D20 SAFETY & SECURITY

Safe school planning is an ongoing and dynamic process that is comprehensive, evaluative, and constantly evolving.  Professional development and collaborative partnerships are necessary to the success of the safety plan and emergency management efforts that include prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery procedures.  District 20's safe school planning involves an ongoing and working relationship with local emergency responders, community members, social service networks, parents, students, and staff.

District 20 meets annually with first responders from Hanover Park, Roselle, and Bloomingdale and as needed to review District 20's emergency management and crisis response plan and procedures.  District 20 has also engaged a safety consultant to ensure that our safety plans follow current best practices.  Updates are also recommended based on national emergency response best practices and the unique safety needs of District 20.  

District 20 also has a multi-disciplinary and collaborative approach to identifying, investigating, assessing, and handling potential threats to students, staff, and our school community.  The District has an established District Threat Assessment Team, as well as individual School Threat Assessment Teams that are comprised of administrators, social workers, psychologist, other school staff, and local law enforcement. 

District 20 schools practice a variety of safety drills throughout the year to ensure that everyone is prepared if an emergency occurs.  These safety drills include fire drills, tornado/severe weather drills, bus evacuation drills, and active threat drills.  Drills are designed to educate and prepare students.  Schools are very careful to avoid scaring students during drills.

If updates to district or school emergency procedures are necessary, they are communicated to administrators and principals who review the plan with their teachers and staff at the start of the school year, and as needed throughout the year.  

Teachers keep copies of a summarized emergency classroom action guide which they can quickly reference during actual emergency situations.  These guides are also available to and reviewed with substitutes.

A primary safety component of the emergency plan requires that plan details are only available to employees and emergency responders.

Keep Your Child's Information Up to Date

In the event of a school emergency, communication from the school/district to parents/guardians will be made via email, phone calls, the district website, and district social media. Emergency messages will be sent to all phone numbers and emails listed in Skyward when a student is registered for school, including emergency contact numbers.

It is important that you make sure that your current contact information has been submitted via Skyward Family Access so that we are able to send you emergency notifications.  If you are unable to access Skyward, please contact your school office so that they can help you to update your contact information.

Opt-in to Receive Emergency Notifications - Phone, Email & Text Messages

You must opt-in to receive emergency notifications during school hours and/or non-school hours, via Skyward Family Access.  Please see the image below for instructions and contact your school office if you need assistance.

Follow the Rules

Exterior school doors are locked during the school day.  Visitors must ring the doorbell and be visually and verbally identified via the entry camera before gaining school entry.  Visitors are asked to verify their name and purpose for visiting the school.  Once approved and buzzed -n, visitors must sign-in at the front desk, provide a valid ID, and pick-up a visitor's badge before continuing to their destination.  Thank you for your cooperation!

Talk to Your Child

Use age-appropriate language to describe the importance of school safety drills in preparing for the unlikely event of an emergency.  Stress the importance of remaining calm and listening to the teacher or trusted school employee in charge during a drill or an actual emergency.  Encourage your child to be vigilant and report information if they see or hear something suspicious.  Please stress that it is never okay to make a threat against anyone or the school.

Create a Family Plan

School safety drills complement home safety drills.  If you have not done so already ,we recommend that you create a family preparedness plan. 

While there are many crisis situations that can occur, they generally fall into five categories:  Shelter-in-Place (Severe Weather), Secure and Teach (Outside Hazard); Secure and Teach (Inside Hazard), Evacuation (Fire), and Lockdown (Active Threat).  Below please find a description of each of these categories and how we communicate during them.  

Shelter-in-Place (Severe Weather) procedures are used when severe weather requires relocation within the building for safety (i.e., tornadoes and other severe weather).  Designated shelters are in areas of the building that maximize the safety of occupants.  Designated shelter areas may change depending on the type of emergency.

• During tornado watches, all students must stay indoors, but instruction and bus service will continue. 
• During a tornado warning or other severe weather, all regular school activities will cease, and students move to a designated shelter-in-place area until the warning is lifted.  Students may be asked to face a wall, kneel and be ready to cover their heads with their arms and hands to protect them from debris.  Students and staff will remain at the designated area until an "all clear" is announced.
• The District will send families an email, robocall and text if severe weather alters the school schedule or causes a safety hazard.
• Please see District 20's Inclement Weather Policy for information relating to winter weather/snow day procedures.

