Health and Safety

Liability Release and Guardianship
Parents need to complete and sign a Liability Release and Guardianship Form, which releases Mountainview from liability in the event of an accident or injury to the student at school or during a school-sponsored event, and which designates a guardian to make critical decisions when the parents cannot be contacted. 

Health Form
The health form that accompanies the Application Form should state the parents’ preference for medical treatment. A copy of this form will become part of the student’s medical record and kept in the medical care log. For the protection of the staff and students, please notify the School Health Care Provider and the appropriate Principal of any potential staff medical needs or situation, including any potential blood-borne risks, i.e. AIDS/HIV or Hepatitis A or B antigen blood. A School Health Care Provider will notify only personnel that may be affected, and confidentiality will be maintained.

Vaccines protect people from a variety of serious and sometimes deadly viruses and bacteria. Please review the following vaccination schedule to ensure adequate immunization and protection from diseases that are prevalent in central Java & recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Because MICS strives to ensure the health & safety of the students and in compliance with accreditation requirements, any student not immunized will not be allowed to attend school until they are in compliance. 

Please see the section titled, "Further Information About Immunizations" for additional helpful information about immunizations and the illnesses they guard against. If there is an occurrence of one of the illnesses below at school (among students or staff), then students without a current immunization will not be permitted to attend school until the principal gives clearance. 

• Schedule: 5 doses by age 6. Given at ages 2, 4, 6, & 15-18 months, and at age 4-6 yrs. (TDaP: rec. at 11-12 yrs.)
• Booster: Tetanus only - Every 10 years. If severe burn or puncture wound, booster if more than 5 years has elapsed

• Schedule: 2 doses: 12- 15 months & 4-6 yrs
• Booster: None needed if given after 12 months of age

• Schedule: 4 doses: 2, 4, 6-18 months & 4-6 yrs
• Booster: None needed.

• Schedule: 2 doses: 6 months apart, must be at least 1 year old
• Booster: Every 14-25 years (currently under study)

• Schedule: 3 doses, beg. at birth (or any age), 2 months later, and 6 months after the first
• Booster: Required only if immunity falls below recommended levels

REQUIRED IMMUNIZATIONS

Diphtheria
You can get it from contact with an infected person.
Signs and Symptoms include a thick covering in the back of the throat that can make it hard to breathe.
It can lead to breathing problems, heart failure, and death. 

Tetanus (Lockjaw)
You can get it from a cut or wound. It does not spread from person to person..
Signs and Symptoms include painful tightening of the muscles, usually all over the body.
It can lead to stiffness of the jaw, so the victim is unable to open mouth or swallow. It leads to death in about 1 case out of 5.  

Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
You can get it from contact with an infected person.
Signs and Symptoms include violent coughing spells that can make it hard for an infant to eat, drink, or breath. These spells can last for weeks.  It can lead to pneumonia, seizures (jerking & staring spells), brain damage, and death.

This information was obtained from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) & World Health Organization (WHO). More information can be found at www.cdc.gov/vaccines.

If the student is ill during the school year with a fever of 100° F (38° C) or above, he must stay at home until the temperature has returned to normal for 24 hours. If an infectious condition occurs (including but not limited to mumps, measles, boils, head lice, pinkeye, etc.), the student is required to stay home during the entire period that the condition is contagious so the other students are not exposed. If a student becomes ill at school, the school health care provider, secretary or principal will determine if the student needs to be sent home. If a student is to be sent home, he/she will be checked out from the school office. Until such time that the student can be picked up, the student will remain in the sick room in the school office.
  
Parents are expected to call the school office or email office@mtview.id by 8:30 a.m. on the day his/her child will be absent. Please explain the reason for the absence in the phone call or email.  In some cases, additional documentation may be required.  It is the student’s responsibility to request make-up work. See the Attendance Policy for more information.

If the student suffers from allergies or some other chronic illness that requires medication or supplies, we request that clear, written instructions along with all necessary medication and equipment be given to the school nurse or office staff. Allergy information, as well as written instructions for care, will be included in the medical log of the student.

All prescription medications to be taken by or made available to a student during the school day (or during a school-sponsored student activity) must be turned in to the School Health Care Provider, Principal, or an assigned adult at the beginning of the school day. The School Health Care Provider, Principal or the assigned adult will be responsible for the administration of the medicine at the appropriate time. In some cases, students may be authorized to administer their own medication, e.g. inhaler.
   
Dormitory students should turn in any prescription medication to their dormitory parents when first arriving at the dormitory. The dormitory parent in consultation with the School Health Care Provider will be responsible for oversight of the administration of the medicine. 
     
For students who are uncomfortable but need not be excluded from school, i.e. those who have a cold, upset stomach, headache, etc., the School Health Care Provider or responsible staff member may administer over-the-counter medicines.
 

