- Download PDF Version available for use with email and print distribution.
To: All Pastors, Principals, and persons in charge of Children’s Safe Environment training duties
From: Perla Freed, Director, Safe Environment
The Archdiocese of Atlanta has utilized the VIRTUS Children’s training since Fall 2014. This program replaced our self-generated program, You Matter. Since the launch of the program, we have trained school age children enrolled in our Catholic schools and parish faith formation programs. Please review the list below with the updates to the VIRTUS Children’s training program.
• The name of the program has improved from Teaching Touching Safety to Teaching Safety – Empowering God’s Children. Please make sure to update information on your website and ther materials to reflect the program’s name change.
• The introductory videos are intended to relieve trainers of the responsibility for “breaking the ice” on this sensitive subject matter. While the video lays the groundwork, the trainer uses the activities to help students apply the message from the lessons to their daily lives.
The updated videos, Power to Protect 2.0, are available through the VIRTUS Online website under the Educators tab and the YouTube links below. The Office of Child & Youth Protection encourages you to take advantage of the online resources. Our office will not keep inventory of physical copies of the updated videos. However, if you wish to order DVD or USB drive copies of the introductory videos, please complete and send the order form directly to VIRTUS. The cost for these materials will be the responsibility of the parish or school submitting the order form.
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- Elementary School
Empowering God’s Children Grades K-5 K-5 Spanish - Middle School
Empowering God’s Children Grades 6-8 6-8 Spanish - High School
Empowering God’s Children Grades 9-12 9-12 Spanish
- Elementary School
• The lesson plans 1-4 have been updated as well. You are welcome to use the updated lesson plans this school year 2019-2020. However, we understand some locations may already have selected another set of lesson plans for this year, so we ask you to plan to offer the updated lesson plans in the next school year.
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- Lesson 1 – Physical Boundaries: Safe and Unsafe Touching Rules
- Lesson 2 – Safe Adults, Safe Touches and Special Safe Adults
- Lesson 3 – Boundaries: You Have Rights!
- Lesson 4 – Secrets, Surprises and Promises
• Teaching Boundaries and Safety Guide for Caring Adults, Parents, and Guardians is now available on the VIRTUS and Archdiocesan websites. Please feel free to share this guide with your parishioners, parents, and volunteers. https://www.virtusonline.org/educators/Teaching-Boundaries-and-Safety-Guide-English.pdf
• Updated Children’s Safe Environment “Cheat Sheet” is available on the Archdiocesan website https://archatl.com/ministries-services/safe-environment/grades-k-12/
How to access the new introductory videos and lesson plans:
- Archdiocesan website – https://archatl.com/ministries-services/safe-environment/grades-k-12/safe-environment-lesson-plans/
Password: V1rtus - VIRTUS website under the Educators tab – https://www.virtusonline.org/virtus/
If you or someone in your staff need access to the Educators tab, please contact the Safe Environment office.
Additional Resources
• VIRTUS – Empowering God’s Children order form
• USCCB – Takeaway Messages Children must hear in Safe Environment training
• Children’s Safe Environment “Cheat Sheet”
If you have any questions regarding this communication or any Safe Environment matter, please feel free to contact the Safe Environment Office at 404-920-7550 or any of the people below.
Perla Freed pfreed@archatl.com
Terry Moss tmoss@archatl.com
Gina Garcia ggarcia@archatl.com