I. District Safety and Security Procedures. 

The District will have written safety and security procedures that are disseminated to all principals and supervisors. District safety and security procedures will be implemented by all schools and buildings that house staff members or students within the District. 

A. The District’s safety and security procedures will include, at a minimum, the following:

1. Building access control.

2. Identification of school employees, contractors, vendors, and visitors.

3. Evacuation of buildings and campuses.

4. Implementation of the District Incident Command Team roles and responsibilities.

5. Guidelines for building level Safety and Security Plans.

6. District-wide alert procedures that when activated will initiate pre-established actions for staff and students in emergency situations.

7. Requirement that each school have a violence prevention program.

8. Guidelines for managing angry and out-of-control parents or adults who are visitors to the school; are abusive to students, staff or other visitors; and substantially disrupt the educational process.

9. Guidelines for monitoring and managing violent student behavior.

10 Post-intervention procedures for assisting students and staff after an emergency.

11. Guidelines for utilization of and training requirements for security staff and School Resource Officers within each school or building.

12. Guidelines for maintenance of grounds and facilities relative to safety and security

13. Guidelines for staff development relative to safety and security for all District employees.

II. District Emergency Management Plan. 

The District will develop and implement an Emergency Management Plan that will provide District-wide procedures for dealing with emergencies. The Emergency Management Plan will:

A. Contain the emergency procedures for responding to the following situations: abduction/missing/runaway student, bomb threats, school vehicle accident, earthquake or tornado, fire/gas leak/explosion, guns or weapons on campus, hostage situations, sexual battery, shooting or stabbing, student major disruption/demonstrations, and student/parent/staff death, suicide, or attempted suicide. 

B. Be reviewed and updated annually.

C. Be disseminated to all principals and designated personnel who are responsible for managing students in emergency situations.

III. District Safety and Security Committee. 

The District will develop and implement a standing District Safety and Security Committee.

A. The Director of Student Services will chair a standing District Safety and Security Committee which will be composed of:

1. District administrators;

2. District certificated staff;

3. Secondary students;

4. Parents; and

5. Community members.

B. The Safety and Security Committee will meet at least annually to review safety and security plans and procedures, including emergency management plans and procedures, and to make recommendations for changes in existing procedures or recommendations for new procedures which address the changing security needs of the District.

IV. District Crisis Team. 

A District Crisis Team will be developed and implemented. Crisis Team members will receive specialized training to assist building administrators in providing psychological support during and after times of crisis. The specialized training will help personnel to direct crisis resolution activities and to counsel students and staff in coping with the aftermath of crisis situations.

V. Evaluation and Review. 

District safety and security plans and procedures will be evaluated annually and revised according to areas of identified need.

A. The safety and security plans and/or facilities of the District’s buildings will be reviewed at least annually by the District Safety and Security Committee and the Director of Student Services or designee.

B. The District’s safety and security plans will be reviewed annually by one (1) or more persons who are not on the District’s Safety and Security Committee and who are not employees of the District. This review will include a visit to school buildings to analyze plans, policies, procedures, and practices, and provide recommendations. Any recommendations made as a result of the analysis will be forwarded to the Director of Student Services and to the District’s Safety and Security Committee to be considered in making revisions to the District’s safety and security plan.

I. Building Safety and Security Plans. 

Every school within the District will have a written site-specific safety and security plan that includes comprehensive procedures for coping with emergencies and the aftermath caused by crisis situations. Building safety and security plans will comply with all of the requirements that are stipulated in District Safety and Security Plans and Emergency Management Procedures. The principal will be responsible for development and implementation of the building safety and security plans.

II. Contents. The building safety and security plan shall:

A. Be a self-contained document that is separate from the Safety and Security Plan or the Emergency Management Plan that are distributed by the District. 

1. Be formatted to follow a District outline established by the District Safety and Security Committee.

2. Identify those procedures specific to the building that are not identified or detailed in the District Safety and Security Procedures. 

