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Reporting Misconduct & Ethical Standards

Reporting Misconduct

All instructional personnel, educational support employees, and school administrators have an obligation to report misconduct by instructional personnel, educational support employees 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. Reports of misconduct of employees should be made to the Head of School. Reports of misconduct committed by administrators should be made to the President of the Board of Directors. Legally sufficient allegations of misconduct by Florida certified educators will be reported to the Office of Professional Practices Services.

Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse, Abandonment or Neglect

The safety and well-being of our students are of the utmost importance. In alignment with our commitment to provide a safe, nurturing environment and in adherence to the policies of the Diocese of St. Petersburg and Florida state laws, all staff members are required to be vigilant and proactive in the protection of our students.

All employees and agents have an affirmative duty to report all actual or suspected cases of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect.

Reporting Procedures:

  1.   Immediate Reporting: If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, you must report it immediately to the Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-96-ABUSE (1-800-962-2873). Reports can also be made online through the DCF website at http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/abuse/report/.
  2.   Documentation: While maintaining confidentiality, document the details that led to the suspicion of abuse or neglect. Include dates, times, specific observations, and any relevant communications.
  3.   Notification: After making a report to DCF, promptly inform the Head of School. This step is crucial for ensuring the school can take appropriate internal actions and provide support to the student and staff involved.
  4.   Confidentiality: All reports and information related to suspected abuse must be treated with the utmost confidentiality to protect the privacy and rights of all individuals involved.

 

Our collective responsibility is to safeguard the welfare of every student, acting within the framework of our faith and the law. By adhering to these mandatory reporting guidelines, we affirm our commitment to the protection and well-being of the children in our care.

Ethical Standards for STA Teachers

  1. Duty to Report Misconduct– I understand that I have an affirmative duty and legal responsibility to report any alleged instructional personnel or school administrator misconduct that affects the health, safety or welfare of a student. I also understand that a failure to report such misconduct may result in penalties up to termination of employment and/or revocation of any applicable licenses or certifications.  I understand that examples of misconduct that may affect the health, safety or welfare of a student include but are not limited to: drug and alcohol use, disparaging comments, prejudice or bigotry, sexual innuendo, cheating, testing violations, physical aggression or accepting favors from students.
  2. Reporting Misconduct by Instructional Personnel and Administrators– I further agree to abide by the following procedures when reporting alleged misconduct of an instructional personnel or school administrators:
    1. Immediately report all allegations or any suspicion of misconduct that affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student engaged in by any instructional personnel to the school principal; or
    2. Immediately report all allegations or any suspicion of misconduct that affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student engaged in by any school administrator to the school principal; or
    3. 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, Mrs. Erin Miller, at erin.miller@aquinastampa.org
  3. Duty to Report Child Abuse, Abandonment or Neglect- I further understand that I have an affirmative duty to report all actual or suspected cases of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect to Florida Department of Children and Families either by phone at 1-800-96Abuse or online at dcf.state.fl.us/abuse/report/.
    1. 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.
    2. 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.
    3. 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.
    4. 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.
  2. 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 will be immune from any civil or criminal liability. Additionally, as provided by Fla. Stat. 768.095, any employer who discloses information about a former or current employee in response to a request or inquiry is immune from civil liability for such disclosure or its consequences unless it is shown by clear and convincing evidence that the information disclosed was knowingly false or violated any civil right of the employee.
  3. 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.
  4. Training Requirement– I acknowledge that all Instructional Personnel and School Administrators are required as a condition of employment to complete training on these Standards of Ethical Conduct.

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St. Thomas Aquinas Academy admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the Academy. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other Academy-sponsored programs.  

A parentally placed private school student with a disability does not have an individual right to receive some or all of the special education and related services that the student would receive if enrolled in a public school under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).