Child Protection
As a school community, Colegio Maya is committed to providing a safe and caring learning environment. We have recently been working hard to ensure students are safe from abuse, violence, and exploitation.
We recognize that our children’s safety depends on our employing the best possible people. All applications for both academic and non-academic positions are carefully reviewed and all employees joining our professional community must provide accurate pre-screening information about their visa, study, health, and work history, including any aspects of their past or profile, that could affect the reputation of Maya or the well-being of those already in the school.
Below is an overview of the measures in place and appropriate precautions we take to ensure the safety of all members of our community. This is accomplished through three key areas: screening, monitoring, and control.
Screening: Background Checks
All adults at Colegio Maya, whether employed in a full-time or part-time capacity by the school, or working through external providers, are screened according to a standard protocol. In all cases, this includes a verified criminal/police background check and health check. For Colegio Maya employees, it includes reference checks. Full-time teachers must also provide a degree verification (submitted directly from the university), a statement of employment from their current school, and all original transcripts and diplomas.
Monitoring: Code of Conduct
Following the pre-screening and hiring process, employees who have accepted an offer of employment and provided all necessary documentation must attend a training on Sexual Harassment and Child and Youth protection as well as signing a Code of Conduct. This document, developed in collaboration with ICMEC, provides clear policies and procedures governing interaction with other adults and children. Failure to follow these results in support and monitoring, formal reprimands, suspension, non-renewal of contracts, and/or immediate dismissal.
Campus Security
Beyond our focus on people at the core of our safety standards, Colegio Maya maintains a highly secure campus. While our full procedures and resources are not made public to ensure their integrity, the following measures can be identified:
- Single-point entry/exit with ID exchange and bag checks
- CCTV system
- Regular and irregular security patrols
- School clinic with a trained professional doctor
- First aid training for academic and non-academic staff members
- Comprehensive protocols for emergency and non-emergency situations both on and off-campus
- Announced and unannounced safety drills for both internal and external threats
- Direct contact with the US embassy and marines, and contact with other major embassies
Visitor Guidelines
We’re always delighted to share our learning with people from outside the Colegio Maya community. However, we strongly believe in ensuring that our values and safeguarding standards guide us as we welcome others to our campus. To support this we require all visitors to follow these guidelines:
- Submit a valid government-issued ID to receive a visitor badge
- Review the evacuation map and guidelines posted at the entrance
- Wear the visitor badge at all times while on the campus and avoid disrupting ongoing learning
- Act in line with our values at all times
- Follow the instructions of Colegio Maya faculty and staff members