HERMAN INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL

and AdVENTURE

SAFESCHOOL ACTION PLAN

2016-2017

School Site Council

Laura Rodrigues Meusel - Principal

Jeremiah Podczaszy - Assistant Principal

Becky Schwartz - School Safety Coordinator/Teacher

Kristi Frankina, Maria McDuff, Alka Poddar, Maria Arellano- Parents

- StudentsKatelyn Nguyen, Isabelle Ferreira

- Teachers Judy Zaccheo, Wakeysha Taylor, Helen Fujino

Joelle Campbell- Health Liaison/Classified

School Site Council Approval: ______2016

SignatureDate

BACKGROUND OF SCHOOL

Herman Intermediate School is a school of 854 students in the Oak Grove School District of South San Jose. The school also includes a STEM program for 5-8 grade students via parent choice with an emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The District Mission is working together to achieve the potential in every student. Herman and AdVENTURE’s Vision is to create a 21stcentury middle school that engages our students, staff and the community. Our goal and instructional focus for the 2016-2017 is to improve our ability to engage students in their learning by implementing strategies for students in rigorous and relevant learning environments.

Providing a safe school has always been a high priority for Herman Intermediate School. With the collaborative efforts to maintain safe schools in the district (i.e., Safe Schools Specialists, Community Liaisons, The Academy, Health Clerks, Health Liaisons, bond facility renovation funds, a District Safety Committee, Board policies, collaboration with the San Jose Police Department for lockdown drills), site (i.e., Parent/Faculty Club, School Site Council, staff, students, and Student Council) and the community (Safety Checks, Wellness Policy and Committee, Bond and Parcel Tax Funding), an emphasis has been in place within the district and throughout the community to ensure that safety is our number one concern. To this end, there are continuous improvement processes and collaborative efforts that provide comprehensive health education and a strong academic foundation within a safe and secure learning environment that ensures success for all students.

Suspensions for the 2015-2016 school year included 49student incidents, having to do primarily in the area of school disruption/defiance. This is adecrease from the prior yearcount of 56.

Prevention education at Herman Intermediate School includes supplemental programs and policies including but not limited to: PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention System), peer mediation, conflict resolution, positive discipline, refusal training for students in the areas of drugs, gangs, alcohol, substance abuse, bullying and harassment (Stop, Walk, and Talk), graffiti, tobacco prevention education, and the Wellness Policy including physical education and nutrition education.

Attendance is closely monitored and students with unexcused absences of 10% or more receive law/school district partnership intervention. Truancy abatement is a common goal of the school/district and other agency collaborative partnerships. Currently, Herman Intermediate School has instituted attendance incentive procedures and programs which target attendance and tardies.

This Safe School Action Plan was developed through the work of the School Site Council and based on the results of the surveys administered to students, staff, and the community as well as the Oak Grove District Five-Year Plan. The School Site Council of Herman Intermediate School approved the Safe School Action Plan on October 20th, 2016.

Herman Intermediate School

and AdVENTURE

Safe School Action Plan

Component 1

Personal Characteristics of Students and Staff

Goal:To reduce the number of incidents of bullying/harassment among students at our school and to ensure students do not feel intimidated or threatened by bullying or harassment.

Areas of Pride and Desired Change: The School Site Council of Herman Intermediate School recognizes and commends the students, staff, and families for the following conditions and programs which positively affect the physical safety and feeling of security for all students on the campus as it relates to the personal characteristics of students and staff.

