This week’s articles in the Seattle Times and other local media have raised an important question: How can we make sure our children are safe from physical, emotional, and sexual abuse in schools?

 

First and foremost, the District has zero-tolerance for any type of employee misconduct or gross negligence—period. We continue to learn and strengthen our systems to assure students are safe. You should know:

 

• Every other year, the Executive Director of Personnel leads a seminar for all school administrators, including principals, about how to report and conduct investigations of child-molestation or other abuse or negligence. Administrators then train their staff about how to deal with sexual abuse and harassment, which includes how and when to report any allegations. Staff must sign a form stating they attended this training.
• Staff in turn must review harassment and anti-bullying policies with students. Each year, students receive a handbook with information about the District’s sexual harassment, harassment, and civility policies. High school students must sign to acknowledge they received the handbook.
• No principal should ever be in a position to make an important decision or conduct an investigation alone. They are trained to contact their immediate supervisor—either Ron Thiele, Executive Director of Elementary and Middle Schools, or Mike Gallagher, Executive Director of High Schools, or Kathy Miyauchi, Executive Director of Personnel—whenever they receive a report that involves student abuse, harassment, or neglect. These two executive directors are in frequent contact with each principal on the campus of each school. Their job is to guide principals through all the proper processes, or to direct them to someone who can.
• If a student reports abuse or neglect, that student’s interview will not be conducted in the presence of his or her alleged abuser. The principal or another administrator or a police officer will confront and question the accused.
• Washington State Law (RCW 26.44.030) requires any school employee who suspects a child is being abused or neglected to make a report to the proper law-enforcement agency or the Department of Social and Health Services. The report must be made within 48 hours of the employee having reasonable cause to believe the child is being harmed. Issaquah employees are trained to follow this law, and they do.
• Administrators have the ability to immediately remove a staff member or student from school. This happens when that person: has exercised misconduct or gross negligence that places students and/or staff at risk; refuses to cooperate with an investigation; and/or becomes a significant disruption to the educational environment.
• Each District employee has been fingerprinted by the time of employment, and the F.B.I. has conducted a criminal background check.
• In the past five years, the District has terminated more than 40 employees for poor performance and misconduct. Investigations have been conducted and staff members have undergone training after students reported being looked at in a way that made them feel uncomfortable.
• The District partners with the state Department of Health and the Issaquah Schools Foundation/Communities in Schools (ISF/CISI) to continually survey and assess how safe children feel at schools. Based on these surveys, ISF/CISI has won grants to provide training to staff, students, counselors, and parents about how to best meet adolescent’s social and mental needs.
• The District has a strong partnership with its actively-involved PTSA and parent community, which keeps everyone’s focus on the wellbeing of students.

 

As a parent or guardian, what can you do if your child reports abuse or neglect at school?

• If you have a general complaint against a district employee, you should try to resolve the issue with the individual employee first. If no resolution is reached, get the “Parent Complaint Form” from your school’s principal or at the Administration Building, 565 N.W. Holly St. The form outlines the process and timeline for resolution.

 

• In the case of sexual harassment, Student Policy 3213 advises a student to notify a teacher, counselor, or building administrator within 60 days of the incident. As the result of even an informal conversation, the consulted staff member must tell a building administrator, who will begin action to resolve the alleged harassment. The policy outlines the process and timeline.  Parents and/or students may initiate a formal investigation at any time through a written complaint

 

• A full-time police officer also works at each high school and supports middle and elementary schools within the high school’s boundaries. These “school resource officers” are always available to advise students and make sure they are safe.

 

• Too much to remember? A sure way to begin an investigation if your student reports serious allegations of teacher or staff misconduct is to put the complaint in writing and deliver it to your principal AND the Executive Director of Elementary and Middle Schools or the Executive Director of High Schools. You will receive a response.

 

What happens when a complaint is filed?

• General complaints, including incompetence claims

After a parent tries to resolve the matter directly with the employee (following the District’s Civility Policy), the parent should give a completed “Parent Complaint Form” to the principal or supervisor.

 

The principal/supervisor must give the employee named in the complaint a copy of the complaint within one working day of receiving the form, and s/he must discuss the complaint with the employee within five days. The employee has 10 working days after the complaint is filed to provide a written response to the building principal or supervisor. Following the principal’s/supervisor’s investigation, his/her response will be sent by certified mail to the parent within 15 working days after the filing of the complaint. A copy of the administrator’s response will be given to the employee.

 

If the parent is not satisfied with the response, the parent may appeal to the Superintendent in writing within 10 working days of receiving the response. Copies of the appeal will be sent to the employee, principal/supervisor, School Board, and the union within 1 day of the Superintendent’s receipt of the appeal.  The Superintendent will investigate and send a response by certified mail to the parent within 10 working days.

 

If the parent is not satisfied, s/he may submit a written appeal to the School Board within 10 working days of receiving the Superintendent’s decision.  The Board will conduct a review and forward a written response by certified mail to the parent within 5 working days following its next regular meeting.

 

The District may adjust these timelines if the investigation is particularly complex.

 

• Sexual

Formal complaints of sexual harassment must be in writing, but no special form is needed. The complaint must outline the specific acts and be signed. Parents should send it to the Executive Director of Personnel Services (Kathy Miyauchi) in the administration building, 565 N.W. Holly St.

 

The Executive Director of Personnel Services has 30 calendar days to investigate and file a complete report of findings to the Superintendent. The Superintendent will then provide a written decision to the complaining party and accused party within 14 days. Any student not satisfied with the decision of the Superintendent may submit a written appeal to the School Board within 10 days of receiving the Superintendent’s decision. The Board must schedule and hold a hearing within 20 days of receiving the appeal. Board members will write a decision within 10 days of the hearing.

 

Remember, District employees are required to call the proper law-enforcement agency or the Department of Social and Health Services during this process if they suspect abuse or neglect. Also, police will be involved in instances of criminal activity.

 

• When does a complaint go into an employee’s file?

At the end of an investigation, the accused employee will be disciplined according to the severity of his/her improper actions. Discipline could include an oral reprimand, a written reprimand, immediate termination, or leave with or without pay.

 

If the complaint is found valid, a record of the discipline action and findings of the investigation will be placed in the employee’s file.

 

Important phone numbers:

 

• Executive Director of High Schools: Mike Gallagher, 424-837-7034
• Executive Director of Middle and Elementary Schools: Ron Thiele, 425-837-7025
• Executive Director of Personnel Services: Kathy Miyauchi, 425-837-7060
• Superintendent: Janet Barry, 425-837-7002
• Issaquah High and Tiger Mountain Resource Officer: Karin Bakken, 425-837-6161
• Skyline Resource Officer: Alena Hall, 425-837-7804
• Liberty Resource Officer: Dave Montano, 425-837-4835