Monitoring Report - Operational Expectations (OE) Policies

Policy: OE-12

Title: Operational Expectations (OE) Policies

Status: Active

Adopted: April 24, 2018

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To: School Board, Ferndale School District (WA) 

From: Dr. Kristi Dominguez, Superintendent 

Date: March 26, 2024 

Subject: 2024 Monitoring Report 

                   Operational Expectations Policy 12 (OE-12) 

                   Safety 

 

Superintendent’s Introduction 

This policy states that we will make great effort to keep our staff and students safe.  

In the recent past, we have taken major strides towards keeping our staff and students physically safe through preventative measures funded by the 2019 voter-approved bond, such as secure building entryways and additional fencing. We have also recently upgraded doors in many classrooms, so that every space with children can be quickly secured in a lockdown situation. These are just a couple of the ways in which we have placed an emphasis on keeping our students and staff safe, so they can focus on learning. 

(Note: many of the documents mentioned in this report cannot be linked for security and confidentiality reasons. If the Board wishes to access some of these documents, they can reach out to Mark Deebach or Jamie Plenkovich.) 

Policy 

The Superintendent will implement appropriate measures to protect the physical, social, and emotional safety of every student and staff member. 

 

Interpretation 

We understand this policy expresses the value the School Board places on providing an environment for all students and staff where they feel physically secure. 

Monitoring Indicator(s) 

Provided below for each component part of OE-12. 

The Superintendent will: 

Ensure that each school and department maintains an up-to-date safety plan which defines actions for the prevention of, preparedness for, and recovery from emergencies and critical incidents. 

Interpretation 

We understand this component expresses the Board’s requirement for the District to develop an emergency management plan that aligns with the emergency planning practices at the national, state and local levels and includes the five mission areas called for in Presidential Policy Directive 8. Those five mission areas are: 

Prevention, which refers to the capabilities necessary to avoid, deter, or stop an imminent crime or threatened or actual mass casualty incident. Prevention is the action schools take to prevent a threatened or actual incident from occurring. 

Protection, which refers to the capabilities to secure schools against acts of violence and manmade or natural disasters. Protection focuses on ongoing actions that protect students, teachers, staff, visitors, networks, and property from a threat or hazard.  

Mitigation, which refers to the capabilities necessary to eliminate or reduce the loss of life and property damage by lessening the impact of an event or emergency. In this document, “mitigation” also means reducing the likelihood that threats and hazards will happen.  

Response, which refers to the capabilities necessary to stabilize an emergency once it has already happened or is certain to happen in an unpreventable way; establish a safe and secure environment; save lives and property; and facilitate the transition to recovery.  

Recovery, which refers to the capabilities necessary to assist schools affected by an event or emergency in restoring the learning environment. 

 Monitoring Indicator(s) 

We will know we are compliance with this component when we can show: 

1.1 A Risk, Safety, Security, Emergency and Crisis Management Plan (RSSEC) for each building and department. 

   We have a RSSEC Management Plan for each building and department. These plans are available to review upon request. 

1.2 Evidence of an annual update and review of each building and department RSSEC plan.   

We annually update and review each building and department’s RSSEC plan. 

Train students and staff to implement safety protocols and guarantee regular practice of the same. 

Interpretation 

We understand this component expresses the importance of ensuring that everyone in our District knows their roles and responsibilities before, during, and after an emergency. The Board expects that, at least once a year, all buildings and departments will hold a meeting to educate all parties, including substitute teachers, on their Safety Plan. Such education will include: training on general skills necessary for individuals to fulfill their roles; information about how various roles support the Incident Command System and; appropriate training on special skills such as first aid, threat assessment, and provision of personal assistance services for students with disabilities. In addition to annual training, the Board expects students will participate in drills or exercises each month that focus on at least one element of the Safety Plan. 

Monitoring Indicator(s) 

We will know we are compliance with this component when we can show: 

A record of training provided to staff and students.   

We have records of staff completing Vector training annually, staff providing safety overviews to their students, and our building leaders providing safety training to their staff – the latter through meeting agendas. 

Documented monthly drills in each school building recorded on a drill calendar log. 

   All our safety drills (fire, earthquake, etc.) are recorded by the individual buildings’ staff members in logs. 

Regularly evaluate and modify safety plans to assure their continuing relevance and effectiveness.                                                             

 

Interpretation 

We understand this component expresses the Board’s expectation that we will “close the loop” when it comes to planning and processing. That is, we will use the information we gain from exercising our Safety Plan, reflecting on our actions, and keeping abreast of best practices in the field to make continuous improvements. The Board expects our safety plans will evolve as the school and planning team learn lessons, obtain new information and insights, and update priorities. 

