Acton Academy Fort Lauderdale Standards

Standards of Ethical Conduct

1. 1.Our school values the worth and dignity of every person, the pursuit of truth, devotion to excellence, acquisition of knowledge, and the nurture of democratic citizenship. Essential to the achievement of these standards are the freedom to learn and to teach and the guarantee of equal opportunity for all.
2. 2.Our primary concern is the student and the development of the student’s potential. Employees will therefore strive for professional growth and will seek to exercise the best professional judgment and integrity.
3. 3.Concern for the student requires that our instructional personnel:
   1. a.Shall make a reasonable effort to protect the students from conditions harmful to learning and/or to the student's mental and/or physical health and/or safety.
   2. b.Shall not unreasonably restrain a student from independent action in pursuit of learning.
   3. c.Shall not unreasonably deny a student access to diverse points of view.
   4. d.Shall not intentionally suppress or distort subject matter relevant to a student’s academic program.
   5. e.Shall not intentionally expose a student to unnecessary embarrassment or disparagement.
   6. f.Shall not intentionally violate or deny a student’s legal rights.
   7. g.Shall not harass or discriminate against any student on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, marital status, handicapping condition, sexual orientation, or social and family background and shall make reasonable effort to assure that each student is protected from harassment or discrimination.
   8. h.Shall not exploit a relationship with a student for personal gain or advantage.
   9. i.Shall keep in confidence personally identifiable information obtained in the course of professional service, unless disclosure serves professional purposes or is required by law.
4. 4.Aware of the importance of maintaining the respect and confidence of colleagues, students, parents, and the community, employees of our school must display the highest degree of ethical conduct. This commitment requires that our employees:
   1. a.Shall maintain honesty in all professional dealings.
   2. b.Shall not, on the basis of race, color, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, marital status, or handicapping condition, if otherwise qualified, deny to a colleague professional benefits or advantages or participation in any professional organization.
   3. c.Shall not interfere with a colleague's exercise of political or civil rights and responsibilities.
   4. d.Shall not engage in harassment or discriminatory conduct which unreasonably interferes with an individual's performance of professional work responsibilities or with the orderly processes of education or which creates a hostile, intimidating, abusive, offensive, or oppressive environment; and, further, shall make reasonable effort to assure that each individual is protected from such harassment or discrimination.
   5. e.Shall not make malicious or intentionally false statements about a colleague.

Training Requirements

All instructional personnel, educational support employees, and administrators are required as a condition of employment to complete training on these standards of ethical conduct.

Reporting Misconduct by Instructional Personnel and Administrators

All employees, educational support employees, and 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 abuse, disparaging comments, prejudice or bigotry, sexual innuendo, cheating or testing violations, physical aggression, and accepting or offering favors.

Reports of misconduct of employees and administrators should be made to Martina Slaven, Head of School, and Tobin Slaven, Director. Legally sufficient allegations of misconduct by Florida-certified educators will be reported to the Office of Professional Practices Services. Policies and procedures for reporting misconduct by instructional personnel or school administrators which affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student are posted in the Library of our school and on our web site at https://www.actonacademyfl.com/.

Reporting Child Abuse, Abandonment or Neglect

• •All employees, educational support employees, administrators, and agents have an obligation and affirmative duty to report all actual or suspected cases of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect. Call 1-800-962-2873 or report online at https://reportabuse.dcf.state.fl.us/
• •If reporting, make all reports to:

Martina Slaven at 207-461-3300 or by email at martina@actonacademyfl.com

Tobin Slaven at 727-569-6603 or by email at tobin@actonacademyfl.com

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.

Signs of Sexual Abuse

The child may have torn, stained, or bloody underwear, trouble walking or sitting, pain or itching in the genital area, or a sexually transmitted disease. A child experiencing sexual abuse may have an 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.

Signs of Neglect

The child may have unattended medical needs, little or no supervision at home, poor hygiene, or appear underweight. The child experiencing neglect may be frequently tired or hungry, steal food, or appear overly needy for adult attention.

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.

Liability Protections

Any person, official, or institution participating in good faith in any act authorized or required by this chapter, or reporting in good faith any instance of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect to the department or any law enforcement agency, shall be immune from any civil or criminal liability which might otherwise result by reason of such action. (F.S. 39.203)

An employer who discloses information about a former or current employee to a prospective employer of the former or current employee upon request of the prospective employer or of the former or current employee is immune from civil liability for such disclosure or its consequences unless it is shown by clear and convincing evidence that the information disclosed by the former or current employer was knowingly false or violated any civil right of the former or current employee protected under chapter 760. (F.S.768.095)