8400 - SCHOOL SAFETY

Franklin Community School Corporation

Bylaws & Policies

8400 - SCHOOL SAFETY

The Board of School Trustees is committed to maintaining a safe environment in all of the Corporation’s schools. To that end, in accordance with State law,

	A.	the Corporation shall establish a Safe School Committee for the entire Corporation, the composition of which shall be in accordance with the Superintendent's guidelines.

	B.	the Safe School Committee shall be a subcommittee of the committee that develops the Corporation's strategic and continuous school improvement and achievement plan.

Each School Safety Committee may include at least one (1) member who is a member of the school or Corporation career and technical education school.

The School Safety Committee shall be responsible for developing a plan that addresses the following issues:

	A.	Unsafe conditions, crime prevention, school violence, bullying, and other issues that prevent the maintenance of safe schools.

	B.	Professional development needs for faculty and staff to implement methods that decrease problems identified above.

	C.	Methods to encourage involvement by the community and students, development of relationships between students and school faculty and staff, and use of problem solving teams.

	D.	Provide a copy of the floor plans for each building that clearly indicates each exit, the interior rooms and hallways, and the location of any hazardous materials located in the building to the local law enforcement agency and the fire departments that have jurisdiction over the school. The Corporation shall not disclose any record or part of any record if the disclosure of which would have a reasonable likelihood of threatening public safety by compromising the Corporation’s security.

In developing the plan, the School Safety Committee may seek input from representatives of the following:

	A.	local law enforcement agencies;

	B.	the local Fire Marshal(s) or his/her designee(s);

	C.	emergency medical services;

	D.	a member of the Board;

	E.	building administrators;

	F.	the local emergency management service agency;

	G.	School Resource Officer(s).

The Superintendent shall recommend the approval and adoption of the Corporation's plan.

Security Police Training

In the case of a special police officer who is assigned as a security police officer for the Corporation, the Board shall require that the police officer receives training and education, approved by the State Board of Education, that will enable the police officer to appropriately deal with individuals with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome.

Persistently Dangerous Schools

The Board recognizes that State and Federal law requires that the Corporation 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 Corporation's 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 any year where the number of reportable incidents of violent criminal offenses in any school exceeds the threshold number established in State policy, the Superintendent shall refer this to the School Safety Committee for the Corporation so that a plan of corrective action can be developed and implemented in an effort to reduce the number of these incidents in the subsequent year.

When developed, the Superintendent shall make a report to the Board about this plan of corrective action and recommend approval and adoption of it.

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 meet with the School Safety Committee for the Corporation, discuss the school’s designation as a persistently dangerous school, and develop a plan of corrective action that can be implemented in an effort to reduce the number of these incidents in the subsequent year.

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.

I.C. 5-2-10.1-12, 20-26-16, 20-26-5-31, 20-34-3-20-9
Title IX, Section 9532 of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001

Adopted 8/11/08
Revised 4/11/16