AURORA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL SAFETY PLAN
As of June 2008
Prepared by Christine Hoppe
Director Risk Management, Security and Incident Response
Aurora Public Schools
303.365.7816 ext. 28411
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Introduction 2
APS Safety Actions: 2 - 4
Annual Security Reviews 2
Annual Functional Exercise 2
Annual Tabletop Exercise 2
Quarterly IRT Meetings 3
Quarterly Safety Committee Meetings 3
Review of Site Based Emergency Plans 3
Tracking of Site Safety Drills 3
APS Safety Plans/Programs: 4 - 11
APS COOP Plan 4
APS Crisis Response Team 4
APS Emergency Guidebook (Flipchart) 4
APS Pandemic Plan 4
Crossing Guard Program 5
Cross Walk Program 5
Gang Identification and Intervention 5
Incident Response Team 6
Internet Safety Plan 6
IT Department DRP 7
Safe Schools Policy 7
School Security: Campus Monitors, Security Staff, SRO Program 7
Security Camera Guidelines 9
Student Reporting Mechanisms: Safe2Tell, SafeNet, SafeBox 10
Truancy Program 10
Volunteers 11
Zonar 11
INTRODUCTION:
Aurora Public Schools believes that student and staff safety are a top priority. This manual is designed to outline many of the safety action steps and programs that are in place for the school district. Many of these programs have been in place for almost ten years. On an annual basis, new programs and action steps are added to increase the measures we take to protect our most precious asset: our students, staff and community members while they are on APS property.
APS SAFETY ACTIONS:
Annual Security Reviews
On an annual basis, members of the APS Incident Response Team (IRT) provide a security review for every APS location. These reviews have been in place since 1999. Every year, the format alternates between a safety interview process with key administrative staff and a physical review of the building for risks and hazards. The questions and items reviewed change annually. After the review is complete, the site administrator is presented with a list (as appropriate) of follow up action items. On a bi-annual basis, IRT staff members review the follow up items with administrative staff to ensure key action items are completed. It should be noted that this service is also offered to APS Charter Schools.
Annual Functional Exercise
The Aurora Public Schools has established an excellent working relationship with both the Aurora Police Department and the Aurora Fire Department. On an annual basis, APS, Aurora Police and Fire Departments, together with other local first responders, gather for a functional exercise. In these exercises, team members from all emergency disciplines act out their response role in an exercise decided amongst team members. These scenarios involve not only staff members but actual equipment as an emergency situation and the response are acted out. The goal of these exercises is to improve emergency response time as well as working relationships of all first responders.
Annual Tabletop Exercise
The Aurora Public Schools also performs a tabletop exercise on an annual basis with Aurora Police, Fire and local first responders. In these exercises, emergency response team members are seated at a table to talk through an emergency situation. This is a role play situation and the audience is comprised of APS staff members and other interested parties. Administrators who are new to the district or are new in their position are required to attend these exercises. These exercises are different every year and generally are created based on a new potential hazard facing the school district. The Aurora Office of Emergency Management and staff from the APS IRT write the scenario.
Quarterly IRT Team Meetings
The APS IRT was formed in 1999 as a result of the Columbine tragedy. This group of district staff members works to ensure appropriate incident response at APS locations. The group meets at least quarterly to discuss how incident response can be improved in APS. There is more detailed information on the IRT in following sections of this manual. Baseline information can be found at the IRT website: http://apscms.net/departments/irt
Quarterly APS Safety Committee Meetings
The APS Safety Specialist coordinates safety committee meetings on a quarterly basis. This group is comprised of directors of several key departments to include Maintenance and Operations, Nutrition, Transportation, Custodial, Human Resources, as well as Risk Management and Security. The goal of this committee is to review safety issues within the district and to seek resolution of those issues. On a quarterly basis, claims, loss control and student and staff safety are reviewed. It is believed that due to the wide range of departments represented in these meetings that a global solution can be found to areas of concern.
Review of Site Based Emergency Plans
Every APS location is required to have a lockdown (shelter in place) and evacuation plan. When plans were first required of the sites, a copy was sent to the Department of Risk Management and Security. After those plans were received and reviewed, a copy was sent to the Aurora Police Department and Aurora Office of Emergency Management. It is believed that sharing these plans with the Aurora first responders will facilitate a prompt response by those team members. On a bi-annual basis, sites are requested and/or required to send plan modifications to the risk management department. The updated plans are reviewed and twice a year, sent to first responders.
Tracking of Site Safety Drills
APS policy requires that each school site have two fire drills in the first two weeks of school and eight additional fire drills in the course of the school year. School sites are also required to have two lockdown drills per year. One of the lockdown drills must be to the highest level which would require students and staff to duck and cover in a closed, locked and lights out classroom. Finally, sites are required one tornado drill per year.
The APS Risk Management and Security Department takes the reports from the school sites for their drill activity and records their drills. On a quarterly basis, the drills per location are reviewed to ensure that the appropriate numbers of drills are performed. For those sites that are falling behind in their number of required drills, communications are sent to the site administrator and school superintendent to ensure drills are done per site according to district policy. The district philosophy is that drills are mandatory to ensure the appropriate response by staff and students in the event of an emergency situation.
The APS Risk Management and Security Department also sends the site’s fire drill report forms on a regular basis to the Aurora Fire Department.
APS SAFETY PLANS AND PROGRAMS
APS COOP Plan
As of December 2006, Aurora Public Schools has a full Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP). This plan was created to provide full direction to district staff in the event that a major event disrupts the operations of the district. The COOP plan provides direction to where staff will report to work, who is considered essential personnel and a management succession plan. The COOP plan is managed by the Office of Risk Management and Security and is updated on an annual basis. Due to the detailed nature of the plan, it is not available to staff and community members. This document is held securely to ensure a smooth continuation of operations in the school district.
