School Safety

Comprehensive School Safety Plan

All California public schools must develop a Comprehensive School Safety Plan (CSSP), per California Education Code sections 32280-32289.5 . Each CSSP must address the safety concerns identified through a systematic planning process to include community stakeholders such as school staff, parents, students, and local first responders. All staff members must be trained on the safety procedures for a school campus as outlined in the adopted CSSP. The CSSP must be reviewed and updated annually by a school’s School Site Council and adopted by the School Board by March 1 of each calendar year.

The adopted CSSPs must address the following areas:

Assessment of School Safety
Discipline Policies and Practices
Professional Development Areas
Counseling and Wellness Services
Community Relationships
Safe School Programs and Strategies
Campus Security

For additional information regarding a school site’s CSSP, please contact the school site administrator or the Director of Student Services at (559) 834-6080.

School Safety Procedures

School_Safety

Safety Drills

Earthquake - Every school site participates in the Great California Shakeout in October.
Fire - At all elementary schools, fire drills are conducted monthly and once a semester at secondary schools.
Lockdown - Drills are conducted once a semester at all school sites.

Locked Gates & Visitor Management

Locked gates at sites
All visitors must report to the main office and check-in.
Visitors must provide their ID to be cleared through RAPTOR and given a printed visitor pass to wear while on campus.

MINGA

All students at Fowler High School use MINGA.
Each student has a digital ID card for increased safety and a digital hall pass to control crowds and keep students accountable.
A modern check-in system that allows FHS to effortlessly see who is on or off campus with real-time data.

Classroom Emergency Guides

Every classroom at all sites has a classroom emergency procedure guide. This guide is used as a quick reference for response procedures for different types of emergencies. It includes a checklist for threats, weapons, health emergencies, and other crisis situations.

Civility

Civility in the school setting is treating others with respect, kindness, and consideration, which contributes to a safe and supportive environment. By promoting civility, we encourage a culture of mutual respect, where everyone feels valued and protected. The district encourages the public's cooperation with and adherence to this policy.

Civility Policy 1313

The Governing Board recognizes the impact that civility has on the effective operation of the district, including its role in creating a safe and positive school climate and enabling a focus on student well-being, learning, and achievement. The Board believes that each person should be treated with dignity and respect in their interactions within the school community.

The Board understands that the First Amendment provides strong protection for speech. However, the Board expects that all speech and expression will comport with norms of civil behavior on district grounds, in district facilities, during district activities or events, and in the use of district electronic/digital systems and platforms.

Civil behavior is polite, courteous, and reasonable behavior which is respectful to others and includes integrity, honesty, acceptance, timeliness, dependability, observance of laws and rules, and effective communication.

The Board and district staff shall model civil behavior as an example of behavior that is expected throughout the district. Practices that promote civil behavior include actively listening, giving full attention to the speaker, and refraining from interruptions; welcoming and encouraging participation, input, and feedback through stakeholder engagement; promptly responding to concerns; and embracing varying and diverse viewpoints. Such practices may be incorporated into governance standards adopted by the Board or Superintendent and/or professional standards or codes of conduct for employees as specified in district policies and regulations.

Students, staff, parents/guardians, and community members should be educated in the recognition, development, and demonstration of civil behavior. The Superintendent or designee may incorporate related concepts in the curriculum, provide staff development activities, and/or communicate this policy to the school community.

Students, staff, parents/guardians, and community members shall not communicate or behave in a manner that causes disruption; hinders the orderly conduct of district operations, the educational program, or any other district program or activity; or creates an unsafe learning or working environment. The Superintendent or designee may respond to disruptive, violent, or threatening behavior in accordance with law and as specified in BP/AR 3515.2 - Disruptions.

Behavior by students or staff that is discriminatory, harassing, or intimidating, including sexual harassment, bullying, and/or hate violence, or behavior that is in any other way unlawful, is prohibited and is subject to discipline in accordance with law and as specified in district policy and regulations.

SAFE PLACE TO LEARN ACT - EC 234.1

Fowler Unified School District is committed to providing a welcoming, safe, and supportive school environment that allows all students equal access to and opportunities in Fowler Unified School District’s academic, extracurricular, and other educational support programs, services, and activities. As such, it prohibits unlawful discrimination, including discriminatory harassment, intimidation, and bullying, targeted at any student by anyone, based on the student’s actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, nationality, national origin, immigration status, ethnic group identification, ethnicity, age, religion, marital status, pregnancy, parental status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, or genetic information; or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. This policy applies to all acts constituting discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying related to school activity or school attendance occurring within the District’s schools, and to acts which occur off campus or outside of school-related or school-sponsored activities but which may have an impact or create a hostile environment at school.

The District also prohibits any form of retaliation against any individual who reports or participates in the reporting of unlawful discrimination, files or participates in the filing of a complaint, or investigates or participates in the investigation of a complaint or report alleging unlawful discrimination. Retaliation complaints are investigated and resolved in the same manner as a discrimination complaint.

Students who feel that they have been subjected to unlawful discrimination described above, or who observe any such incident, are strongly encouraged to immediately contact the UCP compliance officer, principal, or any other staff member. In addition, students and parents may request to meet with the UCP compliance officer to determine how best to accommodate or resolve concerns that may arise from FUSD’s implementation of its nondiscrimination policies. To the extent possible, FUSD will address any individual student’s interests and concerns in private.

Regardless of whether a complainant complies with the writing, timeline, and/or other formal filing requirements, all complaints alleging unlawful discrimination, including discriminatory harassment, intimidation, or bullying, will be investigated and prompt action taken to stop the discrimination, prevent recurrence, and address any continuing effect on students.

For a list of statewide resources, including community-based organizations, that provide support to youth, and their families, who have been subjected to school-based discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying, please visit the following CDE webpage: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ss/se/bullyingprev.asp.