1. Does the school have a Team Assigned Specifically to Student Safety? If so, who is on this team?
Assumption does have a School Safety team, which includes teachers, our school nurse, principal, maintenance men, Deacons and the local police and fire departments. We also deal directly with the Archdiocese of St. Louis in any emergency situation.
2. Does the school have a current safety policy? It is not on the school website.
a) We do have a complete Safety Binder which includes procedures and expectations for each emergency. The full faculty and staff reviews this annually. This is located in the school office. We do not post this information, as there is sensitive material that is best not seen by others.
b) In addition, our faculty and staff are trained each year in every area of safety (This includes substitute teachers.) In alternate years August (2023), again, the full faculty and staff will be trained by the head of Safety and Operations through the Archdiocese in Intruder/ Lock Down, Fire, Earthquake and Tornado drills.
c) Each year, faculty are trained and certificated in Youth Mental Health Awareness and Safety. This program trained us to be aware of behaviors that can signal issues for a student (suicide) or within a school (safety).
d) Twice per year, we have 6 faculty/staff members trained in CPR/AED. We also have secretaries, the principal and nurses trained in medications and first aid. (This training cycles through 2 x per year, so we have as many adults trained as possible.)
e) All faculty/staff handbooks include the directions and maps for exit routes and safety, and also the lesson plans for each emergency - along with videos created by the Diocese of St. Louis. The videos are made available to parents prior to student viewing.
f) Each classroom has maps posted with exit routes for each emergency. At the beginning of each year, faculty pint out the maps and explain their purpose. Each classroom has a “Safety Bucket” which is taken on each drill and includes first aid items, rosters of students names, medical info, and parent names and numbers.
g) On the first half day in August, all students are trained in each emergency category: Intruder, Lock Down, Fire, Tornado and Earthquake. Students watch movies prepared by the Archdiocese, are introduced to our emergency plans by teachers, then have an active practice for each emergency. The lesson plans are approved through the Diocese then, annually, the Assumption Safety Committee revises our local materials.
h) Fire Drills occur every month and in September the Fire Department comes to observe and review, and make suggestions for our process.
i) Tornado and Earthquake drills occur 2 times per year. Again, students view videos for each emergency, review lesson plans, and practice.
j) Intruder Drill / LockDown Drills are scheduled 2X per year and the police are here to observe and review our process each time. Again, videos developed by the Diocese are watched, lesson plans approved by the diocese are reviewed and lastly, all are involved in the actual drill.
k) Annually, we contact the local public school district to ensure use of their buses in the event of an emergency.
3. Does our school have a threat assessment protocol? As well as a protocol to enhance security/ prevent (Mass shooting contagion) "copycat" events after news of school shootings have been announced on news media platforms?
a) Our protocol for assessment of situations comes either through a call from the police (if the issue is within the area) and internally, we use a means of communication including classroom telephones (each room), PA system throughout the school (but can also be used area by area, if needed), and walkie-talkies; each teacher also has cell phones to contact administration and teachers.
b) We follow the Archdiocesan Emergency /Safety and Operations Manual. This is reviewed annually by the Diocese, and then prepared by our local Safety Committee for revision of our local handbooks/plans/procedures as needed.
c) Our platform for distribution of information to parents is Teacher Ease, which includes texts and phone calling (auto dialing). We do use this system for other purposes as well, such as snow days. Of course, the police and fire departments are contacted immediately, when circumstances arise.
d) All emergencies are also reported directly to the director of Safety Operations at the Diocese of St. Louis (after police/fire). The fire department is automatically contacted when a fire alarm goes off (regardless of the reality of the fire).
4. What are the building’s safety measures in place?
a) Each door is locked at 8AM and checked. Recently, the Business manager had all doors checked/repaired for immediate lock upon entry – this included assurance that no door sticks or remains open after entry. We are investigating a safety film for entrances and lower level windows, which, when shot at, will not shatter, delaying entry to the building (May, 2023). Our plan is to install 3M film in 23-24.
b) All main building lobby and hallway glass panels have been coated with “darkening film”, so that outsiders have difficulty seeing into the building. c) At lunch, any family wishing to eat with their child must call the office, enter the office at the appropriate time, are given a visitor pass, and walk with the class to the café for entry. No one is given a key and we do not leave the café doors open. d) Cameras have been installed: 1 in the office area and 2 outside cameras installed around the campus. e) Each classroom’s doors lock and the windows have either blinds or curtains. Each classroom has a safety bucket, with first aid supplies, student rosters, allergy information, and parent information, which are taken with the teacher at each practice. In addition, we have acquired door sleeves to keep doors closed, even if the lock is broken. The door sleeves are provided through the local Fire department. f) For each type of emergency, a map of where students are to go (for each area within our buildings) is posted in each classroom and in the faculty/staff handbooks. All classroom doors are locked and there is a covering for each window (blinds or curtains). g) 20 new cameras have been installed which will be placed within the school, at each door, and throughout campus. The secretaries will have a screen showing live footage of each door entrance and hallway in both buildings. This footage is recorded daily. h) For safety, our school entrance is a vestibule, where any visitor enters but has no access to the school building. All visitors are given a visitor pass upon entry. i) Students are taught NOT to open doors for anyone, even teachers.