SAFE SCHOOLS POLICY
1.4.5
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND COMPLIANCE
This policy is adopted by the Millis Public School Committee as required by M.G.L.
Chapter 71, Section 37h, for purposes of notifying members of the public, students,
teachers and other staff of the District's Standards and Procedures to assure
school building security and safety of students and school personnel. This policy
is intended to be in accordance with standards for classroom safety adopted by the
Board of Education pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 69, Section 1B which standards are
incorporated by reference herein.
STANDARDS OF SAFETY AND SECURITY
The community shall encourage the creation and maintenance of a safe and secure
learning environment will be enhanced by the provision of sufficient resources for
procurement and maintenance of appropriate safety personnel and devices.
Administration, staff and students in each school building shall strive to create
an educational environment which is reasonably safe and secure in order to:
Facilitate learning and teaching
Preserve the physical and mental well being of all lawful occupants of the
building
PROCEDURES TO MEET STANDARDS
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
The Superintendent shall cause to be undertaken an assessment of current safety
standards and procedures.
The assessment of current standards and procedures will be accomplished by the
Superintendent, building principals and other district personnel who shall review
current practices with appropriate police contacts, the school district's insurer
and district counsel in addition to other parties whom the Superintendent and
building principals determine to have relevant information.
The Superintendent or his/her designee shall collect, review and disseminate an
assessment report of current safety standards to the same individuals consulted
during the information gathering process and to the School Committee.
The parties receiving the assessment report shall promptly review the report,
meet, confer and make recommendations to the Superintendent and Committee as to
necessary changes to the existing safety and security practices of the district.
The Superintendent shall issue a final report to all individuals involved in the
assessment of current safety practices.
The process of assessing safety and security procedures shall be continuous and a
formal assessment as outlined in steps A 1 through 5 above shall occur not less
than once every three years.
COMMITTEE ACTION
The Committee shall review the Superintendent's final report and discuss its
contents with the Superintendent and other district administrators prior to making
any changes to existing policies or procedure by duly recorded vote.
Prior to adopting recommendations or changes to existing policy the Committee
shall receive from the Superintendent or his/her designee an estimate of the costs,
if any, associated with the implementation of the policy change or recommendation.
Upon adoption of amended or new safety policies the Committee shall cause a copy
of the policy and standards to be forwarded to the Board of Education.
The Committee shall annually, as part of its budget process, identify safety and
security needs and request appropriations for maintenance of safety or security
personnel, devices or equipment for all school buildings.
Factors to be
considered in making requests for appropriations for safety and security devices,
equipment and personnel include but are expressly not limited to the present system
of advising students and staff or safety concerns, placement in school buildings of
security devices such as, for example, locking doors, cameras, metal or motion
detectors and other devices to monitor or restrict access to school buildings;
increased use of personnel such as attendance or security officers, lighting, escort
services for evening activities, placement of emergency telephones in designated
locations, practices related to the regular inspection of and reporting on the
condition of the premises, design or architectural features which advance or inhibit
safety, procedures for maintaining an ongoing process for reporting complaints to
local law enforcement officials and procedure for reference and criminal records
checks of employees.
First School
Committee reading: 3/7/00
Second School
Committee reading: 3/21/00