School Safety - Voorheesville Central School

The safety of children is our top priority at Voorheesville Central School District. All members of our school community have a role in school safety, and knowing how to respond in the event of an emergency is an important part of this.

Please review this information carefully.

Definitions

Shelter-in-Place: A shelter-in-place is when students and staff are required to remain indoors, perhaps for an extended period of time, because it is safer inside the building or a room than outside.

Hold-in-Place: A hold-in-place is used to limit movement of students and staff while dealing with short term emergencies.

Lockout: A lockout is the course of action the school will execute to secure the school buildings and grounds during incidents that pose an imminent concern outside of the school.

Lockdown: A lockdown is used to secure school buildings and grounds during incidents that pose an immediate threat of violence inside or around the school. The primary objective of a lockdown is to quickly ensure all school staff, students and visitors are secured in rooms away from immediate danger.

Evacuation: Evacuation of a school building takes place if it is determined that it is safer outside than inside the building (fire, explosion, hazardous material spill), and staff, students and visitors can safely reach the evacuation location without danger.

Facility Safety

All schools have a locked single point of entry through which students, employees and visitors enter.
All staff must wear photo ID badges while in school buildings.
All visitors must sign-in and put on a visitor sticker before entering school utilizing the “RAPTor System.”
Security cameras monitor school entrances and surrounding areas. Video footage is accessible 24/7 to administrators.
District-employed security personnel monitor VCSD MS/High School during school days and in the evening, as needed.
All employees must be fingerprinted and pass a thorough background check before starting work in the district.
Students must adhere to the VCSD Code of Conduct , which contains information on the range of consequences that may be imposed if students misbehave. This information is reviewed with students each year during the opening weeks of school.
All schools have an integrated security system with the ability to lock down buildings.
Every school in the district engages in a comprehensive set of safety drills (fire, lockdown, secured lockout) to ensure that students, faculty and staff are prepared should an emergency occur. Each November, every school in the district dismisses students 15 minutes early to test its Emergency Management Plan. The “Go Home Early Drill” tests the effectiveness of the transportation and communications systems in the event of an emergency.
Student-issued Chromebooks and computers have filtering and monitoring software.
CABave, a digital hall pass system, provides real-time data on how many students are out of class at a given time and where they are in the buildings.
All school buses have stop arm cameras installed to monitor for vehicles illegally passing buses.
There are multiple emergency call buttons on each campus to alert law enforcement to a significant threat.
All campuses are alarmed when not occupied.
VCSD has ongoing collaboration with NYS Police, the Albany County Sheriff’s Office and first responders to complete safety audits/inspections.
The confidential VCSD Safe School Helpline is a secure way for members of our school community to report threats of violence, suicide, bullying and illegal activity that could harm students in our schools.

Staff and Student Training

The VCSD District-Wide Safety Plan and individual school safety plans are established annually. Staff and student training is a critical component of implementing the plan. Each year, students and staff are required to complete four lockdown and eight fire drills. The goal is to ensure that all are well-versed in safety procedures and protocols. These drills and procedures will continue to evolve based on best practices and our work with law enforcement. We are focused on ensuring they are meaningful and age-appropriate.

Expectations of Parents & Families

In the event of an emergency, communications will be sent from the district to families via text, e-mail and phone call when we have accurate and appropriate information to share. Updates will be posted on the district website, as needed.
In the event of an emergency situation, DO NOT rush to the school. This will create additional traffic and may impede emergency vehicles or otherwise disrupt response procedures.
DO NOT CALL your student on their cell phone. Silence may be important in case there is an emergency and students need to focus on following instructions from adults at school.
Please avoid speculating about emergency situations on social media, as this can cause more panic and disruption.
If a situation requires transporting students to an alternate site, parents/guardians will be informed of that location via the district’s messaging system and the website.
Students may be held at an alternate site until release is approved by the district or public safety officials. Students will only be released to authorized individuals.

How Can YOU Prepare for an Emergency?

Have an early dismissal plan and make sure your child is aware of it, including where they will go and who will be waiting for them at the bus stop. Make sure emergency “backup” contacts (e.g. grandparents, neighbors) know their role.
All parents/guardians MUST keep their emergency contact information and school records updated. If you have any questions, please contact the school’s main office.
Make sure your student knows their bus number, whether they take the bus on a regular basis or not. Buses may be used to transport all students in an emergency and it is important they know the number.

Tips for Talking with Children About School Safety

Whether it’s on the news or related to a drill or incident at school, students may have concerns or questions related to their safety at times. School counselors and social workers are available to support your child – reach out if you need help.

Remind students that schools are safe places. Our school staff works with local police and fire departments, emergency responders, and medical professionals to keep them safe.
Children should tell an adult they trust if they see or hear something that makes you feel uncomfortable, nervous, or frightened.
At times it may be prudent to limit the students’ exposure to the media.
Try to say calm and answer questions the best that you can.
When something upsets a child, sticking to a routine and doing activities they enjoy is often helpful.
There are opportunities for students to play a positive role in the school and community, through clubs, other activities or just helping classmates.