In today’s article, I will talk in layman’s terms about School Safety Plans. A state law went into effect in 2014 that mandated each school building in the state to develop a Safety Plan and submit it to the Ohio Department of Education and local emergency responders. After the initial plan is submitted, the plan is to be reviewed each year, and every three years the written plan must be resubmitted.There are four components of the Safety Plan. There is the comprehensive plan that addresses a variety of hazards and threats and a protocol for responding to those situations. A second component is detailed floor plans of each floor of the school building. The third component is a site plan, which is an aerial view of the building and surrounding area that identifies the building and nearby roads. The final component is an Emergency Contact list, which provides phone numbers of administrators and key employees that police can contact during an emergency. This document also contains signatures of community law enforcement and safety officials that have received a copy of the Safety Plan.
The state provides a detailed template for building administrators to use to create a Safety Plan. We appreciate the valuable input and cooperation that we have received in the creation of our plans from the Henry County Emergency Management Director, the Henry County Emergency Planning Committee Director, the Henry County Sheriff’s Department, the Deshler Police Department, and all of the fire departments located in our school district.
Most people remember from their school days of having fire drills and tornado drills. The state has also added safety drills to the list of drills that schools must complete annually. In addition, the state requires schools to conduct three types of tests over a three-year period. The tests are a Tabletop Exercise, a Functional Exercise, and a Full Scale Exercise. The Tabletop Exercise is a discussion of a hypothetical situation amongst school personnel. The Functional Exercise is designed to practice a part of the safety plan such as a building evacuation or a lockdown. The Full Scale Exercise, as an example, could simulate an actual intruder with the staff and students having to react according to the circumstances they are confronted with. This exercise could also include first responders.
Our principals have been instrumental in promoting school safety. Our district has sent administrators to ALICE training, and the principals have arranged numerous professional development opportunities for our staff regarding school safety. Our principals have also collaborated with the Henry County Sheriff’s Department to test various components of our safety plan. Some simulations have been with staff only, but we have also practiced active intruder situations that have included students.
School safety even had an impact in our recent building project. The entrance to the high school was renovated to locate the office at the entrance of the building, and to force visitors to enter the building at the office. Now all three buildings have that same entrance pattern that we believe enhances the safety of our students and staff. During the construction process we also upgraded our phone system and P.A. system to be able to have instant communication district-wide; and we now have over 80 security cameras so that all activity inside and outside the buildings can be monitored and recorded.
The safety of our staff and students is a high priority at Patrick Henry. We will continue to practice the various components of our safety plan to enhance the safety of all.
If ever you have questions about our school district, feel free to contact me at 419-274-3015.