practices

Each month, LCW presents a monthly timeline of best practices for private and independent schools. The timeline runs from the fall semester through the end of summer break. LCW encourages schools to use the timeline as a guideline throughout the school year.

August

Conduct staff trainings, which may include:

• Sexual Harassment Training:

ƒ A school with five or more employees, including temporary or seasonal employees, must provide sexual harassment training to both supervisory and nonsupervisory employees every two years. Supervisory employees must receive at least two hours and nonsupervisory employees must receive at least one hour of sexual harassment training. (California Government Code Section 12950.1.)

• Mandated Reporter Training:

ƒ Prior to commencing employment, all mandated reporters must sign a statement to the effect that they have knowledge of the provisions of the Mandated Reporter Law and will comply with those provisions. (California Penal Code Section 11166.5.)

• Risk Management Training such as Injury and Illness Prevention and CPR.

Distribute Parent/Student Handbooks and collect signed acknowledgement of receipt forms, signed photo release forms, signed student technology use policy forms, and updated emergency contact forms.

If you would like to receive more information about our Consortium services or would like to join, please contact Francesca Savellano at fsavellano@lcwlegal.com.

LCW has four private education consortiums across the State! Consortium members enjoy access to quality training throughout the year, discounts on other LCW products and events, and unlimited, complimentary telephone consultation with an LCW private education attorney on matters relating to employment and education law questions (including business & facilities questions and student issues!). We’ve outlined a recent consortium call and the provided answer below. Client confidentiality is paramount to us; we change and omit details in the ERC Call of the Month.

Question:

Answer:

The attorney advised that there is no statutory requirement that private school employees need First Aid/CPR training. Nonetheless, LCW typically recommends that all schools require teachers undergo the training since it is a requirement for employees in public schools and preschools. It is a safety issue and potentially a negligence issue if something happens to a student at school, so at a minimum, LCW thinks it is a good practice to keep up with this training every two years.

The attorney also advised that there are statutes requiring that private schools equip the school with a first aid kit to accompany pupils whenever they are taken on schoolsponsored field trips. (Cal. Educ. Code Section 32040.) When field trips are taken into areas commonly known to be infested by poisonous snakes, the first aid kit must contain medically-accepted snakebite remedies. The field trip must be accompanied by an agent of the school who has completed a course in first aid certified by the American Red Cross that emphasizes the treatment of snakebites. (Cal. Educ. Code Section 32043.)