Video: Policies & Safety
Video Transcript
First Aid, Safety and School Policies
In this Senya training module, we'll focus on specific school policies that will keep you and your students safe in the classroom. Let's begin with first aid and safety.
If an accident occurs while you are in the classroom, stay calm and follow the procedure:
- Always call the office. Every school has someone designated to deal with classroom emergencies. They'll be best equipped to handle most situations.
- Never leave the class or the students alone under any circumstances.
- Only the school nurse or designated personnel should administer first aid, including and most importantly, distributing medication. Remember, substitutes are not allowed to distribute medication for any reason.
- However, rare cases may arise where the use of an EpiPen or other life-saving tool is crucial. It is permissible and even urged to provide aid in these situations.
In most cases, the teacher should leave a note if any of your students have any special circumstances.
That leads us to our next point: FERPA. FERPA does not allow the sharing of any students' personal information, grades, special education notes, or behavior plans. Never share this information with your students.
Additionally, to maintain students' privacy, never take pictures of students or class activities or post anything to social media or to the Internet. Even casual statements made online about your day or the class you taught are considered inappropriate.
Next, we will cover the OSHA universal precautions for blood or bodily fluid. All blood and bodily fluid should be considered infectious. While handling injuries, avoid contact with blood or bodily fluids. Immediately notify the office and allow the school's designated person to clean the wound or injury if possible. If you must clean the wound, find the protective disposable gloves that are available in the classroom. Once you're finished, wash your hands thoroughly. Immediately call the office so they can handle the cleanup. A school disinfectant should be used when cleaning.
Let's quickly review:
- If there's an accident or injury, call the office immediately.
- Treat blood or bodily fluids as infectious.
- Clean any contaminated surfaces.
Next, let's talk about the school's emergency and evacuation procedures. The office will notify you of any scheduled emergency drills upon checking in. They may also share the school's emergency plan with you. If they don't, this plan will be posted on the classroom door. Always note the nearest exit in case you need to lead your class to safety. Stay calm and realize your class will reflect your disposition.
To close, let's discuss several important legal aspects. There are three important issues you should be aware of:
One, never touch or yell at a student.
Two, report signs of child abuse.
Three, bullying should not be tolerated.
Never under any circumstances touch a child or yell at them. Such behavior is inappropriate and may result in immediate dismissal.
Report signs of child abuse. Although the job you accept may only be for a day, take care to notice any signs of child abuse. If you do happen to see anything, it's important you say something. You can do this by leaving a note for the teacher, speaking with an administrator, or even speaking directly with the principal at the school.
Finally, let's address bullying. Bullying should not be tolerated. In order to effectively handle bullying in the classroom, do not single out any student, the bully or the victim, in front of the class. You may speak to the class generally about bullying. When the class is at recess, it may be appropriate to pull the bully student aside and speak with them. Leave a note for the teacher and report it to the principal as immediately as possible.
We appreciate your attention during this module. Your application of these principles is crucial to creating a safe and friendly classroom environment. Thank you for joining us.
