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District

Health and Safety Updates

SUN SAFETY

Keeping our students’ healthy and safe is our top priority. Being healthy includes sun safety. Hope has launched a new Sun Education Program to help teach our Hawk students, families and community how to protect ourselves from the strong California sun while enjoying our outdoor lifestyles. Hope has partnered with Sun Bum’s Protect the Groms, a non-profit program, to help us provide various sun safety education opportunities throughout the year.  We are the first Carlsbad school to receive a Sun Wise designation from the through the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF).

We encourage all students, staff and families to take preventative measures when exposed to the sun, whether at Hope, at home or on vacation, including:

1.      Sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher)

2.      Hat (wide-brimmed, SPF rated recommended)

3.      Sunglasses

4.      Long clothing (long sleeves and pants when possible)

Hope parents are encouraged to have students apply sun block (SPF 30 or higher) each morning at home. As part of our sun protection initiative, we will allow students to bring sunscreen to school and apply as necessary.  Make sure your student knows how to apply sunscreen as staff will not apply sunscreen to the students.

Hope Elementary is now registered as a Sun Wise school through the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF). To read more about Sun Wise programs, visit www.neefusa.org.

SCHOOL SAFETY • NEW PROTOCOLS

We have been working closely with the CUSD main office, Carlsbad Police Department, and other agencies to address safety and security improvements. As part of this process, the district has made a number of recommendations and required changes that will be implemented this year. A few of the primary changes parents and students should expect in 2018-2019 are:

  • Secure Campus Changes: Changes to the CUSD Administrative Regulations will now require the securing of campus before and after school. As part of this process, gates will open at 7:45 AM and will be locked promptly after 7:58 AM. Likewise, campus gates will remain locked until the dismissal bell and will be once again secured approximately 20 minutes after safe dismissal of students. All visitors to campus will be required to enter and exit through the main office and will be required to sign-in and wear a visitor badge. Families picking up students from Kids Care will need to enter through our office as well.  Families will be able to enter the gate after 3:30 PM for pick up from Kids Care.

 

  • Visitor Badging for ALL Adults: All adults on campus will be required to wear a badge at all times - this includes all staff, PTA and classroom volunteers, and any visitors to campus. Visitors to campus will be required to enter through the office and to sign-in prior to entering campus. If any adult is on campus without a badge, he/she will be required to return to the office to sign-in or asked to leave campus.

 

  • Student Drop-Off: Beginning September 4, parents will no longer be able to enter through our front gate with their student.  When the first bell rings at 7:45 AM, only students (K-5th grade) will be permitted to enter campus through the gates.

 

  • Student Pick-Up: Beginning September 4, parents will no longer be able to enter through our front gate to pick up their student.  Please plan a designated location at the front of the campus to meet your student. If you are utilizing our parking lot fire lane for pick-up, remember to stay in your vehicle, move forward as space allows, and also designate a spot you want your student(s) to wait for you near the parking lot fire lane.

 

  • Kindergarten:   Early Bird arrivals will enter the main school gate.  Early Bird dismissal and Late Owl arrival/dismissal times will utilize the kindergarten gate.

 

  • Secure Campus Safety Drills: Beginning this year each school will be required to complete two secure campus drills each school year. These drills will be based on training that all staff received from Carlsbad Police Department and is based upon the “Run, Hide, Fight” approach emphasized by law enforcement agencies across the country.

 

We know these changes will be a challenging shift for some of our families, as they represent a change from the traditional “openness” of our campus. However, as recent events have highlighted, the reality surrounding our schools has changed in the past few years. Because student safety and security are our number one priority, we will continue to seek opportunities to make our campus more safe and secure for everyone.

WE ALL HAVE A PART IN STUDENT SAFETY!

Students, staff, and parents have an important role in promoting school safety by following procedures and reporting unusual or concerning individuals or behavior.  It is important to maintain a balance between sufficient building security and providing students a healthy, nurturing, normal school environment.  Safety measures at school extend across all parts of our campus. 

When in the parking lot, parents should observe all instructions from the crosswalk attendant and be alert to moving traffic.  You should always use a crosswalk instead of walking through lanes of traffic.  Parents must remain in their vehicles along the fire lane and only vehicles of families with students in rooms 1, 2 and 4 are allowed directly in front of the main gate and kindergarten area for student drop off and pick up times.  

There is limited access to our school buildings with our office as the only point of entry when classes are in session.  Gates must remain closed and locked during school hours . All visitors are required to check in at the front office to obtain a visitor's badge and use the sign in/out binder.  A passive closed-circuit television monitoring system records activity with 14 cameras on campus and our campus alarm system is actively monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week by a private security firm.

We maintain a safe and caring school through clear behavioral expectations, positive behavior interventions and supports, and crisis planning and preparedness.  Our School Safety Plan, which addresses school safety issues (prevention, preparing, responding, and recovering), is formally reviewed each year by our School Site Council and staff members.  The plan is updated regularly.

Open communication between home and school is critical to the safety and well-being of our students and your children.  Let us know if you have a concern or question about school policies or your child's safety.

DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON! VS. TRIANGLE OF LIFE

The Carlsbad Unified School District holds the safety of children, staff, and families as its highest over-arching priority.  Consequently, the District sustains close, interactive partnerships with local, state, and national experts in emergency preparation and response. Every one of these partners (e.g. FEMA, Red Cross, Earthquake Country Alliance, state and San Diego Offices of Emergency Services) has tested, evaluated, and unequivocally repudiated the urban myth of “The Triangle of Life.”  Indeed, our earthquake experts have not only rejected “Triangle of Life” as inferior to our protocol of “Drop, Cover and Hold On,” they also have warned that the “Triangle of Life” response represents a potential hazard to potential earthquake responders.
Please find below a link to a comprehensive description of the “Drop Cover and Hold On” protocol versus the “Triangle of Life” myth.

Earthquake Info

This link is from a San Diego Unified School District interview regarding the Triangle of Life.
Triangle Of Life
The Carlsbad Unified School District invites and welcomes questions, concerns, and dialogue with parents regarding our crisis prevention, preparation, response, and recovery plans.  If you have additional questions or concerns please contact our office.

Internet Safety

The internet offers a world of opportunities to socialize and communicate. But they come with risks. OnGuardOnline.gov's Net Cetera campaign provides information and resources about helping kids make safe, responsible decisions when they're online. Visit this link for more information.
 

SELF-CARE AND DISASTER DISTRESS LINE

It is always essential to take care of our mental health, but especially during times of tragedy. Below are a few resources that may be helpful in times of crisis:

SAMHSA’s Disaster Distress Line:  Call 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746 to connect with a trained crisis counselor. Click here

As we work together to raise awareness about mental health, reduce stigma and discrimination related to mental illness, and prevent suicides, it is vitally important that we take care of ourselves. Our most valuable resource is each other and we need to strive to be ready for the tasks ahead, by practicing what is often referred to as “self-care.” Self-care includes activities and practices that we can engage in on a regular basis to reduce stress and to maintain and enhance our short and long term health and well-being. Self-care is an essential survival skill and is necessary for our effectiveness and success in honoring our professional and personal commitments.

Below you will find links to information, materials, and resources that can be used to assess what we are doing, as individuals, to care for ourselves. 

STAY HEALTHY

Make sure you're protected. Getting vaccinated offers you the best chance to stay healthy. Vaccines protect against different flu viruses each season. For additional questions regarding Tri-City Medical Center's flu clinics, please call 760-940-5758. For more information about the flu, visit the Centers for Disease Control's website, www.flu.gov.