In the wake of the continuing safety concerns on school campuses, the District has continued to take precautions, including extra campus supervision and maintaining very close contact with the Claremont Police Department and other agencies as they relate to school safety. There has been increased presence of police on all campuses throughout the District, especially at San Antonio High School, Claremont High School and El Roble Intermediate School. The District takes all rumors seriously and investigates each and every one. Should there be any substance to a rumor, all schools including students, staff, and parents will be notified at once.
Community mental health professionals are also working cooperatively with District mental health professionals to provide comprehensive counseling and referral services for students, staff members, and parents who are in need of assistance. The District reminds the public of the safety procedures that have been in effect for many years and/or implemented during the last eighteen months.
- Expanded hours of coverage of the proctors at Claremont High School, El Roble Intermediate School and the Youth Activity Center (YAC) to include afterñschool activities.
- Principals have been directed to annually update and review school site safety plans with all staff members.
- El Roble Intermediate School Principal and City representatives have reviewed the TRACKS program supervision coverage at El Roble Intermediate School afterñschool hours.
- El Roble Intermediate School Principal and proctors for both schools have met with the Claremont High School Dean of Attendance and Discipline to review the duties in an emergency and the need to relay to students that it is important for students to report suspicious actions of other students to administrators, teachers, proctors, and/or peer counselors.
- Students, staff, and parents have been reminded that the District maintains a Safety Hot Line. The number is (909) 398ñ0664. The line is used to report suspicious behaviors and/or talk. A web site, http://www.cusd.claremont.edu has been developed to advertise the hot line and provide directions for leaving information.
- Principals have reviewed the need to make sure all visitors, including parents, check in and out with the school office.
- Principals have met with custodians, proctors, and campus monitors and directed them to check the following periodically during the day and/or between class periods: open lockers; trash bins, planters; book bags/packages/duffel bags that are unattended; trash cans; bathrooms; locker rooms; and lockers inside locker rooms.
- Suspicious items are not to be disturbed but the area secured and the item reported to the site administrator for action.
- A meeting has been held with the Director of Child Development to review with Child Development staff, the safety procedures for afterñschool care.
- Information was distributed to staff, parents, students, and community (including Claremont Police Department, city offices, Board of Education, and newspapers).
The Claremont Unified School District accepts the challenge and responsibility for providing safe and secure campuses throughout the District for all students and staff. The Board of Education, along with broadñbased community support, will do everything possible to secure every campus while continuing to provide the quality educational program expected by this great community.
One element of ongoing safety is professional training.
Professional Training for Faculty and Staff
The Claremont Unified School District faculty and staff are trained on an annual basis to maintain a safe, secure and orderly environment. The Board of Education continues to provide professional training opportunities to faculty and staff to ensure that environment. Staff members are required to participate in the training. Some examples are listed below. Click on a training area to review more detailed information.
New employees are informed of District procedures and their individual professional obligations by material contained in their employment packages pertaining to Suspected Child Abuse, Sexual Harassment, First Aid, Blood Borne Pathogens, Disaster Preparedness, and Safety. New teachers are provided assistance and specialized training during the first two (2) years in the District to enhance their growth and knowledge of District procedures and expectations. Ongoing employees are provided regular updates to maintain and expand their knowledge levels.
Confidentiality
Each employee of the District is obligated to abide by the confidentiality requirements of the District, which are as follows:
At any given time a staff member could be entrusted with knowledge of students, teachers, parents, and other staff that is of a confidential nature.
Circumstances leading to the gathering of this knowledge include such common tasks as scoring and recording tests, recording information in permanent record folders, and discussions with other teachers. Confidential information should only be confided to those persons who are directly involved.
Generally, staff is directed to discuss students only with their regular teachers, the principal, counselors involved, and the studentsí parents. If the staff member is not a teacher, discussions are to be under the supervision of the regular teacher. Use of common sense and foresight as to future implications of personal discussions are guides to be followed when dealing with issues of confidentiality.
Staff is cautioned to leave in school what they hear in school.