School Safety

School District 26 takes the safety and security of our staff and students very seriously and know that you expect and trust us to provide a safe and secure environment each and every day. Feeling safe at school is a fundamental need for both adults and students in order for effective teaching and learning to take place. District 26 has a number of security measures in place to ensure the safety of our students and staff, including a comprehensive school emergency plan that is evaluated and reviewed each year with the Cary Police and Fire officials. Any safety improvements or recommendations are added to the plan and implemented. The plans and procedures are practiced each year by staff and students at each school with the Cary Police and Fire officials present to observe and suggest areas of improvement.

The District uses this multi-tiered approach to school safety working proactively with students, staff, and local first responder agencies to continuously improve the safety and security of our schools. While this webpage serves as a general overview where families can find answers to broad safety and security questions, it should be noted that the complete scope of District 26’s planning and preparedness is not disclosed publicly in order not to compromise the effectiveness of our plan. We ask our parents to partner with us and their child’s school to follow our safety procedures and report concerns if they arise.

Additional Information

Improvements

Recent Safety Improvements 2022-2023

The District took the following additional steps this year after evaluating our emergency plan and facility security.

Completed an external door audit of all our schools to ensure that our external doors are working properly and are self-securing.
Improved the accessibility of the Cary Police Department allowing them immediate access to all of our schools at any time.
Increased our visiting police officer program to once a week at each school.
Implemented a district-wide confidential tip line to facilitate the sharing of safety issues. Safe2Help call 844-4-SAFEIL, texting SAFE2(72332), email help@safe2helpIL.com.
Partnered with the Cary Police Department to provide additional staff training and enhancements to our active shooter response procedure.
Provided a refresher training to all Administrators regarding the District’s threat assessment process and protocols.
Approved the installation of security cameras at Cary Junior High for next year with the potential to phase in cameras at each of our schools.

Visitor Management & Building Security

District 26 welcomes parents, families, and community members to our schools. All of our external doors to each school remain locked during the school day. All D26 facilities have limited and secured entry points for visitors including a single point of entry into each school’s main office for visitors that is secured and controlled. These main entrances remain locked and equipped with a security camera and intercom system that is connected to the main office. Visitor sign-in procedures include a Raptor Visitor Management background check with a picture ID. Staff use keyless access points to buildings to eliminate the circulation of keys and allow the district to monitor when and where people enter/exit our buildings.

Those visiting must identify themselves before being allowed to enter the building. If visiting a classroom or other area of the school beyond the main office during school hours, visitors and volunteers must provide government-issued identification and undergo a background check. While in the building, individuals are required to wear a visitor’s badge at all times and abide by Board policy 8:30, Visitor to and Conduct on School Property. When outside organizations use D26 facilities, they must abide by Board Policy 8:20, Community Use of School Facilities. Individuals and/or organizations who violate these policies may be banned from future use and/or visits to our facilities.

Safety Drills

District 26 schools conduct a variety of safety drills annually to prepare students and staff in the case of an emergency in compliance with state regulations.

Three Fire Drills annually with one involving the attendance of a Cary Fire Department Official
One Bus Evacuation Drill
One Severe weather/shelter-in-place drill
One Lockdown Drill annually involving the attendance of a Cary Police Department Official

There are two types of lockdown drills:
A hard lockdown is typically issued when an imminent danger/threat is present INSIDE the building or on or near school property. Students are secured in their classroom and in locations throughout the building. No one other than emergency personnel may enter or leave the building until the lockdown has been lifted.

A soft lockdown is typically issued when a potential danger/threat is present OUTSIDE the building. A soft lockdown may also apply when school administrators and/or first responders need to keep students and staff in their classrooms and away from an incident or activity. No one is allowed to enter or leave the building except through the front office. Normal operations inside the school will continue.

Pre-Planned Situational Responses & Protocols

The District Emergency Operations Plan is made up of a series of pre-planned situational responses and protocols that contain actions to be taken by the administration and staff specific to a number of identified school emergencies. Each response dictates specific actions and protocols to be followed during each potential emergency situation. A school safety procedure flip chart is kept in every classroom.