 

Monitoring Indicator(s) 

We will know we are compliance with this component when we can show: 

Documented annual review and update of our RSSEC (Risk, Safety, Security, Emergency and Crisis) Management Plan. 

   We annually review and update our RSSEC plans. These review documents are available upon request. 

Review facilities frequently to identify and address unsafe conditions. 

Interpretation 

We understand this component expresses the Board’s expectation that we regularly assess all district facilities to prevent, detect, and repair any potential hazards. These assessments should include walkways, doors, windows, roofs, parking lots, and fields, as well as the structures themselves. 

Monitoring Indicator(s) 

We will know we are compliance with this component when we can show: 

Results of bi-annual facility security assessments, along with evidence that appropriate corrective action(s) were taken. 

We recommend changing this indicator. Our custodial and maintenance crew and each building’s Safety Team conduct assessments of safety and security on an ongoing basis. Our priority has shifted away from the more formal, less-frequent security assessments, especially after the 2019 bond funded many substantial security upgrades to our buildings. 

Summary report on playground inspections, along with evidence that appropriate corrective action(s) were taken. 

   Playground inspections are performed weekly at each building. Jamie will send form 

Summary report of building inspections and work orders submitted and completed. 

Building inspections happen consistently throughout the school year, and we have summary reports of those inspections. 

Develop partnerships with community agencies and first responders in the service of safety and security. 

Interpretation 

We understand this component expresses the Board’s expectation that we will take a team approach to conducting operational planning related to safety. Case studies show that a common thread found in successful safety operations is a shared understanding of the role of each participating organization. Close collaboration between schools and community partners ensures everyone’s efforts are coordinated and emergency management plans are effectively integrated.  

The District’s community partners must encompass first responders, local emergency management staff, and others who have responsibilities related to school safety before, during, and/or after an incident. This includes local law enforcement officers, emergency medical services (EMS) personnel, school resource officers, fire officials, public and mental health practitioners, and local emergency managers. The expertise they each bring to the table will inform the development, implementation, and refinement of the District’s emergency operations plan.  

Monitoring Indicator(s) 

We will know we are compliance with this component when we can show: 

A contract with Ferndale Police Department for School Resource Officer. 

   We have plans to re-institute a District Resource Officer, in collaboration with the Ferndale Police Department. We’re hoping to have them join our district in the 2024-25 school year. 

A contract with Whatcom County Sheriff for emergency services and support.   

We have a contract with the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office for emergency services and support. This contract is available upon request. 

5.3 A roster of participants in Safety Committees throughout the District. 

Each building has a Safety Committee. These rosters are available upon request. 

Roster of staff members who have been trained in the Threat Assessment process. 

  We have a roster of trained staff members through PD Enroller. These rosters are available upon request. 

A summary of community partners who participated in safety drills and/or exercises within the District. 

  We intend to continue working with community partners for these safety drills and exercises. But we have not had any large-scale drills involving multiple agencies since remote learning began in the spring of 2020. However, we are planning a reunification exercise in collaboration with all other Whatcom County school districts in the summer of 2024. 

The Superintendent MAY NOT: 

Permit any action or activity that creates an unreasonably unsafe condition for students or staff. 

Interpretation 

We understand this component expresses the Board’s expectation that maintaining safe environments for staff, students, and the community must be our highest priority. This means the Superintendent’s number one goals are to anticipate, prevent, notice, identify, stop, and/or fix any situation or potential hazard that would be likely to cause harm.    

Monitoring Indicator(s) 

We will know we are compliance with this component when we can show: 

A report on regular inspections of all District facilities and grounds.   

This information is maintained through our Department of Maintenance’s work order system. 

Evidence of the ways the Superintendent has communicated the District’s emphasis on safety to students, staff, parents, and community.  

   We use tools such as social media, ParentSquare, our website and more to let the community know about our emphasis on safety. More detailed information about our communication with the community can be found in the OE-3 monitoring report. 

Superintendent’s Final Remarks 

Safety is an integral part of our schools. Our community agrees with this – one of the primary reasons why many voted “yes” on the 2019 bond was because of its ample security upgrades throughout the district, from fencing to new vestibules. Many of the above responses to indicators were simple because we have longstanding practices and processes that we believe keep our students safe. 

We look forward to discussing this report with you. 

For Future Board: In 2022, you made the decision to amend the OE-12 policy by removing the indicator about social and emotional safety. However, the main policy itself still references that the Superintendent “will implement appropriate measures to protect the physical, social, and emotional safety of every student and staff member.” We recommend that if you’re going to remove the indicator addressing social and emotional safety, that you also amend the language of the policy itself.