Additional Guidelines

Board Policy 7:190, Student Behavior, provides that “All electronic devices must be kept powered-off and out of sight during the regular school day unless: (a) the supervising teacher grants permission; (b) use of the device is provided in a student’s individualized education program (IEP) or health plan; or (c) it is needed in an emergency that threatens the safety of students, staff, or other individuals.”

Parents are requested to use the main office to communicate with their child during the school day, not through personal electronic devices. In turn, when students need to contact families, they should use the main office or get permission to use their personal devices.

The district is always looking for ways to improve the safety and security of our students and staff. This includes adding a visitor management system for district visitors, as well as adding more security cameras and telephones throughout all our schools.

District 62, in partnership with the Des Plaines Police Department, has offered a School Resource Officer Program that has been in place for almost a decade in our District 62 schools. In an effort to provide students and families with more information about this important role, we will outline some of those responsibilities of the School Resource Officer below.

The School Resource Officer supports and facilitates the educational process within District 62 by providing a safe and secure environment through building and establishing meaningful relationships with students and staff. In addition, the School Resource Officer proactively interacts with the school community to ensure the enforcement of city and state laws, preservation of public order, and the prevention, detection, or investigation of any possible criminal activity.

This individual works with students, parents, school personnel and community agencies to support teaching and learning in the schools. The School Resource Officer will also patrol district property to protect students, staff and visitors from physical harm or threats, should assistance be required.

Some of the specific activities the School Resource Officer may be involved in include:

• Educating students about important topics such as alcohol/drug awareness, gang and stranger awareness/ resistance, and general crime prevention.
• Mentoring students
• Informal counseling
• Supporting and ensuring a safe school environment
• Facilitating conflict resolution between students
• Providing safety information to students and staff
• Serving as a liaison to community resources
• Engaging in restorative justice practices
• Partnering with school administration when investigating some of the most common criminal activity by students (e.g., truancy, vandalism, theft, etc.)
• Investigating any potential serious criminal activity by students to ensure school safety (e.g., violent physical threats, possession of weapons, drugs etc.)

The district completes a number of safety drills annually. Such drills include the following: building evacuation drills, bus evacuation drills, law enforcement drills, and severe weather drills. Please contact your building principal with any questions regarding these drills.

Beginning January 1, 2019, the law enforcement drill must address an active shooter and must be done when students are present. School personnel and students will participate in the drill with law enforcement observing.

In accordance with Public Act 102-0395, schools will provide sufficient information and notification to parents and guardians in advance of any walk-through lockdown drill that involves the participation of students. Schools must also provide parents and guardians an opportunity to exempt their child for any reasons from participating in the walk-through lockdown drill. These types of drills will be announced in advance and any parent/guardian may elect to exclude their child from participating in this drill by contacting the building principal.

In addition, the district has a safety committee that meets regularly and is comprised of stakeholders for the purpose of discussing safety protocols and updates.

As of January 1, 2019, school administrators are required to post notice of the human trafficking hotline in the administrative office, or another location, in view of school employees.

School Boards annually shall file a threat assessment procedure and a list identifying the members of the school district’s threat assessment team or regional behavior threat assessment and intervention team with a local law enforcement agency and the regional office of education.

Additionally, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) exempts from disclosure any threat assessment procedure under the School Safety Drill Act and any information contained in the procedure from inspection and copying.

The Board of Education has adopted Policy 8:050 and a set of procedures designed to safeguard students with regard to the issue of convicted child sex offenders. Information about sex offenders is available to the public. The Illinois Sex Offender Registry is available through a link on the Illinois State Police website.

Individuals may search the database by name, zip code or county. Access is free. A child sex offender is prohibited from being present on school property or loitering within 500 feet of school property when persons under the age of 18 are present unless specifically permitted by statute. In addition, individuals being hired to work in District 62 have a fingerprint background check. All completed Volunteer Information and Liability Forms are checked against this registry.

Please contact your building principal with questions about the laws or procedures being implemented in your child’s school.