Urban Policies

Non-Discrimination Policy

Urban School admits students without reference to race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national and ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. Urban does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, financial assistance program, athletic and school-administered programs.

SB848 Compliance & Employment Reference Requests

At Urban School, we are committed to supporting our former and current employees in their professional transitions while maintaining full compliance with California state law. In accordance with Senate Bill 848 (SB848), we have established a centralized process for handling all employment reference and verification requests. Likewise, the school, alongside the standard background and reference checks that Urban School carries out, requests information that informs the hiring decisions for the school. The language within SB848 is constructed in such a way to safeguard the well being of students within the state’s educational system, a value that Urban shares.

Our Commitment to Transparency
SB848 outlines specific requirements regarding the disclosure of information during the reference process. To ensure accuracy, consistency, and legal compliance, all inquiries related to employee performance, eligibility for rehire, or conduct must be directed through our official channels.

Procedures for Requestors
If you are a prospective employer or a background screening firm seeking a reference for a current or former Urban School employee, please follow these steps:

  • Submit Requests via Email: All formal reference requests and SB848-related inquiries must be sent to SB848@urbanschool.org.
  • Required Documentation: Please include a signed authorization/release form from the candidate to ensure we can provide the most comprehensive information allowed under the law.
  • Standardized Processing: Our HR Manager reviews all requests to ensure they meet the criteria set forth by SB848. This centralized approach protects the privacy of our staff while providing you with the verified data you need.

Policies Regarding Employee-Student Interactions

Urban School is committed to creating a safe, supportive, and healthy school environment dedicated to the welfare of everyone in the community. As part of this commitment, Urban sets expectations for employee interactions with students in its Employee-Student Interactions policy which is included both here and in Urban’s Employee handbook.

While the School encourages close, supportive relationships between students and school faculty and staff, all adults must maintain appropriate boundaries between themselves and students to ensure that they avoid even the perception of inappropriate conduct or favoritism. Some activities may seem innocent from an employee’s perspective but can be perceived as flirtation or sexual insinuation from the perspective of a student or parent/guardian. It is also important for the school to maintain a school-wide culture and practice in which students, faculty, staff and administrators understand that their responsibility to report misconduct will be met with support and sensitivity without fear of retaliation. The purpose of the guidelines below is to give direction regarding appropriate conduct and boundaries between adults and students, but the expectations for conduct set forth in this policy are not intended to serve as an exhaustive list of requirements, limitations, or prohibitions on staff conduct and activities established by the School.

Social Media

  • Urban sets high standards for appropriate online communication.
  • Employees should exercise care in setting appropriate boundaries between their personal and public online behavior.
  • Employees may not include current students as “friends,” “followers” or any other similar technology used by various sites.
  • Use good judgment about any content that is shared on social media sites if your community includes parents, alums or other members of the Urban community.

Maintaining Healthy Boundaries With Students and Alums

Current Students

  • Any personal involvement between an employee and a student beyond the professional adult to student relationship is prohibited.
  • All sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, expressions of “romantic” interest, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature are prohibited.
  • Employees must be cautious and mindful about appearances as situations can be misinterpreted by others. 
  • Employees should only use school email to communicate with parents, students and alums. They should not use their personal email.
  • Employees should not text individual students. They should use group text technology such as Remind (for all daily school interactions, field trips and grade level trips) and WhatsApp (for global trips).
  • All communication must be professional and should not include information about an employee’s personal life. Employees may not seek emotional involvement with a student for the adult’s benefit.
  • Employees may not give gifts to an individual student that are of a personal or intimate nature.
  • Employees may not meet individual students outside of the school day.
  • Employees should not intentionally be alone with a student on campus when an appropriate public or visible space is available.
  • Employees should not take individual students out of the building to meet with them. Groups of students are fine. If they must go for a walk with a student for mental health or confidentiality reasons, they should walk in a public place such as the Panhandle path.
  • Employees should not drive individual students alone without prior approval from parents/guardians (emergencies are an obvious exception).
  • Employees should be aware that the intent of any physical contact, including hugging, can be misconstrued.

Alums

  • Employees should not reach out or invite alums between the ages of 18 and 21 to meet with them.
  • If an alum reaches out to an employee and wants to meet, the employee should do so at Urban and/or bring another teacher/adult with them.
  • Employees should be cautious and mindful about appearances as situations can be misinterpreted by others.
  • Employees should only use school email to communicate with alums. They should not use their personal email. 
  • Employees should not text individual alums between the ages of 18 and 21. Above 21, they should be mindful of context and appearances.
  • All communication must be professional and should not include information about an employee’s personal life.

Duty to Report
We encourage community members and require all faculty and staff to report concerns about appropriate boundaries between an adult and a student to the Head of School (qwalker@urbanschool.org) or the Assistant Head of School for Student Life (cworsley@urbanschool.org). In some circumstances, employees will also have the duty to report such conduct in accordance with mandated reporter requirements. All reports will be kept as confidential as possible except as necessary for Urban to take appropriate action. Urban will not retaliate against anyone who reports conduct that may violate our school policies.

 

Questions related to the our policies? 
Contact Assistant Head of School for Student Life,
Charlotte Worsley at cworsley@urbanschool.org.