Profession Code of Conduct

Code of Professional Conduct

All HCA employees are expected to maintain high standards in their school relationships, to

demonstrate integrity and honesty, to be considerate and cooperative, and to maintain

professional and appropriate relationships with students, parents, staff members, and others. In

addition, the Code of Ethics for Illinois Educators, adopted by the Illinois State Board of Education is incorporated into this Code of Conduct.

Any employee who sexually harasses a student, willfully or negligently fails to report an instance of suspected child abuse or neglect as required by the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act (325 ILCS 5/1 et seq.), engages in grooming as defined by 720 ILCS 5/11-25, engages in grooming behaviors, violates boundaries for appropriate school employee-student conduct, engages in sexual misconduct as defined in 105 ILCS 5/22-85.5, or otherwise violates an employee conduct standard will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.

Standards and Expectations Related to School Employee-Student Conduct shall, at a minimum:

1. Comply with the Code of Ethics for Illinois Educators, adopted by the Illinois State Board of Education.
2. Prohibited grooming behaviors and sexual misconduct include, but are not limited to (i) any act, including but not limited to any verbal, nonverbal, written, or electronic or physical activity, (ii) by an employee or agent of the school with direct contact with a student, (iii) that is directed toward or with a student to establish a romantic or sexual relationship with the student. Such acts include, but are not limited to:
3. A sexual or romantic invitation
4. Dating or soliciting a date
5. Engaging in sexualized or romantic dialogue
6. Making sexually suggestive comments that are directed toward or with a student
7. Self-disclosure or physical exposure of a sexual, romantic, or erotic nature
8. A sexual, indecent, romantic, or erotic contact with a student
9. Employees are expected to maintain professional relationships and appropriate boundaries with students.
10. Employees are strictly prohibited from using any form of communication with students, including but not limited to, emails, letters, notes, text messages, phone calls, social media, and conversations that include any subject matter that would be deemed unprofessional and inappropriate between an employee and student. HCA has zero tolerance for any unprofessional or inappropriate conduct.

1. Employees are not permitted to transport students in their privately owned vehicles, unless the employee has obtained the prior written permission of the Principal, Early Childhood Director, and/or Superintendent to do so. Transportation of students in Harvest vehicles requires being an approved driver through the required process.
2. Employees are not permitted to keep any student photos or videos, after they have been posted for the school’s educational mission, on their personal devices. Student pictures, assuming parents have not opted out of photos, for school-sponsored activities used in furtherance of the school’s educational mission are permitted.
3. Employees are not permitted to meet or contact a student outside of their professional role. Employees are expected to avoid situations or crossing a line which could result in an actual or perceived inappropriate relationship between the employee and the student.
4. HCA employees are mandated reporters and are required to comply with all reporting requirements of the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act (325 ILCS 5/1 et seq.) and Title IX of the Federal Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq.).
5. Employees, students, parents, and any third party can report prohibited behaviors, including prohibited grooming and sexual misconduct, and/or boundary violations to any Harvest school administrator or staff member to whom the person feels comfortable reporting.
6. Employees are required to complete training related to educator ethics, mandated reporting, child abuse, grooming behaviors, and boundary violations as required by Federal and State law.
7. Employees who violate this Code of Conduct and/or who fail to report a violation may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.