Protective Behaviors

Shapiro Elementary is in partnership with you regarding your student’s personal safety. REACH Counseling works in conjunction with the Oshkosh Area School District to provide classroom lessons on protective behaviors. Next month, a protective behaviors classroom lesson will be presented in your child's classroom that includes information about child sexual abuse. It is an extension of what is covered in classroom guidance safety lessons and is a part of the district's school counseling class curriculum.                          

Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade students will learn they can say “NO” to confusing or uncomfortable touch, discuss strategies of self-protection, and learn they could never be at fault in cases of abuse. They also will be encouraged to identify adults who they trust when they need help or protection.

3rd, 4th and 5th grade students will be encouraged to identify parents or other trusted adults they can talk to about relationships or if they are being teased, bullied or abused. Students will also be taught how to communicate assertively about how one is being treated and/or about what one needs. They will learn and practice refusal skills (clear "no" statement, walk away, repeat refusal) and most importantly learn they could never be at fault in cases of abuse.

Safety can sometimes be difficult to talk about with children. We sometimes might be worried that talking about it might be more harmful than helpful. However,
research shows that giving them the tools and having those open conversations can be helpful in the long run. Many times our kids might not share with us in
concern of getting in trouble. If we keep the lines of communication open, we open the door for them to come to us. We encourage you to continue this conversation
at home.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions regarding the
protective behaviors (424-0164).

Child Abuse Prevention Tips for Parents & Guardians

We all can help empower children to prevent abuse: give them information, give them permission, and offer them education.

ASK YOURSELF:
• Do I give my child the right to say no, even to adults?

• Do I give my child the opportunity to make choices and decisions for her/himself?

• Does my child have opportunities for success and failure and still feel loved?

• Does my child know that secrets that make them feel confused, uncomfortable, or bad inside aren’t good secrets to keep?

• Do I encourage my child to know their feelings and trust them?

• Does my child know the correct private anatomical parts of the body?

• Do I set consistent limits on my child’s behavior and actions and are they aware of the consequences for non-compliance?

• Do I have realistic age-appropriate expectations for my child/children?

WHAT YOU CAN DO:
• I can give my child frequent hugs, kisses, smiles and eye contact.

• I can reinforce child protective behaviors like their right to “Say No”, “Try to Get Away” and “Tell a Grown Up Who They Trust.”

• I can tell my child that nobody has the right to touch them or to have them touch another person in any way that makes them feel unsafe or confused. They have the right to say no to anyone in these circumstances- no matter who that person is. They also have the right to tell an adult they trust.

• I can let my child know that they can follow their instincts or red flags- if they are uncomfortable in any situation or with a certain person, they can ask for help or to not be left alone with that person. 

• I can let my child know that grown-ups are responsible for their own choices and mistakes- grown-up choices are never a child’s fault.

• I can play “what if” games for all safety situations, including child abuse prevention (i.e. “what if....you lose a parent in a store, someone asks you to get into a car, someone asks you to touch their private parts, etc”).

• I can become better acquainted with the adults my child spends time with (i.e. club leaders, neighbors, day care workers, babysitters, etc.).

School safety and the wellbeing of our students and staff are our top priorities. We recently have implemented SPEAK UP, SPEAK OUT. This system was created by the Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of School Safety (OSS). Speak Up Speak Out is a comprehensive, one-stop place to turn with important concerns.

Students, parents, school staff, or any community members can submit a school safety concern or threat via our website, their website (https://speakup.widoj.gov/) mobile phone application (available on their website), or toll-free number (available on their website). Staff work around-the-clock to respond to tips and to deploy a response locally by communicating directly with school administrators, law enforcement, and counselors.

New SUSO Text Feature Speak Up Speak Out - Wisconsin is happy to announce a new feature: SUSO Text Tips. SUSO Text Tips will allow tipsters to report concerning behavior even if they do not have the SUSO website or mobile app. Tipsters can text SUSO to 738477 and make a report to SUSO via a direct link to the SUSO tip form. SUSO Text Tips will make it even easier to submit a confidential report on a mobile device.