Family Handbook 2018-2019

13 All school personnel are mandated reporters. They are required to report suspected child abuse or neglect immediately to the appropriate authorities. Reporters do not need absolute proof to make a report—the requirement is usually “reasonable cause or reasonable suspicion” based on their knowledge of the student personally, or from their experience with children. Employees will be required to record and report the evidence that caused them to make the report and any other facts that they know about the situation and other detailed information about the people involved. Once the report is made, local or state officials take over. Teachers and administrators who have possible reason to suspect child abuse or neglect and who willfully or knowingly do not report, stand in peril of fines, imprisonment, and civil action if they fail to report their suspicions in a timely fashion to the appropriate state authorities. False reporting does not include cases where the report was made in good faith and with good reason. Child Safety from Sexual Offenders and Predators According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), sexual perpetrators are commonly people the parents/guardians or children know, and these people may be in a position of trust or responsibility to a child and family. Because of our concern for student safety, all employees, and those parents who volunteer for Family Center Preschool and Infant & Toddler Program activities are screened through the school’s criminal background process. Although the Family Center Preschool and Infant & Toddler Program performs such screenings, the school cannot attest to the background of the various parents, grandparents, or individuals on the authorized pickup lists whom their child may associate with away from school. To keep their children as safe as possible, parents should talk openly to their children about safety issues. Parents should know their children’s friends and be clear with their children about the places and homes that their children visit. Children should be taught that they have the right to say no to any unwelcome, uncomfortable, or confusing touching or actions by others and to get out of those situations as quickly as possible. Parents should regularly visit the public registry to review it for individuals who may have prior criminal records and sex offenses. Information concerning registered sex offenders and predators in Florida may be obtained by visiting http://www.fdle.state.fl.us, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Sexual Offenders database. Information may also be obtained by contacting the FDLE’s toll free telephone number: 1-888-FL-PREDATOR (1-888-357-7332). To view a map of registered sex offenders living within a five mile radius of any given address, parents should visit http://www.familywatchdog.us . To learn about additional child safety tips and links to child and internet safety sites and searches, parents should visit the Florida Attorney General website at http://myfloridalegal.com . Child Study – Student Referrals MSC’s Child Study multidisciplinary team of professionals works with teaching and support staff to identify children with potential areas of difficulty, to develop intervention techniques and to offer programmatic and clinical support. Children’s learning is supported in their natural class environment while providing opportunities for NSU students to participate in professional development experiences.