Safety in Visalia Schools

The Board of Education and administrative district personnel believe that the benefits of providing safe and orderly schools must be reaffirmed to our educational community. Consequently, the community’s support for the student and staff policies outlined below will assist Visalia Unified School District in continuing to make our campuses safe, caring, and learning environments. For further information, please contact the Director of Student Services (559-730-7515)

Student Expectations

• All students will be expected to dress in a manner common to a knowledge-work enterprise. Clothing designed to intimidate, express hateful ideas, or create a sense of fear will not be acceptable. Such issues be will be handled as a violation of the Visalia Unified School District dress code.
• All school sites in the Visalia Unified School District are closed campuses. Student arrival and exit will be controlled at all times during the school day. Infrequent occurrences, such as doctor's appointments, will require the appropriate administrative clearance. Students at all VUSD high schools, except 9th graders, are permitted to leave the school grounds during the lunch period (BP 5112.5). Students leaving during the lunch period are held accountable for their actions under the VUSD Conduct Code. All students are expected to comply with the requests of security staff who will be patrolling the schools’ points of entry/exit.

Staff Expectations

• All staff are provided a badge for identification purposes. Students will be informed to immediately report to school staff any non-student who is not wearing a VUSD badge.
• All clutter should be removed from classrooms and offices so that the person responsible for the security of the area will be able to immediately sense any changes in the area.
• Rooms must have a staff member present within them when open. Students are not to be left unattended in rooms at any time. Rooms are to be locked when not in use. Cleaning crews have been instructed to not open doors for areas they cannot constantly monitor. Each school site has been provided overnight security officers to assist in twenty-four hour monitoring.
• Teachers are requested to be visible next to his/her classroom door during student passing time.
• Students must be supervised on campus during class time. Teachers are encouraged to start classroom instruction when the tardy bell rings and actively engage students until the passing bell rings. Student aids should remain in classrooms unless providing an essential on-campus service to the teacher. Student aids should not leave campus while under the authority of a teacher.
• Club/organization sponsors are asked to provide encouragement to their group members to work with the activities directors to increase the level of lunch activities.
• Staff members are reminded to keep their vehicles locked and parked in appropriate areas. Vehicles should not be parked on grass areas or sidewalks.
• Staff members are encouraged not to heighten the fears of students. Student attitudes are impacted by our attitudes. Even in the most serious of situations, it is important to maintain a calm school climate and sense of confidence.
• It is always beneficial to remind our students of the value of our rules and the need for society behavioral norms. No society has enough police to rely on law enforcement to protect its citizenry. Society norms are in part learned traits, which must be passed on from generation to generation. Student disobedience of school policies should never be encouraged.
• District psychological services will be available to assist students with their concerns at any time during the school day. District psychologists will be able to meet after school with any staff member who would like to utilize their services.
• Please be aware that the repetition of rumors only serves to elevate the level of concerns of both student and staff. Should any student or staff member have any information that they would like to share, we encourage these individuals to meet with a site administrator.