Mass Notification System

District 26 utilizes the Blackboard Instant Alert Notification System to alert families to an emergency situation or to cancel school due to inclement weather. In an emergency, the district will send an automated phone message, text message, and email to parents. This ensures clear, concise, and timely messaging using several modes of communication. During an emergency an initial notification will be provided to parents once the safety of students and staff are secured. Periodic updates of changes in the situation will be provided with a final follow up to parents once the incident is resolved. Should contact information change, parents are encouraged to let the school know. It’s critical for parents to ensure contact information is kept up-to-date in Infinite Campus.

Inclement weather notifications: An emergency weather closing notification usually goes out via automated phone call, text message, and email by 6 a.m. on the day of the closing. In the case of a snow day, messages will also be posted on the district's website and social media accounts.

Reporting a Concern

It takes all of us to report and address concerns in order to have not only safe schools but a safe community. If you have concerns about a student or staff member's behavior and/or conduct, please contact your child(ren)'s teacher or school administration. The District has implemented a district-wide confidential tip line to facilitate the sharing of safety issues.

Safe2Help

Call: 844-4-SAFEIL
Text: SAFE2(72332)
Email: help@safe2helpIL.com

School Safety Teams & Training

The district works in collaboration with local police and fire departments to review and update crisis procedures and emergency operations plans annually. Each school has a safety team and a threat assessment team, made up of clinicians and administrators. School Administrators and Police Officials attend school safety training together to ensure continuity of responses to emergency situations. Safety procedures and protocols for required safety drills are reviewed and practiced annually with students and staff.

Parents & Students

As we continue to evaluate and improve our plan, we want to remind students and parents that they play an important role in school safety. We ask that you comply with the sign-in and ID procedures when you visit our schools. We encourage parents to speak with their children on how they can keep the building safe by reporting activity or student rumors that could jeopardize the safety of our students and staff. Parents and students can also help us to ensure that our exterior doors close behind them when they exit or enter the building. Thank you for your continued partnership as we work together to ensure the safety and well-being of our students and staff.

Parent Safety Tips

Stay Calm and Stay Alert
In the event of a school emergency, please remain calm and know that school staff, district personnel and law enforcement are working to keep your child safe. District 26 fully understands the importance of communication during an emergency and we are prepared and committed to provide ongoing updates throughout the situation. Based on the situation, District 26 may provide information via text, emails, phone calls, district social media and the district website. Please know that the media will not always report accurate information. In addition, we know that during a school emergency many of our students will try to call or text their parents/guardians. If this occurs, we ask that you stay calm and reassuring. Encourage your student to follow the directions of school staff.

Please Do Not Come to the School
We understand your desire to go to the school and the need to see your child, especially in a situation that feels scary. However, arriving at the scene before it is secure can interfere with the emergency response and puts you in danger. School emergencies have shown that one of the greatest challenges is how to manage the number of parents and concerned citizens rushing to the scene. By rushing to the school, parents can unintentionally create traffic jams that may block emergency responders from getting to the school or leaving if necessary, to transport injured students or staff to emergency medical facilities. Families will be given directions of when to come and pick up their child once it is safe to do so.

KEEP PHONE LINES OPEN
We ask that families do not call the school. This allows phone lines to stay open for communication with emergency personnel and school officials. It also helps school staff to remain focused on the safety of their students. The school/district will communicate any information with you as soon as possible via Infinite Campus emails, text messages, district website and social media.

Do Not Call the Police Department or 911
The police department will be dealing with the school emergency and the dispatch line must remain open for any other emergencies that could occur in the community. Calling to ask what is going on at the school will only take away from the dispatcher being available to handle other emergencies, while also interrupting communication with the police on site at the school where the emergency is taking place.

Check your Infinite Campus Settings
Please check your settings in Infinite Campus to make sure you are signed up to receive emergency notifications and the contact information is current.

Be prepared with your photo ID
In the event of a school evacuation, District 26 will follow a standard reunification plan to ensure students are safely returned to their families. The district will communicate the reunification site. During a reunification, families and/or individuals listed as an authorized person to pick up your child should do the following:

Bring valid form of identification (ID)
Follow signage and parking directions of the reunification location
Provide school personnel at the check-in table with a valid form of photo ID
Wait patiently as staff member retrieves and escorts your student to you

Please note that only approved adults with valid photo identification will be allowed to pick up students from the reunification location.