STUDENT SAFETY
| NORTHFIELD BOARD OF EDUCATION | FILE CODE: 5142 | ||||
| Northfield, New Jersey | X X | Monitored Mandated | |||
| Policy | X | Other Reasons | |||
The Northfield Board of Education recognizes the safety of its students as a consideration of utmost importance. The Superintendent of Schools shall consult law enforcement agencies, health and social service providers, emergency management planners and other school and community resources in the development of the plans, procedures and mechanisms for school safety. The Superintendent of Schools shall oversee development of a districtwide safety program with emphasis on accident prevention.
Facilities
The Superintendent of Schools shall maintain all facilities and equipment in proper condition to provide a safe learning environment, ensuring compliance with state law on the handling, labeling and storing of hazardous substances. Safety regarding all aspects of playground equipment and activity will be maintained and supervised in compliance to law and code.
Staff Education and Training
All teachers shall be familiar with the provisions of this program that particularly concern them.
The Superintendent of Schools shall inform all newly employed staff of school safety rules and regulations within 60 days of the effective date of their employment. All district employees will receive the appropriate inservice training to recognize and respond appropriately to safety concerns including emergencies and crises, in accordance with the district safety plans, procedures and mechanisms. The district safety plan will be updated annually and all employees will be notified of updates and changes to the safety plan in writing. Regulations concerning use and maintenance of eye protective devices shall be scrupulously enforced by all staff.
Student Supervision
The staff must maintain complete classroom and playground supervision during regular school hours. The Superintendent of Schools shall seek the cooperation of parents/guardians to prevent any children being unsupervised on school property during lunch hour and during morning arrival and afternoon dismissal times.
Further, the Superintendent of Schools shall seek the cooperation of the police and other appropriate agencies in providing for the safety of students on or around school property. The board shall adopt the necessary regulations governing supervision of student safety.
No student shall leave the school before the end of the school day without permission of the principal. No student shall run errands on school business off the school property.
A record shall be kept indicating the legal custodian of each student. Such custodian shall be responsible for informing the Superintendent of Schools of any change in the student’s custody. If one parent/guardian has been awarded custody of the student in a divorce, the other parent/guardian shall present to the principal a letter authorizing him/her to accompany the child from school before the child may be released. The principal may take reasonable steps to verify the letter. It is the responsibility of the person or agency having custody to inform the school that such authorization will be required.
Supervision of Students During Dismissal
be supervised according to the same protocol unless otherwise specified. The Superintendent of Schools is responsible for overseeing the development of protocols that are tailored to the age and needs of the students at each school facility. At a minimum these protocols shall include:
A. Staff assigned to supervise dismissal and their locations and responsibilities;
B. Where children will be retained awaiting appropriate escort and/or designated transportation;
C. Provisions for supervision when a parent/guardian is unable to pick up their child at the appropriate dismissal time;
D. Location and presence of municipal crossing guards. The board will review the dismissal procedures annually. Supervision of Non-bused Students at Dismissal The board shall require that the parent/guardian notify the school in advance of any arrangements for
students requiring appropriate escort or designated transportation. The board requires signed permission for
a student to be dismissed to walk home unescorted. All documented arrangements will be considered permanent for the entire school year. Parents/Guardians may alter arrangements upon prior written notification to the Superintendent of Schools or designee.
Parents/guardians leaving students at school that are to be escorted home will be reported to the proper
authorities. The Superintendent of Schools or designee is responsible for the collection of all dismissal arrangements requested by the parents/guardians. The Superintendent of Schools or designee is responsible for keeping a record of the dismissal arrangements and implementing the appropriate dismissal supervision in accommodation of these arrangements.
Notification of Dismissal Protocols The Superintendent of Schools or his designee shall ensure that parents are notified of the following:
A. School calendar including school closure and early dismissal dates and times; and any adjustments to the calendar;
B. The school dismissal policy;
C. Dismissal protocol for all bused students, non-bused students and students in after-school programs or activities;
D. Supervision arrangements for students at dismissal;
E. Emergency plan for supervision of students left at school;
F. After school program opportunities;
G. Procedures for enrolling students in after school programs. The parent/guardian is responsible for reviewing the school calendar and complying with all school dismissal
times and procedures. It is the parents/guardians responsibility to resume the custody of their child at the end of each school day.
