In preparation for revising and updating the School-level Safe Schools Plan, PED provides the following instructions/checklist. You may consider creating a similar template that states: (YOUR SCHOOL NAME) will do the following:
o Review the revised School Guide—Fall 2013.
o Review current School-level Safety Plan and make a cross-reference with the School Guide—Fall 2013 and identified sections and sub-sections that need to be updated and/or inclusive of new policy/information.
o Convene your School-level Safety Committee
o Make connections with community emergency responders to seek participation on School-level Safety Committee.
o Develop a plan to obtain input and feedback when updating the School Emergency Operations Plan section from the school community (i.e., staff, parents, students).
o Review school level and/or district-level data (such as from the Violence and Vandalism report, safety audits, Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey, etc.) to determine appropriate programs, policies and procedures to be included in the revised School-level Safety Plan.
o Identify appropriate staff to oversee violence prevention strategies in our school (i.e., who is responsible for prevention programs, policy enforcement, and crisis management).
o Obtain assessment data on how the school addresses various problems related to school safety.
o Obtain assessment data to determine how these problems—as well as others—may impact the school’s vulnerability to certain crises.
o Assure that the revised and updated (YOUR SCHOOL NAME) Safety Plan has involved key stakeholders (i.e., parents, staff, students, emergency responders).
o (YOUR SCHOOL NAME) Safety Plan has been cross-referenced with the revised Safe Schools Plan Rubric for completion and inclusion of all required documents.
o REQUIRED DOCUMENTS include:
o School-level Safety Committee Membership list
o School-level Floor Plan
o School-Level Campus Map
o Safe Schools Plan
o Save all required documents of (YOUR SCHOOL NAME) Safety Plan as a PDF-formatted document and save on a CD-ROM. (Do not submit as DOC, DOCX, JPEG, or any other applications. If so, your CD-ROM will be sent back to your school principal, which will delay your school’s opportunity for a PED review).
o Label the CD-ROM and CD-ROM case/cover with the following information:
1st line: Name of School
2nd line: “Safe Schools Plan”
3rd line: Revised – 2013 version
4th line: Date CD-ROM submitted to PED
o Mail the CD-ROM to:
Dean Hopper, M.A., Ed., Director
PED – School and Family Support Bureau
120 Federal Place, Room 206
Santa Fe, NM 87501
ü EMAIL SUBMISSIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED!
DUE DATE FOR YEAR I SCHOOLS: January 31, 2014 by 5:00 p.m.
SAFE SCHOOL PLAN RUBRIC
The Rubric is your guide to assist you in preparing your Safe School Plan to be fully compliant with the required content when submitting the plan to the PED. The sample chart (below) provides an overall outline of the required components of the Safe School Plan that will be reviewed by PED. The full Rubric that shows the breakdown of the plan and specific content of each section is available for your examination by going to http://ped.state.nm.us/sfsb/tools/ and looking under the header: Safe Schools Plan Guidance. You are advised to look carefully over this Rubric prior to completing and submitting your Plan.
NOTE: You are only required to fill in the very top part of the Rubric when submitting your plan. The remaining portion will be used by the School & Family Support Bureau in reviewing your plan and providing specific feedback to your school.
OVERALL APPROVALPlease see below for specific recommendations by section for the School Level Safety plan.
Section / Approved / Not Approved / Due Date for revisions / Instructions
Introduction Included
Section I: Policies and Procedures
Section II: Prevention
Section III: School Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) Protection
Section IV: EOP Mitigation
Section V: EOP Response
Section VI: EOP Recovery
INTRODUCTION / Met / Not Met / Not Applicable / Recommendations
-Safety committee identified
-Floor Plan included
-Campus Map/Utility Cut-off diagramed
Additional Comments:
SCHOOL-LEVEL SAFETY COMMITTEE
Identify those individuals who will be involved in this planning effort. Organizational and school representation, as well as the number of members, are determined by the School.
Identify and invite the participation of any person or organization likely to be asked to respond to a school incident.
