School Safety

Providing a safe learning environment for our students is our first priority and a responsibility that we take very seriously.  However, we understand that, as a parent, you will always have concerns regarding the safety of your child. As such, we want to share with you the safety and security measures that are currently in place in Franklin Park School District 84:

Building Security

Access to each of our school buildings is limited to a single, designated entrance, with all other access points locked from the interior. Visitors are “buzzed” into the building, instructed to check in with the office, and given a badge identifying them as a visitor. Guests in the school are escorted throughout the building and remain under the supervision of a staff member. Additionally, all of our classrooms are fitted with automatic door locks, preventing an intruder from obtaining access to our students in the event of an active threat.

Bullying

Bullying is contrary to State law and the policy of this District. However, nothing in the District's bullying prevention and response plan is intended to infringe upon any right to exercise free expression or the free exercise of religion or religiously based views protected under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution or under Section 3 of Article I of the Illinois Constitution.

Students are encouraged to immediately report bullying. A report may be made orally or in writing to the Nondiscrimination Coordinator, Building Principal, Assistant Building Principal, a Complaint Manager, or any staff member with whom the student is comfortable speaking. Anyone, including staff members and parents/guardians, who has information about actual or threatened bullying is encouraged to report it to the District named officials or any staff member. The District named officials and all staff members are available for help with a bully or to make a report about bullying. Anonymous reports are also accepted.

Nondiscrimination Coordinator	Complaint Manager	Complaint Manager
David Katzin	Giffen Trotter	Judy Martin
2915 Maple St.	2836 Gustav St.	2836 Calwagner
Franklin Park, IL, 60131	Franklin Park, IL 60131	Franklin Park, IL 60131
847-455-4230	847-455-2150	847-455-6781
[email protected]	[email protected]	[email protected]rg

 

For further information regarding the Board of Education’s policy against bullying, please click here.  

Safety Guidelines and Procedures

The safety and security of our students and staff will always be our top priority. To that end, District 84 has partnered with Leyden District  212 and the other Leyden-area elementary school districts to coordinate our crisis protocols and safety planning. Through this partnership and our work with first responders in each of our respective communities,  we have adopted a standard set of crisis guidelines and terminology that serve to provide a greater degree of consistency across all of the schools in our area.

 

The school districts also unified the manner in which various emergency situations will be described and referred to. In the event of an emergency, students and staff will be alerted with one of the following commands over the school’s intercom system.  Practice drills are held at school throughout the year to ensure these commands and the subsequently appropriate actions are understood and ready to be implemented.

 

Evacuate: Exit the building and relocate to a specified location (Example: Fire alarm or gas leak)

 

Shelter: Implement appropriate hazard & safety protocols (Example: Tornado)

 

Hold: Remain in your classroom; clear hallways; continue learning (Example: Medical emergency in the hallway)

 

Secure: Students & staff will be secured inside the building; School will otherwise continue as usual (Example: Nearby issue in the community)

 

Active Threat: Doors locked, lights out, students out of sight; When locking down is not an option – Run, Hide, Fight (Example: Immediate threat inside the building)

 

In the event one of these protocols needs to be initiated, families will receive notification as soon as possible the information that is known at the time and further instructions. If the situation requires immediate evacuation or relocation from any of our schools, the partner districts have collaborated to plan for a common reunification point and process. This will be the location where students will be transported should the need arise, and in turn, where families would pick up their children.

 

Parent Notifications

In response to requests that we have received from parents, we will now send home a flier to notify you each time your child’s school runs a safety drill. In the event that an emergency takes place on a school campus, depending on the level of the emergency, parents will be notified by telephone call or a letter home. In order to support this communication, please make certain that your child’s school has your most current emergency contact information.

Safety Drills

In an effort to make sure our students and staff are well prepared in case of an emergency, all of our schools hold regularly scheduled safety drills, including Evacuation/Fire, Lockdown, Bus Evacuation, and Shelter. 

The School Safety Drill Act establishes minimum requirements and standards for schools to follow when conducting safety drills and reviewing school emergency and crisis response plans. The Act also encourages schools and first responders to work together for the safety of children. Franklin Park District 84’s safety and emergency plans have been developed in collaboration with local fire and law enforcement officials and all plans and procedures are reviewed and modified, as needed, on an annual basis.

Safety Tips to and from School 

There are several precautionary safety measures that students can take as they go to and from school. Parents, please take time to talk to your children about the following safety measures:

 

• • • Do not talk to strangers, even if they know your name.
    • Always walk directly to and from school using the same path every day.
    • Cross streets at corners, avoid crossing between parked cars, and obey the directions of crossing guards.
    • Always walk or ride your bike with a group of friends.
    • Run directly to school or home if you are approached by a stranger.
    • Immediately notify a school official or parent.

 
Student Programs

It is important for children to feel connected to others and a part of their school and local community. Our schools strive to foster a supportive climate through the provision of school-wide behavioral expectations, positive interventions and supports, social work services, and violence prevention programs (anti-bullying programs, social skill development, conflict mediation, etc.).

 
Technology

Security cameras are placed in key positions throughout the District. These cameras display and record video that can be viewed by District administrators. School officials and local police can also use these videos when investigating any incidents. Red 9-1-1 phones are installed in our hallways to provide a direct, emergency line to the police department. Two-way radios are used in all schools when groups are outside of the building, and automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are maintained in each school in the event of a medical emergency.

 
Traffic Safety

We would like to remind residents that traffic safety around schools is a collaborative effort. Drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists are encouraged to obey the rules of the road around local schools to ensure safety.

 

The preceding information outlines many of the precautions that we take in order to provide a safe and secure environment, but we also need you, as parents, to be our partners in this endeavor. Please report any concerns you have or situations that you notice at any of our schools that may compromise the safety of our children. Although there is no absolute guarantee that something bad will never happen, it is important to understand the difference between the possibility of something happening and probability that it will affect our school community. The school still remains one of the safest places for a child to be. With our combined efforts, we can strive to keep it that way.