The Superintendent of Schools will develop procedures:
A. For parents/guardians to provide signed acknowledgement of receipt of the school calendar, including all school closure and early dismissal dates, and the school dismissal policy and procedures,
B. For parents/guardians to indicate and define the circumstances that the student is to be released from the school’s care at dismissal,
C. For the collection and retention of all documents pertaining to receipt of calendar and escort/transportation arrangements.
Potentially Missing Children
Attendance practices, the dismissal precautions addressed in this policy and voluntary fingerprinting are part of the district’s effort toward early identification of potentially missing children.
The Superintendent of Schools will develop procedures that ensure cooperation with law enforcement for substances, weapons and safety. This may include cooperation with law enforcement in the activation of an “Amber Alert” which provides for the rapid dissemination of information, including a description of the missing child through broadcast media.
Release to an Individual Impaired by Drugs/Alcohol Prohibited
The board believes that allowing a child to be released into the custody of a parent/guardian or other authorized individual who appears to be impaired by drugs or alcohol can have tragic consequences. Therefore, the board prohibits release of a student into the custody of any person who appears to be physically and/or emotionally impaired to the extent that harm could come to the student if released to such a person. The Superintendent of Schools/designee shall make the final determination as to whether an individual is impaired.
Possessions
Parents/guardians are requested not to permit their children to bring expensive or fragile objects to school and to label or otherwise identify clothing, books and personal items. The board is not responsible for items destroyed or stolen from lockers.
Megan’s Law
Only law enforcement agencies in the community receive notification of the presence of Tier One offenders. The Superintendent of Schools and principals in affected schools shall receive notification from the county prosecutor’s office or local law enforcement officials when Tier Two or Tier Three sex offenders move into the district. Principals shall inform those employees/ volunteers whose duties regularly put them in a position to observe unauthorized persons on or near the property of the school. Principals shall determine who to notify on the basis of this definition, as well as on specific job duties carried out in their schools. If private vendors perform any of these functions, the Superintendent of Schools shall inform the vendor. Notification may include, but is not limited to:
A. Aides
B. Bus drivers
C. Coaches
D. Maintenance staff
E. Professional support staff
F. School level administrative staff
G. Security personnel
H. Teachers’ aides
I. Teachers
School personnel are notified only in their capacity as such and shall not disseminate information about an offender to anyone not specifically identified by the county prosecutor or Attorney General. Any school employee who does so may be disciplined. If a school employee has reason to believe that an offender who has been the subject of a notification is a danger to someone outside the school environs, he/she shall immediately contact the local law enforcement agency or the county prosecutor.
District personnel shall not notify the following of the presence of Tier Two or Tier Three offenders:
A. Members of PTO, PTA, HSA, etc.
B. Organizations using school facilities
C. Other schools
D. Press
The principal shall provide registration forms to any organization that uses the school facilities, including parent-teacher organizations, which wish to be notified by the county prosecutor’s office of the presence of a Tier Two or Tier Three offender in the community.
In addition to the school personnel identified by the principal, students and parents/guardians shall be notified of the presence of Tier Three offenders. The prosecutor’s office and local law enforcement shall supply the school with notices for them when a school is located in the area where a vulnerable population is likely to encounter a Tier Three offender. Dissemination of these notices shall be in accord with law and accomplished in cooperation with the county prosecutor’s office. Confidentiality shall be a prime consideration in all communications with students and parents/guardians, and all directives of the county prosecutor and Attorney General’s offices shall be observed.
When a student has been identified as a sex offender, all procedures of notification shall apply. When a parent/guardian has been identified as an offender, he/she may continue to participate in all appropriate parent/ guardian activities, unless prohibited by legal constraint.
Newly hired staff and newly enrolled students and their parents/guardians shall be trained and informed of the presence of Tier Two and Tier Three offenders, unless the county prosecutor has notified the principal that notice cannot be given.
