Safety & Security

Child Protection at ICS

Schools fill a special institutional role in society as protectors of children and need to ensure that all children in their care are afforded a safe and secure environment in which to grow and develop. Educators have the opportunity to observe and interact with children over time and are in a unique position to identify children who are in need of help and protection. ICS seeks to be a safe haven for all students and as such has adopted the following comprehensive child protection program, which it will communicate annually to all staff, parents and new applicants. The child protection program defines the various forms of child abuse and outlines the school’s requirements for:

• mandated reporters and procedures for reporting

• screening and selecting staff, faculty, and volunteers

• maintaining a child protection team

• training and education about prevention of child sexual abuse for staff and students

• a code of conduct that guides interactions between adults and children

• follow-up care and service plans for families in need

Mandated Reporters and Procedures for Reporting In conjunction with Ethiopian laws, ICS maintains that all school employees are mandated reporters of child abuse, neglect and/or harassment. If any employee of ICS has reasonable cause to suspect that a student is being mistreated in any way, he/she is to report the suspicion to a school counselor or administrator immediately. Failure to report may result in the termination of the employment contract and/or legal accountability.

Reporting and follow-up of all suspected incidents of child abuse or neglect will proceed in accordance with the guidelines in this handbook. In the case of a staff member reported as an alleged offender, ICS will conduct a full investigation following a carefully designed course of due process, keeping the safety of the child at the highest priority. Cases of suspected child abuse or neglect may be reported by the school to the appropriate employer, to the respective consulate in Ethiopia, to the appropriate child protection agency in the home country, and/or to local authorities.

For our full Child Protection Policy, click HERE.

Students’ Responsibility

Students are encouraged to contribute to the appearance of their school by putting rubbish in the trash cans and by avoiding graffiti and vandalism. Special work assignments will be issued to students involved in such activities.

Students will be charged for any damage to school property. Further consequences may also be imposed.

Other Safety and Security Concerns

Please be advised of the following safety and security responsibilities.

• Parents and drivers are asked to drive carefully and slowly in the vicinity of the school and exert great caution when picking up and dropping off children at school.

• Security of personal property on the streets near our buildings cannot be guaranteed. Parents should be sure to lock vehicles and activate car alarms.

• Bicycles brought to school are parked at the student’s own risk. All bicycles should be locked.

• Security guards are on duty in the buildings during the day and for evening activities. In the event of an after- hours emergency please contact the security shift commander at 0911-333-651 or 011- 371-8103.

Please note that the school does use video surveillance for safety and security reasons.

Emergency Protocols, Drills and Procedures

ICS has a comprehensive emergency plan to cover on or off campus emergencies, a medical pandemic or school closure. This plan is reviewed and updated each year and is similar to the Emergency Plan used by the US Embassy.

The best way to be prepared for an emergency is to practice and prepare for one. Fire and/or emergency drills are mandatory throughout the year. Procedures are posted in each room. Students should make themselves familiar with emergency procedures for each room.

During ANY drill, students should move quickly and quietly to the appropriate area assigned to their particular class, following the teacher’s instructions.

Types of drills/procedures:

• Lockdown – in the situation where there is an on- campus threat, students, staff and guests will be locked down. Every person will be in a room with the door locked and the curtains closed until there is no longer a threat.

• Outdoor Evacuation – in the situation like a fire on campus, students, staff and guests will be evacuated to a safe location.

• Safe Haven Drill – in a situation where there is an off- campus threat, students, staff and guests will be evacuated into a safe central location.

• Earthquake - is a situation where there is an earthquake, every person on campus will be requested to take cover under a sturdy desk, table, other furniture or an inside wall away from windows, hanging objects or big objects that may fall. Everyone will be evacuated to the upper field area following an earthquake/ earthquake drill.

In addition to these drills ICS Security works closely with the Ethiopian Federal and Local Police in conducting bomb threat and civil unrest drills. ICS Security also works closely with the US Embassy Security and other Governmental and non-governmental security authorities to help ensure the safety and security of our students, staff, guests and campus.