VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The District Safety and Security Plan has been created in coordination with our District Safety Advisory Committee, Administration, School Board, and our Coordinated School Emergency
Response Teams (BERT/DERT).
Superintendent Josh Johnson said this plan will be reviewed periodically throughout the 2023-2024 school year and a progress report will be shared with our school community at both the middle and end of the school year.
He said this school year we will be focused on improving school safety with our school facilities and emergency training/drills.
1. School Facilities- Safety and Security for all Students and Staff Members, Visitor Management Program- We will ensure that student and visitor access into our schools will be maintained from our school offices and accountability measures will be in place using our visitor management program (Raptor.) We will evaluate our visitor management program quarterly throughout the school year using a series of unplanned tests on our programs, policies, and procedures within the visitor management program. Securing the Classroom- We will strongly encourage all staff members to lock classroom doors during instructional hours, we will install material to allow all interior windows to be covered during an emergency, and we will purchase mechanisms to reinforce classrooms doors during an emergency (i.e. lockdown.) Support for New and/or Remodeled Schools. We will continue to study the needs of our school facilities while pursuing state funds that can be used to supplement local dollars designated at improving our school facilities, specifically the improvement of the safety and security of our schools.
2. Conduct Emergency Training and Drills with Students and Staff Members, Complete an options training with new staff and sub teachers before the school year. Complete annual bus evacuation training with students in elementary and activities. Complete bi-annual first aid training with all staff members. Complete options-based response training with all 7th grade students. Meet bi-annually with our Emergency Response Teams (BERT/DERT Teams.) Evaluate and address parking configuration/congestion at Washington Elementary. Ensure schools will complete the following state required drills each school year; Evacuation (Fire) – 4x’s per year, Lockdown- 2x’s per year, Tornado- 2x’s per year. Implement the emergency management program (Raptor) into trainings and drills. Require all schools to complete a reunification drill prior to September 15, 2023. Develop a safety and security plan for activities in our school district. Schedule and complete an active shooter drill that will include 7-12th grade students, all staff members, and be held in coordination with local emergency responders in Barnes County.
The safety of our students and staff members at Valley City Public Schools will always be a top priority for our school district. We welcome your feedback, comments, and suggestions regarding our annual district safety and security plans. Please feel free to contact Superintendent Josh Johnson or School Resource Officer Sean Hagen at 701-845-0483.
The full interview with Superintendent Josh Johnson and School Resource Officer Sean Hagen is available below.