Sterling Schools CUSD #5                                                                                                                 4.170

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4.170 (edited May, 1993)                                            Operational Services

 

Safety

 

Safety Program

 

All District operations, including the education program, shall be conducted in manner that will promote the safety of everyone on District property or at a District event. 

 

The Superintendent or designee shall develop and implement a comprehensive safety and crisis plan incorporating both avoidance and management guidelines.  The comprehensive safety and crisis plan shall specifically include provisions for:  injury prevention, bomb threats, weapons and explosives on campus, school safety drill program, tornado protection, instruction in safe bus riding practices, emergency aid, post-crisis management, and responding to medical emergencies at an indoor physical fitness facility.  During each academic year, each school building must conduct a minimum of:

1.      Three school evacuation drills,

2.      One bus evacuation drill, and

3.      One severe weather and shelter-in-place drill.

                  A law enforcement drill is optional.

In the event of an emergency that threatens the safety of any person or property, students and staff are encouraged to use any available cellular telephone.  A school bus driver is prohibited from operating a school bus while using a cellular telephone, except: (1) during an emergency situation, (2) to call for assistance if there is a mechanical problem, (3) where a cellular telephone is owned by the school district and used as a two-way radio, and (4) when the school bus is parked.

 

Child Sex Offender and Notification Laws

 

State law prohibits a child sex offender from being present on school property or loitering within 500 feet of school property when persons under the age of 18 are present, unless the offender is:

1.   A parent/guardian of a student attending the school and the parent/guardian is:  (i) attending a conference at the school with school personnel to discuss the progress of his or her child academically or socially, (ii) participating in child review conferences in which evaluation and placement decisions may be made with respect to his or her child regarding special education services, or (ii) attending conferences to discuss other student issues concerning his or her child such as retention and promotion and notifies the Building Principal of his or her presence at the school, or

2.   Has permission to be present from the School Board, Superintendent or Superintendent’s designee.  If permission is granted, the Superintendent or Board President shall provide the details of the offender’s upcoming visit to the Building Principal. 

 

In all cases, the Superintendent, or designee who is a certified employee, shall supervise a sex offender whenever the offender is in a child’s vicinity.

 

If a student is a sex offender, the Superintendent or designee shall develop guidelines for managing his or her presence in school.

 

The Superintendent shall develop procedures for the distribution and the use of information from law enforcement officials under the Sex Offender Community Notification Law and the Child Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Community Notification Law. The Superintendent or designee shall serve as the District contact person for purposes of these laws. 

 

The Superintendent and Building Principal shall manage a process for schools to notify the parents/guardians during school registration that information about sex offenders is available to the public as provided in the Sex Offender Community Notification Law.  This notification must occur during school registration and at other times as the Superintendent or Building Principal determines advisable.

 

All contracts with the School District that may involve an employee or agent of the contractor having any contact, direct or indirect, with a student, shall contain the following:

 

The contractor shall not send to any school building or school property any employee or agent who would be prohibited from being employed by the District due to conviction of a crime listed in 105 ILCS 5/10-21.9 or who is listed in the Statewide Sex Offender Registry or the Statewide Violent Offender Against Youth Database.  The contractor shall obtain a fingerprint-based criminal history records check before sending any employee or agent to any school building or a school property investigation.  Additionally, at least quarterly, the contractor shall check if an employee or agent is listed on the Statewide Sex Offender Registry or the Statewide Violent Offender Against Youth Database. 

 

Unsafe School Choice Option

The unsafe school choice option allows students to transfer to another District school or to a public charter school within the District.  The unsafe school choice option is available to:

1.      All students attending a persistently dangerous school, as defined by State law and identified by the Illinois State Board of Education.

2.      Any student who is a victim of a violent criminal offense, as defines by 725 ILCS 120/3, that occurred on school grounds during regular school hours or during a school sponsored event.

The Superintendent or designee shall develop procedures to implement the unsafe school choice option.

 

Student Insurance

 

The Board of Education shall annually designate a company to offer student accident insurance coverage.  The Board does not endorse the plan nor recommend that parents/guardians secure the coverage and any contract is between the parent/guardians and the company. Students who participate in athletics, cheerleading, or pompons must have school accident insurance unless the parents/guardians state in writing that the student is covered under a family health insurance plan.

 

Emergency Closing

 

The Superintendent is authorized to close the schools in the event of hazardous weather or other emergencies that threaten the safety of students, staff members, or school property. 

 

LEGAL REF.:        105 ILCS 5/10-20.28, 5/10-21.3a, 5/10-21.19, and 128.

                              210 ILCS 74.

                              625 ILSC 5/12-813.1

                              730 ILCS 152/101 et seq.

                       

CROSS REF.:      5:30, 6:190, 6:250, 7:220, 7:300, 8.30, 8:100

 

Adopted:       April 26, 1996

Revised:       June 28, 2000

Revised:       December 18, 2002

Revised:       June 23, 2004

Revised:       August 24, 2005

Revised:       December 14, 2005

Revised:       January 24, 2007