Company Name: Toronto Montessori School (TMS) Policy Title: Criminal Record Checks Policy Policy Owner: Vince Haines, CAO
Approver: Andrew Cross, Head of School Version: 1 Last Review: September 30th 2021
Criminal Record Checks Policy Policy Statement TMS has a responsibility to provide a safe and secure learning environment for its students and employees. TMS is in a position of trust with regard to its students, and must take steps to protect their physical, mental and emotional well-being. Accordingly, TMS wishes to ensure that its teachers, adult students, staff and volunteers have not been convicted of a criminal offence(s) that raises any question as to the trust the School places in them and/or which would, if repeated, compromise the safety and well-being of the School’s students and employees.
Purpose This policy outlines the requirements for obtaining a criminal reference check, including vulnerable sector screening (VSS), and the employment-related decisions and actions that may occur based on the results.
Process and Requirements TMS requires that all prospective and current teachers, staff, adult students, volunteers, and contractors or consultants retained by TMS who have direct or indirect contact with children ("affected individuals") provide the School with an original copy of a current vulnerable sector screening carried out on themselves by the Canadian Police Information Centre (“CPIC”) or the local police authority. This document shall be provided to the School Administrator within ten (10) days of receipt thereof by the affected individual. The criminal records check can be obtained from an individual’s local police division for a small fee. Any affected individual is required to pay the costs themselves. In addition, persons previously resident of a country other than Canada who provided a police clearance certificate and/or a certificate of non-criminal activity as part of their Canadian immigration or visa application must also provide the School with a copy of that document.
Outcomes The results of an affected individual’s Vulnerable Sector Screening (VSS) may affect or impact upon employment-related decisions made by TMS, up to and including possible termination of employment. With respect to volunteers, the results may lead to the immediate discontinuation of an existing volunteer’s participation in the School. With respect to prospective employees or volunteers, such results may prompt TMS to cancel an offer for employment or volunteer participation. Any person from whom TMS is required to obtain a VSS is required to provide TMS with an offence declaration, as soon as reasonably possible, any time he or she is convicted of an offence under the Criminal Code (Canada).
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