A Safe Sitter Class will be offered at PHS from October 7 to 9 for students in grades 6-8. School Health Coordinator Jamie Walker will lead the class, teaching babysitting skills, childcare training, and home-alone safety.
The course follows the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association guidelines. The program was initially started by Dr. Patricia Keener, who created the course for Park Tudor School in Indianapolis to help students have better babysitting skills. Walker has taught the course since she took on the role in 2021. The SAMHSA grant, a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, usually pays for a $100 course, but it will be free of charge to all Orange County students.
“Students will earn a safe sitter certification. The class involves skills around babysitting itself such as diapering, CPR, choking relief, age-appropriate activities, and safety for students and the person they are sitting with. They also learn how to accept a job, interview skills, turn down a job, set pay rates, and keep themselves safe on the job,” said Walker.
You can find more information at safesitter.org. Families interested in registering their students for the free course should email Walker to register or contact the guidance office. Walker’s email is [email protected].
