5142P Safety

PROPOSED POLICY LANGUAGE CHANGES FROM CABE
                                                                                        5142P

                                                                                STUDENTS

                                    STUDENT SAFETY

The Board of Education (Board) shall strive to build safe, supportive, and academically
challenging school learning environments in partnership with students, staff members
and families. The Board shall develop and adopt a mission statement that promotes a
safe and secure environment for learning. Such mission statement shall emphasize
respect, caring, and high academic achievement.

The Board shall ensure that all facilities, grounds, equipment, and vehicles meet
acceptable injury and violence prevention standards for design, installation, use and
maintenance.

Student safety shall be a priority of all school district personnel through close
supervision of students in all school buildings and grounds and through special attention
to:

1.     Maintenance of safe school environments through conducting regular safety
       vulnerability and hazard assessments of all school facilities, school grounds,
       sports-related equipment and vehicles used to transport students. Security and
       vulnerability assessments shall be conducted every two years, resulting in a
       school safety plan for each school, based upon the assessment results.
2.     Safe practices by school personnel and students – particularly in instructional
       areas or in extracurricular activities presenting special hazards.
3.     Development of school programs and activities consistent with appropriate
       abilities and limitations of students at each age level.
4.     Offering safety education to students germane to particular subjects, such as
       laboratory courses in science, industrial arts, and health and physical education.
5.     Appropriate first aid care for students in case of accident or sudden illness.
6.     Adequacy of emergency response procedures at each school in the District (first
       aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, infection control security).
7.     Development, adoption and implementation of a code of conduct and other
       appropriate rules that are designed to promote health and safety and prevent
       unintended injury, harassment, bullying and other forms of violence. Such code
       shall prohibit the use and possession of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs and
       weapons and dangerous instruments at school.


STUDENT SAFETY                                                                  Page 1 of 3
8.         Training exercises for all school staff designed to help them maintain a positive
           climate for learning and to effectively enforce safety and discipline rules.
9.         Requiring the District and its individual schools to have safety and security plans
           which serve as a guide to address the various safety needs in the school, such as
           lockdown procedures, evacuations, drills and safety protocols, and personnel
           assignments. The school security and safety plan for each of the District’s schools
           shall annually be submitted to the Department of Emergency Services and Public
           Protection.
10.        Conducting regular audits (at least annually) to evaluate and analyze the
           effectiveness of each school’s safety and security plans. First responders, local
           law enforcement and the entire school community shall be involved in this
           process. Law enforcement and local public safety officials shall evaluate all fire
           and crisis response drills.
11.        Communicating with parents/guardians and community members about
           school-level emergency preparedness protocols to the greatest extent possible.
12.        Providing regular training for all school employees on the Districts’ school
           emergency management systems and protocols, as well as violence prevention
           training.
13.        Creating a partnership between schools, local law enforcement and appropriate
           community agencies, including mental health, to prevent and reduce school
           violence.
14.        Establishing a school security and safety committee at each school. Such
           committee shall be responsible for assisting in the development of the school’s
           security and safety plan and administering such plan.
15.        Assistance of the safe school climate committee at each school, originally
           established to address issues related to bullying in the school, to also collect,
           evaluate, and report information relating to instances of disturbing or
           threatening behavior that may not meet the statutory definition of bullying.



                                        STUDENT SAFETY

The Superintendent of Schools shall implement rules and regulations governing
student’s safety. These rules and regulations shall include the following points:

      1.   Regular inspection of school grounds and buildings for safety hazards.
      2.   Establishment of safety rules and regulations.
      3.   Involvement of all students and school personnel accountable for safety.
      4.   Involvement of all related outside groups such as: the Fire Department, Police
           Department, Civil Defense, and Health Department (when services are under the
           auspices of the Board of Education).

STUDENT SAFETY                                                                       Page 2 of 3
   5. Development of a curriculum for instruction in safety techniques and accident
      prevention.
   6. Recommendation of policies and procedures applicable to emergency situations.
   7. Recommendation of policies and procedures for training in first aid.
   8. Development of clearly defined written procedures and standing orders for the
      care of students who become which or injured at school. Members of the school
      staff, as well as the school administrator, school medical advisor and school
      nurse should participate in developing such procedures which should be
      recommended for approval by the Board of Education.

       The school shall be responsible for first aid only, i.e., the immediate care given to
       a student whose sickness or injury occurs on the school premises during school
       hours or in school sponsored and supervised activities. Specific members of the
       school staff trained in first aid should be designated by the Principal to care for
       emergencies when the school nurse or medical advisor is not on the premises.
       Selection of personnel to provide first aid should be in accordance with local
       approved policies.

Early Dismissal of Students

No school or grade may be dismissed before the regular hour for dismissal without the
approval of the Superintendent of Schools.

(cf. 5113 – Attendance and Excuses)
(cf. 5141.1/5141.2 – Accidents/Illness)

Legal Reference:      Connecticut General Statutes

                      10-16b Prescribed courses of study (re health and safety courses)
                      10-24 Course in motor vehicle operation and highway safety
                      10-221 Board of education to prescribe rules
                      52-577b Immunity from liability for emergency medical
                      assistance, first aid or medication by injection. School personnel
                      not required to administer or render

POLICY ADOPTED:       July 9, 2002
REVISED:              June 9, 2020

COLCHESTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Colchester, Connecticut




STUDENT SAFETY                                                                  Page 3 of 3