Safe Schools involves many components. The Rowan County School District strictly adheres to each of these components. The School Security Risk Assessments is the document that the Office of the State School Security Marshal uses determine if schools/districts are compliant. An investigator/Compliance Officer conducts “unannounced on-site visits” to ascertain compliance.
These unannounced on-site visits includes ensuring that classroom doors remain closed and locked during instructional time. One exception would be when only (1) student and one (1) adult are in the classroom. Classroom doors with windows are required to be equipped with materials to quickly cover the window during a building lockdown.
All schools must adhere to practices to control access to each building. This means all visitors are required to report to the main office upon entry, all visitors must provide valid identification, are required to state the purpose of their visit, and a visible "visitor's badge" is required to be displayed at all times. The main entrance of the schools are required to be equipped with electronically locking doors, equipped with a camera(s), and equipped with an intercom system, All exterior doors must remained locked during the school day.
The schools must have a School Safety and Threat Assessment Teams in place. In addition, they must adopt a trauma-informed approach to education and have established trauma-informed teams. Each school has an Emergency Plan that they follow. Public safety agencies have a copy of the plan. The school council, principal, and first responders reviews the plan during the school year. Prior to start of the school year, the plan is discussed with school personnel.
Established primary and secondary evacuation route are posted in each room by evacuation doorways. Severe weather safe zones are identified and posted. Schools practice drills throughout the school year. These drills include fire, Earthquake, severe weather, hostage, and building lockdowns.
The principal must provide written notice to all students and parents of the potential penalties for Terroristic Threating. School staff must have suicide prevention training and any staff member that has job duties requiring direct contact with students must attend a training on how to respond to an active shooter situation. Each school has an assigned school resource officer.
Prominently displayed in each school are the statewide child abuse posters, anonymous reporting posters, and National Human Trafficking posters. The Handle with Care program is implemented in each school as well.
We are pleased to announce that all of our schools are compliant with Safe Schools guidelines