October 6, 2017: I am writing to inform you of a matter that is of sincere personal interest to me and is one that I am sure is of utmost importance to all of you. I would like you to know that the ISD Board of Trustees has adopted a Child Protection Policy to guide our staff and families in matters related to the health, safety and care of children in attendance at our school. This policy is not in response to an issue but is following best practice. I am required by this policy to send a letter to parents annually. Thus with this letter not only am I fulfilling my assigned duties; I also have the opportunity to write to you about this important aspect of our school’s program.
The ISD Child Protection Policy is based on international law and on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child of which Senegal is a signatory. These two key articles from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child are important and we wish to draw your attention to them.
Article 19 - Protection from abuse and neglectThe State shall protect the child from all forms of maltreatment by parents or others responsible for the care of the child and establish appropriate social programs for the prevention of abuse and the treatment of victims.
Article 34 - Sexual exploitationThe State shall protect children from sexual exploitation and abuse, including prostitution and involvement in pornography.By enrolling your child at ISD, you agree to work in partnership with the school and abide by the policies adopted by the ISD Board of Trustees. All of us at ISD want you to know that we genuinely value our partnership with you in providing for the safety and care of your children. It is for this reason that ISD has endorsed a Child Protection Policy that defines the standards by which all ISD students should be treated with respect and dignity at all times. As part of our overall educational programs and specific to our shared responsibility to educate children and to ensure a safe environment in which all children can learn and grow ISD will:
Provide age appropriate lessons for all grade levels to help students understand personal safety, needs and rights.
Provide parent materials and information sessions to help you better understand our programs and policy.
Annually train faculty and staff to recognize and report issues of abuse and neglect.
Let’s work together at home and school to ensure that our children are safe and are knowledgeable about their rights and responsibilities to themselves and to each other so they can grow and learn free of fear in a safe and supportive environment. For more information, please read the Child Protection Handbook which includes ISD’s board policy as well as more specific implementation details. I thank you for your support of our efforts and invite you to contact your school counselor or principal regarding any specific questions you may have in this regard. The ISD counseling department is offering two parent information sessions on Monday, October 23rd in the administration conference room. One will be from 8:30 - 9:30 AM and the same presentation will be offered a second time from 6:00 - 7:00 PM to accommodate a variety of parent schedules.Sincerely,Dr. Alan Knobloch