8400 - SCHOOL SAFETY INFORMATION

Ida Public School District

Bylaws & Policies

8400 - SCHOOL SAFETY INFORMATION

The Board of Education is committed to maintaining a safe school environment. The Board believes that school crime and violence are multifaceted problems which need to be addressed in a manner that utilizes the best resources and coordinated efforts of School District personnel, law enforcement agencies, and families. The Board further believes that school administrators and local law enforcement officials must work together to provide for the safety and welfare of students while they are at school or a school-sponsored activity or while enroute to or from school, or a school-sponsored activity. The Board also believes that the first step in addressing school crime and violence is to assess the extent and nature of the problem(s) or threat, and then plan and implement strategies that promote school safety and minimize the likelihood of school crime and violence.

In furtherance of its commitment to a safe school environment, the Board has prohibited weapons on school property and at school sponsored events, except in very limited circumstances. See Board Policy 3217, Policy 4217, and Policy 5772. This prohibition is reasonably related to legitimate educational concerns, including the ability to provide a safe and secure learning and social environment for its students and controlling and minimizing disruptions to the educational process. The presence of dangerous weapons on school property or at school sponsored events, except under very controlled circumstances, creates a potentially dangerous situation for students, staff and visitors, and may trigger precautionary safety responses which disrupt the educational process and learning environment for students.

Federal law establishes a "Student Safety Zone" that extends 1,000 feet from the boundary of any school property in relation to weapons, drugs and registered sex offenders. Individuals are prohibited from engaging in these activities at any time on District property, within the Student Safety Zone, or at any District-related event.

The District will work with local officials in arranging signage defining the 1,000 foot boundary.

The Superintendent shall take the necessary steps so that an individual eighteen (18) years of age or older who is a registered sex offender, and resides, works, or loiters in violation of the Student Safety Zone, is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Annually, the Superintendent or designee shall convene a meeting for the purpose of reviewing the provisions of the School Safety Information Policy Agreement, and making modifications as deemed necessary and proper; discussing additional training that might be needed; and, discussing any other such related matters as may be deemed to be necessary by the participants. Participants in this meeting shall include the Superintendent, members of the Board, the County Prosecutor or his/her designee, and representatives from the local law enforcement agency. The following may also be invited to participate in the meeting:

	A.	Chief Judge of Circuit and/or District Courts or his/her designee, including a representative of the family division;

	B.	representative from the Intermediate School District (ISD);

	C.	representative(s) from the local child protection agency;

	D.	building administrators;

	E.	teachers;

	F.	parents;

	G.	students in grades 7 through 12;

	H.	Fire Marshal or his/her designee;

	I.	representative(s) from emergency medical services;


	J.	representative(s) from county emergency management service agency;

	K.	School Resource Officer;

	L.	representatives from other school districts within Monroe County.

The Superintendent shall make a report to the Board about this annual review and recommend the approval and adoption of any proposed revisions or additions.

District Contact Person

Furthermore, in accordance with State law, the Board hereby designates the Superintendent or designee as the District contact person who shall receive information from law enforcement officials, prosecutors and the court officials. The District contact person shall notify the principal of the school of attendance of a student about whom information is received from law enforcement officials, prosecutors, or court officials within twenty-four (24) hours of the receipt of that information. The principal shall, in turn, notify the building staff members who s/he determines have a need to know the information that has been received within twenty-four (24) hours of receipt of that information.

The District contact person shall notify the appropriate law enforcement officials when an adult or a student commits any offense listed as a reportable incident in the School Safety Information Policy Agreement and shall report all information that is required to be reported to State or local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors. Reporting such information is subject to 20 U.S.C. 1232g., commonly referred to as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.

If a student is involved in an incident that is reported to law enforcement officials pursuant to the District’s School Safety Information Policy Agreement, then, upon request by school officials, the student’s parent or legal guardian shall execute any waivers or consents necessary to allow school officials access to school, court, or other pertinent records of the student concerning the incident and action taken as a result of the incident.

Required Reporting

The Superintendent shall submit a report at least annually to the Superintendent of Public Instruction, in the form prescribed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, stating the incidents of crime occurring at school. At least annually, a copy of the most recent report of incidents of crime shall be made available to the parent or legal guardian of each student enrolled in the District. This report will include at least crimes involving:

	A.	physical violence;

	B.	gang related acts;

	C.	illegal possession of a controlled substance, controlled substance analogue or other intoxicant;

	D.	trespassing;

	E.	property crimes, including but not limited to theft and vandalism, including an estimate of the cost to the District resulting from the property crime.

Each school building shall collect and keep current on a weekly basis the information required from the report of incidents of crime, and must provide that information, within seven (7) days, upon request.

Law Enforcement Information Network (LEIN)

The Board authorizes the Superintendent or designee to request vehicle registration information for suspicious vehicles within 1,000 feet of school property through the Law Enforcement Information Network (LEIN).

