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Volunteering at GCS

We love for the families of our students to be involved in our community! Any time you can volunteer is greatly encouraged and appreciated. There are many volunteering opportunities, from being a mystery reader in your child’s class to working with our amazing Parents Association on the numerous events held at our school.
 
The safety and well-being of our students and our community is one of our top priorities at Greenwich Catholic School. To volunteer at the school you must complete the Safe Environment Training. This training is a vital part of ensuring the safety of our students. Please use this link to get started.

If you have any questions, please contact Sarah Dunn at [email protected] or ext. 109.
 

If you know or suspect someone is being abused, it’s important to report it to ensure their safety and well-being.

Erin Neil, L.C.S.W., Director of Safe Environment & Victim Assistance Coordinator
Office: (203) 416-1406
Mobile: (203) 650-3265
AND
The CT Department of Children and Family (D.C.F.) Child Abuse and Neglect Care-line
within 12 hours of first becoming aware.
1 (800) 842-2288
 
For a report involving a vulnerable adult, call
Protective Services for the Elderly at the Department of Social Services
1 (888) 385-4225
After business hours or on weekends or state holidays, please call Info-line at 2-1-1
 
If you would like to report a situation in which abuse or neglect is suspected concerning an individual with an intellectual disability between the ages of 18 and 59, please call 1 (844) 878-8923.
 
For more information please visit the Safe Environment Section of the Diocesan website


SAFE ENVIRONMENT

Virtus Training: Mandatory 3-hour training is required for every person age 18 and over
who works or volunteers within the Diocese of Bridgeport. This training teaches adults how
to identify early warning signs of child sexual abuse and how to prevent it.
​
Register by selecting Diocese Bridgeport, CT, and create a username and password
Choose the class entitled: Protecting God's Children® for Adults
Submit the necessary information for a background check
Read the Safe Environment Handbook, sign and submit page 72 of Executive Summary for Lay Volunteers to the school's main office
Provide proof of training to the school office prior to your first volunteer opportunity
 
Entrance to School Building: For the safety of all, visitors/volunteers must show identification, sign in at the office, and pick up a Visitor's Pass. When leaving the building, all persons must sign out prior to exiting.
 
Main Office
Mrs. Jackie Collins                                   
​
Virtus Questions
Ms. Sarah Dunn
 


1. ATTEND VIRTUS PROTECTING GOD'S CHILDREN LIVE AWARENESS TRAINING ON CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION
Start by pre-registering online at www.virtusonline.org Click the green "FIRST-TIME REGISTRANT" box on the left side to begin the registration process. Be sure to keep your VIRTUS USER ID and PASSWORD in a secure place, as you'll need them for future VIRTUS re-certifications and background check renewals. If you do not have internet access, please call the Safe Environment Office at (203) 416-1406/1407 or the VIRTUS helpdesk at 1-888-847-8870 for assistance

Step-by-Step Registration Instructions

2. BACKGROUND CHECKS (18+)
Criminal background checks are performed by Mind Your Business, Inc. (MYB) as part of the online registration process through VIRTUS. If you did not see this option on the VIRTUS website during registration, please download, complete, and submit the relevant authorization and release forms to the school or parish office where you work or volunteer:

Volunteer Release Form

Contractor, Vendor, Renter Release Form


3. SAFE ENVIRONMENT HANDBOOK
The Safe Environment Handbook contains all policies related to Safe Environment programs in the Diocese of Bridgeport. As part of the registration process, you will need to electronically acknowledge that you have reviewed and understand the contents of this handbook.

Recertification Requirements:
- Every Five (5) Years: For those with direct contact with children.
- Every Ten (10) Years: For those without direct contact with children.

To access your VIRTUS account, visit www.virtusonline.org and log in using your User ID and Password.
If you have previously attended VIRTUS training, you should already have an account. Please do not create multiple VIRTUS accounts. 

If you need assistance or have forgotten your login information, contact the Safe Environment Coordinator.
Once logged in, you can renew your criminal background check. If you are not due for a background check, this option will not be available, and you can proceed to the next step.

To complete re-certification, select **Protecting God’s Children® Online Awareness Session 3.0** at the bottom of the page. This session will take approximately one hour to complete, but you may start it and return later if needed.