It’s 9:30 a.m. as a parent rushes up to the elementary school building to bring in her daughter’s lunch money that she forgot that morning. The parent tries the door, finds it locked, then looks at the sign that says, “ring the door bell.” She rings the bell, identifies herself and gives a reason for being there before being buzzed in to sign in at the office.

The above situation is just one of the safety procedures being implemented, in response to tragedies that hit schools across the country this past fall.

National statistics continue to show that children are much more likely to be victims of violence in their own home or neighborhood than in school. But when shootings or other violent episodes do occur in schools around the country, parents can’t help but wonder “is my child safe at school?”

While the North Colonie School District has strived to keep students and staff as safe as possible in the past, the district decided to re-evaluate its own security procedures, at all of its buildings, to try and improve safety even further.

Here’s a list of many of the things we currently do at North Colonie, as well as initiatives that the district is adding, to ensure the safety of students and staff.

• The district Safety Committee meets monthly to evaluate ALL aspects of school life that relate to safety. Whether the concern is air quality, construction safety, playground safety or preparing for a flu epidemic, having a committee of teachers, custodians and other staff take a comprehensive look at these issues together has been very beneficial.
   

• All school staff wear photo ID badges daily, and under state law, all new staff (even substitutes) are fingerprinted and checked for criminal records, particularly any record of child abuse.
   

• During the school day, exterior doors are kept locked from the outside except for the main school entrance. All substitutes, volunteers and visitors entering the building must sign in and wear a temporary ID badge during school hours.
   

• The district is in the process of installing a buzzer system at each of the elementary schools so that visitors have to state who they are and why they are there BEFORE entering the building.
  
  “This new system adds a layer of protection during the prevailing hours of the school day,” said Southgate Elementary Principal Kathleen Meany. “It has been an adjustment for parents and staff, although they do recognize the value of it.”
  
  Southgate was the first school to have the system installed. Forts Ferry Elementary followed soon after, and then the remaining elementary schools will follow suit. The schools that have not yet had the buzzer system installed have monitors stationed just inside the entryway. The junior high and high school have monitors stationed at the main entrance, who are responsible for making sure visitors sign in upon entry and obtain an ID badge.
   

• High school pupils who drive in an unsafe manner at school have their parking privileges taken away. Students who commit vandalism are made to pay for repairs to the school property they damaged. Teens who break the law at school are turned over to the police. This kind of firm response to inappropriate or unsafe behavior is a deterrent that sends a strong message to our students.
   

• The district’s handbook of “Student’s Rights and Responsibilities” is available to ALL students, which includes a Code of Conduct spelling out rules for appropriate behavior and the consequences of inappropriate behavior. For an online copy, click here (PDF document).
   

• We have been fortunate to work closely with the Colonie Police Department. They are always involved in the district’s building security audits where they make recommendations when needed. Additionally, they provide training and set up practice crisis simulations for district staff.
   

• Every 11 months, the fire marshal and buildings and grounds supervisor perform a detailed inspection of all schools and other district buildings for hazards. Their reports are shared with custodians and principals, and any needed corrective actions are taken.
   

• Protecting students’ health and safety is what our nine school nurses (two at the high school and one at every other school) do all day. For instance, procedures to safeguard children with life-threatening allergies are constantly updated and emergency cards are maintained on a regular basis. MaryBeth Steffen, has been appointed to the new position of Supervisor of Health Education and Health Services this year. She works closely with the nursing and health education staff to stay on top of the ever-changing health issues within the district.
   

• As required by law, school computers use filtering software that protects pupils from inappropriate online material.
   

• Starting in elementary school, students are exposed to character education programs, which focus on issues of bullying and harassment, respect and responsibility, and tolerance and acceptance. Faculty is also trained to be aware of the “warning signs” of bullying whether it is in the classroom, the hallways, or on the playground.
   

• Teachers and teacher assistants receive training in how to recognize pupils who may be at risk. Each school has a counselor, psychologist and Pupil Service Team to coordinate help for such pupils.
   

• As required by law, students and staff participate in 12 fire drills a year. They also practice situations called a school “lock-out” (no one may enter or leave the building but classes go on as usual indoors) and a “lock-down” (everyone goes into the nearest room, locks the door and waits for further instructions on the public address system). The latter would be used to move everyone out of harm’s way while a suspected threat inside the building (such as from an intruder) was evaluated.
   

• Each school building has its own Crisis Team, comprised of the building principal, school psychologist, school counselor, nurse, custodian, secretary, teacher representatives and the DARE officer. This team discusses procedures for safety drills, and sets up plans to practice them.
   

• School staff use and practice the same Incident Command System of crisis management that is used by police and fire officials for better communication and cooperation during an emergency. We also follow the safety and security recommendations of the State Education Department related to federal Homeland Security Alert Levels.
   

• North Colonie staff receives advice, training and safety updates from the Capital Region BOCES Risk Management Service. Thanks to the speed of email and the BOCES concept of local school districts working together on shared needs, North Colonie administrators are often informed about possible safety threats before these threats become public knowledge, which enables us to be better prepared.
   

• Copies of the Material Safety Data Sheets for substances used in each school can be viewed by contacting the school principal. Also available for public perusal in the district business office are the district’s emergency preparedness plan and annual fire inspection reports.