Secure and Teach (Outside Hazard) procedures are used when there is a hazard outside the building that requires individuals to remain inside the school building for safety (i.e., nearby policy activity, a local hazardous waste spill).  Students who are outside at recess or physical education are brought inside.  Students and staff will be asked to remain inside their classrooms or offices with normal instruction until instructed otherwise.  All exterior doors are locked and no one is permitted to enter or exit. During these situations, the school will contact families and staff, as soon as information can be coordinated and confirmed with the appropriate emergency responder.

Secure and Teach (Inside Hazard) procedures are used when there is a crisis that does not place students and staff in imminent danger but requires containing everyone in place in the building for safety (i.e., a medical emergency or escalating student or visitor who is not perceived to be imminently dangerous).  Classroom instruction continues as normal, but everyone in the building is directed to remain in their current locations until instructed otherwise.  During these situations, the school will contact families and staff information as soon as the information can be coordinated and confirmed with the appropriate emergency responder.

Evacuation (Fire) procedures are initiated when a hazard inside the building requires relocating outside the building for safety (i.e., fire, gas leak, or other in-school hazard).  Classrooms will follow evacuation procedures outlined in their emergency classroom action plan to safely transfer students to a designated location outside the building.  An Off-Campus Evacuation may be necessary when circumstances require relocation of students and staff to a remote site for their safety.  In this situation, students will be transported, accounted for, and released to their parent/guardian when safe to do so.  The school will contact families and staff as soon as information can be coordinated and confirmed with the fire department and any other emergency responders.

Lockdown (Active Threat) procedures are implemented when there is a serious or volatile threat to the school that could  jeopardize the physical safety of students and staff (i.e., dangerous intruder in the building).  During a lockdown situation, staff, students, and visitors will have to assess their situation and know their options:  Run - Lockdown/Hide - Fight.  When in lockdown/hide, all students and visitors are brought inside a classroom or office, windows and doors are locked, lights are turned off, and barricades are used.  Everyone should remain quiet and cell phones should be silenced.  If safe evacuation is possible, students, visitors, and staff will quickly and quietly leave the building to a safe area.  If safe escape or hiding is not possible, and if under imminent attack, staff have been trained that taking action to defend themselves and their students is the last resort attempt.  During a lockdown/active threat situation, the district or school will contact families and staff as soon as information can be coordinated and confirmed with the appropriate emergency responder.

In the event of a school emergency, District 20's top priority is student, staff, and visitor safety.  The District works closely with the police and fire departments, and it typically takes time to gather and confirm accurate information.  District 20 will communicate crisis information to families as quickly as possible.  Thank you for your patience!

For larger crisis situations or emergencies requiring parent's immediate response (i.e., early dismissal), District 20 or your child's school will communicate with families and staff by email, robocall, and text messaging.  It is important that your contact information in Skyward Family Access is up to date.  Depending on the situation, the District will also share information via the district website and social media.  

District 20 aims to provide families and staff with as much detail and transparency as possible in our crisis communications.  Please note, however, that by law school districts cannot release confidential information or information that could compromise an investigation.

If you receive an emergency message from your school or the district that does not provide details, it is likely because additional information cannot be shared.  We realize that our families and staff will be on high alert when situations arise, and we will share as much information as possible in any given situation.  

There may be instances when emergency responders visit your child's school that do not require a communication.  For example, police and fire departments often visit schools to teach lessons on school safety.  If you do see emergency responders at school, please do not jump to conclusions or speculate. 

District 20 or your child's school will contact you if there is a safety issue.  If you have questions about something that you have observed, please contact your school to obtain the facts. 

Please be patient:  in true emergencies it may take time to verify and coordinate information with emergency responders.

Stay Calm and Stay Alert

In the event of a school emergency, please remain calm and know that school staff, district personnel, and law enforcement are working to keep your child safe.  District 20 fully understands the importance of communication during an emergency and we are prepared to provide ongoing updates throughout the situation.  Based on the circumstances, the District may provide information via emails, phone calls, district social media, and the district website.  Please know that the media may not always communicate accurate information.  In addition, we know that during an emergency, many students will try to call or text their parents/guardians.  If this occurs, we ask you to remain calm and reassuring.  Encourage your student to follow the directions of school staff.

Stay Away from the School

We understand that your first instinct will be to go to the school to see your child, especially in a difficult situation.  If there is a crisis, the school may be locked down and you will not have immediate access to your child.  Arriving at school before it is secure can interfere with the emergency response and puts you in danger.  In addition, rushing to school may create chaos and traffic that may block emergency responders from getting to the school or leaving if necessary to transport injured persons to emergency medical facilities.   

