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Policy 

Head Start of Lane County is committed to maintaining a respectful environment that is conducive to distance learning, as well as ensuring the safety of children, teachers, parents, guardians, visitors, and staff in all our programs and through our virtual operations.  Although virtual classroom participants are likely in their own home, Head Start’s programs must continue to be conducted in a professional, respectful, and courteous manner as though they are in the physical classroom setting.  Head Start’s regular Code of Conduct policy for parents, guardians, and visitors remains in effect, and also applies to teachers under this policy.  Head Start’s employee policies remain in effect.  Participants in virtual classrooms must continue to abide by those policies.   

 

In order to maintain an open, positive, courteous, respectful and secure environment, all teachers, parents, guardians, and visitors must adhere to the expected code of conduct outlined below during Head Start’s virtual classroom operations: 

Procedure 

  1. All teachers must conduct themselves professionally, as set forth in the following guidelines: 
    1. Ensure that your setting during the virtual classroom appears professional to other participants.  You must consider the areas that will be visible and ensure that it is clean, professional, and free from any discriminatory or derogatory content (wall hangings, signs, photographs, and similar).   
    2. Take steps to ensure that other persons or sounds that may be visible or audible in your setting do not disrupt activities and remain respectful.  
    3. Adhere to Head Start’s Dress Code policy and dress in an appropriate and professional manner when you are visible to other participants.  Dress in an appropriate and respectful manner when you are visible to other participants.  You must wear clothing at all times.” Please refer to Head Start’s Dress Code policy for more information.  
    4. Conduct yourself in a professional manner.  Do not use foul language or discuss inappropriate topics.   
    5. Refrain from eating, smoking/vaping during virtual classroom operations. 
    6. Regularly observe all class participants throughout the virtual class period to ensure that no student, parent, guardian, or visitor is engaging in conduct that would violate this policy or any other behavior that would be inappropriate for a classroom setting.  If a participant engages in inappropriate behavior during class, direct the individual to stop and report the conduct to your supervisor. 
    7. Maintain control of the classroom environment, including leading the discussion and ensuring that the participants focus and remain on topic.  In addition, ensure that all students (and parents, guardians, and visitors, as needed) engage in the lesson as though the class is in person. 
    8. Head Start’s regular Code of Conduct for parents, guardians, and visitors remains in effect and applies to teachers during virtual classroom operations.  Refer to the Code of Conduct for more information about appropriate conduct in the classroom setting. 
    9. All other employee policies that apply to teachers remain in effect during virtual classroom operations, including policies related to conduct, work rules, and discipline.
  2. All parents, guardians, and visitors must conduct themselves in a respectful and courteous manner, as set forth in the following guidelines: 
    1. Ensure that your setting during the virtual classroom will not be distracting, disruptive, or offensive to other participants.  You must consider the areas that will be visible and ensure that it is child appropriate, and free from any discriminatory or derogatory content (wall hangings, signs, photographs, and similar).   
    2. Take steps to ensure that other persons or sounds that may be visible or audible in your setting do not disrupt activities and remain respectful.  
    3. Dress in an appropriate and respectful manner when you are visible to other participants.  You must wear clothing at all times.” In addition, please refrain from wearing clothing that is discriminatory, offensive, or inappropriate statements or designs.  Inappropriate statements or designs include those depicting illicit substances, pornography, and vulgar language.  To maintain a courteous environment, please refer to Head Start’s Dress Code policy for employees and volunteers for more information about appropriate clothing guidelines.  
    4. Conduct yourself in a respectful, courteous, and non-disruptive manner.  Do not use foul language or discuss inappropriate topics.   
    5. Refrain from eating, drinking, or smoking/vaping during virtual classroom operations. 
    6. Head Start’s regular Code of Conduct for parents, guardians, and visitors remains in effect during virtual classroom operations.  Refer to the Code of Conduct for more information about appropriate conduct in the classroom setting. 
    7. If a parent/guardian or visitor violates the Code of Conduct, Head Start of Lane County reserves the right to:
      1. Contact the police. 
      2. Restrict parent/guardian or visitor access to program children, classrooms, functions, and/or facilities. 
      3. Contact the Division of Family Services.
      4. Take civil or criminal action.
    8. A parent, guardian, or visitor may contact the regional manager for the classroom and/or the Human Resources Director to discuss potential impacts, concerns or to file a complaint.

Policy Council approved May 12, 2020

Meets Performance Standard 1302.90(c)(1-2)

Reviewed: December 2020