Childcare licensing; and
• Legally sufficient allegations of misconduct by Florida certified educators will be reported to the Office of Professional Practices Services. Policies and procedures for reporting misconduct by instructional personnel or school administrators which affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student are posted on the bulletin board and on our website:  www.greenchildrenshouse.com/ethics.
• Thoroughly document the activities and details of the allegations or event; and Secure evidence (if applicable).

7. Report Child Abuse, Abandonment or Neglect- All employees and agents have an affirmative duty to report all actual or suspected cases of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect. Call 1-800-96-ABUSE or report online at: http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/abuse/report/.

• Signs of Physical Abuse: The child may have unexplained bruises, welts, cuts, or other injuries; broken bones; or burns. A child experiencing physical abuse may seem withdrawn or depressed, seem afraid to go home or may run away, shy away from physical contact, be aggressive, or wear inappropriate clothing to hide injuries.
• Signs of Sexual Abuse: The child may have torn, stained or bloody underwear, trouble walking or sitting, pain or itching in genital area, or a sexually transmitted disease. A child experiencing sexual abuse may have unusual knowledge of sex or act seductively, fear a particular person, seem withdrawn or depressed, gain or lose weight suddenly, shy away from physical contact, or run away from home.
• Signs of Neglect: The child may have unattended medical needs, little or no supervision at home, poor hygiene, or appear underweight. A child experiencing neglect may be frequently tired or hungry, steal food, or appear overly needy for adult attention.
• Patterns of Abuse: Serious abuse usually involves a combination of factors. While a single sign may not be significant, a pattern of physical or behavioral signs is a serious indicator and should be reported.

8. Liability Protections– I understand that consistent with Fla. Stat. 39.203, any person, official or institution, including employees, who report in good faith any instance of misconduct, child abuse, abandonment, or neglect to the department or any law enforcement agency will be immune from any civil or criminal liability which might otherwise result by reason of such action.
   Additionally, as provided by Fla. Stat. 768.095, any employer who discloses information about a former or current employee to a prospective employer of the former or current employee upon request of the prospective employer or of the former or current employee is immune from civil liability for such disclosure or its consequences unless it is shown by clear and convincing evidence that the information disclosed by the former or current employer was knowingly false or violated any civil right of the former or current employee protected under F.S. Chapter 760. (F.S. 768.095).
9. I further understand that every school that accepts scholarship students under the John McKay Scholarship for Students with Disabilities (Fla. Stat. § 1002.39) or the Corporate Tax Credit Scholarship Program (Fla. Stat. § 220.187) or any other scholarship program sponsored by the State of Florida must comply with the terms of the Ethics in Education Act.
10. Training Requirement– All employees, educational support, instructional personnel and administrators are required as a condition of employment to complete training on these Standards of Ethical Conduct.