All employees and administrators have an obligation to report misconduct by instructional personnel 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, sexual innuendo, cheating or testing violations, physical aggression, and accepting or offering favors. Reports of misconduct of employees should be made to John Vance.

Reports of misconduct committed by administrators should be made to Terry Vance.

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 affect the health, safety, or welfare of a student are posted on the bulletin boards.

Reporting Professionals’ Misconduct PDF

All employees have:

A duty to report actual or suspected cases of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect Immunity from liability if you report (liability protections provided under ss. 39.203 and 768.095,F.S.)

Reporting Child Abuse, Abandonment, or Neglect

All employees and agents have an affirmative duty to report all actual or suspected cases of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect. Call 1-800-96-ABUSE or report online at: http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/abuse/report/.

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 A child experiencing physical abuse may seem withdrawn or depressed, seem afraid to go home, or may run away, shy away from physical contact, be aggressive, or wear inappropriate clothing to hid injuries.

Signs of Sexual Abuse: A child experiencing sexual abuse may have unusual knowledge of sex or act seductively, fear a particular person, seem withdrawn or depressed, gain or lose weight suddenly, shy away from physical contact, or run away from home.

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.

Patterns of Abuse: Serious abuse 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 law, 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 F.S. Chapter 760. (F.S. 768.095)

Any instructional personnel or school administrator MUST report to their immediate supervisor any misconduct which affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student. Failure to report any misconduct will result in termination of employment and the suspension of the educator certificate who knowingly fails to report child abuse or misconduct.

Important Contacts and Their Phone Numbers

National Child Abuse Hotline 1-800-4-A-CHILD

Florida Child Abuse Hotline (800) 96-ABUSE (800-962-2873)

Department of Children and Services web site: http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/abuse