Dear Parents:

 

At Vision Charter School, safety is our highest priority. In light of the recent tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary, Vision Charter School would like to reassure our parents and students that we continue to be committed to the safety of all of our 551 students.

 

Vision Charter School has many safety and security features in place such as supervision at each access point before school, after school, during lunchtime, and all transition times. VCS also has a security camera monitoring the parking lot and entrance to the school. We added two additional security cameras today and a third will be installed tomorrow. These cameras will monitor both access points to the school. Vision Charter School continues to require all parents and visitors to sign in at the front office and acquire a visitor pass prior to entry into any classroom. All classroom doors are auto-locking doors and will be locked during school hours. (The two that weren't were replaced today.) Office staff will call down to the classroom to announce all visitors prior to entry being permitted into any classroom.  I have also met with the Caldwell City Chief of Police to discuss the possibility of a School Resource Officer starting in January 2013. 

 

Fire drills are held monthly to ensure students know how to react appropriately in a fire or situation that requires students to quickly vacate the school. Although staff has trained on Lock Down and Evacuation procedures in alignment with our Emergency Procedure Guidelines, we have not previously instituted these drills with our students due to the desire to not scare the younger students.  Due to the recent tragedy in our country, we began training on Lock Down and Evacuation procedures today.  I met with 1st -3rd grade, Mrs. Castor's students, 6th grade, 11th and 12th grade students by class today to discuss the lock down procedures. I will meet with kindergarten, fourth grade, Mrs. McWilson's class, and  7th-10th graders tomorrow.   I reviewed what the lockdown drill will sound like over the intercom and how students will respond if they are inside or outside during a Lockdown. Students practiced a Lockdown with their teacher. I will finish the discussions with each classroom by tomorrow afternoon.

 

In the event of an evacuation, our first relocation center would be the LDS Center located at 11838 Linden Rd. Our secondary relocation center is the Idaho Athletic Club located at 4623 S. Enterprise Way.  Vision Charter School teachers keep a copy of all of their students' emergency contact information in their emergency bags. Please notify the office if any emergency contact information has been altered since the beginning of the school year.

 

VCS will be having a Lock Down drill Wednesday, December 19, 2012 in the morning. Please send any questions, comments, or concerns to me at wendyroldenkamp@msn.com or you may call me on my cell phone at 919-9636.

 

Sincerely,

 

Wendy OldenKamp, Administrator