Safe School Initiative

     Henderson County Schools has had a Safe Schools Team since 1993. This team collaborates with all emergency response agencies to coordinate resources in the event of any type of emergency.
     We can't prevent disaster, either natural or man-made, but we can, through comprehensive planning, lessen the impact and response time. Safe School planning includes prevention aspects. intervention procedures and recovery services such as crisis counseling.
     The procedures that have been developed and followed are based on what has been deemed best by those knowledgeable in dealing with emergency situations. This may be a lock-down situation in certain circumstances or an evacuation of a school in others. In the event of an evacuation, sites have been identified so that parents will know where to come to find their child.
     Given the current world event situations and the on-going threat of natural disasters the school district has made efforts to provide a safe environment for all students and staff. This environment has been prepared, to the best of our resources, to provide an appropriate response in the event of an emergency.

Click on the following links for information.
Superintendent Statement
Media Plan
Principal Directive
Survival Through Psychological Protection
Transportation Options
Pupil Dismissal Procedures
Severe Storms/Other Weather Related Emergencies

Superintendent Statement--
     Schools must operate within a safe and orderly environment to be effective. Staff at the district and building level must be prepared in case of an emergency. School authorities have a moral and legal obligation to provide for protection of property and lives of students and staff during emergencies.
     A comprehensive plan for each individual school building in the Henderson County School District will include checklists with lines of successive and emergency assignments clearly designated. Attention will be given to the preservation of essential records and critical building areas.
     In the Henderson County District Emergency Services Plan, areas with large concentrations of people such as schools, industries, and factories, hospital, nursing homes, etc... will be the initial services to receive assistance. Schools, if in session, are top priority for response and rescue services.

Media Plan--
After calling emergency services and following safety procedures, it is imperative that employees immediately relay factual information to the superintendent's office. During working hours this phone will always be answered. Home phone numbers will be used after working hours.

The Superintendent will notify the Director of Transportation and other school district people determined necessary to respond to the emergency.
All media will be referred to the Superintendent or Deputy Superintendent

Principal Directive--
      Each school's Crisis Procedure Plan will be updated yearly to better reflect the actions required to minimize the loss of life and injury to persons and property. The principal will be the planning coordinator and will involve the necessary individuals to accomplish the objectives.
     At least once a year, within one month after after school commences, the principal will arrange for a general faculty meeting of all personnel for the purpose of reviewing the validity of the plan and to update the staff regarding new procedures. A similar meeting will be held with the Site-Based Council and/or appropriate parent organization of the school.
      A chain of command that will include names and phone numbers of persons to succeed the principal in the event of his/her absence or incapacitation will be designated in writing "Media" - "Crisis Team" and prominently displayed in the school office.

Survival Through Psychological Protection--
One of the gravest dangers in time of any disaster is panic. As school employees (especially teachers) work directly with children, they should recognize symptoms of tension and be prepared to provide release through physical and creative activities. If unknown fears are replaced by fears based on an actual knowledge and if students and adults can plan a course of action to follow, there should be an increased feeling of security and a decrease of tension. People become more willing and able to participate in tension-relieving activities if they understand the reasons for doing so.
Therefore, the program of disaster preparation in Henderson County shall consist of two objectives with reference to psychological protection: dissemination of accurate knowledge including staff, student, and family information and planning a course of action.

Plan to disseminate accurate knowledge--
A. Create a common information-gathering point
1. at the building-level of schools
2. at a district-level through the public information officer and/or his/her staff

B. Purposes
     1. to alleviate employee concerns about their families and vice-versa
          a. family members could let employees know of their safety at home or at their place
               of employment by contacting the appropriate public information office staff member
               designated for this task.
          b. employees could let their families know of their safety in the district via the
               appropriate public information office staff member designated for this task.
          c. district-to-building level communication to relay information to staff concerning
               family status will be established
          d. as soon as practical, staff would be relieved from duty to attend their own family
               members
     2. to alleviate parental fears about the safety of their children in our district and vice-
          versa
          a. teachers report students status to building level information officer
          b. building-level information officer gives verified information to district public
               information office staff
          c. parents contact designated public information office staff member designated for
               this task
          d. parents could alleviate student concerns by communicating through district-to-
               building level information officer as to their status for the students' information

Transportation Options--
In the event of a disaster or emergency, the Superintendent, acting under Board authority, may close the schools and arrange transportation for bus students. Schools affected will be advised by the Superintendent's office as to the option to exercise depending on the nature of the disaster. Henderson County School buses are equipped with two-way radios. All drivers will be requested to maintain radio silence and wait for instructions.

Options:
    1. Immediate closure of specified schools and transportation of the students either to their
         homes or to alternate locations.
    2. Placement of school buses at pre-determined schools in readiness to transport should
         the situation require.
    3. Holding of students at schools and provision of shelter at the school.
    4. Acceleration of regular transportation schedule (run the regular routes but ahead of
         schedule with no deviations).

Pupil Dismissal Procedures--
Once the dismissal order is received from the proper school authority the principal will:

1. Relay dismissal instructions to every classroom by the most rapid and efficient means.
2. Make special arrangements for care in the event school is dismissed and parents are not at
    home.
3. Review dismissal procedure already provided to parents to assure that it will be followed.
     The procedure should provide guidance regarding parents who have made special
     arrangements for care in the event parents are not at home.
4. Have designated school personnel inspect the entire structure once dismissal is completed
     to assure the building is empty and that any precautions dictated by the Fire Plan or other
     specific disaster plans are taken.
5. If necessary, request assistance from Administration and/or Law Enforcement Agencies to
     assure that students disperse from the school building to minimize hazards and reduce
     congestions.
6. Assure that all dealings with the news media and the public are handled through the
     Superintendent's office.

Severe Storms/Other Weather Related Emergencies--
1. If a severe storm or other weather-relate emergency has been forecasted and has hit the
     area, the Superintendent of Schools will determine if school will open for the day.
2. Tune to radio/TV stations, the closing hotline, or the district website for closing
     reports.
3.  If a storm develops during the day, the primary means of warning of a severe storm or
     other weather-related emergency will be by the Weather Alert Warning radio. The
     Superintendent will determine the action to be taken and advise principals. The news
     media will be informed by the school administration of the procedures being followed.