Safe Environment

Please be assured that here at St. Bartholomew the Apostle, we are committed to ensuring a safe environment for all the children of our Academy and Parish. We view your children’s safety as our greatest responsibility and take that responsibility very seriously. Sandra Carroll, our Safe Environment Director, maintains and ensures that all St. Bartholomew Parish and Academy staff, teachers and volunteers are fully compliant with all Archdiocesan and state requirements, to include current background checks and fingerprinting.

ALL PARISHIONERS AND VOLUNTEERS WHO INTERACT WITH CHILDREN MUST COMPLETE SAFE ENVIRONMENT TRAINING AND BACKGROUND CHECKS BEFORE ANY PARISH OR SCHOOL EVENT.

To register for Protecting God's Children classes offered through the Archdiocese, please click here: www.virtus.org

In accordance with requirements set by the Archdiocese of Newark, all adults, staff, and volunteers involved with students must comply with the following:

1. Complete a volunteer application. Click here to print the application.
Return completed application to Sandra Carroll c/o Religious
   Education Office.

2. Read "Archdiocese of Newark Policies on Professional & Ministerial
Conduct." Click here to download a copy.

3. Sign up and attend a PGC Workshop. At the time of registration, Verified
   Volunteers will conduct a background check.

You must be pre-registered using VIRTUS to attend.
If you have any questions, contact Sandra Carroll at [email protected] or (908) 322-5192 ext. 131.

First Time Attending A Workshop

1. You must preregister to attend a class at www.Virtus.org.
2. Click on the first-time registrant.
3. Choose Newark, NJ (Archdiocese)
4. When prompted, you must indicate St. Bartholomew as the
the location where you will be volunteering.

How to Renew Certification

Volunteers must recertify every 3 years and have a background check every 5 years. There are 3 options to recertify.

1. Take the original PGC class again. (Good for 3 additional years)
2. Take the "Keeping the Promise Alive" recertification class
(90 min and good for 3 years)
3. Online recertification. If you choose to recertify online, you are required to
read 1 month's article and complete a short module online every year.
Please contact Sandra Carroll to arrange this option at [email protected]

Safe Environment

For more information, please contact:

How to Report Abuse

Protecting God's Children