1. Our school values the worth and dignity of every person, the pursuit of truth, devotion to excellence,
acquisition of knowledge, and the nurture of democratic citizenship. Essential to the achievement of these
standards are the freedom to learn and to teach and the guarantee of equal opportunity for all.
2. Our primary concern is the student and the development of the student's potential. Employees will therefore
strive for professional growth and will seek to exercise the best professional judgment and integrity.
3. Concern for the student requires that our instructional personnel:
a. Shall make reasonable effort to protect the student from conditions harmful to learning and/or to the student's
mental and/or physical health and/or safety.
b. Shall not unreasonably restrain a student from independent action in pursuit of learning.
c. Shall not unreasonably deny a student access to diverse points of view.
d. Shall not intentionally suppress or distort subject matter relevant to a student's academic program.
e. Shall not intentionally expose a student to unnecessary embarrassment or disparagement.
f. Shall not intentionally violate or deny a student's legal rights.
g. Shall not harass or discriminate against any student on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national or
ethnic origin, political beliefs, marital status, handicapping condition, sexual orientation, or social and family
background and shall make reasonable effort to assure that each student is protected from harassment or
discrimination.
h. Shall not exploit a relationship with a student for personal gain or advantage.
i. Shall keep in confidence personally identifiable information obtained in the course of professional service,
unless disclosure serves professional purposes or is required by law.
4. Aware of the importance of maintaining the respect and confidence of colleagues, of students, of parents, and
of the community, employees of our school must display the highest degree of ethical conduct. This
commitment requires that our employees:
a. Shall maintain honesty in all professional dealings.
b. Shall not on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, marital
status, handicapping condition if otherwise qualified, or social and family background deny to a colleague
professional benefits or advantages or participation in any professional organization.
c. Shall not interfere with a colleague's exercise of political or civil rights and responsibilities. d. Shall not
engage in harassment or discriminatory conduct which unreasonably interferes with an individual's performance
of professional or work responsibilities or with the orderly processes of education or which creates a hostile,
intimidating, abusive, offensive, or oppressive environment; and, further, shall make reasonable effort to assure
that each individual is protected from such harassment or discrimination.

e. Shall not make malicious or intentionally false statements about a colleague.
Training Requirement All instructional personnel, educational support employees, and administrators are
required as a condition of employment to complete training on these standards of ethical conduct.
Reporting Misconduct by Instructional Personnel and Administrators All instructional personnel, educational
support employees, and school administrators have an obligation to report misconduct by instructional
personnel, educational support employees, and school administrators which affects the health, safety, or welfare
of a student. Examples of misconduct include obscene language, drug and alcohol use, disparaging comments,
prejudice or bigotry, sexual innuendo, cheating or testing violations, physical aggression, and accepting or
offering favors. Reports of misconduct of employees should be made to
Maria Chancay (Director). Reports of misconduct committed by administrators should be made to
Administration Office.
Legally sufficient allegations of misconduct by Florida certified educators will be reported to the Office of
Professional Practices Services. Policies and procedures for reporting misconduct by instructional personnel or
school administrators which affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student are posted in Employee Handbook
and on our Web site at www.wcmontessori.com.
Reporting Child Abuse, Abandonment or Neglect All employees and agents have an affirmative duty to report
all actual or suspected cases of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect. Call 1-800-96-ABUSE or report online at:
http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/abuse/report/.
Signs of Physical Abuse The child may have unexplained bruises, welts, cuts, or other injuries; broken bones; or
burns. A child experiencing physical abuse may seem withdrawn or depressed, seem afraid to go home or may
run away, shy away from physical contact, be aggressive, or wear inappropriate clothing to hide injuries.
Signs of Sexual Abuse The child may have torn, stained or bloody underwear, trouble walking or sitting, pain or
itching in genital area, or a sexually transmitted disease. A child experiencing sexual abuse may have unusual
knowledge of sex or act seductively, fear a particular person, seem withdrawn or depressed, gain or lose weight
suddenly, shy away from physical contact, or run away from home.
Signs of Neglect The child may have unattended medical needs, little or no supervision at home, poor hygiene,
or appear underweight. A child experiencing neglect may be frequently tired or hungry, steal food, or appear
overly needy for adult attention.
Patterns of Abuse: Serious abuse usually involves a combination of factors. While a single sign may not be
significant, a pattern of physical or behavioral signs is a serious indicator and should be reported.

Liability Protections Any person, official, or institution participating in good faith in any act authorized or
required by law, or reporting in good faith any instance of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect to the
department or any law enforcement agency, shall be immune from any civil or criminal liability which might
otherwise result by reason of such action. (F.S. 39.203)
An employer who discloses information about a former or current employee to a prospective employer of the
former or current employee upon request of the prospective employer or of the former or current employee is
immune from civil liability for such disclosure or its consequences unless it is shown by clear and convincing
evidence that the information disclosed by the former or current employer was knowingly false or violated any
civil right of the former or current employee protected under F.S. Chapter 760. (F.S. 768.095)

The Bexley Montessori School

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