East Muskingum Local School District
Bylaws & Policies
 

8400 - SCHOOL SAFETY

The Board of Education is committed to maintaining a safe and drug-free environment in all of the District’s schools. The Board believes that school crime and violence are multifaceted problems that need to be addressed in a manner that utilizes all available resources in the community through a coordinated effort of School District personnel, law enforcement agencies, and families. The Board further believes that school administrators and local law enforcement officials must work together to provide for the safety and welfare of students while they are at school or a school-related event or are on their way to and from school. The Board also believes that the first step in addressing school crime and violence is to assess the extent and nature of the problem(s) or threat, and then plan and implement strategies that promote school safety and minimize the likelihood of school crime and violence.

Emergency Management Plan ("EMP")

To that end, the Superintendent shall develop and adopt a comprehensive Emergency Management Plan ("EMP") for each building under his/her control. In developing the EMP for each building, the Superintendent shall involve community law enforcement and safety officials, parents of students who are assigned to the building, and teachers and nonteaching employees assigned to the building.

In developing the EMP, the Superintendent shall examine the environmental conditions and operations of each building to determine potential hazards to student and staff safety. The Superintendent shall further propose operating changes to promote the prevention of potentially dangerous problems and circumstances. The Superintendent shall incorporate remediation strategies into the EMP for any building where documented safety problems have occurred.

Each EMP will include:

 

A.

protocols for addressing serious threats and emergency events that affect the safety of school property, students, employees, or administrators;

   
 

These protocols will include appropriate procedures for responding to these threats and emergencies, such as notifying law enforcement, contacting specified emergency response personnel, and alerting parents of affected students.

   
 

B.

a floor plan unique to each floor of the building;

   
 

C.

a site plan that includes all building property and surrounding property; and

   
 

D.

an emergency contact information sheet.

The Superintendent shall prepare and conduct at least one (1) annual emergency management test, in accordance with rules adopted by the Ohio Department of Education (ODE). By July 1st of every year, the Superintendent shall review the EMPs s/he previously developed and adopted, and certify in writing to the ODE that the EMPs are current and accurate.

The Superintendent shall submit an electronic copy of each EMP s/he developed and adopted to the ODE not less than once every three (3) years, whenever a major modification to the building requires changes to the procedures outlined in the EMP, and whenever the information on the emergency contact information sheet changes. No later than the date prescribed by ODE, the Superintendent shall also file a copy of the current, updated EMP with the following:

 

A.

each law enforcement agency that has jurisdiction over the school building

   
 

B.

upon request, the local fire department, emergency medical service organization, and county emergency management agency serving the area in which the building is located

The Superintendent will also file copies of an updated EMP with ODE and the above agencies within ten (10) days after s/he adopts the revised EMP.

The EMP is not a public record.

The Superintendent shall grant access to each school building under his/her control to law enforcement personnel and any local fire department, emergency medical service organization, and/or county emergency management agency that has requested a copy of the EMP, to enable such personnel and entities to conduct training sessions for responding to threats and emergency events affecting the school building. Such access shall be provided outside of student instructional hours and the Superintendent or designee shall be present in the building during the training sessions.

Prior to the opening day of each school year, the Superintendent shall inform each enrolled student and the student's parent of the procedures to be used to notify parents in the event of an emergency or a serious threat to safety. Also, see Policy 8420 - Emergency Situations at School.

Safe and Drug Free Schools

As a part of the EMP, the Board shall verify that it has procedures in place for keeping schools safe and drug-free that include (see also, Form 8330 F15 entitled Checklist of Policies and Guidelines Addressing No Child Left Behind Act of 2001):

 

A.

appropriate and effective school discipline policies that prohibit disorderly conduct, the illegal possession of weapons and the illegal use, possession, distribution, and sale of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs by students;

   
 

B.

security procedures at school and while students are on the way to and from school;

   
 

C.

prevention activities that are designed to maintain safe, disciplined and drug-free environments;

   
 

D.

a code of conduct or policy for all students that clearly states the responsibilities of students, teachers, and administrators in maintaining a classroom environment that:

   
 

1.

allows a teacher to communicate effectively to all students in the class;

   
 

2.

allows all students in the class the opportunity to learn;

   
 

3.

has consequences that are fair, and developmentally appropriate;

   
 

4.

considers the student and the circumstances of the situation; and

   
 

5.

is enforced accordingly.

Persistently Dangerous Schools

The Board recognizes that State and Federal law requires that the District report annually incidents which meet the statutory definition of violent criminal offenses that occur in a school, on school grounds, on a school conveyance, or at a school-sponsored activity. It is further understood that the State Department of Education will then use this data to determine whether or not a school is considered "persistently dangerous" as defined by State policy.

Pursuant to the Board’s stated intent to provide a safe school environment, the school administrators are expected to respond appropriately to any and all violations of the Student Code of Conduct, especially those of a serious, violent nature.

In the unexpected event that the number of reportable incidents in three (3) consecutive school years exceeds the statutory threshold and the school is identified as persistently dangerous, students attending the school shall have the choice option as provided in Policy 5113.02 and AG 5113.02.

In addition, the Superintendent shall convene a meeting of the building administrator, representative(s) of the local law enforcement agencies, and any other individuals deemed appropriate for the purpose of developing a plan of corrective action that can be implemented in an effort to reduce the number of these incidents in the subsequent year.

If a school in a neighboring district is identified as persistently dangerous and there is not another school in that district, the District will admit students from that school in accordance with Board Policy 5113.02.

Victims of Violent Crime

The Board further recognizes that, despite the diligent efforts of school administrators and staff to provide a safe school environment, an individual student may be a victim of a violent crime in a school, on school grounds, on a school conveyance, or at a school-sponsored activity. In accordance with Federal and State law the parents of the eligible student shall have the choice options provided by Policy 5113.02 and AG 5113.02.

R.C. 3313.536
Title IX, Section 9532 of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.
Public Law 107-110

Adopted 2/8/07
Revised 7/10/08
Revised 11/13/08
Revised 11/12/09
Revised 11/14
Revised 4/9/15

© Neola 2015