APS Crisis Response Team
Aurora Public Schools, through the office of School Services has a district wide Crisis Response Team. The goal of this team is to provide emotional support to students and staff in the event of a mentally disturbing event. The team is comprised of staff members trained to provide this support on an on-call basis at any APS location. The APS Crisis Response Team can be activated by contacting the School Services Department.
APS Emergency Guidebook (Flipchart)
The APS IRT created an emergency flipchart for use by all APS staff members. The goal of the flip chart is to provide a quick and easy reference to staff members faced with emergency issues. The topics in the flipchart range from Bomb Threats, Gas Leaks and Dangerous Visitors in School Buildings. In addition to reference information, the flipchart also provides key phone numbers and contact information for staff members to use. The flipchart is updated every other year and provided upon update to every staff member in the district.
APS Pandemic Plan
In response to pending threats of a medical emergency, APS has a Pandemic Plan in place. The pandemic plan is written to help staff determine how instruction will continue in the event of increased absences of either staff or students. The pandemic plan addresses issues such as a clean learning environment, health services to be provided in an emergency situation and supplies required. The pandemic plan, like the COOP, is updated on an annual basis to ensure critical information is current and correct. As the pandemic plan is a more general information document, it is made available to staff and community members through the APS internet. The maintenance of this document resides in the Department of Risk Management and Security. The plan can be reviewed at: http://www.aps.k12.co.us/risk/Forms/PandemicPlan-2007.pdf
Crossing Guard Program
In response to APS elementary schools’ request for assistance, the Department of Risk Management and Security created a Crossing Guard Program. The program provides school crossing guard volunteers a booklet which outlines safe crossing information for students walking to and from school in designated cross walks. The booklet is made available in both English and Spanish. In addition to instructional information, the department also provides supplies for crossing guard programs. Videos can be loaned to schools showing additional information for safe crossing. Whistles and neon vests are available to sites at no cost complements of the Risk Management and Security Department. The information can be found at:
http://apscms.net/departments/risk/staff/crossing-guard-info/
Cross Walk Program
The Cross Walk Program extends the Crossing Guard Program to pathways a student takes either to or from school to their home. This new program created by the Risk Management and Security Department provides additional information for students walking or riding to school. These best practices were developed to collaborate with the City of Aurora’s standardization of traffic signals, signs and traffic patterns.
The information on this program is made available through the Risk Management website located at: http://apscms.net/departments/risk/school-safety/
Gang Identification and Intervention
Routinely, APS Security Staff which includes Campus Monitor, Deans, APS Security Officers and School Resource Officers (SRO’s) are provided training and education on gang identification and intervention. The goal of this training is to provide uniform information to all parties providing security services for APS students and staff.
Gang information is obtained from the Aurora Police Department and other state and federal resources. The information is fluid, that is, it changes on a continual basis. It is recommended that individuals interested in information on Gang Identification and Intervention work directly with local law enforcement or obtain information from state or national websites such as the US Attorney General’s Office or the National Gang Threat Assessment Center.
Information on gangs can be found at a variety of websites to include:
http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/ngic/violent_gangs.htm
http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/Default.asp?Item=1309
http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/files/ric/CDROMs/SchoolSafety/Gangs.htm
Incident Response Team
The APS IRT was formed in 1999 as a result of the Columbine tragedy. This group of district staff members works to ensure appropriate incident response at APS locations. The group meets at least quarterly every year to discuss how incident response can be improved in APS. The team follows state and national guidelines to include NIMS and the Department of Homeland Security.
In the event of a critical incident at APS, the IRT is trained to respond to assist in crisis response. Team members are contacted via a text messaging system and respond at the district Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The roles filled by the IRT mirror the NIMS roles outlined by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The district EOC is located in the Educational Services Center, Building One and has state of the art technology in the room to facilitate response. Each IRT member has a work station which includes the phone line, data and power lines for computer access. The room has broadcast technology capabilities to include a smart board, interactive white board, visualizer, video and conference call technology. All of these technology advances enhance the team’s ability to quickly communicate and respond to an emergency situation.
In addition, specific IRT team members are trained to work with first responders on the location of a critical incident. These team members will report to an emergency situation and be the liaison between the first responders and the EOC.
The IRT is responsible for site drills, district drills, site emergency plans, district emergency plans and various other safety and security measures.
Information on the Incident Response Team can be found at: http://apscms.net/departments/irt
Internet Safety Plan
The Department of Instructional Technology has created and maintains an Internet Safety Plan and website. They also provide training and education to APS staff members, students and community members. These training sessions range in topics from Basic Internet Safety, Cyber Bullying, Social Networks and Internet Predators.
Additional information provided includes internet filters, site blocks and internet website history search. The site is updated regularly with new websites, newsletters, tips, presentations and more. You can find this information at the following:
http://www.aps.k12.co.us/instruct_tech/Internet%20Safety.htm
Information Technology Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP)
Current data and technology use requires a very strong, comprehensive IT DRP. In support of the need for this type of plan, district auditors have requested that our IT Department have a full plan. This plan is currently under construction and the information, when made available, will be attached to this Comprehensive Safety Plan. Due to the critical nature of this information, it will not be made available for public viewing and will remain confidentially held within the school district.
Safe Schools Policy
The Aurora Public Schools, in compliance with state law, publish annually a Safe Schools brochure. This brochure provides detailed information of safe schools/discipline policies for all students.