  • The effective use of the Student Success Team which assesses and recommends refinement of student programs and safety nets referred through the collaborative process involving general education, special education, and support staff, academic planning, administration, and by parents/home.
  • The English Language Learner (ELL) program provides assistance to students whose primary language is not English.
  • The on-going embedding of rich ethnic and cultural diversity through literature, life experiences, social science, and life skills curriculum used by the staff and students. This integration and expansion of school culture specifically addresses issues of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, perceived sexual orientation, and perceptions which commonly surface in bullying/harassment incidences.
  • The ongoing instruction and implementation of educational refusal skills taught through a life skills class and guidance, and supplemental programs such as conflict resolution, Safe Place, conflict/peer mediation, positive discipline, refusal and other trainings for students and parents related to drug, gangs, alcohol, substance abuse, bullying, harassment, graffiti, and tobacco prevention, as well as wellness policies around physical education and nutrition are integrated across the curriculum such as guidance, physical education (PE), social science, science and/or life skills curriculum/classes. Discipline assemblies are held three times a year. There is a new bully reporting system on School Loop, and the administration also does a presentation on bullying and conflict resolution to students (Stop, Walk and Talk), as well as an assembly on cyberbullying presented by the San Jose Police Department.
  • Staff and community work through parent/community volunteer programs, Parent/Faculty Club/ Association, San Jose Police Department, San Jose Probation, community resources, as well as articulation with feeder elementary, intermediate and high schools.
  • Intramural Lunch Time/After School sports programs, recreation supported by staff/consultants and outside resources. Spirit committees meet once a month to plan school-wide spirit activities and extended lunch time events. Lunch time activities include intramural basketball, flag football, open gym, music, and a variety of clubs based on student interests.
  • Monthly focus on Character Traits with students rewarded for modeling the trait of the month.
  • Positive E2 referral program for excellence as awarded by teachers and staff to students who exhibit behaviors delineated in the Oak Grove School District’s Core Values.
  • Herman Patriot Bucks, which are given out to students for displaying positive behavior on campus.
  • On-going classroom instruction and social settings inside and outside the classroom focus on the life skills of empathy, anger management and problem solving.
  • Positive interactions and connections between site staff, families, and students make available resources to families in order to develop and implement interventions and caring relationships, as well as a safe place for students. Work with counselors and community liaisons to support and connect school and families and a partnership with Community Solutions and SJSU Social Work Interns for counseling.

Objective 1: All students will use conflict mediation/peer mediation, positive discipline, developmental assets, and/or refusal skills.

  1. Related Activities:
  1. Staff will also participate in training around Closing the Achievement Gap (CTAG), developing and implementing best practices around the critical race theory, creating highly motivated classrooms for all students and engaging in courageous conversations based upon data.
  2. Curriculum and activities are embedded across curriculum areas, and specific components are addressed through PE/guidance, social science, science, and life skills curriculum areas. All students will be involved in disability awareness and practice cooperative strategies, empathy, anger management and problem solving.
  1. Resources Needed:

SIP, grants, donations, PFC, SSC

  1. Person(s) responsible for Implementation:

Regular support and/or consultation with staff, administration, health liaisons, community liaisons, Safe School specialist, counselors and outside resources.

  1. Timeline:

On-going

Herman Intermediate School

and AdVENTURE

Safe School Action Plan
Component 2
School’s Physical Environment

Goal: To increase and improve the disaster preparedness plan at HermanIntermediateSchool. To improve safe walking, bike riding and drop-off patterns/routes to and from school sites.

Areas of Pride and Desired Change: The School Site Council of Herman Intermediate School recognizes and commends the students, staff, and parents for the following conditions and programs which positively affect the physical safety and feeling of security for all students and staff on the campus.

  • Emergency (Preparedness) Operations Plan (including National Incident Management System, NIMS) reviewed annually.
  • Annual update of emergency responsibilities which are submitted to the District Safety Committee Chair.
  • Emergency supplies housed on campus are annually inventoried, updated, recycled, and augmented.
  • Each classroom contains a first aid kit and backpack, which is updated annually.
  • Safe walking routes to and from school are made available to the community.
  • Safe pick-up and drop-off locations are made available to the community.
  • Communicable diseases action plan reviewed annually.
  • Bicycle contracts and licenses were instituted, reducing the amount of students riding improperly or being unsafe.

Objective 1: Each school year, all staff and students will be educated, trained, and will have practiced on an on-going basis the National Incident Management System (NIMS)/Lockdown and Barricade.

