VERMILIONSCHOOLS.ORG NOW ON MOBILE
The
Vermilion Local Schools web site is now adaptable for viewing on all mobile
devices. The good news is you have a choice on your viewing preference. The next time you view our website on a
tablet or Smartphone, the site will automatically detect your mobile device,
display the mobile view and will remember it each time you return. If you
change your mind, look for the “Full Site/Mobile” button on the footer of the
web site to toggle back and forth. In
addition to view choices, our new mobile view offers additional features like:
·
A responsive design that adjusts to any display size
·
Dynamic imagery with color and photos
·
Collapsible navigation
·
Language translation
·
Search function
·
Scrolling banners
·
Calendar Highlights
·
Quick Links
Please visit http://vermilionschools.org/vnews/display.v/ART/50cf23e0ad88a
for more information about this new option.
TRAGEDY IN CONNECTICUT
The senseless tragedy that
occurred in Connecticut last week sent shockwaves through the nation’s
schools. Those of us who work in school
buildings can relate to the horrific nature of what must have occurred that day,
and we can’t help but focus on the “what if’s”.
We must ask the difficult question of whether we are prepared to handle
a similar situation.
The Vermilion School Crisis
Response plan was created in 2000 and it has been reviewed and updated annually. Key members of the district’s Crisis Response
team include the assistant superintendent, building principals, teachers,
classified personnel and representatives from the Vermilion Police and Fire
Departments. Every staff member receives
a copy of the plan and it is available at each building for review by the parents
or guardians of our students. Recently
our security camera and door security systems were updated to take advantage of
new technology. In the past 12 months
all of our staff members participated in the “ALiCE program, a crisis response
training that provides teachers and support staff with strategies to use when
dealing with an intruder.
The Crisis Response Plan
addresses the following emergencies/situations:
injuries, severe weather, utility emergencies, toxic spills, building
evacuations, fire, bomb threats, lockdown procedures, intruder, hostage, child
abduction, suicide threats, death of a student or staff member and bus
accidents. Below is a summary of our
action plan for each of these emergencies:
Safety Inspections: Inspections are completed every year by the
State fire marshal, Erie County Health Inspector (food preparation and building
maintenance) and Ohio Highway Patrol (school buses). The facilities are made available to the
county emergency management department on request. Fire and tornado drills are conducted
annually on a schedule mandated by the State.
Building evacuation: Each building has an evacuation plan for fire
and other situations. Students are
evacuated from the building and are not permitted to re-enter until authorized
by the building administrator and/or safety forces. If the evacuation is expected to last for a
prolonged period, students will be moved into the next nearest school
building. If both buildings need to be
evacuated, students will be moved to a secondary evacuation site.
Building lockdown
procedures: Each month every building
conducts a lockdown drill that provides training for students and staff in case
of an intruder or other threat. During a
lockdown drill all doors in the building are locked. In the middle school gates are pulled down
and locked. Staff and students remain in
a “stay-put” mode in their classroom.
Blinds are pulled and staff and students move to an area in the
classroom away from the door and windows.
Entry into any area is under the authority of the building
principal. The School Safety Officer, School
Resource Officer and Vermilion safety forces are sometimes involved in the
lockdown drills.
Building security: All exterior doors of our school buildings
are kept locked throughout the school day.
All visitors must enter through the main entrance and be granted access
by a designated staff member. All
visitors must sign in at the office and wear a visitor name tag while in the
building. All staff members are
instructed to report any unauthorized persons to the office immediately. All staff are required to wear picture
identification badges in the buildings at all times. All buildings are equipped with security
systems which include video monitoring both inside and outside the
building. Building floor plans are on
file with the police and fire departments.
Room numbers are displayed in windows and all exits are numbered for
ease of communication with safety forces.
Bus safety: All buses are inspected annually by the Ohio
State Highway Patrol, and randomly throughout the year. Bus drivers are required to take annual
physicals and are subject to random monthly drug testing. Buses practice emergency evacuation drills on
a regular basis. All buses are in
constant radio contact with the Transportation Supervisor and Board of
Education offices. Buses going out of
town on field trips are issued cellular telephones in case of an emergency.
Nursing staff: School nurses are hired through the Erie
County General Health District. The
nurses are on duty throughout the student day and are on call for all schools
in event of an emergency.
Safe Schools Hotline: The district subscribes to a toll-free SAFE
SCHOOLS HOTLINE that can be used by students, staff or residents to anonymously
report any safety concern. Key district
personnel are notified when a report is made and will investigate
accordingly. VERMILION SCHOOLS SAFE
SCHOOLS HELPLINE: 1-866 Listen2Me
(1-866-447-8362).
Cooperation with Safety
Forces: The Vermilion Police Department,
Vermilion Fire Department and Lorain County SWAT team have used school
facilities for training on a regular basis.
This benefits the schools because safety forces become familiar with our
schools and other facilities. Our Safety
Plan is on file with the Ohio Attorney General’s office and local law
enforcement agencies.
Handicapped
accessibility: In an effort to safely
serve our students, parents and the general public, numerous handicapped
accessibility issues have been addressed.
Elevators and ramps were installed to help make our buildings nearly
100% handicapped accessible.
Following the recent tragedy
in Connecticut a number of followers posted suggestions on the Vermilion Schools
Facebook page. The ideas ranged from
metal detectors and full time armed security guards to guns for each staff
member. These and other ideas are being considered by
communities across the nation. There is
no perfect solution to this problem. However,
in Vermilion we will continue to collaborate with the fire department, health
officials and State and local law enforcement agencies to review our Crisis
Plan and improve our facilities. We will
continue to do all that we can to provide a safe educational environment for
our students.
