Student Safety

Safeguarding the Children 2014-2015
Child Abuse Awareness Training and Fingerprinting
"Protecting God's Children" (Initial Certification)
Classes available through the Archdiocdese at other locations
Check online at www.virtus.org for dates and availability
 
"Keeping the Promise Alive" (Recertification)
Classes available through the Archdiocdese at other locations
Check online at www.virtus.org for dates and availability

Fingerprinting
Security is of great concern and priority. All school and parish employees are identified by an official OLA badge. Visitors to the school, including parents or other family members, must check in at the school office to sign in and sign out of the visitor log and to receive a Visitor Badge. Anyone not identified by an official visitor badge will be questioned and required to check in at the school office. Visitors may not simply ‘show up’ at a classroom or the playground, however brief the visit or its purpose. Siblings of OLA children, other children who are not of school age and children who attend other schools are not allowed on campus during the school day unless accompanied by a parent at all times and with the express permission of the principal or pastor. During the school day, parents/guardians who need to collect the children before dismissal must do so from the school office.
All employees of Our Lady of the Assumption parish and school are fingerprinted and complete the VIRTUS training. All parents volunteering in the classroom or chaperoning trips and events must have completed the VIRTUS program training “Protecting God’s Children” and be able to provide verification of attendance of all mandated training AND must be fingerprinted by OLA and the Los Angeles Archdiocese.

Safeguard the Children Program (VIRTUS) training

In 2004 the Archdiocese of Los Angeles mandated that all schools and parishes in the archdiocese introduce a “Safeguard the Children” program with the expressed mission of prevention of the abuse of children. All ministries at Our Lady of the Assumption, including school, faith formation, Youth Ministry (HOG, HOG JR) and all weekend activities, are required to follow this mandate. In June 2007, all parishes and schools were required to submit information for an archdiocese-wide audit of this mandate, and each year since then. As well as a “Safeguard the Children” committee at each parish which oversees parish compliance, training programs for adults have been developed by the company “VIRTUS,” and have been adopted throughout the Archdiocese. Further information is available at www.virtus.org.

The two part training program is mandated for all volunteers and all employees. An initial three hour training class is required, called ““Protecting God’s Children”. This class is offered at the start of each school year, and again through the year as necessary. After four years, all employees and volunteers must attend a further one and one half hour recertification class, called “Keeping the Promise Alive.” The training for this is also offered each year.

All employees and volunteers in the classroom and/or chaperoning field trips and school activities must have completed all appropriate training sessions “Protecting God’s Children” and “Keeping the Promise Alive.” as directed by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and be able to produce the certificate of attendance.

All volunteers and parents who work with the children in school or offsite must also have fingerprint “livescan” background clearance. Fingerprinting is available through the archdiocese of Los Angeles at various parish and school sites throughout the year including OLA. (Alternatively, if a nearby session is not available, parents prefer to expedite their fingerprint clearance the livescan forms may be picked up at the school office. However, a charge of $70.00 will be made.)

Click the links below to view a schedule of upcoming dates for: