Safe Environment

Safe Environment Philosophy

The health and safety of Cistercian students are the school’s highest priority. While there are many practical aspects (rules, regulations, security procedures, and facilities, etc.) to maintaining a safe environment, the truest safeguard to the health (physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual) of the boys is the strength, health, and activity of the Cistercian community.  While we often refer to the community of the students in a given Form, here we also intend to mean the community of parents within a given Form and the broader Cistercian community as a whole, including faculty, staff, parents, and alumni.

Within this community, Cistercian strives to maintain a safe environment for each student.  Child abuse will not be tolerated.  Child abuse means any intentional or malicious infliction of injury to the detriment of a child’s physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual well-being.

Suspicion of inappropriate adult-child relationships or abuse should be reported immediately to the Headmaster or another Cistercian Safe Environment Review Board member, which consists of the Assistant Headmaster, the Safe Environment Coordinator, and the Business Manager.  All involved will keep all information regarding the complaint confidential, except to the extent necessary to investigate and address the complaint.  In all cases, the complaint will be taken seriously and investigated promptly. In addition, if one has cause to believe that a child has been or may be abused or neglected by any person, he or she should make a report to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services at 1-800-252-5400 or in an emergency to the appropriate police authority, usually by calling 911.

Safe Environment Policies

Cistercian conducts criminal record checks and requires annual update training for all School employees and volunteers who may have regular or unsupervised contact with Cistercian students at school-sponsored activities. Results from all criminal record checks are kept strictly confidential.

As a matter of practice, volunteers will be scheduled to supervise two-deep.  In the best-case scenario, this means there are at least two adults present when supervising student activity.  However, as long as more than one student is present (i.e., an adult is not alone with a single student), then the situation meets the two-deep criterion.  Faculty are not scheduled two-deep for teaching or working with students, but employees strive to meet this expectation by avoiding being alone with students except in public spaces (with others in sight) or with a level of public accountability (e.g., open doors and/or windows).

The Safe Environment Coordinator is responsible for maintaining accurate records of the School’s compliance with its Safe Environment Policies. The Coordinator will process and keep a record of all criminal record checks performed concerning employees and volunteers and maintain records of annual updates to safe environment training for employees and volunteers.

Cistercian Safe Environment Requirements and Forms

First-time volunteers at Cistercian who will have “regular or unsupervised contact” with students must satisfy the following requirements:

1. Submit to a criminal background check: Authorization Form
2. Submit a Safe Environment Training Affidavit to attest that you have:
   1. Watched the Dallas Diocese Safe Environment Video: “A Plan to Protect God’s Children”
   2. Read the Safe Environment Policies Volunteer Handbook
   3. Completed the most recent annual training with the video “Seize the Awkward: Learn the Signs“
3. Submit contact information for two personal references (non-immediate family): Personal References

All completed forms should be emailed directly to the Safe Environment Coordinator, Mr. Gerald Edwards, at gedwards@cistercian.org.  Questions and concerns can be answered by him at 469-499-5459.

Previously-trained volunteers who will again have “regular or unsupervised contact” with students need to update their training on an annual basis.

For the 2024-25 school year, one should:

1. Submit a Safe Environment Training Affidavit  to attest that you have:
   1. Watched the Diocese of Dallas Safe Environment Training Video: “A Plan to Protect God’s Children”
   2. Re-read the Safe Environment Policies Volunteer Handbook
   3. Completed the most recent annual training with the video “Seize the Awkward: Learn the Signs“
2. Submit to a criminal background check, if the last one is over two years old: Authorization Form

All completed forms should be emailed directly to the Safe Environment Coordinator, Mr. Gerald Edwards, at gedwards@cistercian.org.  Questions and concerns can be answered by him at 469-499-5459.

Resources

• 2024-25 Parent/Student Handbook
• Personal References
• Background Check Authorization Form
• Safe Environment Training Affidavit