3. Procedures identified in the District Safety and Security Plan and Emergency Management Plan will not be included verbatim in building safety and security plans except as needed for clarification and continuity. 

4. Building safety and security plans should specify who, what, when, where and how District safety and security procedures will be carried out in that specific building.

B. Be in accordance with District policies, rules and procedures.

C. Define the roles and responsibilities of personnel during and after a crisis.

D. Identify Building Safe Team roles and responsibilities.

E. Provide a description of the continuity of leadership if the principal is incapacitated or unavailable.

F. Provide a plan for reducing repeat infractions of the Standards for Student Conduct dealing with violence.

G. Contain the plans for a violence prevention and intervention program.

H. Be reviewed and updated annually by the principal or the principal’s designee.

I. Be disseminated to all staff in the building.

J. Be approved by the Superintendent or designee. A copy of the plan will be submitted to Student Services.

K. Be reviewed annually by the District Safety and Security Committee.

L. Contain building emergency management plans that:

1. Identify those procedures specific to the building that are not identified or detailed in the District Emergency Management Plan. 

2. Are in accordance with District policy, rules and procedures.

3. Define the roles and responsibilities of personnel during and after a crisis.

4. Identify that emergency drills shall:

a. Be implemented at a variety of times from the beginning to the end of the school day;

b. Be implemented when students are in diverse locations (i.e., the cafeteria) and in a variety of activities throughout the building;

c. Not endanger students or staff; and

d. Provide that adequate orientation and instruction be provided early in the school year.

M. Be reviewed and updated annually by the principal or the principal’s designee.

N. Be disseminated to all staff in the building.

O. Be approved by the Superintendent or designee. A copy of the plan will be submitted to Student Services.

P. Be reviewed annually by the District Safety and Security Committee.

Each building shall conduct one (1) fire drill each month and shall keep all doors and exits unlocked for egress during school hours. Reports of the monthly fire drills are to be on file in each school, and the completed form shall be submitted to the State Fire Marshall at the end of each school year. The state regulations for fire drills shall be followed explicitly at all times, and copies of the state regulations shall be maintained in the office of each principal.

I. Dismissal Procedures. 

In the event of dismissal during the school day due to some emergency situation, the following procedures shall be followed:

A. Accounting for students and contacting parents.

1. Students living within walking distance of the attendance center shall be allowed to proceed home if in the determination of the building administration conditions are conducive to safe travel by foot. Parents or guardians shall be contacted before the student leaves the building.

2. Students who normally use school-provided or contracted transportation services shall remain at the attendance center until such vehicles arrive or until their parents or guardians provide alternative transportation.

3. Students shall be allowed to leave school with adults other than their parents or guardians only when permission is granted by the parents or guardians of the respective student.

B. If parents can not be contacted.

1. The student should remain under supervision at school or at the alternative site until the parents or emergency contact person can be reached.

2. If the parent has previously specified in writing, that the student can be released to a designated agency or individual, the student may be released.

This Safe Student Transportation Plan sets forth the District’s plan for providing safe transportation to students being transported in vehicles on regular routes assigned through the District transportation plan. 

I. Weapons. Student transportation vehicles shall not transport any items, materials, weapons or look-a-like weapons, explosive devices or bomb-related materials or equipment which could endanger the lives, health, or safety of the students, other passengers, and the driver.  Look-a-like weapons associated with a school-sponsored or approved activity may be transported with written permission of an administrator of the District.  If possible, these items should be secured and not visible or accessible to students while in the vehicle.

Upon becoming aware of a weapon aboard a student transportation vehicle, the driver will make every attempt to: 
 
A. Contact dispatch and notify them of the situation if possible.  If not possible, the driver will make every attempt to telephone dispatch from a cell phone (after parking on a shoulder or otherwise not moving) or from the nearest safe haven location.  Examples of a safe haven include, but are not limited to, any school building site, emergency service station (law enforcement or fire department), community service agency, etc.

