Standards of Ethical Conduct

Umbrella Learning Academy

(Adapted from the Code of Ethics of the Education Profession in Florida and Principles of

Professional Conduct for the Education Profession in Florida)

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 employees,

educational support employees, and administrators have an obligation to report

misconduct by instructional personnel 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 Christina Burnham at cburnham@umbrellalearningacademy.com.

Reports of misconduct committed by administrators

should be made to Arina Powell at apowell@umbrellalearningacademy.com.

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

the welfare of a student are posted on bulletin board near student cubbies and the teacher work area, front lobby and on our Web site at www.umbreallalearningacademy.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 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)