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School Safety

ADDRESSING POSSIBLE BULLYING 
     The Board of Education adopted a new Bullying Policy to be in compliance with House Bill 116.  A copy of the policy can be obtained by calling the administration center at 455-4052. It is highly recommended that you review the policy and discuss it with your child. It is important that all students have knowledge of the policy.
     Bullying is defined as any intentional written, verbal, or physical act that a student has exhibited toward another particular student more than once and the behavior causes mental or physical harm to the other student and is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive that it creates an intimidating, threatening, or abusive educations environment for the other student. The policy also includes bullying committed using a cell phone, computer, or other electronic communication device.
     To guide your discussion with your child, it must be recognized that bullying is (1) the abuse of difference in power; and (2) being mean and leaving people out on purpose. Bullying can take place in the form of physical and verbal acts and be conducted in a cyber-environment.
     When bullying occurs it is important to be proactive. You may consider this plan of action:

  • Ignore and/or walk away.
  • Assertively tell the person to stop – then walk away.
  • Warn that you will talk to an adult and then walk away.
  • Go to an adult. Clearly tell the adult what has happened and what steps you have taken.

     A bystander to bullying should:

  • Not join in – remove yourself.
  • Tell the bullies to stop.
  • Separate the bullies away from the person being bullied.
  • Separate the person being bullied away from the bullies.
  • Report to a trusted adult.

     Students will be required to complete with the school administrator a report on any bullying incident. The administrator will need to know specifics in order to investigate. An investigation will be completed and the administrator will make a determination if bullying has occurred and will determine the appropriate discipline. The administrator may refer to legal authorities depending on the type and degree of bullying. The victim’s parent/guardian and the bully’s parent/guardian will be notified of the administrator’s finding.
     Bullying can be prevented by the school and parent working together to bring it to a stop before the situation escalates. It is important that all parties are factual in order for a proper investigation can be conducted. Furthermore, it is important that all adults model the appropriate behavior to resolve the issues. Finally, the family is the key to helping the child to develop respectful attitudes towards all people.

A.L.I.C.E. SAFETY PROGRAM 
     The safety of the district’s students is our highest priority. The district has implemented the A.L.I.C.E program to help keep our students and staff safer in an intruder incident. A. L. I. C. E.: Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate.
     Staff and students are trained to:

  • Report a strange activity.
  • Be aware of your surroundings.
  • Escape and/or evacuate.
  • Use whatever is at your disposal to stay safe.

     Currently, schools use a simple lockdown drill keeping the students and staff locked in a classroom away from the doors and windows.
A. L. I. C. E. training adds some options to the situation. One option is to barricade the classroom door making it harder for the intruder to enter. Another option is for evacuation if the intruder has gone to a different part of the building. The key is to be assertive during the time of an intruder.
     Although the district hopes we never have to use this we honestly can’t say "it won’t happen here". It is important that staff and students are trained in the latest procedures for being safe if the district or schools are faced with an intruder.

SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING

SAFER SCHOOLS TIP LINE
      West Muskingum Schools uses the Safer Schools Ohio anonymous tip line for students and families to share information with school officials and law enforcement about threats to student safety -- whether that involves a threat of a mass incident or harm to a single student.  To report a concern, call or text 1-844-SAFEROH (1-844-723-3764). 
     The system will send your anonymous report to the appropriate people to address the concern. The Safer Ohio School Tip Line is a free safety resource available to all Ohio schools. The tip line is an anonymous reporting system that accepts both calls and texts 24 hours a day.
     This tip line allows students and adults to anonymously share information with school officials and law enforcement about threats to student safety—whether that involves a threatened mass incident or harm to a single student. Things to report to the tip line include (but are not limited to):

  • Bullying incidents;
  • Withdrawn student behaviors;
  • Verbal or written threats observed toward students, faculty or schools;
  • Weapon/suspicious devices on or near school grounds;
  • Gang-related activities;
  • Unusual/suspicious behavior of students or staff;
  • Self-harm or suicidal sentiments; and
  • Any other school safety-related concerns.

     Every tip can remain anonymous. School safety analysts may ask for additional information, but the caller can remain secret or leave his or her contact information for later follow-up.
     Calls or texts to 844-SaferOH (844-723-3764) are answered by analysts within Ohio Homeland Security. If action is needed, the analysts immediately forward information to local school officials, law enforcement agencies, and the Ohio School Safety Center (OSSC) for action and follow-up. The OSSC partners with the Ohio Department of Education to follow up with affected schools and law enforcement agencies to make sure that the incident is investigated, action is taken and resources and supports are provided when necessary.