Back to School Training

Our education attorneys regularly conduct individually crafted training sessions for administrators, supervisors, and teachers regarding their obligations to employees and students. Ideally, the training should be in person, if possible, to ensure maximum engagement of your community. However, if in person training is not feasible for your school, we can conduct these sessions remotely, ensuring an effective interactive experience.

AVAILABLE TRAINING SESSIONS

ESSENTIAL BACK-TO-SCHOOL TRAINING FOR ALL EMPLOYEES

Length: This program is a two-four hour program. It is available as a one-day program or as a series of webinars.

Independent and private schools should provide yearly “back to school” training for employees during the first week of back-to-school planning and orientation. This ensures that everyone is on the same page regarding important topics, which at a minimum should include training on student-adult boundaries, child abuse recognition and reporting, and employee harassment. Training on these topics typically reduces claims for schools because your community is more on alert and knowledgeable about improper behavior. In the unfortunate event claims are asserted, this training can be used as an important part of your school’s defense.

Our training programs typically range from two–four hours and take place on a schoolwork day or just prior to the commencement of school in the fall. 

  • Adult/Student Interactions: Participants will work through several boundary crossing scenarios and learn about the potential liability that could arise from even well-intended interactions. They will receive concrete guidelines on various types of behaviors, including touching, personal communications, texting, social media, and a various of other issues.

  • Harassment: This program provides employees with an understanding of how their actions can impact the comfort of other employees, parents, and students; how to avoid problematic communications and actions; and how to professionally advise coworkers when coworkers’ behavior is problematic, how to appropriately report concerns of potential harassment or non-professional actions. The trainer will also discuss how the school will address concerns reported.

  • Child Abuse: This program discusses one of the most difficult areas for School administrators and faculty: how to identify the signs and symptoms of child abuse.
    The program provides guidance on how to establish internal procedures for responding to these allegations as well as a comprehensive discussion of the School’s state law
    reporting obligations.

 

ESSENTIAL BACK TO SCHOOL TRAINING FOR BOARDS

Trustee Orientation and Governance Refresher

Length: This program is a two-hour program. It is available as a one-day program or as a series of webinars.

New trustees are oriented to their duties and legal responsibilities as fiduciaries to the school in this training.  The job description of a trustee and how to handle tricky conversations or scenarios is also covered.  In the governance refresher, new and returning trustees are reminded of governance best practices as well as the board’s and individual trustee’s legal obligations. 

 

BACK-TO-SCHOOL TRAINING FOR ADMINISTRATORS AND SUPERVISORS

Properly Managing the School’s Obligations with Employees, Parents, and Students

Length: This program is a six-hour program. It is available as a one-day program or as a series of webinars.

Part I of this comprehensive program covers all the federal and state laws that govern the School’s relationship with its faculty and staff. We discuss:

  • Hiring Phase: Hiring documentation, interviewing, background investigations, and reference checks.
  • Employment Processes: Harassment, discrimination, family leave laws, and disability issues.
  • Effective Documentation: Coaching, counseling, disciplining and terminating/not renewing employees.

Part II covers all the federal and state laws that govern the School’s relationship with its students including, if applicable, the Americans with Disabilities Act/Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Title IX, Section 1981 (race/national origin), as well as state contract and tort claims. We cover:

  • Admissions and Enrollment: Proper admissions procedures and enrollment contracts.
  • Documentation: Student handbooks
  • Student Processes: Harassment, bullying, sexual abuse, investigations and discipline, and confidentiality
    and privacy issues.
  • Parent Issues: Addressing difficult parent situations, including bullying/intimidation, behavior (such alcohol, criminal background), and custody/divorce issues.

 

STUDENT PROGRAMS

Real Life Challenges and the Impact of Sexual Behavior, Sexting, Alcohol, and Bullying/Hazing

Length: Each segment is a one-hour program. It is available as a one-day program

We have three programs (Middle School, 9th/10th grade, and 11th/12 grade) in which we discuss behaviors and activities we find common in the various age ranges, including:

  • Inappropriate use of the school’s digital systems
  • Sexting
  • Alcohol parties
  • Bullying/hazing/harassment
  • Student/adult boundaries

Throughout the programs, we use hypotheticals drawn from real cases to help engage the audience. We talk through how the behavior typically was not intended to be harmful but could have serious harmful and legal impacts. We also focus on school policy, reminding students about the school’s ability to search anything and to take action for off campus behaviors.

Finally, for the high school students, we discuss the impact that behavior in high school could have on college applications and higher-level government employment, which typically requires a polygraph examination to discover judgment and honesty issues.

We also provide a parent module to help parents understand the issues about which we are educating their children.