  1. Related Activities:
  1. Annual NIMS/Lockdown and Barricade training by a NIMS instructor.
  2. Annual Lockdown and Barricade/earthquake and fire drills practices including evacuations.
  3. Annual update of emergency and first aid supplies.
  4. Annual update of site emergency evacuation maps.
  5. Annual evaluation of emergency supplies accessibility.
  6. NIMS/Lockdown and Barricade /Safety site and district committees.
  7. Annual review of emergency system communication.
  8. Annual review of communicable disease action plan.

2.Resources Needed:

  1. NIMS/Lockdown and Barricade instructor/training
  2. First Aid training
  3. SIP funding or donations for first aid materials/Health Clerk
  4. MOT and modernization support
  1. Person(s) responsible for Implementation:

PFC, District NIMS/Safety Committee, MOT and modernization, Administration, Health Clerk, and Health Liaison

4.Timeline: Annually and on-going

Objective 2: To study and evaluate the safest traffic patterns/routes for walkers, bike riders, and students driven to school.

1.Related Activities:

  1. Post safety policies, (i.e. normal walking, traffic and bike laws in school newsletter/handbooks)
  2. Annually evaluate and recommend alternative traffic/walking patterns and routes in newsletters and handbooks.
  3. Communicate with MOT and District Office on bond improvements regarding traffic, bike or walking concerns.
  4. Post signs related to safety.
  5. Instituted a bike riding safety contract and bicycle license.
  6. On-going staff, student, community and parent communication.
  1. Resources Needed:

PFCfunds,SIP, Title I, donations, District in-kind funds

  1. Person responsible for implementation:

SJPD, Principal, Assistant Principal, staff, PFC, Director of Maintenance and Operations, District Nurses

4.Timeline for Implementation:
On-going

Herman Intermediate School

and AdVENTURE

Safe School Action Plan

Component 3

Social Environment

Goal: To balance the school discipline plans with positive incentives, as well as appropriate alternative consequence plans.

Areas of Pride and Desired Change: The School Site Councilof Herman Intermediate School recognizes and commends the students, staff, and families for the following conditions and programs which communicate standards and expectations for student behavior.

  • School-wide classroom rules posted as appropriate in classrooms and around the school.
  • School-wide PBIS mantra – Be Responsible, Be Respectful, Be Safe.
  • Implemented school-wide Positive Behavior Intervention System – review data with staff on areas of need and develop lesson plans to teach expected behavior.
  • School-wide classroom management training presentation yearly.
  • School-wide character education program and Spirit Day community building activities. Lunch time Clubs developed and promoted by students.
  • The District Wellness Plan and components will be posted as appropriate.
  • Annual parent/family and classroom presentations, conferences, and education through site and district parent/family information evenings or series.
  • Annual revisiting of the district student and school handbooks.
  • Incentives and programs offered for positive choices/attitude, good attendance, healthy wellness practices, and academics, promoting positive opportunities (i.e., physical and/or nutrition education activities, Oak Grove School District attendance incentives, Honor Roll, Principal's List, Dream Keepers, Every Student Succeeding awards, Student of the Month awards, and E2 positive referrals.)
  • Supplemental programs but not limited to: conflict/peer mediation, Refusal Skills, teasing, bullying and harassment, CTAG, and AB537 awareness with students, staff, families, volunteers, and noon-duty supervisors.
  • Training is on-going around race, ethnicity, gender, perceived gender orientation, and human dignity and its impact on school and classroom climate as it impacts interpersonal relationships. Examples of such training and work is seen through school and district equity teams, the Cycle of Inquiry,as well as site and district HABLA and Koffee Klatch parent/family meetings and PBIS training.
  • Alternatives are reviewed as options to discipline(i.e. campus projects, incentives programs, community services, behavior plans/contracts) to encourage and build towards goal setting, Friday School, site or off-site group or individual counseling (counseling intern or District counselor) or programs, and/or alternative site placements for a fresh start.