Organization / Name & Title / Phone Number & Email AddressHobbs Municipal Schools / Gene Strickland, Director of Operations / 575.433.0100
Fall 2014
Vital components that provide information about the school’s facilities involve various facility plans. This may include, but not be limited to:
§ Campus map (including surrounding area); Floor Plans; Utility cut-offs (electrical/mechanical rooms), gas and water
PLANNING FOR SAFE SCHOOLS IN NEW MEXICO
School Policy and Procedures
The (Your School Name) is committed to providing a healthy, safe and secure environment for students and employees. The SAFE SCHOOLS PLAN – SCHOOL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES section provides (Your School Name) staff with direction in the areas of discipline, dress, attendance, and abuse/neglect reporting, bullying prevention, etc.
The goal of this section of the Safe School Plan – School Policies and Procedures is to provide direction for school staff for establishing a safe, healthy, caring learning environment.
The Hobbs Municipal Schools recognizes that each school community has unique needs and resources, which must be addressed to enhance the School-Level Safety Plan. The SAFE SCHOOL PLAN – SCHOOL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES section will be reviewed annually by school staff.
(NOTE: Policies and Procedures are school specific. Included in this document are samples of possible policies and procedures a school might have in place to prevent possible violence, emergencies/disasters, and other known and unknown situations. Every school must develop a Policies and Procedures section in its School-Level Safety Plan that minimally includes policies required by existing statute or rule. Please include all existing policies and procedures that are specific to a safe and healthy learning environment (e.g., attendance policies, dress code policies, anti-bullying policies).)
12
Fall 2014
(Your School Name) is committed to maintaining a campus environment that is pleasant, safe and conducive to learning for all. Toward this end (Your School Name) is dedicated to providing a consistent discipline policy, which will encourage appropriate and socially acceptable behavior.
All staff members are responsible for promoting a desired campus environment and for the consistent implementation of the (Your School Name) Discipline Policy. This responsibility carries authority from every employee to every student and shall not be limited by position assignment or job description.
Elementary Student Handbook (contains Discipline Policy)
Middle School Student Handbook (contains Discipline Policy)
Freshman High and Hobbs High School Student Handbook (contains Discipline Policy)
12
Fall 2014
Bus disruptions, whether deliberately or inadvertently interfering with the safe operation of a school bus, behaving in a manner adversely affecting an individual or any property on or near the bus itself, at bus stops, or at pick-up areas, will result in a progressive discipline procedure as stated below.
Bus Behavior guidelines (contains Discipline Policy)
12
Fall 2014
Elementary Student Handbook (contains Discipline Policy)
Middle School Student Handbook (contains Discipline Policy)
Freshman High and Hobbs High School Student Handbook (contains Discipline Policy)
TOBACCO, ALCOHOL AND DRUG FREE SCHOOL DISTRICTS
DEFINITIONS (6.12.4.7 NMAC)
A. “Alcoholic beverage” means a beverage with no less than one-half percent alcohol and includes wine, beer, fermented, distilled, rectified and fortified beverages.
B. “Illicit drugs” means steroids and prescription and over-the-counter medications being used for an abusive purpose or when not used in compliance with the prescription or directions for use and are not being used to treat a current health condition of the student.
C. “Mood-altering substances” means substances that include, but are not limited to paint, glue, aerosol sprays and similar substances.
D. “Tobacco” means substances that include, but are not limited to cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, dipping tobacco, snuff and similar substances.
[6.12.4.7 NMAC - N, 11-13-09]
What is Prescription Drug Abuse?
Some medications have psychoactive (mind-altering) properties and, because of that, are sometimes abused—that is, taken for reasons or in ways or amounts not intended by a doctor, or taken by someone other than the person for whom they are prescribed. In fact, prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are, after marijuana (and alcohol), the most commonly abused substances by Americans, ages 14 and older.
Commonly Abused Drugs:
Commonly abused classes of prescription drugs include opioids (for pain), central nervous system (CNS) depressants (for anxiety and sleep disorders), and stimulants (for ADHD and narcolepsy).[1]
According to the 2009 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS),[2] 1 in 5 high school students in the United States has taken a prescription drug, such as OxyContin, Percocet, Vicodin, Adderall, Ritalin, or Xanax, without a doctor’s prescription. In addition, the survey shows that many high school students engage in risk behaviors that are harmful to their overall health and increase their risk of disease and injury.[3]
Youth Violence
Youth violence can start early and continue into young adulthood. The young person can be a victim, an offender, or a witness to the violence.
