3517-Security of Buildings and Grounds

Buildings constitute one of the greatest investments of the school district and the community. It is in the best interest of students and taxpayers to protect that investment adequately.

Security includes:

1. Developing at each school, in compliance with the requirements of Connecticut general Statute Section 10-222k (formerly known as P.A. 13-3), a school security and safety plan, in partnership with other community groups, including, but not limited to, law enforcement, fire safety officials, emergency medical services, as well as health and mental health professionals. Such plan shall be based upon the school security and safety plan standards developed by the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP).
2. Training and practice necessary and essential for implementation of the crisis response plan. Law enforcement and other local public safety officials shall evaluate, score and provide feedback on fire drills and crisis response drills. A drill schedule will be created prior to the start of the school year and forwarded to the Director of Security prior to the scheduling of a make-up drill.
3. Controlling access to school grounds and facilities.
4. Conducting a security and vulnerability assessment for each District school every year.
5. Submitting annual reports to DESPP regarding fire drills and crisis response drills.
6. Establishing a School Security and Safety Committee at each school, responsible for assisting in the development of the school’s security and safety plan and its implementation. (membership as required by C.G.S. 10-222k)
7. Minimizing fire hazards. 
8. Reducing the probability of faulty equipment.
9. Guarding against the chance of electrical shock.
10. Keeping records and funds in a safe place.
11. Protecting against vandalism and burglary.
12. Maintaining a cadre of trained security personnel, solely dedicated to providing security services at each school campus during regularly scheduled school hours.

The Superintendent of Schools is directed to establish such rules and regulations as may be needed to provide for security as outlined above.

To ensure security and safety of all Newtown Board of Education facilities, all exterior school building doors shall generally remain locked and secured at all times. Administration, security, and/or custodian personnel do retain authority to maintain a single door in an alternate status based upon the type or number of athletic, school, or community events occurring in the building outside of regular school hours only. However, all doors shall be promptly locked and secured upon the conclusion of such athletic, school, and/or community events.

Only persons and/or organizations with prior approval (signed building use form) may hold or sponsor activities and events on school campuses. It is expected that such persons and/or organizations will abide by the district’s “locked door” policy as stated above. Propping, chocking, and/or using objects to maintain doors in an open position is a violation of fire code, and subjects violators to revocation of building use.

Only persons having legitimate school business and approval of building administration shall be allowed access to school facilities during regularly scheduled school hours. All visitors are required to check in at the security desk, provide photo identification, have their identification scanned in the RAPTOR visitor management system, and be issued a visitor badge which must be returned when checking out of the building at the security desk.

All persons with legitimate reason to participate in, or attend events held at Board of Education owned facilities (i.e. athletic events, theatre, musical performances, meetings, park and recreation activities, civic events, etc.) will be allowed access to campus and/or school buildings during non-regularly scheduled school hours.

Any incidents of robbery, burglary, trespass, theft of school or personal property, assault, injury, criminal mischief, vandalism, or damage to school property from other causes will be reported to the Office of the Superintendent, as soon after discovery as possible. A written report of the incident will be made within 24 hours of discovery.

(cf. 3516 – Safe and Secure School Facilities; Equipment and Grounds)
(cf. 4148.1/4248.1 – School Security and Safety Committee)

Legal Reference: Connecticut General Statutes

9-389 Stairways and fire escapes on certain buildings.
10-222k District safe school climate coordinator. Safe school climate specialist. Safe school climate committee.

Business/Non Instructional Operations

Security of Buildings and Grounds

Keys

All keys used in a school shall be the responsibility of the Principal. Requests for permanent issuance of keys shall be made only in those instances where the employee regularly needs a key in order to carry out normal activities necessitated by the position which the employee holds. When the need for a particular key is of a temporary nature, a key shall be issued on that basis and shall be returned immediately following termination of the need for its use.

All keys shall be issued through the office of each Principal. A receipt showing the number of the key and room(s) or building(s) which it opens shall be signed by the person to whom the key is issued. This receipt shall be filed in lieu of the key and shall be returned to the employee upon return of the key.

Each Principal shall set up a key control system with a record of the number of each key filed.

The person issued a key shall be responsible for its safekeeping and shall pay for a duplicate key if lost. Duplicate keys are obtained only through the district business office. The Board of Education prohibits the duplication of school keys by other methods.

Keys shall be used only by authorized employees and shall never be loaned to students.

The greatest care shall be given to master and sub master keys. Master keys shall never be loaned.

Employee Photo ID Access Badges

The Newtown Board of Education recognizes the importance of providing a safe environment for all District students and staff. To promote a safe environment, all employees of the Newtown Public Schools, including interns and certain maintenance contractors, will be issued a photo ID access badge, which they must display in plain view while at work. The access badge also serves as an exterior building door key, which enables employee entrance into district-owned building(s) during specific hours and specific days of the week.

All photo ID access badges shall be issued through the Office of the Director of Security. The individual employee issued an access badge shall be responsible for its safekeeping, and shall pay $20.00 for a duplicate access card if lost, stolen, or willfully damaged. Individual employees shall be responsible to promptly notify the Director of Security of the loss or theft of their access badge, so that the badge can be deactivated.

Photo ID access badges shall only be used by the respective authorized employee, and shall never be loaned to another employee, student, or any other person.

Regulation approved: May 2, 2017   
NEWTOWN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, Newtown, Connecticut