School Safety
​Saint John Neumann School’s campus is enclosed by an outside fence. There are gates that lock and enclose the main buildings. All staff members have lanyards with an ID and a key that opens these gates. The gates remain closed during the day. Access to campus is only through the main gate to the school on the west side of the property. The school currently contracts an MDCP off-duty police officer to be in the property from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm every day.
The campus has 28 cameras installed; they are monitored by the office staff as well as by the Principal.
Visitors to the school are screened through the cameras and are buzzed inside the gated area. Each visitor must come to the school office and obtain a badge and sign in as well. Parents are not allowed in school during school hours, only in case of a meeting and have to follow the protocol. Students in grades 1-8 and all faculty and staff wear IDs.
Virtus
In an effort to protect God’s children the Archdiocese of Miami (ADOM) and SJNCS requires school volunteers (room parents, coaches, chaperones, etc.) to attend a Virtus: Protecting God’s Children Live Training Session, complete monthly bulletins on the VIRTUS web site, and complete the ADOM fingerprinting process. VIRTUS is a program designed to help prevent wrongdoing and promote "rightdoing" within religious organizations. The VIRTUS programs empower organizations and people to better control risk and improve the lives of all those who interact with the Church and School. Any adult who would like to participate in school related activities that involve student interaction at SJNCS during school hours must have a completed volunteer file in the school office. This does not apply to Grandparents visiting on Grandparent’s Day, SJN Ministry sponsored events and Career Day.
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Standards of Ethical Conduct
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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.
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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.
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Concern for the student requires that our instructional personnel:
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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.
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Shall not unreasonably restrain a student from independent action in pursuit of learning.
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Shall not unreasonably deny a student access to diverse points of view.
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Shall not intentionally suppress or distort subject matter relevant to a student's academic program.
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Shall not intentionally expose a student to unnecessary embarrassment or disparagement.
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Shall not intentionally violate or deny a student's legal rights.
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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.
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Shall not exploit a relationship with a student for personal gain or advantage.
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Shall keep in confidence personally identifiable information obtained in the course of professional service, unless disclosure serves professional purposes or is required by law.
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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:
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Shall maintain honesty in all professional dealings.
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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.
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Shall not interfere with a colleague's exercise of political or civil rights and responsibilities.
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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.
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Shall not make malicious or intentionally false statements about a colleague.
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Training Requirement All employees, educational support, instructional personnel and administrators are required as a condition of employment to complete training on these standards of ethical conduct.  
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Reporting Misconduct by Instructional Personnel and Administrators All employees, educational support, instructional personnel 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.
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Reports of misconduct of employees should be made to the Principal:
Cristina Rodriguez (305)255-7315, cris.rodriguez@sjncs.org
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Reports of misconduct committed by administrators should be made to Superintendent.
Dr. Jim Rigg (305)762-1078, jrigg@theadom.org
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 welfare of a student are posted on front entrance bulletin board, teacher’s lounge and our school website https://www.sjncs.org/safety
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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.
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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.
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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)
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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)
Non-Discrimination Policy
St. John Neumann Catholic school is committed to providing an environment that is free of discrimination and harassment. In keeping with this commitment, the school will not tolerate harassment or discrimination on the basis of a person’s protected status, such as gender, color, race, ancestry, national origin, age, physical disability, mental condition, marital status, veteran status, citizenship status. All employees, faculty members and students are protected under this policy. In addition, this policy applies to all conduct occurring on school grounds, at assignments outside the school, or at school-sponsored events. All students are responsible for helping to assure that any harassment or discrimination is reported. If a student witnesses or learns of any conduct that violates this policy, the student must immediately report the incident to his/her principal. If, however, the principal is the individual who is believed to have engaged in the inappropriate conduct, the student should notify the Superintendent of Schools of the Archdiocese of Miami. If an investigation reveals that inappropriate conduct has occurred, the school will take corrective action based on the circumstances.