SEA Reminders for Safeguarding Your Career:

• Check the expiration date on your teacher certificate...don’t wait until the last minute to re-certify

• Know your date of hire. This can be found on your employment letter.

• Every teacher has an Educator Identification Number (EIN). This number is being required more often when registering for
  educational activities. If you don’t know it, you can find it in ProTraxx. Just click on the Reports drop-down menu and click on Staff Profile.

• STUDENTS ARE NOT YOUR FRIENDS . . . take them off your FACEBOOK page, do not TEXT students & or connect with the students using any other social media!
  • BE AWARE of the district’s NEW Social Networking Policy which can be found at http://stamfordpublicschools.org/SPSNewsletter/SocialNetworkingPolicy.pdf .

  In particular, give special attention to: “Rules Concerning Personal Social Media Activity # 3. Employees are required to maintain appropriate professional boundaries with students, parents, and colleagues. For example, it is not appropriate for a teacher or administrator to “friend” a student or his/her parent or guardian or otherwise establish special relationships with selected students through personal social media, and it is not appropriate for an employee to give students or parents access to personal postings unrelated to school.”

  • We all fall under the "Public Trust Employee Policy"

• Don't use the lavatories that the students use

• Do not loan your personal or school keys to students for any reason

• NEVER TRANSPORT STUDENTS IN YOUR PERSONAL VEHICLE

• NEVER LOAN YOUR CAR TO A STUDENT

• NEVER loan your computer to a student (in class or out of class)

• Use CAUTION when COMMUNICATING in WRITING! Limit your written communications to scheduling face-to-face meetings and telephone conversations. When you need to communicate information in writing, be sure to stick to facts only and leave all subjective and personal opinion out.

• PROTECT YOURSELF . . . BE AWARE that any school sponsored overnight trips with students must be sanctioned by the BOE. If you participate in an unsanctioned trip you may not be protected by Workers Compensation or under the Save Harmless Law.

• When staying with a student alone after school, make colleagues aware and never keep the classroom door closed or make sure to move to a common area such as the media center or cafeteria.

• Questions about EVALUATION? Contact Sheryl Berkley at sberkley@stamfordct.gov or call the SEA Office @ 203-324-2602

• If you have any questions about policy, contract or district procedures, please see one of your SEA Building Reps or contact the SEA Office @ 203-324-2602.