Office of Safe Environment

The Diocese of La Crosse is committed to helping victims and survivors

of sexual abuse and dedicated to protecting our children.

May 29, 2026

Online training is being updated for the 2026-27 fiscal year.  Any online training completed in June of 2026 will not be accepted for 2026-27 training.  

As a reminder, all paid staff and those with consistent contact with minors must be background checked and trained before they begin working or volunteering at a school or parish.

March 2026, Wisconsin Act 89 was signed into law, requiring all public, private and charter schools to adopt a policy governing communications between employees or volunteers and students.    

Our schools must be committed to maintaining appropriate professional boundaries between employees, volunteers and students.  Clear standards for communications help protect students from grooming, exploitation and other professional boundary violations while supporting the School’s educational mission.

Employees and volunteers should communicate with students through school-approved platforms.  Private one-on-one electronic communication with students should be avoided unless necessary for legitimate school purposes and consistent with school policy and guidelines.

Consequences for a violation of policy may include, but are not limited to:

• Verbal or written warning;
• Required training or corrective action:
• Suspension or administrative leave;
• Removal from volunteer services;
• Termination of employment; and or 
• Banishment from school property.

This communication policy applies only when the employee or volunteer is acting in their official capacity.  Students covered under this policy are all students, not just students enrolled where the employee or volunteer works, including students who are homeschooled.   It applies to communications that occur both during and outside of school hours. 

Are you using a private email for parish business, ie  Teresabrown01!@gmail.com ?  If you leave the position, the next person does not have access to those parish emails.   Parish staff and volunteers should be using a Diocesan email. 

Examples of good email addresses are:  

Office@hcpcor.diolcparish.org

dre@stpatrickonalaska.com

finance@stpatricksparta.net

Have you made changes to the Safe Environment contact at your parish or school for the 2026-27 year?  If so, please send the updated contact information to Christian at ckuehner@diolc.org or Teresa tbrown@diolc.org

In person Safe Environment Training have been scheduled at the following locations:
August 17, in the am at Menomonie
August 18 9:00 St. Paul – Bloomer
August 18 1:00 pm and 5:30 pm at Chippewa Falls McDonell

August 19 9:30 am, Noon and 6:00 pm at  Wausau Newman
August 20 10:00 am Prairie Catholic – Prairie du Chien
August 25 time tbd at Stanley

August 26 2:00 pm and 6:00 pm St. Mary – Colby

August 27 10:30 – 5:15 pm at St. Charles – Genoa

If you would like an in person or Zoom training, contact Christian or Teresa.

PLEASE NOTE: When filing forms online, an accessible email is REQUIRED to complete the submission process! The email you enter will receive a copy of submitted form for participant records and a link that MUST BE CLICKED to confirm completion. Without confirming receipt of the submission through the emailed link, the submission will not be completed! Any questions about this can be directed to Christian Kuehner at (608) 791-2673.