Policies and Procedures

• South Burlington School District Emergency Plan

  • In coordination with the City of South Burlington, the district has developed an Emergency Plan.  The EMERGENCY PLAN is designed to provide a fast, consistent reference for handling emergencies, as well as define the communication steps and procedures necessary to handle a wide range of emergency and disaster situations. If you would like more information or have questions about the EMERGENCY PLAN, please contact the school Administrator or the Operations Specialist.  [Source: SBSD website]

• South Burlington School District Safety Teams meet regularly to evaluate and update our safety procedures. 

  • Monthly safety drills are aligned with the VT Agency of Education/VT School Safety Center schedule. These drills include:

    • • schoolwide egress drills with and without the alarm

      • schoolwide clear the halls drills (teaching continues in the classroom with shades pulled and doors locked)

      • individual classroom teaching opportunities in the event that there is a violent intruder

      • Our schools are also equipped with security cameras, a buzz-in or key scan entry system, and double entrance security doors

      • Panic buttons and lockdown buttons are strategically located throughout the building [Source: Rick Marcotte Central School, Gertrude Chamberlin, Orchard School handbooks]

• Emergency evacuation drills and “Secure the School” drills are required by law and are an important part of our crisis and safety protocol. 

  • It is essential that every person in the building follows directions carefully. 

  • During evacuation drills, all students and adults leave the building in an orderly fashion and report to a designated location outside the building for attendance. [Source: FHTMS Student Handbook]

• Run-Hide-Fight

  • Run-Hide-Fight is an option based active shooter protocol developed by the Department of Homeland Security.  The concept is to offer people options depending on the information that they have available at the moment and not feel that you have to only take one course of action.

    • • The first and foremost action is to run or evacuate.  If safe, you should evacuate the building and run to the reunification location.  The decision to run is based on information on the location of the threat in relation to your location.  

      • The second action is to lock down and hide or barricade their space. The classroom you are in is secured from the inside.  The barricade is not taken down until there is information indicating it is safe to evacuate. 

      • The final action is to fight.  If a threat is able to make it into a room then you need to be proactive and fight the intruder.  How this looks in each classroom and grade level varies.

  • A video that explains Run-Hide-Fight in schools

  • More information on Run-Hide-Fight can be found here [Source: VT Agency of Education]

• School Resource Officer

  • The South Burlington School Resource Officer (SRO) is a community policing effort jointly entered into by the school and SBPD.   They work collaboratively with School Security Officer(s) (SSO) to manage access to the school and other daily school concerns related to security. Officers will serve as a resource in areas such as presentations in classrooms, referral services, protective services, and investigation of criminal and non-criminal incidents. Students and staff are encouraged to contact the School Resource Officer if they:

1.      have been a victim of or witness to a crime.

2.      are looking for referral information.

3.      feel there is a student or staff member at risk.

4.      have safety or security concerns.

5.      have questions or are doing research related to law and society.

• The SBHS School Resource Officer can be reached at 652-7194. [Source: SBHS Student Handbook]

In the event of an emergency:

• Monitor your telephone and email. Keeping you informed is a top priority at the South Burlington School District.  Using School Messenger Notification Service, we can call, send a text, or an e-mail message to you providing important information and updates about school events or emergencies

• These messages could come directly from the principals or the superintendent depending on the nature of the notification

• The successful delivery of information is dependent upon accurate contact information for each student, so please make certain that we have your most current phone numbers.  If this information changes during the year, please let us know immediately

• Check our website www.sbschools.net or social media (@sbschoolsVt on Twitter and @southburlingtonschooldistrict on Instagram) for updates.

• Please do not call the school as we have limited phone lines and they must be used to respond to the emergency.

• Please do not come to the school unless requested to pick up your student. Emergency vehicles, workers, and/or law enforcement will need to have access to/from the building. If the emergency necessitates relocation of staff and students, parents/guardians will be informed via a phone call, social media, and the website.

SBSD SAFETY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Firearms Policy

Security Cameras Policy

Security Cameras Procedures

Student Conduct and Discipline Policy

Student Conduct and Discipline Procedures

Student Alcohol and Drug Policy

To see the complete list of SBSD Policies and Procedures, click here.