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TLDR - Too Long Didn’t Read
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Controlled access for all main offices begins this week. All school visitors will be required to buzz in and state the reason for their visit.
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School Safety Coffee Chat on February 7 at 8:30 at Neil Cummins
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Stay tuned for community feedback meetings regarding potential updates to fencing
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Review updated student release procedures
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Update your Emergency Contacts in Aeries
Dear LCMSD Families,
The safety and security of our students, staff, and school community is our top priority. Below are some important updates regarding LCMSD’s advancement in school safety measures. Additionally, here is our annual safety newsletter from the beginning of the year.
Thank you for your partnership in keeping our schools safe and secure.
Dr. Brett Geithman
Superintendent
Controlled Access for All Main Offices Begins this Week
As part of our ongoing commitment to fostering a safe and supportive learning environment, we are implementing a controlled access system at all school front entrances (LCMSD Board Policy 1250: Visitors/Outsiders).
Starting tomorrow at Cove and Neil Cummins, and by the end of the week at Hall Middle School, the front office doors will be locked during the school day. Visitors will encounter a camera, intercom, and buzzer system at the front entrance. Upon arrival, visitors will need to ring the intercom, state the reason for their visit, and then office staff will grant access remotely via an iPad.
Please note that staff will continue to have access through designated alternate entrances, ensuring smooth operations while maintaining security protocols.
The controlled access system was identified as a priority through a comprehensive safety study conducted by Hanover Research and Keenan during the 2023-24 school year. Their recommendations were carefully reviewed and prioritized by our School Safety Task Force, ensuring that our schools are equipped with best practices to support the well-being and security of our students and staff.
This initiative aligns with our Vision 2036 commitment to Safety, Health, & Wellness, which emphasizes the importance of creating a safe, nurturing, and connected school environment where the well-being of students and staff is integral to the learning experience. By enhancing campus security, we are upholding our dedication to fostering a sense of security for all while maintaining proactive and adaptive safety measures.
We appreciate your cooperation as we implement this important security measure.
School Safety Coffee Chat on February 7 at Neil Cummins from 8:30 am - 9:30 am
Parent, staff, and community engagement is essential to our District’s success. We will begin this chat focused on school safety updates, followed by an opportunity to ask any district-related questions. Parents from Cove, Hall, and Neil Cummins are welcome. I look forward to seeing you there!
Coming Soon . . . Community Input Sessions Regarding School Fencing Updates
On November 12, 2024, the LCMSD Board approved a contract with the architecture firm responsible for designing Cove School and modernizing Neil Cummins and Hall Middle to draft potential fencing updates for all three school sites. This decision follows recommendations from the 2023-24 Hanover and Keenan studies, which identified fencing upgrades as a key way to enhance school security.
The School Safety Task Force reviewed the studies and developed a priority list of improvements. Since there are various approaches to addressing this need, drafts for each school are being created to facilitate informed discussions and gather community input. We anticipate hosting feedback meetings at each school as early as February. Stay tuned for updates and dates - your input will help shape these important decisions.
Updated Emergency Student Release Procedures
During an active emergency, staff members are prioritized to enact critical safety procedures, which require their full focus and attention. It’s important to note that all Emergency Operation Procedures (EOP) include a student release plan. However, please understand that reaching the student release portion of the EOP may take some time and typically falls towards the end of the EOP. Please review our emergency student release procedure as follows:
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During an emergency or security threat, parents/guardians and emergency contacts will be directed to a student release location to pick up students
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This might be a location other than the school office
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Parents/caregivers must wait at the student release location until staff are available to start releasing students
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Students will be released to parents/guardians or emergency contacts only - we will no longer take phone calls or email requests to release students to other contacts
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Please have a photo ID ready
Update Your Emergency Contacts
If student release procedures are enacted, students will be released to parents/guardians or the emergency contacts listed in Aeries only, with a valid photo ID. We will no longer take phone calls or emails to release students to other contacts. Please take a few minutes to update your emergency contacts in Aeries to add any additional adults who are authorized to pick up your child in the event of an emergency. This includes older siblings, family members, friends, or other parents.
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