Threat Assessment

The primary purpose of a threat assessment is to minimize the risk of targeted violence at school. This policy is designed to be consistent with the process for identifying, assessing, and managing students who may pose a threat as set forth in the joint U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Department of Education publication, Threat Assessment in Schools: A Guide to Managing Threatening Situations and to Creating Safe School Climates. The goal of the threat assessment process is to take appropriate preventive or corrective measures to maintain a safe school environment, protect and support potential victims, and provide assistance, as appropriate, to the student being assessed.

The threat assessment process is centered upon an analysis of the facts and evidence of behavior in a given situation. The appraisal of risk in a threat assessment focuses on actions, communications, and specific circumstances that might suggest that an individual intends to cause physical harm and is engaged in planning or preparing for that event.

The Board of Education authorizes the Superintendent to create building-level, trained threat assessment teams. Each Team shall be headed by the Principal and include a school counselor, school psychologist, instructional personnel, and, where appropriate, the School Resource Officer. At the discretion of the Superintendent, a threat assessment team may serve more than one (1) school when logistics and staff assignments make it feasible.

The Team will meet when the Principal learns a student has made a threat of violence or engages in concerning communications or behaviors that suggest the likelihood of a threatening situation.

The Team is empowered to gather information, evaluate facts, and make a determination as to whether a given student poses a threat of violence to a target. If an inquiry indicates that there is a risk of violence in a specific situation, the Team may collaborate with others to develop and implement a written plan to manage or reduce the threat posed by the student in that situation.

The Board authorizes the Superintendent to create guidelines for the purpose of:

	A.	identifying team participants by position and role;

	B.	requiring team participants to undergo appropriate training;

	C.	defining the nature and extent of behavior or communication that would trigger a threat assessment and/or action pursuant to a threat assessment;

	D.	defining that types of information that may be gathered during the assessment;

	E.	stating when and how parents/guardians of the student making the threat shall be notified and involved;

	F.	designating the individuals (by position) who would be responsible for gathering and investigating information;

	G.	identifying the steps and procedures to be followed from initiation to conclusion of the threat assessment inquiry or investigation.

Board employees, volunteers, and other school community members, including students and parents, shall immediately report to the Superintendent or Principal any expression of intent to harm another person or other statements or behaviors that suggest a student may intend to commit an act of violence.

Nothing in this policy overrides or replaces an individual’s responsibility to contact 911 in an emergency.

Regardless of threat assessment activities or protocols, disciplinary action and referral to law enforcement shall occur as required by State law and Board policy.

Threat assessment team members shall maintain student confidentiality at all times as required by Board Policy 8330 – Student Records, and State and Federal law.

Persistently Dangerous Schools

The Board recognizes that State and Federal law requires that the District report annually incidents which meet the statutory definition of violent criminal offenses that occur in a school, on school grounds, on a school conveyance, or at a school-sponsored activity. It is further understood that the State Department of Education will then use this data to determine whether or not a school is considered "persistently dangerous" as defined by State policy.

Pursuant to the Board’s stated intent to provide a safe school environment, the school administrators are expected to respond appropriately to any and all violations of the Student Code of Conduct, especially those of a serious, violent nature. In any year where the number of reportable incidents of violent criminal offenses in any school exceed the threshold number established in State policy, the Superintendent shall discuss this at the annual meeting for the purpose of reviewing the School Safety Plan so that a plan of corrective action can be developed and implemented in an effort to reduce the number of these incidents in the subsequent year and/or convene a meeting of the building administrator, representative(s) of the local law enforcement agency, and any other individuals deemed appropriate for the purpose of developing a plan of corrective action that can be implemented in an effort to reduce the number of these incidents in the subsequent year.

The Superintendent shall make a report to the Board about this plan of corrective action and shall recommend approval and adoption of it.

In the unexpected event that the number of reportable incidents in three (3) consecutive school years exceeds the statutory threshold and the school is identified as persistently dangerous, students attending the school shall have the choice option as provided in Policy 5113.02 and AG 5113.02.

In addition, the Superintendent shall discuss the school’s designation as a persistently dangerous school at the annual meeting for the purpose of reviewing the School Safety Plan so that a plan of corrective action can be developed and implemented in an effort to reduce the number of these incidents in the subsequent year and/or convene a meeting of the building administrator, representative(s) of the local law enforcement agency, and any other individuals deemed appropriate for the purpose of developing a plan of corrective action that can be implemented in an effort to reduce the number of these incidents in the subsequent year.

Victims of Violent Crime

The Board further recognizes that, despite the diligent efforts of school administrators and staff to provide a safe school environment, an individual student may be a victim of a violent crime in a school, on school grounds, on a school conveyance, or at a school-sponsored activity. In accordance with Federal and State law the parents of the eligible student shall have the choice options provided by Policy 5113.02 and AG 5113.02.

Title IX, Section 9532 of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
M.C.L. 380.1308 and 380.1310a, 771.2a

Revised 6/8/15
Revised 6/26/17