Mandatory Coaches Training

Training and Compliance with District Policies and Procedures

Where to find District Policies and Procedures

Child Abuse and Neglect

• Policy 3421– As a paid employee of the Mercer Island School

District, you are automatically a mandated to report suspected child abuse and neglect.

– If you have reasonable cause to suspect child abuse or neglect, you must report.

– Ideally, you would report to the Athletic Director who can assist in reporting to CPS. Then complete the Mandatory Reporting Form

– Please read this policy thoroughly.

Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying

• Policy 3207– As a Coach, this behavior is even more expansive

than for most school employees. The district has the expectation that you are not only intervening, but proactively mitigating.

– State Law and School District Policy prohibit any form of harassment, intimidation, and bullying.

– The definition of harassment, intimidation, and bullying has expanded greatly over the last few years.

Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying Continued

• As a Coach, be aware:– Of initiations or hazing aimed at team mates.– Of historic rituals which are intended to embarrass,

humiliate, or draw attention to individual team members.

– Of activities both on AND of the field in the name of the team, including on-line.

– Intervene at the first sign – being proactive is expected.

– Report any and all incidents to the Athletic Director

Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying Continued

• As a Coach:– Be familiar with the policies definitions of

harassment, intimidation, and bullying.– Be familiar with expected interventions and

procedures of reporting.– Be proactive.– Have the reporting form at hand for students to fill

out or work with the Athletic Director to strategize solutions.

Electronic Resources

• Policy 2022 and 2022P– Rule of thumb – expectations for staff behavior online

are no different than face-to-face interactions.– What would the headline read?– Be familiar with unacceptable uses of district

technology. All uses of district technology must be through the lens of being a district employee.

– You must have a district email address and agree to this policy as a condition of employment.

– This policy directly ties to the next policy.

Maintaining Professional Staff/Student Boundaries

• Policy 5253 & 5233P– As a district employee (public employee) all

interactions are under a lens of public accountability. Please keep in mind, “how would this read as a headline?”

– Your only connection to students is through the district as an employee, therefore connecting with them under other circumstances could be misinterpreted.

Maintaining Professional Staff/Student Boundaries

– Be familiar with the Personal/Family Friend language.

– Be sensitive to the “appearance” of impropriety.– You are in a gray area when you communicate

with students via personal email and cell phone communication. Keep all communication through the most professional pathways.

– Twitter is the district’s recommendation for quick and far reaching communications. It is the same as texting, but it’s public. SPRIO is another option.

Conflicts of Interest & Staff Interest in Contracts/Gifts to Staff

• Policy 5251 and 6151– As an employee, your actions can not benefit you

financially beyond the payment received for employment. Again, be sensitive to recruiting to another organization that you financially benefit from.

– Gifts – employees must take precautions to avoid conflicts of interest and the appearance of conflicts of interest. Employees are expected to decline repeated gifts and gifts of significant value.

“Contracts”

– Contracts are issued for a certain number of hours maximum. This is a condition of employment stated up front. Do not submit time cards that exceed your number of hours unless previously arranged with the Athletic Director.

– Tonight is considered Pre-Season. Please submit a timecard to Mark for tonight unless you are a “volunteer coach”.

– Feel free to contact Human Resources with any questions.