Families should not come to pick up their child(ren) unless given the direction to do so from District 20.

Keep Phone Lines Open

We ask that families do not call school or the district office in the event of an emergency.  This allows phone lines to stay open for communication with emergency personnel and school officials.  It also helps school staff to remain focused on the safety of the students.  The school/district will communicate any information with you as soon as possible via Skyward/Skylert, emails, phone calls, district website or district social media.

Please remain vigilant and wait for communication regarding next steps. 

Do Not Call the Police Department or 911

The police department will be dealing with the school emergency and the dispatch line must remain open for any other emergencies that could occur in the community.  Calling to ask what is going on at the school will only take away from the dispatcher being able to handle other emergencies, and also interrupt communication with the police on site at the school.

Be Prepared with your Photo ID

In the event of a school evacuation, District 20 will follow standard reunification plan to ensure students are safely returned to their families.  The District will communication the reunification site and instructions.  Families and/or individuals listed as an authorized person to pick up your child should do the following:

• Bring valid form of identification (ID
• Follow signage and parking directions to the reunification location
• Complete the provided reunification form
• Provide school personnel at the check-in table with a valid form of photo ID and the completed reunification form
• Wait patiently as District 20 staff retrieves and escorts your student to you

The District works hard to evaluate current safety practices and enhance protocols at all of our schools.  School security involves multiple layers and requires the cooperation of school staff, parents, and students. 

District 20 welcomes parents, families, and community members into our schools.  All of our buildings have limited and secured entry points for visitors.  Those visiting must identify themselves verbally and visually, and state the purpose of their visit, before being allowed to enter the building.  If visiting a classroom or other area beyond the main office during school hours, visitors and volunteers must provide government-issued identification and undergo a background check via our Raptor System.  Once approved, visitors must wear a visitor badge at all times and abide by Board Policy 8:30 Visitors to and Conduct on School Property.  When outside organizations use D20 facilities, they must abide by Board Policy 8:20 Community Use of School Facilities.

Other security measures incude emergency devices and surveillance cameras to monitor suspicious activity inside and outside of school buildings.  Radio devices are used by our administrators and staff who are part of the building crisis teams so that they can communicate with one another via radio during an emergency.  All employees, substitutes, and visitors are required to wear visible ID badges while in the building which eliminates the circulation of keys and allows the district to monitor when and where people enter/exit our buildings.

The district has worked with local emergency responders and independent safety experts to conduct building inspections and make recommendations for safety improvements when necessary.

District 20 abides by the Illinois School Safety Drill Act (105 ILCS 128/) which requires schools to conduct a variety of safety drills annually to prepare students and staff in the case of emergency.  School safety drills are conducted during the school day when students and staff are present. 

• Evacuation/Fire Drills (3 drills annually, at least one involving the local fire department present to observe and provide direction and feedback)
• Shelter-in-Place/Severe Weather Drill 
• Lockdown/Active Shooter Drill (Run-Hide/Lockdown-Fight) (at least one involving the police department present to observe and provide direction and feedback)
• Bus Evacuation Drill 

School Safety is a Shared Responsibility

The prevention of violence in our communities and within our schools is a shared responsibility between schools, medical and mental health providers, community service providers, law enforcement, families, and students.  Community safety must involve participation from all members of the community and the institutions that serve the community. The most effective way to best ensure safety is to prevent the conditions that perpetuate it.

District 20 focuses on prevention as the most important aspect of school safety.  The research on underlying contributing factors to violence in schools overwhelming shows the need for supportive learning environments that all students feel connected to.  District 20 emphasizes positive school culture and programs, and encourages initiatives that promote this including equitable environments, sense of belonging and identifiable trusted adults.  When students are in crisis or do not feel safe or connected, our safety reporting mechanisms allow staff to act quickly to respond and allow our student services teams to intervene when students are in need.

See Something, Say Something

The district encourages all of our students, staff, and community to report personal or safety concerns to school, district, or one of our reporting mechanisms.  This year, District 20 has expanded access and visibility of safety reporting, and has partnered with Safe2Help Illinois.  Additional support and reporting helplines include 988 Suicide & Crisis Line, Crisis Text Line, Safe School Helpline, and ReferralGPS. 

For more information on reporting and self-help resources go to D20 Student Supports.

We thank the Keeneyville District 20 Community for helping to keep our schools safe!