The Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District has completed a comprehensive review of its existing emergency response procedures and has made several revisions based on the latest best practices. The District also has made some facility and technological upgrades to address safety concerns raised by staff and families.
Visitor Information
When seeking to enter a school building or the Board of Education, all visitors are required to provide a state-issued photo ID in order to receive a visitor pass that must then be worn while they are in the building.
All visitors should enter the building through the main entrance. Staff and students are not permitted to open other doors for visitors.
There may be exceptions to this policy for circumstances such as school-sponsored group activities, which will be considered and approved by the building principal prior to the event.
The District recognizes that these security enhancements may be inconvenient at times, but they are being made to improve overall safety and security in our schools and to better manage access to our buildings. Thank you for your support and cooperation.
Safe School Helpline
The
Safe School Helpline is available for students to call if they know of anyone threatening violence or bullying. All calls are confidential and anonymous. To access the Safe School Helpline, call 1-800-4-1-VOICE ext. 359 (1-800-418-6423) or visit
SafeSchoolHelpline.com. Safe School Helpline numbers are also posted in each of our school buildings.
Communicating to Parents
In the event of an emergency, we will use three types of communication to reach parents.
Direct: Automated phone calls, email blasts, text messages
Online: District website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
Local Media (as needed): Newspapers, TV, radio, online
ONGOING SAFETY MEASURES
Providing your children with a safe place to learn is our top priority. We have created well-planned, proactive safety and security measures we currently have in place.
Strong Relationships with Local Safety Forces
The CH-UH Schools maintain a solid, cooperative partnership with local police and fire departments. These safety forces meet regularly with school officials in a proactive environment to ensure the safety and security of our students and staff.
Safety Drills
In an effort to make sure our students and staff are well-prepared in case of an emergency, every school holds regularly scheduled safety drills, including tornado drills, fire drills, evacuation drills and lockdown drills. Building staff and the coordinator of safety and security evaluate the effectiveness of each drill and determine if any adjustments need to be made.
In addition, local safety forces sometimes participate in the evacuation drills and lockdown drills to stay familiar with our buildings, safety procedures, and staff and students.
Technology
Security cameras are placed in key positions throughout the District. These cameras display and record video that can be viewed online by District administrators. School officials and local police can also use these videos when investigating any incidents. Telephones are located in all classrooms.