Student Safety and Well-Being

This committee was established to champion the School's efforts to incorporate best practices in fostering a culture of accountability for the safety of the community and the boys in our care.

The advisory group will be tasked with evaluating the action plan with an eye toward updating policies, increasing vigilance and accountability efforts, and helping to institute effective strategies that encourage the reporting and disclosure of concerns.

Leadership

• Dr. Charles Edwards '88, P'25, PP, Trustee
• Christina Kim P'29, '29 Director of Wellness and Support at Gilman
• Emily Bose, P'24, '26, '28, Director of Student Safety Oversight
• Dave Irwin '66, PP Of Counsel

Members

• Thomas Booker '79, PP
• Stephanie Gallagher, 'P'23, 25
• David Irwin '66, PP
• Amy Summers
• Arman Taghizadeh, MD '95
• Betty Visconage

The Committee was charged with assessing Gilman's current policies and procedures as well as recommending improvements that would enhance student safety and mitigate the risk of boundary-crossing behaviors, while fully safeguarding the School's treasured teacher-coach-mentor relationships. Its members focused on five key areas — policies and procedures; education; reporting; community and culture; and vigilance — and worked diligently this spring to develop recommendations that would have an immediate impact. Approved by the Board of Trustees, these action items will raise awareness and enable a community-wide approach to guarding against abuse:

• Appointing a Director of Student Safety Oversight who will report directly to the Head of School and oversee the implementation of and compliance with new policies and procedures.
• Enhancing our process for annual training to help ensure that all employees are appropriately educated with regard to boundary-crossing behaviors.
• Activating an anonymous reporting system that provides community members another way to share information about concerning activity or behavior.
• Developing and implementing a compliance management system that will add another layer to our verification and attestation of current protocols.
• Enriching our pre-kindergarten through grade 12 student well-being curriculum with a focus on building healthy relationships.
• Augmenting existing policies and procedures to reflect current best practices related to the prevention of misconduct, abuse, and neglect.

We will be working over the summer to implement these recommendations by the start of the 2023-2024 school year, at which time we look forward to sharing more specific information.

Gilman School complies with all Maryland state laws regarding reporting suspected abuse and neglect of a child or youth to civil authorities and cooperates with civil authorities investigating reports of suspected abuse or neglect by anyone, including but not limited to school personnel. School personnel shall immediately notify the Head of School and/or Director of Student Safety Oversight of any suspected abuse or neglect. Per the reporting statute's requirement, suspected abuse or neglect (as defined by the statute) shall be reported by school personnel as soon as possible to the Maryland Child Protective Services Hotline at 1-800-917-7383 or local law enforcement. (MD Code, Family Law, § 5-704.)

In addition to school personnel, any person who has reason to believe a child or youth has been subjected to abuse or neglect (as defined by the statute) is legally required to make a report to the Maryland Child Protective Services Hotline at 1-800-917-7383 or local law enforcement. (MD Code, Family Law, § 5-705.)

Gilman students are being given many opportunities to process recent events and get support provided by their divisional counselor and the Director of Wellness and Support Christina Kim.

First and foremost, we want to commend the young men who have had the fortitude to come forward. You have demonstrated tremendous courage. Please know that we stand with you. To our alumni who may be grappling with whether or not to come forward with information that may be relevant to this case, know that we are here to support you.

Holding ourselves to the highest moral and ethical standards of the present time, it is of the utmost importance that we encourage anyone with knowledge to come forward. Baltimore County Police have urged anyone with information to contact the Crimes Against Children Unit at 410-887-7720 or Child Protective Services at 410-887-8463. The School will continue to support the investigation in whatever ways authorities may request.

Further, we are extending support services to our alumni from the classes of 2008-2022 who may have experienced trauma or abuse by Bendann during their time at Gilman. The School will help provide counseling services for those in need. ParkerBinet, a third party otherwise not associated with the School, will administer the program on behalf of the School in order to protect your privacy. You may contact ParkerBinet directly at 301-615-1167 or gilmanschool@parkerbinet.com.

Reading Resources

• Tips for Talking With and Helping Children and Youth Cope After a Disaster or Traumatic Event
  A guide for parents, caregivers, and teachers from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). "Adult support and reassurance is the key to helping children through a traumatic time. This guide provides developmentally appropriate strategies to support children."
• Nine Tips for Talking with Kids About Trauma
  The Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley, shares how we can respond after a tragedy when kids have questions, with 15 resources on how to talk to children about trauma.
• Managing Strong Emotional Reactions to Traumatic Events: Tips for Families and Teachers
  From the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). "When a large-scale tragedy occurs, it can cause strong and deeply felt reactions in adults and children. How adults express their emotions will influence the reactions of children and youth. Caregivers can help youngsters manage their feelings by modeling healthy coping strategies and closely monitoring their own emotional state and that of those in their care."
• How to Talk with Kids About Personal Safety and Sexual Abuse
  "This guide contains decades of research packed into practical, digestible advice and age-appropriate conversation starters to help you feel comfortable talking with your child about personal safety — one of the most powerful ways to protect them from sexual abuse."