Deadline: Quarterly parish safe environment updates are due on or before July 15, 2010

Quarterly parish safe environment updates are due on or before July 15, 2010. Between now and then, someone from each parish should log on to the database at www.rcbmnh.org and update any pertinent information. Even if you think you do not have any updates to make, please log on and check your information just to be sure. We track usage and do require every entity to log on at least quarterly.

Now is a good time to:

• Add the names of any summer volunteers
• Inactivate the names of people you know will not be returning in the fall      
• Check your pending list and update it, especially if anyone is showing up as overdue
• Add the names of fall volunteers if you know them; be sure to indicate in the “Notes” section when they will begin their work

Thank you and do not hesitate to contact the safe environment office if you have questions or need assistance.

Check out what D.A.R.E. has to offer – Free drug & alcohol abuse prevention, bullying prevention, and internet safety programs available for grades K-12 students and their parents!

D.A.R.E. is a free program, sponsored by the NH State Police, that is available to students and community members. D.A.R.E. has a comprehensive drug abuse prevention curriculum as well as bullying prevention and internet safety lessons. Lessons are designed for students from Kindergarten through high school and adult programs are available as well! Not only schools can take advantage of these programs- parishes may also schedule adult information sessions. If you would like to have a D.A.R.E officer visit your school or parish, contact State Trooper Maureen Steer, Program Facilitator, at 271-2877 or Maureen.Steer@dos.nh.gov

For a closer look at the lessons available, click here

School Safe Environment Coordinators: As the school year winds down and summer approaches, please keep in mind the following important deadlines and information.

June

• Updates for the month of May are due on Friday, June 12, 2010. Please log on to the online safe environment database at www.rcbmnh.org to make your updates. At this time, it is a good idea to move to inactive status those volunteers whom you know will not be returning next fall.

• You may also want to contact the trainer for your deanery this month in order to schedule a fall Protecting God’s Children session. For more information about scheduling a PGC session at your school, click here

• If you are working on revising your staff and/or family handbooks for the fall, you may want to update child safety information. In particular, you may want to inform staff and parents of how to report suspected abuse. Click here for a cut and paste version of this information. (Microsoft Word)

• Contracts with independent contractors: If your school will be renewing any contracts with independent contractors who regularly work with minors, please keep in mind that certain safe environment language must be included in each of these contracts. Click here for a cut and paste version of the required contract language.

July

 No updates are necessary - we hope you will all be enjoying a well-deserved vacation.

August

Please pay special attention to:

• Coaches- Many sports programs begin this month. Please add the names of new coaches into the safe environment database as soon as they become available. Coaches only have 30 days to complete ALL safe environment requirements. Please request a list of all coaches from your athletic director as this list needs to be submitted to the Office for Ministerial Conduct in September (more information to follow).

• Employees- As new staff are hired, please add their names into the database as soon as possible. Make sure they complete their applications, acknowledgement forms, and criminal record checks/fingerprinting as part of the hiring process. Employees, like coaches, only have 30 days from the date of hire to complete all requirements. Principals/athletic directors should inform new hires of this when they make an offer of employment. 

• Teacher orientation day includes PGC training & fingerprinting- New teachers will have the opportunity to attend a PGC session following the Catholic School Department’s teacher orientation session on Thursday, August 19. In addition, fingerprinting will be available that day. Any teachers who have not attended training or completed fingerprinting prior to August 19 should plan to do so on the orientation day. Coaches may take advantage of these opportunities as well.

Prepare now for summer programs! Don’t forget to screen those who will work as chaperones for overnight trips or as Vacation Bible School staff.

As your parish plans for summer programs such as Vacation Bible School, the Steubenville retreat, and work camp, please remember that all adults working in these programs are required to meet the safe environment requirements. Now is a good time to schedule a Protecting God’s Children training session for your teachers and chaperones, if you have not already done so. To learn how to schedule a session, click here. Also, please remember that criminal record check forms should be submitted as soon as possible so that the results will be available before the person begins working in the program. Adults may not chaperone overnight trips unless all requirements have been completed in advance, so please plan accordingly! If you have questions or need assistance, please contact the safe environment office at 669-3100, Ext. 109 or 149.

2009-2010 Program Implementation Forms are due by May 28, 2010. These forms are needed for our annual USCCB audit.

The pastor or principal and Safe Environment Coordinator should complete and sign the form. Please return it to Mary Ellen D’Intino on or before May 28. These forms are part of the documentation that we need for our annual audit by the USCCB Office for Child & Youth Protection. 

Protecting Vulnerable Adults

Some parishes have outreach programs for the elderly or other vulnerable adults. Volunteers working with the elderly or with other “incapacitated” adults should be informed of how to report suspected abuse. Inquiries and reports should be made to the Department of Health and Human Services Adult Protection Program at 1-800-949-0470. In addition, the Adult Protection Agency is available to provide free informational workshops to those working with the elderly and homebound. For further information, contact Rachel Lakin at 271-4347. Rachel is a supervisor at the agency and she will refer interested parishes to a local agency representative who can meet with your volunteers.

Tips for Tracking CYO team volunteers and Scout troop volunteers

Safe Environment Coordinators: Double check and make sure that all parish CYO and Boy Scout volunteers are in compliance with the safe environment requirements. Read about some tips that will help you keep track of CYO coaches and Boy Scout volunteers.
 

Tips for tracking CYO coaches and Boy Scout Volunteers

Internet Safety Articles

These articles may be distributed to parents and other interested adults.

Internet Safety for Elementary School Aged Students (pdf)

Internet Safety for High School Aged Students (pdf)

YouTube and Your Kids (pdf)

Emergency Plan Guidelines for Religious Education Programs (doc)

Emergency Plan Guidelines for Religious Education Programs (pdf)

Circles of Care and Netsmartz lesson plans and documents are available on the Web.

Did you know that the Circles of Care and Netsmartz lessons, including the handouts, take-home pages, classroom attendance sheets and tally sheets, are available on the diocesan Web site? Catechetical leaders can download and print the documents as needed and can also make them available to parents for their review or for at-home teaching. For example, parents who wish to view the lessons can be directed to the Web site where they can read about the program and look at all of the lessons.

Circles of Care (or Netsmartz for students in grades 7-12) is taught annually in all diocesan Catholic schools and parish religious education classes. Click here to view the lessons or for more information.

Looking for a Safe Environment Coordinator?

CLICK HERE for a helpful bulletin announcement to use if you are in need of a new Safe Environment Coordinator.

Reminder: If an employee or volunteer has been “inactive” and is returning to a ministry where they will work with minors, please review the person’s safe environment file before moving the person’s database status to “active.” When reviewing the file, you should verify that you have on file both an application and an Acknowledgment Form. Also, you should verify that these forms are completed correctly and fully, and get any corrections or updates made before moving the status to “active.” Thank you!
 

Archived Notices & Tips

Reminders for coordinators
How to Search the Safe Environment Database
Tips for reviewing volunteer and employee applications
What to do when a person is already in the database