Objective 1: On an on-going basis, review and revise incentives, positive discipline, and appropriate alternative consequence plans.

  1. Related Activities:
  1. Orientation meetings with staff, students and parents/families.
  2. Visitation and collaboration of school sites (elementary and immediate) for continuity through and across Learning Communities.
  3. Staff and support staff discussions, training/professional development, activities, training and awareness related to CTAG/critical race theory, teasing, bullying, harassment, and developmental assets, Wellness policies around physical education and nutrition, implementation of AB537 which occur at sites and the district level.
  4. CIET/leadership team/support staff and regular staff meetings discuss and revise programs on an on-going basis.
  5. Outreach into the community at large.
  6. Tap into available resources, grants and donations.
  7. Koffee Klatches, HABLA, families/students/community meetings (i.e., District Wellness Committee, District Advisory Council, and Student Advisory Council), recognition programs, and participation in community events work to develop caring relationships with students, families and community.
  8. Electronic communication (District Mail, Infinite Campus, School Loopand school website) and the use of electronic devices are used to facilitate the building of a sense of community, positive and on-going communications where students, parents/families and community may access staff and staff may access families. Information related to their appropriate use is reviewed annually with students and families through the District Handbook and Internet Use Agreement.
  1. Resources Needed:

PFCfunds,SIP, donations, District in-kind funds

  1. Person(s) responsible for implementation:

CIET, leadership team, support staff, regular staff, administration, counselors, staff, parents/families, students and district personnel.

  1. Timeline: On-going

Herman Intermediate School

and AdVENTURE

SafeSchool Action Plan

Component 4

School Culture

Goal: In order to improve student performance, students, staff and community will work together to ensure that strategies, activities, educational opportunities and programs are in place to build a sense of community within the school and a sense of caring about each other.

Areas of Pride and Desired Change: The School Site Council of Herman Intermediate School recognizes and commends the students, staff, and parents/families for the following conditions and programs that promote safe, spirited, and positive school culture.

  • Outreach to the community is encouraged through partnerships, assemblies, student and parent/family groups, programs, and volunteerism (e.g., Dream Keepers, San Jose Police Department, HABLA, Koffee Klatches, Health and District Wellness Committee, District Advisory Council, Student Advisory Council, County Food Service Contests). Projects and programs related to special needs, second language learners are used to develop and model social consciousness, etc.
  • On-going educational opportunities are provided to gain awareness and a deeper understanding of race, ethnicity, and cultures within our community and their impact on our students, their performance and school climate.
  • Incentives are provided in the area of attendance and academics, as well as social and emotional opportunities to promote positive relationships and connections with students, staff, the school and organizations supporting youth.
  • On-going communication and building of connections between home, school and the greater community resources will be promoted(e.g., staff, school activities, functions, clubs, assemblies, partnerships, recognition, awards programs, Smarter Balance Assessment Consortium [SBAC]and other relevant test scores, parent information/educational evenings, and performances supporting a safe, caring, healthy, and positive school culture).
  • Electronic communication with the use of e-mail, Infinite Campus, Connect Ed, School Loop and a school website, Facebook, Parent Link App, Peachjar and appropriate use of electronic devises will be made available to build a sense of community, encourage on-going communication, and an open and positive connection between students, parents/families, schools, and community. The Oak Grove School District now has a mobile app which can be configured to send push notifications to parents. Facebook pages for both Herman and AdVENTURE are being developed.
  • Personal phone calls, site and district communication system used to call home, newsletters, e-mail, websites, notes, voice mail, signs/marquees, and student-generated publications recognizing and acknowledging students, parents/families, community, and staff for achievements will be made available and encouraged.
  • Communication will be done in home language whenever possible.

Objective 1: Improve system of publications to the students, staff, families and community which will include or focus on student awards/recognition, rewards, school activities, achievements, acknowledgments, timely information and announcements.