Hoffman School
Email: afranco@glenview34.org
Website: ho.glenview34.org
Location: 2000 Harrison Street, Glenview, IL, USA
Phone: 847-998-5040
... from the principal's desk ...
Erin's Law Presentations
During the weeks of October 16th, 2023 and October 23rd, 2023, all classes will receive a presentation where they will learn about personal body safety. These presentations will be provided by Jillienne Guinan, school social worker, and School Psychologist, Katharine Schmidt, in order to meet the Erin’s Law mandate for the state of Illinois. Erin’s Law is a mandate in 36+ states, including Illinois; which requires schools to 1. Provide age appropriate child sexual abuse and violence prevention education to students in preschool – 12th grade, 2. Offer education to parents, 3. Offer education to teachers and staff. To learn more about Erin’s Law go to: http://www.erinslaw.org/
We are happy to be able to offer this important and valuable learning opportunity for students. If you have any questions or concerns about the content and goals of this experience, please feel free to contact Ms. Guinan, School Social Worker, Dan Polonsky, Assistant Principal for Student Services or Selene Stewart, Principal. Additionally, if you do not wish to have your child participate, please send a note to the school office (attention school social worker) or email Ms. Guinan prior to Thursday, October 12th and we will arrange for alternate activities during the presentation.
Additional information and a brief overview of the Personal Body Safety Lessons are included below:
What will my child learn during the Personal Body Safety presentations:
Discuss what ‘personal bubble space’ is and how it feels if someone invades their space. How can students resolve conflict if someone is in their space/ask to be left alone?
Discuss safe touches. These touches typically leave space between the people (supporting personal space) and also these touches are quick and are typically seen as kind, gentle, ‘good work’ gestures.
Discuss questionable touch examples: hugs and kisses. We know everyone’s families and cultural influences can really have an impact on how hugs and kisses are used in someone’s life. For general safety hugging and kissing is presented in the following way:
You can hug friends, family and teachers IF you want to and ONLY if you ASK or are ASKED. You are allowed to say NO and that person needs to respect your wishes.
You can kiss family only IF you WANT TO. Best practice would be if you are asked. You are allowed to say NO and that person needs to respect your wishes. We discuss where on our body we receive kisses (Answer: head, hand, cheek, lips). We discuss why we may receive a kiss (Answer: Goodnight, going to school/work, hello/goodbye, ‘proud of you’ moments).
Discuss unsafe touches. We say these often cause us to have an “OW that hurt” reaction. We then also identify that sometimes unsafe touches might not hurt, but might make us feel “weird, yucky, uncomfortable, unsafe, awkward, inappropriate.”
Discuss private parts. We normalize that everyone has private parts and they are covered by our bathing suits, and no one is allowed to look at or touch them and the child is not allowed to look at or touch anyone else’s. If someone does touch private parts, it is a body emergency and it means they need to get help right away from a grownup they trust. We let the child know that it is not their fault and it is never too late to tell
Discuss the only reasons for a child to have their private parts touched or looked at is to keep them clean and healthy from a parent/guardian they trust or a doctor. Most of the 3rd + grade kids can clean themselves and we strongly encourage them to take care of their own body.
Discuss safe versus unsafe secrets.
Identify how to get help if the child is having a body emergency and who are safe adults at home and at school that they can talk to.
Take care,
Selene Stewart
Hoffman Principal
