4J Complies with Senate Bill 379

In August, the Oregon Senate passed a bill sponsored by Senator Vicki Walker amending existing laws and creating new provisions designed to protect all children from abuse. The bill compels the district to provide the following training each school year on the prevention and identification of child abuse and on the obligations of district employees to report abuse:

1. Training for ALL district employees;
2. Separate training for parents and legal guardians of children who attend a school operated by the district;
3. Separate, age-appropriate training for children who attend a school operated by the district.

In past years, the district has offered health curricula K-12 with age-appropriate lessons on child safety, abuse and prevention. Annually, the superintendent has directed school administrators to review with their staffs the requirements of the Oregon Mandated Reporting law. Last year, a small group of 4J employees and representatives from Eugene Police Department and the Department of Human Services developed a training module – Responding to Abuse – to use for in-service training events offered throughout the school year.

To supplement what was already being done so the district will be in full compliance with the new bill, the following activities are planned:

1. Creating and distributing a brochure – Helping Keep Our Students Safe – to all district employees;
2. Meeting with all district administrators to impress on them the importance of working with their staffs to understand the signs of possible abuse and the need for them to comply with the Oregon Mandated Reporting Law;
3. Communicating with parents through newsletters, e-news, and Web sites about efforts to increase awareness of child abuse identification and prevention and the staff’s obligation to report possible abuse as required by the Oregon Mandated Reporting Law;
4. Offering training opportunities in February for two representatives from each school using the module, Responding to Abuse;
5. Offering regional training opportunities for parents and community members in February using the module, Responding to Abuse.

Together with parents and community members, district personnel can help keep our students safe.

Questions/concerns: Patrick Fraleigh (fraleigh@4j.lane.edu)