Physical education is a regular part of the school program; thus all students are required to participate unless an exemption or modified fitness plan has been approved due to physical limitations. Students who are enrolled in P.E. class but are not well enough to participate on a given day should give their PE teacher a note from their parents and should expect to make up the missed period in accordance with class policy. 

To avoid foot injury and disease, tennis/athletic shoes and cotton socks are required for P.E. classes. At the end of the class period, students 5th grade and older are required to change into a fresh shirt unless they have P.E. at the end of the day.

K through 8th grade PE students must wear a Mountainview PE shirt and athletic shorts (longer than fingertips when hands are at one’s side), capris or workout pants (not leggings).

Standard Precautions for Handling of Body Fluids (including, but not limited to, blood-borne pathogens): 

Because all body fluids should be considered infection risks, standard precautions will be taken when handling body fluids. These standard precautions include wearing personal protective equipment when handling body fluids. When cleaning up blood, vomit or other body fluids, all persons should wear rubber gloves to protect themselves against any infectious diseases. Rubber gloves are to be available in the First Aid Cabinet in the school office.

If a student reveals information that in the teacher’s or counselor’s opinion and discretion raises concerns for the health or safety (whether physical, emotional, spiritual or mental) of a student, that information should be revealed to the principal and the student’s parents. It is important to note that while teachers respect the privacy of students, that not everything said to a staff member may be kept confidential.

While we have a good relationship with the community and feel relatively safe in Salatiga, we also have a crisis management team and keep in touch with local authorities as part of our contingency plan. We review emergency procedures and conduct various drills with our students throughout the school year. The purpose is to accustom our students and teachers to the procedures so that they will have good instincts and be able to behave calmly in the event of a real emergency. Parents who wish further detail concerning the number and types of drills that we conduct can contact the main office to be put in touch with our security specialist or an administrator.

We are committed to providing a caring, friendly and safe environment for all of our students so they can learn in a relaxed and secure atmosphere. Bullying of any kind is unacceptable at our school. If bullying does occur, all students should be able to tell and know that incidents will be dealt with promptly and effectively. We are a TELLING school. This means that anyone who knows that bullying is happening is expected to tell the staff. If you want to report any concerns, contact the principal.

Statement of Intent

What Is Bullying?

Bullying is the use of aggression with the apparent intention of hurting another person.  Bullying results in pain and distress to the victim. Note that some kinds of bullying listed below cross over into other areas of abuse as well, such as child abuse or violent/threatening behaviors; such behaviors may be dealt with according to these other school policies as well.

Bullying can be:

• Emotional:  being unfriendly, excluding, tormenting (e.g. hiding books, threatening gestures), ridiculing
• Physical:  pushing, kicking, hitting, any use or threat of violence, or any unwanted physical contact
• Verbal:  name-calling, sarcasm, spreading rumors, teasing [could be racist or sexual in content]
• Cyber:  All areas of internet, such as email, chat and social media misuse

Why is it Important to Respond to Bullying?

Bullying hurts.  No one deserves to be a victim of bullying.  Everybody has the right to be treated with respect.  Students who are bullying need to be confronted with and repent of the harm they are doing to others and to themselves, and they need to learn different ways of behaving.

Schools have a responsibility to respond promptly and effectively to issues of bullying.

Objectives of this Policy

• All staff, students and parents should have an understanding of what bullying is.
• All staff should know what the school policy is on bullying, and follow it when bullying is observed or reported.
• All students and parents should know what the school policy is on bullying, and what they should do if bullying arises.
• As a school we take bullying seriously.  Students and parents should be assured that they will be supported when bullying is reported.
• Bullying will not be tolerated.

Signs and Symptoms

• A child may indicate by signs or behavior that he or she is being bullied.  Adults should be aware of these possible signs and that they should investigate if a child:
• is frightened of walking to or from school
• begs to be driven to school
• changes their usual routine
• is unwilling to go to school
• begins to skip school or class
• becomes withdrawn, anxious, or lacking in confidence
• starts stammering
• attempts or threatens suicide or runs away
• cries themselves to sleep at night or has nightmares
• feels ill in the morning
• begins to do poorly in school work
• comes home with clothes torn or books damaged
• has possessions or money which is lost or damaged
• asks for money or starts stealing money (to pay bully)
• has unexplained cuts or bruises
• comes home starving (lunch has been stolen)
• becomes aggressive, disruptive or unreasonable
• is bullying other children or siblings
• stops eating or develops an unhealthy interest in dieting/eating
• is frightened to say what's wrong
• gives improbable excuses for any of the above
• is afraid to use the internet or mobile phone
• is nervous & jumpy when a cyber message is received

Procedures

1. Students are to report bullying incidents to staff (adviser or teacher or administrator)
2. The teacher will complete a Bullying Incident Report and give a copy to the principal
3. The teacher and principal (possibly with a counselor) will decide an appropriate course of action, including some or all of the following measures:

• The teacher or principal will investigate the incident.
• The teacher or principal will meet with the students involved in an attempt to bring repentance and reconciliation
• Parents will be informed and asked to come in for a meeting
• Counseling will be offered to or arranged for the victim
• The bully will be required to sign a contract, which will include a detention, a commitment to change their behavior and an agreement to meet regularly with a mentor (selected or approved by the school) who will work to help the bully change behavior and will monitor the situation to see that the contract is being kept.
• In severe cases, the bully may be suspended without having a prior contract.

