Safety Procedures

Visitors to Our School

Welcome to Morning Star Catholic School in Tampa, where we provide a safe and caring school environoment! Please adhere to these special guidelines when visiting our campus which we share with Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church and Legacy Prep Charter School.

Our school has a School Security Officer. Officer Shaquille Allen works to create a safe environment for students, staff, and visitors. He is on campus to aid in the prevention and abatement of active assailant incidents and deter criminal activity on school/parish premises. All School Security Officers are properly licensed and trained according to the laws of the State of Florida and policies of the Diocese of St. Petersburg.

ALL Contractors, Volunteers, and Visitors who will be on our campus during school hours MUST:

  • Present a valid government-issued ID to be scanned to receive your pass to be allowed on campus

  • You MUST sign in AND sign out at the office daily. Contractors may wear their organization ID.

Employee Ethics Policy & Procedures

  • Morning Star Catholic School, Tampa has adopted policies establishing standards of ethical conduct for instructional personnel, school counselors and school administrators. The code of ethics established for Florida certified educators that is available on the Office of Professional Practices Services Web site has reserved as a resource Morning Star Catholic School, Tampa in conjunction with the Diocese of St. Petersburg, requires all instructional personnel, counselors and school administrators to attend a Code of Ethics training before they begin employment. Documentation demonstrating that training was completed by each employee and school administrator is a requirement of the compliance application/renewal process. In addition, teachers receive yearly trainings at the beginning of the school on the following points.

    1. A review of ethical conduct to establish the duty to report, and procedures for reporting, alleged employee or administrator misconduct that affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student.

    2. A review of the standards must provide an explanation of the employee liability protections provided under ss.39.203 and 768.095, F.S.

  • Morning Star Catholic School, Tampa prohibits confidentiality agreements with instructional personnel or school administrators who are dismissed, terminated, or resign in lieu of termination due to misconduct that affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student.  Any reference provided to a potential employer in an educational setting must disclose the misconduct.  Morning Star Catholic School, Tampa has posted a notice at the school stating that all employees have a duty to report actual or suspected cases of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect.  These are located in the Teacher’s Lounge.  The notice includes the statewide toll-free abuse hotline number (1.800-96ABUSE).

    The sample notice downloaded from the Office of Professional Practices Services Web site under the “Abuse” heading is used.  Further information about reporting abuse may also be found on the Department of Children and Families (DCF) Web site.

     Employees have immunity from liability if they report and will have a duty to comply with child protective investigations.  Morning Star Catholic School, Tampa has posted at the school site and on the school’s website the policies and procedures for reporting misconduct by instructional personnel or school administrators which affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student.  The posting includes a contact person, Eileen Odom, Principal or the Diocese of St. Petersburg Safe Environment Office, to whom the report is made and a statement about the penalties for personnel and administrators who fail to report abuse or misconduct.

     Sample notices available under the “Misconduct” heading on the Office of Professional Practices Services Web site have been utilized.

    Morning Star Catholic School, Tampa’s Ethics in Education policy states that legally sufficient allegations of misconduct by Florida certified educators must be reported to the Office of Professional Practices Services using the Educator Misconduct Reporting Form.  More information about this form and its use is available on the Office of Professional Practices Services Web site.  

    Employment requires that all staff complete a successful completion of a Level II background screening and mandated diocesan training. Morning Star Catholic School, Tampa, denies employment to or terminate an employee with direct student contact if he or she fails to meet the background screening standards under section 435.04, F.S.

    In addition, the school disqualifies instructional personnel and school administrators from employment in any position that allows direct contact with students if the personnel or administrators are ineligible under section 435.04, F.S.

    I) In compliance with section 1002.421(1)(o), and 1002.421(1)(r), F.S., the school prohibits employment of any person whose educator certificate is revoked, who is barred from reapplying for an educator certificate, or who is on the disqualification list maintained by the Department of Education pursuant to section 1001.10(4)(b), F.S.?

    The school prohibits education support employees, instructional personnel, and school administrators from employment in any position that requires direct contact with students if the personnel or administrators are ineligible for such employment pursuant to sections 1002.421(1)(r), or 1012.315, F.S. or have been terminated or resigned in lieu of termination for sexual misconduct with a student.

    The school prohibits confidentiality agreements regarding instructional personnel or school administrators who are terminated, dismissed, or resign based on misconduct and prohibit the provision of employment references without disclosing the misconduct.