Youth violence includes various behaviors. Some violent acts—such as bullying, slapping, or hitting—can cause more emotional harm than physical harm. Others, such as robbery and assault (with or without weapons) can lead to serious injury or even death.
The ultimate goal is to stop youth violence before it starts.[4]
Gun Free Schools
6.11.2 NMAC RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS
· This rule is based on the requirement of the federal Gun Free Schools Act which requires state and local school districts to have policies concerning weapons.
· This rule requires each school district to adopt a policy providing for the expulsion from school, for a period of not less than one year, of any student who is determined to have knowingly brought a weapon to school. The local school board or the superintendent of the school district may modify the expulsion requirement on a case-by-case basis.
Persistently Dangerous Schools
6.19.3 NMAC UNSAFE SCHOOL CHOICE OPTION:
· The No Child Left Behind Act states that a student attending a persistently dangerous school, or who becomes a victim of a violent criminal offense, as determined by state law, while in or on the grounds of a public school that the student attends, should be allowed to attend a safe public school within the school district, including a public charter school. This rule establishes the definitions and criteria for identifying persistently dangerous schools in New Mexico.
12
Fall 2014
· The (Your School Name) expects student dress and grooming to reflect high standards of personal conduct, so that each student’s attire promotes a positive, safe and healthy atmosphere within the school. Student dress may not present a health or safety hazard, violate municipal or state law, or present a potential for disruption to the instructional program.
Elementary Student Handbook (contains Dress Code)
Middle School Student Handbook (contains Dress Code)
Freshman High and Hobbs High School Student Handbook (contains Dress Code)
12
Revised – Fall 2013
Elementary Student Handbook (contains Attendance Policy)
Middle School Student Handbook (contains Attendance Policy)
Freshman High and Hobbs High School Student Handbook (contains Attendance Policy)
6.10.8 NMAC states that “Attendance” refers to students who are in class or in a school-approved activity. If a student is in attendance up to one-half of the total instructional time during a school day, the student will be counted as having attended one-half of a school day. If the student attends school for more than one-half of the total instructional time, the student will be counted as having attended for the full day. In addition, 6.10.8.8 NMAC requires each local school board and charter school to develop a written attendance policy.
Also, 2013 New Mexico law requires districts and charter schools to update their existing attendance policies to allow for the provision of excused absences for expectant and parenting teens. Attendance policies must:
1.) allow at least ten days of excused absences for a student who provides documentation of the birth of the student's child and allow the student a time period to make up the work that the student missed that equals the number of days the student was absent for the birth of a child; and
2.) provide excused absences for any additional days missed by a pregnant or parenting student for which a longer period of absence is deemed medically necessary by the student's physician and allow the student a time period to make up the work that the student missed that equals the number of days the student was absent.
School personnel are required by law to report substance abuse, child abuse and neglect.
Substance Abuse
Section 22-5-4.4 NMSA 1978:
“A. A school employee who knows, or in good faith suspects, any student of using or abusing alcohol or drugs shall report such use or abuse pursuant to procedures established by the local school board.
B. No school employee who in good faith reports any known or suspected instances of alcohol or drug use or abuse, shall be held liable for any civil damages as a result of such report or his efforts to enforce any school policies or regulations regarding drug or alcohol use or abuse.”
Child Abuse and Neglect
Section 22-10A-32 NMSA 1978. Licensed school employees; required training program.
A.All licensed school employees shall be required to complete training in the detection and reporting of and substance abuse. This requirement shall be completed within the licensed school employee's first year of employment by a school district.
B.Pursuant to the policy and rules, [PED] shall develop a training program, including training materials and necessary training staff, to meet the requirement of Subsection A of this section to make the training available in every school district. The department shall coordinate the development of the program with appropriate staff at the human services department and the department of health.
Section 32A-4-3 NMSA 1978. Duty to report child abuse and child neglect; responsibility to investigate child abuse or neglect; penalty.