4. In cases where bullies have not kept their agreement (in the contract) or have shown a clear lack of repentance, further correction will be assigned.  Normally, this will include suspension.
5. In cases of persistent and serious cases of bullying which continue beyond at-home suspension, expulsion may be considered.

Goals

1. Repentance (sorrow and change) on the part of the bully.
2. Healing for the student being bullied.
3. Reconciliation of all parties concerned.
4. The end of bullying.

Prevention

• writing a set of school rules
• signing a behavior  contract
• writing stories or poems or drawing pictures about bullying
• reading stories about bullying or having them read to a class or assembly
• making up role-plays 
• having discussions about bullying and why it matters

The staff and administration of Mountainview Christian School recognize that while abuse of any nature is a sad and difficult issue to deal with, it is also an unfortunate reality in this world. We have developed a policy to try to prevent abuse and to handle any abuse allegations that may arise. With any case that may arise, we agree, as a Christian community, to handle conflict and confrontation in a biblical manner. We will seek the good of all parties involved and attempt to handle each situation with Christ-like love. If you want to report any concerns, contact the superintendent.

Mountainview Guidelines for Those Who Supervise/Assist Children

Definition of Abuse

1. Physical abuse is defined as any act which results in a non-accidental physical injury usually as the result of unreasonably severe corporal punishment, unjustified punishment, bizarre forms of punishment, extreme disregard for caution, or severe “mean-spiritedness.”
2. Neglect is defined as a long-term failure to meet the basic needs of a child for food/nutrition, shelter, safety, nurturing, health care, schooling, and socialization.
3. Sexual Abuse:

b.  Visual sexual abuse is defined as indecent exposure, showing or taking of suggestive pictures, peeping, leering, or staring at certain body parts.  Visual sexual abuse also includes voyeurism, exhibitionism, showing of pornographic material, of genitals, pubic area, buttocks, or, if such person is a female, breasts, with the intent to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of either party.

c.  Physical sexual abuse is defined by fondling, sexual touching, masturbation in front of, or to the victim, rubbing, holding, and kissing for the purpose of sexual gratification.  Further examples include oral, genital, anal, and breast stimulation; penetration by penis, fingers, or any other body part or object, of mouth, anus, or vagina; physical contact with a person’s clothed or unclothed genitals, pubic area, buttocks, or, if such person is a female, breast, with the intent to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of either party.

4. Emotional abuse includes chronic attitudes or acts that are likely to produce serious long-term emotional disorders.  These may include chronic derogatory name calling, threats, blaming, sarcasm, belittling, criticism, constant yelling, and consistently using vocal tones, body language, and/or attitudes which demean a person.

Keep in mind that experts in the area of abuse advise that there is a 90% probability of truthfulness to abuse allegations.

Abuse must be reported to the superintendent if it occurred on school property, occurred when a child was supervised by a Mountainview staff member or occurred during a Mountainview sponsored activity.  If an incident occurs off school property during a situation not sponsored by the school, it must be reported if a Mountainview student/staff is the victim or if a Mountainview student/staff is the alleged perpetrator.  Depending on the circumstances there will be limits to the actions which can be taken by Mountainview. 

1. name of the victim and the suspect
2. relevant date or dates, times, and locations of misconduct
3. setting of misconduct
4. specific nature of misconduct (as described in the “Definition of Abuse” section of this document)
5. tangible evidence, witnesses, records, etc.
6. names and phone numbers of any other people who know about the situation

The superintendent will then take steps to appoint a small team to handle the investigation.  Neither the accused nor the victim will be part of the team.  It is acknowledged that this team is not professional or part of the criminal justice system.  An information officer on the team will record all pertinent information. 

1. keep a log, including dates and times, of information regarding the crisis.
2. record all information (including rumors) related to the case.
3. develop an official report which will be released to the parents, school board, mission organization or authorities
4. attend all meetings and be updated on all phone conversations, e-mails, etc.

1. protect the victim (including plans for getting skilled appropriate care for the victim)
2. inform the victim’s parents
3. inform the victim’s sponsoring organization if applicable.
4. inform the perpetrator’s sponsoring organization and/or parents, if applicable.
5. inform local and/or home country authorities (if necessary)
6. develop a plan for dealing with the accused which may include administrative leave if the accused is a Mountainview employee.

Appropriate, wise measures should be taken to assist the accused, whether or not he/she is found guilty.  Confidentiality is a very important issue, especially before there is a determination of innocence or guilt.