Safety and Security
Sub-Competencies
- Demonstrate the ability to develop and implement policies and procedures for safe and secure educational environments.
- Demonstrate the means to address emergency and crisis situations.
Reflections and Artifacts
Summary: This artifact is a follow-up email I shared with our building and grounds staff and our building principal, which I found during a district safety walk. This walk focused on secured doors and any potential trip or other dangerous hazards on fire paths and walkways
Reflection: School principals have a duty to ensure that the facilities they manage are safe and secure for students and staff in the building. To maintain student and staff safety, it is important to conduct periodic safety checks of the facilities. As part of this, I conducted a security walk of the perimeter of the intermediate school building. During my walk, I noted an open exterior door and a sidewalk safety issue. I immediately addressed the door issue and, following the chain of command, alerted the appropriate staff to the sidewalk safety issue. I learned the importance of following established procedures when examining a safety concern to ensure everything is thoroughly checked.
Explanation: This artifact is a picture taken of the high school tractor day. This is an annual event near the end of the year where students drive to school in their tractors or other farm vehicles.
Reflection: School Principals are responsible for creating a community culture centered around their school. Part of creating and maintaining that culture is celebrating cultural events important to the students of that community. Foley Schools hosts a tractor day for its high schoolers at the end of the year, allowing our students to showcase the variety of tractors and other farm equipment they use in their daily lives. Assisting the principal, I helped coordinate the parking and arrival of the large vehicles, and interacted with local press, police, community members, and teaching staff to ensure areas were properly staffed and that students remained under control during the water balloon fight. I learned about the importance of coordination with all involved members to make a cultural event like a tractor a safe and successful day for the community.
Explanation: This artifact is investigation notes coming from a larger incident that occurred at recess. This led to several interviews, phone calls, and re-norming of expectations at the playground for both staff and students
Reflection: School principals must ensure that students have a safe school environment wherever they are on school grounds. In this behavior management experience, I worked with the building administration to investigate a larger physical altercation that occurred on the playground during recess that day. In the process, we interviewed five different students. To ensure continued safety at recess, staff were assigned to pay closer attention to the areas where football was being played. Students were also gathered to discuss proper expectations for recess going forward. I learned about and recognized the importance of clear procedures to help prevent physical altercations during unstructured time.