B. Pull the vehicle over to a safe and secure area.

C. Confiscate the weapon (if doing so does not jeopardize student or driver safety).

D. Give a description of the weapon and the participating parties to dispatch.

E. Dispatch will immediately notify the appropriate law enforcement agencies and school administration.

II. Student Behavior. Students are expected to follow student conduct rules while in a student transportation vehicle.  The driver is responsible for controlling behavior which affects safety and for reporting rule violations to school administration.  In the event a student violates Board policy regarding student conduct standards or otherwise engages in behavior that jeopardizes safety, the driver will make every attempt to:

A. First seek to resolve the incident through discussion with the student(s) involved.

B. Contact dispatch and notify them of the situation if possible.  If not possible, the driver will make every attempt to telephone dispatch from a cell phone or from the nearest safe haven location.  Examples of a safe haven include, but are not limited to, any school building site, emergency service station (law enforcement or fire department), community agency, etc.

C. Activate emergency flashers.

D. Bring vehicle to a safe stop.  Seek to resolve the incident, using physical force only as necessary to protect students or yourself.

E. Report and document discipline problems to the school administrator.  Use a Bus Conduct Report/Incident Form, if available.
 
III. Terrorist Threats. A person commits a terroristic threat if the person threatens to commit a crime of violence with the intent to terrorize another or with the intent of causing evacuation of a building, place of assembly or the vehicle or in reckless disregard of the risk of causing such terror or evacuation. Upon becoming aware of a terroristic threat relating to a student transportation vehicle, the driver will make every attempt to: 

A. Contact dispatch and notify them of the situation if possible.  If not possible, the driver will make every attempt to telephone dispatch from a cell phone or from the nearest safe haven location. Examples of a safe haven include, but are not limited to, any school building site, emergency service station (law enforcement or fire department), community agency, etc. 

B. Make every attempt to keep passengers calm (this may mean complying with the terrorist).

C. Dispatch will immediately notify the appropriate law enforcement agencies and school administration. 

D. Driver should wait for instructions from dispatch.

IV. Severe Weather. Upon becoming aware of severe weather while aboard a student transportation vehicle, the driver will make every attempt to:

A. Contact dispatch and notify them of the situation if possible.  If not possible, the driver will make every attempt to telephone dispatch from a cell phone or from the nearest safe haven location. Examples of a safe haven include, but are not limited to, any school building site, emergency service station (law enforcement or fire department), community agency, etc.
  
B. Return to the school if less than five minutes away and follow the directions of the school administrator.

C. If more than five minutes away from school, go to the nearest school and follow the directions of the school administrator.

D. If more than five minutes away from the nearest school or there is immediate danger, get to the nearest basement or underground shelter with all students.  

E. If there is no shelter and there is immediate danger the driver and passengers are to follow evacuation procedures and get everyone off the vehicle and into the nearest ditch or culvert at least 100 feet away from the vehicle.
 
V. Hazardous Materials and Unattended Items. Upon becoming aware of a hazardous material aboard a student transportation vehicle, the driver will make every attempt to:    

A. Contact dispatch and notify them of the situation if possible.  If not possible, the driver will make every attempt to telephone dispatch from a cell phone or from the nearest safe haven location. Examples of a safe haven include, but are not limited to, any school building site, emergency service station (law enforcement or fire department), community agency, etc.

B. Pull the vehicle over to a safe and secure area.

C. Give a description of the hazardous materials in question to dispatch.

D. Dispatch will immediately notify the appropriate law enforcement agencies and school administration. 

E. Driver should wait for instructions from dispatch.

In the event an unattended item is discovered on or near the vehicle, the driver will seek to determine who the item belongs to and whether the item could be hazardous to the safety of those in the vehicle.  Any unattended item that would break or could cause injury if tossed about the inside of the vehicle when involved in an accident or sudden stop shall be secured.  If it is determined that the item is not hazardous and need not be secured, the driver will not allow the item to distract the driver’s attention to the task of operating the vehicle.

