The Diocese of Gaylord, including St. Ann School, is committed to providing a safe environment for children. All those who minister to children or young people are to be educated about the nature of child sexual abuse, how it is perpetrated, how to report it, and strategies for prevention. The Diocese of Gaylord has implemented a training program by the name of “VIRTUS”. VIRTUS is a national program, widely in use in dioceses throughout the United States. It is a web-based on-line training program that specializes in helping churches and religious organizations create safe environments for children and youth. The program is mandatory for all adults [employees or volunteers] who interact on a regular basis with children in the Gaylord Diocese. Listed below are the current forms that are required for any volunteer at any parish, school or diocesan office.
Parents who will be in contact with our students in any capacity: lunch duty, chaperoning a field trip, helping in the classroom, coaching, etc., are required to take the online training. I am aware that this training is something that you will need to fit into your busy, personal and family schedule so I am giving all volunteers a grace period. This mandate is not meant to enable parents to not fulfill their parental volunteer obligations to our school by simply not completing the Virtus training. St. Ann School parents who do not comply with the Diocese of Gaylord mandated training will be charged for not working their volunteer responsibilities (lunch duty/$15, KidFest/$75, Team Task/$75, etc.) and will not be allowed to chaperone any classroom or school field trips.
