If CTP or EGC Lesson 1 was not taught last year (2022-2023) your site is responsible for teaching both EGC Lessons 1 & 2 in the early fall (2023). This means you will need to follow the directions listed on this page for both Lesson 1 & 2, which is 2 hours of culminated teaching time. If you have any questions about how to do this, email Abby Turner (see contact info above).

Teaching Empowering God’s Children Lesson 2: Safe Adults, Safe Touches and Special Safe Adults.

Lesson 2 should be taught to all grade levels by May 5th, 2024.
This year (2023-2024), all grade levels will be taught Empowering Gods Children, Lesson 2. The lesson plan is found on VIRTUS.org under the Educators Tab and is grade-level specific.
 

Once a date is determined to teach this 1-hour lesson:

Step 1: Read over all materials on VIRTUS.org, Educators Tab.

• Read the Program Overview of the Teaching Safety – Empowering God’s Children Program.
• Read through the Teaching Boundaries and Safety Guide.
• OPTIONAL: Request to be assigned and complete the Lesson Leader Orientation and Certification Module. This training teaches you what to do and how to react if a child discloses abuse.
  • Request this training by emailing [email protected].

Step 2: Decide how you will teach this 1-hour lesson.

• Go to VIRTUS.org and click "Download" to download the Lesson 2 plan for the grade level you will be teaching.
• Go through the activities and decide which ones will work best for that group of children and the facility you will be teaching in.
• Choose enough activities that the full hour will be taken to teach the lesson. Give yourself some wiggle room for questions and discussion.
• This lesson is very customizable. If you would like help to format your lesson, please contact [email protected].

Step 3: Two weeks prior to the lesson, email the parents the following documents (can be printed if necessary):

• The Program Overview of the Teaching Safety – Empowering God’s Children Program.
• The Teaching Boundaries and Safety Guide.
• The Opt-out form.
  • If parents choose to opt-out of the lesson, please have them fill this form out and give it back to you.
• OPTIONAL: Let parents know that if they would like to be assigned the Lesson Leader Orientation and Certification Module, they are more than welcome to request it by emailing [email protected]. This lesson helps teach what to do if a child discloses abuse.

Step 4: Teach the 1-hour lesson to the children. Teaching this program helps children stay safer; thank you for your dedication to the wellbeing and safety of the children within our diocese.

Step 5: Record the training as soon as possible when done teaching.

• Login to VIRTUS.org and go to the Educators Tab
• Click “Record Training” on the left.
• Click “Add a new training record.”
• Fill out the blanks accordingly.
• Click “Create Acknowledgement and Continue” and save the document within your records (either virtual or printed).
• Click “Record Training”