CSCSHC is committed to providing a safe and secure learning environment for all of our students and staff. The district works closely with our School Resource Officers (SROs). All of our SROs are trained police officers. SROs are in CSCSHC school buildings each and every day. Our SROs regularly partner with K-9 officers to perform random searches in our facilities and our parking lots. Our SROs and K-9s prioritize the safety of our students and staff each day.
All doors in our district are locked during the school day. Visitors to any CSCSHC school are required to buzz in at the front entrance, provide a government-issued photo ID, and wear a visitor badge at all times while in the building.
All staff and students have received training on how and when to report suspicious activity to the proper authorities. Those reports can be made anonymously by any community member using this form.
Per Indiana law, the district and each school have a safety plan specifically tailored for their individual needs. These plans have been carefully vetted by local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. These plans have been communicated to all CSCSHC staff. The specific situations in the plan are routinely drilled by staff and students. Also per Indiana law, CSCSHC has a Safety Committee, comprised of administrators from each building and local law enforcement officers. This committee meets regularly to discuss, vet, and adjust these plans in the best interest of student safety.
CSCSHC uses the I Love You Guys Foundation’s plan and terminology for School Safety.
It is important for parents and community members to know the difference between a hold or secure situation and a lockdown. A hold or secure typically means that business will continue as usual in our classrooms. Sometimes a hold or secure can be called in a non-emergency situation, such as a spill in a hallway or a medical issue with a student or staff member. Parents may not be notified if a hold or secure is called in one of these non-emergency situations.
A lockdown is called only in situations where a potential threat has been identified. Parents will be notified in the event of a legitimate lockdown.
In hold, secure, or lockdown situations, visitors are NOT permitted in our school buildings. If a lockout or lockdown is in progress, any parents or community members will not gain access to our building until the lockdown or lockout is lifted.
Parents will not be notified of any lockout or lockdown drills. It is important that these drills be conducted under normal circumstances without any visitors to our buildings.
In the event of a legitimate emergency at one or more of our school buildings, students and staff may be evacuated from a building and sent to a reunification site, where they will be released to their parents or guardians. In the event of an emergency, it is critically important that parents do NOT come to a school building where an emergency has occurred. All parties will be notified of the location of the reunification. Parents should promptly go to the reunification location with a government-issued ID. Students will ONLY be released to contacts listed in their PowerSchool account who have a government-issued ID. If a family member not listed on your PowerSchool account attempts to pick up your student from a reunification site, your student will NOT be released to that person for safety reasons.
NOTE: A number of specific policies and procedures connected to student safety are required to remain private in the interest of keeping our students safe. If you have questions about safety at CSCSHC, please contact Safety Director Miles Hercamp at mhercamp@newpal.k12.in.us.