Dear Families,
Grand Island Public Schools is using the Second Step program in your child’s learning environment. The Second Step program teaches children important skills for getting along with others and doing well in school. It also helps our school be a safe and supportive place where everyone can learn.
To help our school be even more safe and supportive, we are also going to use the Second Step Child Protection Unit. In these lessons, children will learn three types of skills:
• Personal Safety. Children will learn ways to help them decide if something is safe or not.
• Touching Safety. Children will learn about safe, unsafe, and unwanted touches, and rules about touching private body parts. They’ll also learn to say no to unsafe or unwanted touches, and to tell a grown-up if someone breaks rules about touching private body parts.
• Assertiveness. These lessons will also give children a chance to practice asking a grown-up for help, telling a grown-up about an unsafe situation, and being assertive to get out of unsafe situations.
To keep your child safe and protected, everyone at school needs to be involved. So all our staff will get special training in how to:
• Recognize and report suspected child abuse
• Respond to and support children who have been abused or who are facing other challenges
• Use strategies that promote a safe and supportive climate for learning
If you have any questions about the Child Protection Unit or the Second Step program, please contact me. For more information on our school’s child-protection policies and procedures, you can also talk to the School Counselor or the Principal.
Thank you for helping us to make our school a safe and supportive place where everyone can learn.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Kipper,
School Counselor
Wasmer Elementary
Grand Island Public Schools