VI. Medical Emergencies. Upon becoming aware of a medical emergency aboard a student transportation vehicle, the driver will make every attempt to:

A. Contact dispatch and notify them of the situation if possible. If not possible, the driver will make every attempt to telephone dispatch from a cell phone or from the nearest safe haven location. Examples of a safe haven include, but are not limited to, any school building site, emergency service station (law enforcement or fire department), community agency, etc.
  
B. Dispatch will immediately notify the appropriate medical agencies and school administration.

C. Driver should follow instructions from dispatch, school officials, and parents when such information can be obtained quickly.  If not available, follow emergency first aid procedures.

D. Only if necessary, the driver should move passengers only enough to get them out of danger of traffic or fire.  If moved, the driver and aide are to keep the passengers where placed until a medical agency arrives, unless a parent has taken charge of their child.

E. Driver should try to keep student passengers as calm as possible.

VII. Procedures in the Event of Mechanical Breakdowns of the Vehicle. Upon becoming aware of a mechanical breakdown aboard a student transportation vehicle, the driver will make every attempt to:

A. Pull the vehicle over to a safe and secure area if possible.

B. Contact dispatch and notify them of the situation if possible.  If not possible, the driver will make every attempt to telephone dispatch from a cell phone or from the nearest safe haven location.  Examples of a safe haven include, but are not limited to, any school building site, emergency service station (law enforcement or fire department), community agency, etc.

C. Activate emergency flashers and place warning flares/reflectors in accordance with safety guidelines, if not in a secure area.

D. Driver should try to keep student passengers as calm as possible.

E. Dispatch will arrange for assistance and a relief vehicle if needed.

VIII. Procedures in the Event the Drop-off Location is Uncertain or Appears Unsafe to Leave Students. In the event the drop-off location is uncertain or appears unsafe to leave students, the driver will make every attempt to:

A. Contact or otherwise communicate with dispatch to notify them of the situation. 

B. Release students only if an adult responsible for the student is present. If not, keep students who are to be released in the vehicle, continue with route, and return students who were to be released to the school.

C. Dispatch will notify the appropriate law enforcement agencies and school administration if appropriate given the circumstances.

IX. Transportation of Unsafe Items.  Drivers shall not permit student transportation vehicles to transport any items, animals, materials, weapons or look-a-like weapons, or equipment which in any way would endanger the lives, health or safety of the students or other passengers and the driver.  Look-a-like weapons associated with a school sponsored or approved activity may be transported only with written permission of a school administrator.  Any items that would break or could cause injury if tossed about the inside of the vehicle when involved in an accident or sudden stop shall be secured.

X. Functional Capacity of Student Transportation Drivers.  All student transportation drivers must pass a functional capacity assessment to confirm a driver’s ability to perform the requirements of the job.
 
XI. Documentation under Safe Student Transportation Plan.  Each student transportation driver is required to complete and submit to the school administration a bus conduct report or incident report involving the student transportation vehicle operated by the driver or any students transported in it.  Documentation is to include the occurrence of any of the following events: weapons, student behavior which affects safety, terroristic threats, severe weather, hazardous materials, or medical emergencies.   Documentation of such events shall be completed and submitted as soon as practicable after the incident. 

XII. Supplemental Information. A copy of this Plan shall be placed in each student transportation vehicle, kept at each school building, and made available upon request. Supplemental information with respect to operational and procedural guidelines used to administer this Plan can be found in the District’s Safety and Security Plan adopted pursuant to 92 Nebraska Administrative Code Chapter 10 and in the Nebraska Department of Education Student Transportation Guide.   

XIII. Drivers of Small Vehicles on Activity Trips.  The District will provide drivers of small vehicles on activity trips with instruction on and guidance for emergency evacuation procedures, first aid, and emergency equipment.  Drivers of small vehicles on activity trips are generally expected to follow this Plan in the event of an emergency evacuation. The District’s Director of Transportation may provide additional guidance for drivers of small vehicles on activity trips to increase student safety.

XIV. Student Instruction.  At least twice during each school year, each student who is transported in a school vehicle shall be instructed in safe riding practices and participate in emergency evacuation drills.