Student Running Away

Student Running Away. A student who is “running away” is one observed by a staff member to be leaving campus or an on- or off-campus activity area without permission.

1.Staff Member Who Sees Student Running Away. When a staff member sees a student leaving campus or an on- or off-campus activity area without permission, the staff member should:

  • If the Staff Member Is Alone with the Student and Has a Cell Phone. If the staff member is alone with the student and has a cell phone, the staff member should immediately contact the Elementary or Secondary Office (during the school day) or the student’s dormitory (during residential time).
  • If the Staff Member Does Not Have a Cell Phone. If the staff member does not have a cell phone, the staff member should alert any staff member possible that the student is running away. The staff member alerted should immediately contact the Elementary or Secondary Office (during the school day) or the student’s dorm (during residential time).

2.Call to Elementary/Secondary Office or Student’s Dormitory

  • Responsibility of Person Taking Call. After the staff member has identified him/herself and reported that the student is running away, the person taking the call in the Elementary or Secondary Office or the Student’s Dormitory should get information on where the staff member and student are located, in which direction they are moving, and any other information that may assist in securing the student.
  • Identifying a Response Coordinator. The person taking the call should immediately contact in the following order (during the school day) an Assistant Principal or the Principal or (during residential time), the Residential Director, Dorm Manager, RI III (or Charge Person in Comprehensive Programs B). The person contacted becomes the Response Coordinator. The person calling will inform the Response Coordinator that the student is running away; the name of the staff person following the student; the location of the student and in which direction the student is moving.

3.Determining Further Action. The Response Coordinator will determine whether the situation is or is not currently a crisis.

  • Continuing Trying to Secure the Student Without Determining that the Situation is a Crisis. The Response Coordinator may evaluate the situation and, if the Response Coordinator determines that the student is not in danger, try to secure the student without determining that the situation is a crisis.
  • Determining that the Situation is a Crisis. If the Response Coordinator determines that the situation is a crisis because the student may be in danger, the Response Coordinator will:
  • Contact 911 and provide information related to the missing student including when the student was discovered missing, any relevant circumstances related to the student’s disappearance, a description of the activities performed in trying to find the student, a physical description of the student and other identifying characteristics (such as with a student with multiple impairments), and the name and way to contact the Response Coordinator or designee, if the Response Coordinator decides, for any reason, to appoint one.
  • Perform any other tasks directed by the police or that may assist in locating the student.
  • Notify the Security Officer that the police have been contacted and request the Security Officer to search in the direction of the student’s last known location.
  • Contact ------and instruct ------to send a text message to the “Text Message Distribution List” in the following format:

______has run away. Last seen ______.

Persons on Text Message Distribution List

  • After receiving the text message that the student has run away, remain alert for any further messages from the Response Coordinator.
  • Determine at what point the student’s parent(s) should be contacted; then call or arrange for the student’s parent(s) to be contacted. Provide a description of the circumstances, including that the police have been contacted.