Other Safety and Security Points of Pride:
Administrator of Public Safety: This position works in collaboration with district and school administration, along with local police and fire departments, to review and establish appropriate guidelines, procedures, and plans to ensure safe and secure schools.
District Nurse: Our district nurse provides staff education and guidance on issues related to school health, follows-up on health concerns, supports students with emergency plans for medical needs, and addresses student specific health concerns.
BHS Discipline Process for School Administrators: Adhering to well-established and robust district protocols, our administrative team, in partnership with other well-trained staff such as social workers, child psychologists, and local law enforcement, BHS proactively utilizes behavioral threat assessments, conducts searches, wellness visits to a family’s home and partners with clinical mental health providers to help ensure the safety of our schools. The discipline process adheres to all BHS Uniform Student Code of Conduct, Board of Education Bylaws, BHS Administrative Regulations, and local, state, and federal requirements. All school administrators utilize these robust protocols for investigations, student discipline, threat assessments and Title IX investigations to ensure student safety. District administrators underwent an extensive full day of Title IX training with lawyers from Thrun Law and reviewed and updated all our Title IX policies and procedures.
Emergency Operations Plan: The plan outlines an organized, systematic method to mitigate, prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from incidents. The plan discusses the expectations of staff; roles and responsibilities; direction and control systems; internal and external communications plans; training and sustainability plans; authority and references as defined by local, state, and federal government mandates; common and specialized procedures; and specific hazard vulnerabilities and responses/recovery.
Radios: Effective communications are an important part of the daily functions in all of our schools and facilities. These communications become even more important in the event of a critical incident where time is a crucial element. Having two-way radios in all buildings will allow district administrators to have direct conversations with one another, school resource officers, and local police dispatch in a critical incident. BHS is committed to maintaining this effort, and as such we will be implementing a secure, district-wide radio network this school year.
Mental Health: BHS is committed to the mental health of our students by having social workers in all of our schools. We use two programs, Mental Health First Aid and SafeTalk, to share potential warning signs of a student in emotional distress and provide ways to provide additional support or immediate intervention. We are also continuing with the PrepareU mental health program in all grade 9 health classes.
Therapy Dogs: Our therapy dog program continues to expand and ultimately will include a therapy dog dedicated to each school. The research around therapy dog programs indicate changes in self-esteem, self-confidence and decreased levels of anxiety. Studies also show children’s attitudes toward attendance, school work, and overall sense of belonging at school improves.
"No Place for Hate" Schools: “No Place for Hate” is a student-driven approach to school climate that centers on students, families, and educators working collaboratively to develop an inclusive school climate where every member of our community feels valued and cared for.
OK2Say & Report Incidents of Bias & Hate: Anyone can report tips confidentially on criminal activities or potential harm directed at students, school employees, or schools through OK2Say. Tips can be submitted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Students and families are encouraged to please report any incidents of bias and hate either to a trusted adult or through our online reporting tool. The district has dedicated staff prepared to assist when incidents are reported and support individuals who report an incident.
Cyber Security: The following cyber security elements are part of our technology ecosystem to protect our students and staff: Remote/cloud-based tool sets, multi-factor authentication, network segmentation, controlled administrative access for devices/systems, endpoint detection and response solutions, content filtering, firewalls, digital citizenship curriculum, staff cyber training and testing, threat detection systems, disaster recovery systems and business continuity processes.
Volunteer Background Checks: All individuals that wish to become volunteers in our schools must have a background check completed prior to volunteering.
Gun Safety and Safe Storage Resolution: The Board of Education unanimously voted in favor of a resolution to periodically disseminate materials stressing the importance of secure storage of firearms and to include this information in the online registration process.
