School Safety

 The Fannett-Metal School District recognizes the importance of programs and training to ensure a safe and secure environment for our children. The following procedures have been developed to ensure a safe school atmosphere:

  • The District has an Emergency Management Plan in place for situations such as lockdowns, active shooters, fires, evacuations, lock-downs, bomb threats, bus accidents, medical emergencies, and severe weather. These plans were developed in coordination with local emergency responders and county public safety personnel.
  • Emergency drills are conducted routinely throughout the school year to remind students, staff and administrators of their responsibilities should an emergency occur. School bus evacuations are practiced at least twice a year.
  • The District has a parent phone notification system called One Call Now. This system is used to contact parents in the event there is an emergency. It is imperative that parents keep the school building informed if phone numbers have changed. One Call Now will be used to notify parents of weather related delays and dismissals, to provide information about school-related events and activities. The schools also uses One Call Now for attendance information on an as needed basis.
  • District employees must maintain an up-to-date state police criminal history background check, a child abuse history clearance and a FBI background check in order to be employed by the District.
  • Each classroom in the District has a Safe Schools flip chart which outlines how to respond to emergency situations. The charts break down the staff’s responsibility depending on the emergency situation.
  • During regular school hours all school buildings can only be accessed by the main door and through a buzzer-system controlled by the building’s office staff. Visitors are required to show photo identification to the office staff and sign-in at the office. Visitors will be provided a visitor pass. Upon leaving the building visitors are required to sign out and return the visitor badge. All school district personnel wear a photo identification badge provided by the District.
  • The District works with local emergency responders, to include the police, fire, and EMS departments, as well as the local emergency manager, and Franklin and Cumberland County Departments of Public Safety to conduct trainings for administrators, teachers, and support staff. The District has held various drills to test our emergency plans in coordination with local responders.
  • The District also requires volunteers to maintain updated clearances (state police criminal history background check, a child abuse history clearance and a FBI background check) prior to supporting certain volunteer activities in the district.

 

The District will communicate with parents through the One Call Now phone system. The District may also contact local television and radio stations. The exact listing of the stations can be found in the student handbooks. The District website and Facebook page will be updated with important information.

It may be necessary to relocate students and staff to a different facility due to an emergency. Should this occur, parents will be contacted by the One Call Now phone notification system with information about the alternative facility. Parents are reminded that District staff will ask for identification in order for the District to release a student into your care. Parents should not go directly to the school buildings, as this creates traffic congestion which can be detrimental to buses and emergency responders.

Parents should follow the instructions provided to you through the One Call Now phone notification system.  These instructions will be based on law enforcement and first responders’ recommendations to the school as they handle the emergency situation. School safety is the responsibility of everyone involved in the school district and the community.

 

The district also utilizes an initiative meant to protect students by making reporting safety concerns easier. Safe2Say Something, a partnership between Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General and all Pennsylvania school districts, is a 24/7 reporting system that allows students, faculty and parents to send anonymous tips via phone, texts and online reporting. This tip line is a valuable asset to our district because it gives our community an additional place to report concerns outside of traditional methods.

SUBMIT AN ANONYMOUS TIP:

PHONE: 1-844-SAF2SAY

WEBSITE: SAFE2SAYPA.ORG

 

In addition, the District has a Threat Assessment Team with the inter-related goals of preventing violence and resolving conflicts or problems that underlie threatening behavior. Utilizing the Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines (CSTAG) model, the team takes a problem-solving approach by identifying students in need of assistance before their conflicts escalate into violence.

To learn more about threat assessment click on the link below.

https://schoolthreatassessment.com/course

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