Metropolitan School District of Decatur Township
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 and Federal law, 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.

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

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

 

A.

Unsafe conditions, crime prevention, school violence, bullying, drug use, 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 Safe School 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.

building administrators;

     
 

E.

the local emergency management service agency;

     
 

F.

School Resource Officer(s);

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

Safe School Committee’s Duty To Implement the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act

The Safe School Committee is responsible for implementing the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act. To ensure that the Corporation remains compliant with Federal law, the Safe School Committee shall:

 

A.

develop a drug-free school plan that:

     
 

1.

requires each school to collect and report drug related activities in the school, including suspensions, expulsions, exclusions, police actions, or any other type of drug related behavior; and

     
 

2.

addresses ways to eliminate illegal drugs and drug related behavior in schools;

     
 

B.

oversee the implementation of the school plan;

     
 

C.

oversee the implementation of the curriculum under I.C. 20-30-5-11 concerning the effects that alcoholic beverages, tobacco, prescription drugs, and controlled substances have on the human body and society at large.

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 Safe School 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 Safe School 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.

Corporation Police

The Board may establish a Corporation police department and may appoint police officers, prescribe their duties and direct the conduct of the police officers, prescribe distinctive uniforms, and provide emergency vehicles. An individual appointed as a Corporation police officer must successfully complete the training, as approved by the State Board of Education that will enable the officer to appropriately deal with individuals with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome, in addition to training prescribed by the Law Enforcement Training Board.

I.C. 5-2-10.1-12
I.C. 20-26-16
I.C. 20-26-5-31
I.C. 20-34-3-20-9
I.C. 20-30-5-11
Title IX, Section 9532 of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
20 U.S.C. 7101 et seq., The Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (Title IV, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act)

Adopted 12/13/05
Revised 2/12/08
Revised 7/15/14
Revised 3/8/16
Revised 12/13/16
Revised 4/11/17

© Neola 2016