Safe Environment Training for
Children and Youth
Parent
Information Letter
Dear Parents / Guardians of Students:
As Catholics, we believe
that every human being is created in the image and likeness of God. Each of us is sacred
and our lives—body, mind, and soul—should be treated with respect. The safety of your child(ren) is always a priority to
us. Therefore, Safe Environment education is incorporated into EVERY
Catholic school and religious education program EVERY year.
Safe Environment education for children focuses
on identifying appropriate physical, emotional, and spiritual boundaries. All children are reminded that they are loved
and valued by God and the Church. In
addition, it reinforces the important message that children and youth are able
to talk to trusted adults if they or anyone they know are being hurt.
This year the Safe Environment lessons for Saint
John XXIII students will be integrated into the classes during the months of November
and December.
In Kindergarten through 5th grades,
the
lessons will be 20 minutes of a class period.
Grades 7 through 12 will utilize lessons that have
been incorporated into the Catholic school classes.
In 6th grade, the NEW TWO-PART lesson plan based program, "Created in God's Image for Youth",
will be utilized to teach
boundaries. This is a change from the
video program that we have used over the past several years. Parents, as
the primary educators of the Church, have the option to present this material
to your child directly. If you choose to present this material yourself
rather than having it provided at school, please inform the school coordinator (Mrs. Hepsen) and the lesson plans
will be provided to assist you. Your
child may then go to another classroom on the day the program is offered. If
your child is absent on the day the Safe Environment program is presented, you will be asked to sign an
acknowledgement letter that you received the material.
If you have any
questions, contact your child’s homeroom teacher via email or call the Diocesan Safe
Environment Training Office at 602-354-2418.
Together, we can work
towards the elimination of child sexual abuse.
Sincerely,
Mary Hepsen,
M.Ed., M.S.Ed.
Certified School Psychologist
Safe Environment Coordinator
Saint John XXIII Catholic School
16235 N. 60th Street
Scottsdale, AZ 85254
|
General
Overview for Parents
|
Every person is created in the image and likeness of God. Every child is
loved by God and must know of the love
that they are created in.
BOUNDARY DEFINITION Something that marks a limit, like a fence or
the lines on a basketball court.
Each person has the right
and responsibility to state when a boundary is being violated.
|
3 TYPES OF BOUNDARIES
|
EXAMPLES OF BOUNDARY VIOLATIONS
|
|
Physical
·
Who can
touch you
·
How
much they can touch you
·
Where
they can touch you
|
Physical
· Inappropriate massages and wrestling by adults
· Adults touching private areas
·
Inappropriate kissing
|
|
Emotional
·
How
close you feel to a person
·
How
much time you spend with
a person
·
What
information you share with
a person
|
Emotional
·
Inappropriate
questions about minors sexuality
·
Asking
too personal of questions
·
Adult
approaching minors inappropriately on
phones, text, the internet
|
|
Behavioral
·
The
things you will do
·
The
things you will not do
|
Behavioral
·
Giving
minors beer, drugs,
pornography
·
Asking
students to keep secrets from parents
|
REINFORCE through regular conversations
·
When abuse or a boundary
violation occurs, it is the adult that is in the wrong; it is never the child's fault.
·
If a child is ever
uncomfortable with the actions of an adult they need to tell a trusted adult and keep telling until they are
heard.
·
Who to trust?
v Parent, family member, teacher, pastor,
catechist, youth minister
·
That they understand they
will always be loved no matter what they tell you
·
What is the difference
between keeping secrets and holding a surprise
Diocese of Phoenix Safe
Environment Curriculum
Adapted from Praesidium inc. "Called to Protect for YouthTM"
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