Dear Parents / Guardian(s) of our Summerside Eagles:
On either 10/28, 10/29, or 10/30, all students in grades K - 5 will participate in child abuse workshops facilitated by trained staff from the Council on Child Abuse of Southern Ohio (COCA). Kindergarten, 1st-, and 2nd-grade students will participate later in the school year in April. COCA provides workshops to over 20,000 children per year in various school districts and settings including Cincinnati Public Schools, the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Northwest School District, Norwood City Schools, Forest Hills Schools, Oak Hills Schools, charter schools, and many others.
Ohio’s 134th General Assembly enacted Senate Bill 288 which updated the prescribed curriculum for health education, adding requirements related to child sexual abuse prevention, dating violence prevention and sexual violence prevention. The law includes requirements for student instruction, parent and legal guardian notification and training for school personnel. Additional information regarding this law can be found
here.
COCA staff specialize in delivering age-appropriate presentations on the topics of preventing child abuse, bullying, and dating violence. Each presentation is modified to best suit your child’s grade and level of understanding and includes relevant activities and videos to help facilitate interactive learning and discussion.
Younger students (grades K-2) will learn the difference between safe and unsafe touches. Older students (grades 3-6) will learn to recognize the types of child abuse (Physical, Verbal, Sexual, Emotional, and Neglect). All students will learn the importance of telling a trusted adult if child abuse is suspected.
All students will be able to speak with one of our trained staff following the classroom presentation. This is a time for them to ask questions or express concerns in a one-on-one conversation. This portion of the program is optional.
Please take the time to talk to your child about the program and discuss any questions or comments s/he might have about the subject. Add your personal thoughts and rules, too.
If you have questions or concerns about the content of COCA’s presentations, please visit the FAQ page of their website at
www.cocachild.org.
All students will participate in this program unless they have a written note indicating that you do NOT give permission. To opt out, please complete
this form, or contact the school for assistance.
Sincerely,
Lisa Courtney
Principal, Summerside Elementary