Students and district employees shall not be liable in any civil or criminal action for providing or failing to provide information relevant to notification. The Superintendent of Schools shall prepare regulations to
implement this policy and all directives of the county prosecutor’s office to ensure careful adherence to Megan’s Law.
School Violence Awareness Week and Annual Public Hearing
The school shall observe “School Violence Awareness Week”. This week will include discussions, presentations, and training for both students and staff, focused on the topic of preventing violence in school. Law enforcement personnel will be invited to join school teaching staff presenting age appropriate opportunities for students to discuss issues including but not limited to conflict resolution, student diversity and tolerance.
The board of education shall hold a public hearing on violence and vandalism pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A: 1746 and N.J.A.C. 6A: 16-5.3. The requirements of the public hearing are covered in greater detail in file code 5131.5 of this manual.
Adopted: No date NJSBA Review/Update: November 2009; December 2010 Readopted: October 24, 2011
Key Words
Student Safety, Safety, Student Safety
Legal References: N.J.S.A. 2C:7-2 et seq. Registration and Notification of Release of Certain Offenders
N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5 Unlawful possession of weapons
N.J.S.A. 18A:6-2 Instruction in accident and fire prevention
N.J.S.A. 18A:16-2 Physical examinations; requirement
N.J.S.A. 18A:17-42, -43 and -45 through -48 Public School Safety Law
N.J.S.A. 18A:20-21 Supervisors and other employees
N.J.S.A. 18A:35-5 Maintenance of physical training courses; features
N.J.S.A. 18A:35-5.1
through -5.3 Lyme disease prevention; public school health curriculum
N.J.S.A. 18A:36-24 through -25 Missing children; legislative findings and declarations
N.J.S.A. 18A:36-29 et seq. Voluntary fingerprinting
N.J.S.A. 18A:40-12.1, -12.2 Protective eye devices required for teachers, students and visitors in certain cases
N.J.S.A. 18A:41-1 et seq. Fire drills and fire protection
N.J.S.A. 30:5B-26 through -29 Child care before and after school hours
N.J.S.A. 34:5A-1 et seq. Worker and Community Right to Know Act
N.J.S.A. 39:4-183.1a Traffic control devices
N.J.S.A. 52:27D-123.9 et seq. Definitions relative to playground safety
- 5:23-11 to 11.4 Playground Safety Subcode
- 6A:8-5.1 Graduation requirements
- 6A:16-1.1 et seq. Programs to Support Student Development See particularly:
- 6A:16-2.1, -5.1, -5.2, -5.5, -5.6, -5.7, -6.1,
-6.2, -6.4, -6.5
- 6A:19-10.1 et seq. Safety and Health Standards See particularly:
- 6A:19-10.2
- 6A:26-12.1 et seq. Operation and Maintenance of Facilities See particularly:
- 6A:26-12.2, -12.5
- 6A:27-11.1 et seq. Safety
Jerkins v. Anderson, 191 N.J. 285 (June 14, 2007)
Possible
| Cross References: | *1250 | Visitors |
| *1410 | Local units | |
| *3000/3010 | Concepts and roles in business and non-instructional operations; goals | |
| and objectives | ||
| *3516 | Safety | |
| 3530 | Insurance management | |
| *3541.33 | Transportation safety | |
| *4112.4 | Employee health |
*4131/4131.1 Staff development; inservice education/visitations/conferences *4212.4 Employee health *4231/4231.1 Staff development; inservice education/visitations/conferences *5020 Role of parents/guardians *5113 Absences and excuses *5124 Reporting to parents/guardians *5125 Student records *5131 Conduct/discipline *5131.5 Vandalism/violence *5131.6 Drugs, alcohol, tobacco (substance abuse) *5131.7 Weapons and dangerous instruments *5141.1 Accidents *5141.2 Illness *5141.4 Child abuse and neglect *5141.21 Administering medication *5145.12 Search and seizure *6114 Emergencies and disaster preparedness *6142.12 Career education
*Indicates policy is included in the Critical Policy Reference Manual.