Student academic success is closely tied to their feeling of safety while they are at school. We are always concerned about the safety and well being of our students. The following guidelines are in place to protect students and to maintain smooth school operations.
DAILY SAFETY GUIDELINES
Students should remain in sight of an adult at all times.
Students should never prop perimeter doors open.
Student should report any suspicious visitors or activity to a trusted adult immediately.
Students will have regular restroom breaks and will be monitored by their teachers during transition between classes and to the cafeteria.
Students who must leave the classroom unsupervised should have permission from the staff member who gave them permission and should go directly to their destination.
Student emergencies, including restroom, sickness, injury, and student reports of conduct violations should be reported to the front office at the time of the event.
ENTRANCE INTO THE BUILDING
Parents and Visitors must always enter through the front door located on the Main Street side of the building.
Buzz In: To enter the building, you will need to use the buzz in system. You will need to press the button lit with a blue bell (PUSH label is on each side) mounted on the right side of the building at the front entrance. Please be prepared to share your name and reason for your visit.
All guests and visitors must stop by the front office, sign in and secure a visitor or volunteer’s pass before going further in the building. When signing in, parents must scan the back of their driver license and indicate where they are going on the visitor’s slip.
EXITING THE BUILDING:
All Parents and Visitors must return to the office to sign out through our check in and out computer system before leaving campus.
EARLY CHECK OUTS
When asking another person to pick up your child from school, please send a written note with the student in the morning to give to their teacher. This person should be listed on the student identification sheet that you complete at the beginning of the year. Ask the person to be ready to show identification to us upon arriving and requesting the child. The school will not check students out between 2:30 PM and 3:00 PM. Dismissal time can be confusing, and we want to be sure every child gets home safely. If classrooms are interrupted during this time to release children early, the interruptions often result in children being left by the bus. Early release of children interferes with keeping everyone on schedule for their departure places and times.
RESTROOM PROCEDURES:
Students will be provided several restroom breaks with their classroom teachers throughout the day.
To lessen loss of instructional time, students are encouraged to take these opportunities to use the restroom. Students should not ask to go to the restroom during 95%, whole group ELA, or whole group math Instruction unless it is a true emergency.
In the event that students must use the restroom at another time, they should receive permission from their teacher, and only one student should be allowed out of the classroom at a time, so students should not ask to go to the bathroom at the same time as a classmate.
3rd-5th Grade students will need to sign out on their class's Bathroom Log when going to the restroom without adult supervision. If anything is out of order in the restroom, they should notify an adult immediately.
If a student is going to the restroom frequently and appears to have a physical problem or a bad habit, the student will be referred to the counselor. The counselor may discuss with the parents to find possible solutions and may request a doctor’s note stating that a medical problem exists.
Students who abuse their restroom privileges will be referred to the Principal. They may be given a hallway pass to use the restroom up front in the office.
SAFE SCHOOLS PLAN
The school has developed a WCS Emergency Management Plan (EMP) and a State School Risk Management Plan (SRMP). The SRMP can be accessed by Local Emergency Management in the event of an emergencies. The school maintains a Crisis Team ready to respond in the event of an emergency.
DRILLS
The school will practice announced and unannounced throughout the school year. Teachers will teach the safety drill instructions to their classes during the first 5 days of school. Drills include Fire, Lock-Down, Shelter-in-Place (Tornado), and Earthquake.
EMERGENCIES (PARENT NOTIFICATION):
In the event of a school-wide emergency, parents will be notified via our Blackboard Connect messaging system. Parents should not come to the school to check-out students during an emergency. You will be notified as to where and when students may be picked up. In the event of an individual student emergency, a parent/guardian will be contacted as soon as possible by a school staff member. In order for the school to reach you promptly, please make sure your phone numbers and contact information are kept up-to-date.
REUNIFICATION PLAN
If students must be relocated to another site, parents will not be allowed to pick up students unless a member of the staff can positively identify the parent. Every person picking up students should have a photo ID and should be listed on the parent reunification sheets completed at the beginning of school. It is important that parents keep this form up to date and notify the school of any changes that need to be made.
INCLEMENT WEATHER NOTIFICATION
Staff and students will be notified of any school schedule changes due to inclement weather via the Blackboard messaging system. Information will also be posted on the WCS website and social media. Do not rely on television news - not always accurate. Make-up days will be announced by the district once students return to school.
AED/EPI PENS/NARCAN
An AED is located by the office door in the main entrance hallway across from Mrs. Walker's Classroom. Epi-Pens are also stored in the AED Box. Narcan is stored in the nurse's room. Stop the Bleed Tourniquets are in teachers' red bags. Our First Responders are trained to use all of these interventions.
BOOK BAGS:
Parents should supervise their children in packing their book bags. Only necessary items for school should be in the bags – NO TOYS, UNESSENTIAL ITEMS LIKE PLAYING CARDS, HAND-HELD COMPUTER GAMES, ELECTRONICS, FIDGET SPINNERS, ETC. Items should be limited to materials needed for school (books, pencils, pens, paper, assignments, etc.) Students do not need to carry their backpacks to lunch or to the playground. Book bags may be moved from one classroom to another during the day. ROLLING BOOKBAGS OR BOOKBAGS WITH WHEELS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED unless special permission has been granted by administration for a student with a disability. ALL STUDENTS ARE ASKED TO CARRY THEIR OWN BOOK BAGS FOR SAFETY REASONS. Students who ride the bus must hold their book bags in their laps. Book bags cannot be set in the aisle of the bus. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD A SUITCASE ON WHEELS BE BROUGHT TO SCHOOL. They are much larger/heavier than book bags and could possibly injure students.
UNLAWFUL ITEMS ON CAMPUS
Parents, please emphasize to your child that they should not bring any toys to school that look like weapons Board policy does not distinguish between real and fake weapons. Students are prohibited from possessing, handling, using, or transmitting, whether concealed or open, any weapon or any instrument that reasonably looks like a weapon or could be used as a weapon, including fireworks and ammunition, in accordance with policy 4333.
Any item not needed for school/class should be left at home (i.e. cards, toys, electronic devices, iPods, balls, fidget spinners, etc.). ITEMS SUCH AS MATCHES, SHARP OBJECTS, LIGHTERS, FIREWORKS, FIREARMS (or ANY LIKENESS OF A FIREARM, INCLUDING WATER PISTOLS), tobacco products, alcohol and illegal drugs are ALL BANNED FROM THE SCHOOL’S CAMPUS AND VIOLATE STATE AND LOCAL LAWS. Possession of any of these will result in an automatic suspension with the possibility of long-term suspension.
COMMUNICATING THREATS
Students are prohibited from directing toward any other person any language that threatens force, violence, or disruption, or any sign or act that constitutes a threat of force, violence or disruption in accordance with Board Policy 4331. To ensure student safety, all threats must be investigated and may be reported to local law enforcement. Parents should emphasize to their children the importance of refraining from making verbal threats of any kind. Even light-hearted comments intended to be a joke or funny must be investigated and may result in disciplinary action.
VALUABLES:
Large amounts of money, cards, electronic equipment/ games or valuables should not be brought to school or on field trips. Major problems usually arise when students allow someone else to hold a valuable item (toy, jewelry, money, electronic devices). If there is a problem with an item that should not be at school in the first place, the item will be held in the office for a parent to pick up at the end of the day or year. Although school personnel try to prevent losses, they are not responsible for student's’ personal property. Instructional time will not be spent looking for lost items.