School Safety

School District 6 and Shawsheen Elementary are committed to having a safe, secure, and caring learning environment. Our comprehensive planning for safe schools includes a purposeful connection between physical safety and security and the psychological safety of students.

Physical Safety

Physical safety includes measures such as a secured building, visitor check-in and identification badges, preparedness planning, and regular practice drills for a variety of potential incidents. Crisis plans for individual schools and the district as a whole are aligned with the recommendations of Homeland Security, local emergency responders, and the National Incident Management System (NIMS).
Entry Video Intercom Systems were installed at all District 6 elementary and K-8 schools, allowing the front door to be locked while school is in session. Visitors must notify the main office they are outside before they are allowed entry to these schools.
All visitors and volunteers must have a valid ID, complete all required documentation as may be requested, and wear a name badge, printed by the Raptor system, to be granted access to the building. The volunteer registration process is conducted in accordance with the procedures set forth in Board Policy KIA. 

Lockdowns and Drills

District 6 has adopted the I Love U Guys Foundation Standard Response Protocols. Lockdown and other drills are frequently held to train staff and students in preparation for a potential emergency.  More information can be found at the Foundation’s website: iloveuguys.org. Shawsheen will hold announced and unannounced Evacuation (formerly fire) drills and Shelter (formerly tornado) drills throughout the school year.

Safe2Tell: 1-877-542-SAFE (7233)

To enhance the prevention of school violence, District 6 participates in the highly regarded Safe2Tell program. Safe2Tell allows students, teachers, families, or anyone else to call a toll-free Colorado hotline with information about a crime that has already happened, or one that they fear may happen. The reporting procedure is completely anonymous.

Colorado Crisis Services

Students and staff are also encouraged to contact Colorado Crisis Services, which provide trained professionals who provide free, immediate, and confidential help all day, every day. Crisis counselors and professionally trained peer specialists are available to help right when you need it. The contact information is as follows: 
Phone Number: 844-493-TALK (8255)
Website Address: https://coloradocrisisservices.org/
Weld County: https://northrange.org/network-of-services/crisis-support-services/
Text Talk Number: TALK to 38255

Bully Prevention

District 6 Board Policy JICDE - Bullying Prevention and Education
The Board of Education supports a secure school climate, conducive to teaching and learning that is free from threat, harassment, and any type of bullying behavior. The purpose of this policy is to promote consistency of approach and to help create a climate in which all types of bullying are regarded as unacceptable.
Bullying and other behaviors as defined below are prohibited on district property, at district or school-sanctioned activities and events, when students are being transported in any vehicle dispatched by the district or one of its schools, or off school property when such conduct has a nexus to school or any district curricular or non-curricular activity or event.
Bullying is the use of coercion or intimidation to obtain control over another person or to cause physical, mental, or emotional harm to another person. Bullying can occur through written, verbal, or electronically transmitted expression (i.e. cyberbullying) or by means of a physical act or gesture. Bullying is prohibited against any student for any reason, including but not limited to any such behavior that is directed toward a student on the basis of their academic performance or any basis protected by federal and state law, including disability, race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, national origin, religion, ancestry, or the need for special education services, whether such characteristic(s) is actual or perceived.  
Retaliation is an act or communication intended as retribution against an individual who reports an act of bullying. Retaliation can also include knowingly making false accusations of bullying or acting to influence the investigation of, or the response to, a report of bullying.
False accusations of bullying are those made knowingly by an individual or group of individuals with the purpose of causing harm to another individual and which are false.
A student who engages in any act of bullying, makes a false accusation, and/or a student who takes any retaliatory action against a student who reports in good faith an incident of bullying is subject to appropriate disciplinary action, including but not limited to suspension, expulsion and/or referral to law enforcement authorities. The severity and pattern, if any, of the bullying behavior will be taken into consideration when disciplinary decisions are made. Bullying behavior that constitutes unlawful discrimination or harassment will be subject to investigation and discipline under related Board policies and procedures. Students targeted by bullying when such bullying behavior may constitute unlawful discrimination or harassment also have additional rights and protections under Board policies and procedures regarding unlawful discrimination and harassment.
For more information regarding the District’s prohibition against bullying, including prevention and intervention and reporting steps, please refer to Board policy JICDE. Additionally, the superintendent has developed a comprehensive program to address bullying at all school levels, which can be viewed on the District’s Bullying Prevention webpage.
Teachers who observe or become aware of bullying shall take appropriate steps to intervene and/or report such behavior to the school principal.  Families and students who become aware of bullying are encouraged to report it to the school principal.
School principals shall take appropriate steps to educate students about ways to prevent bullying.
The superintendent shall develop a comprehensive program to address bullying at all school levels. The program shall be aimed toward accomplishing the following goals:

1. To send a clear message to students, staff, families and community members that bullying will not be tolerated.
2. To train staff and students in taking proactive steps to prevent bullying from occurring
3. To implement procedures for immediate intervention, investigation, and confrontation of students engaged in bullying behavior.
4. To initiate efforts to change the behavior of students engaged in bullying behaviors through re-education on acceptable behavior, discussions, counseling, and appropriate negative consequences.
5. To foster a productive partnership with families and community members in order to help maintain a bully-free environment.
6. To support victims of bullying by means of individual and peer counseling.
7. To help develop peer support networks, social skills and confidence for all students.
8. To recognize and praise positive, supportive behaviors of students toward one another on a regular basis.

For more information please see the District 6 Handbook.

Playground Safety

Shawsheen’s playground needs to be a safe place for students to be able to enjoy the playground and play area.  
The following expectations will be observed:

• Walk on the black top 
• Stay off fences and trees
• Bicycle racks are off limits unless you are locking/unlocking your bicycle
• Students are not to leave the playground without permission, including ball retrieval
• Students should not be on the playground before school
• No “war/martial arts” type of games, and no pretend fighting
• Only playground balls provided by the school should be used
• Balls should be used away from the building, not bounced against it
• Ropes are for jumping only
• Tag, or tag-like games, are not allowed unless on the field
• Exit swings safely (no jumping off)
• Walk around entire swing area, (not too close to kids swinging or in between)
• No pushing on any equipment, this includes swings, bouncy saucer, and spinner
• Follow spinner rules:
  • Limit 3 students on spinner at a time. (No kindergarteners)
  • Students must ride inside the spinner. (No hanging, sitting, or standing on the purple bar.)
  • 1 responsible student or adult may push to get the spinner started. Do not continue pushing. The goal is for students to learn to operate the spinner, work as a team, to keep the momentum going.
  • If there is a line, those in line count to 25 (or 50 for 3-5 grades) while 3 students ride.
  • Responsible student or adult safely stops the spinner. Riders get off.
  • Next 3 riders get on.

Issues for which a student should go directly to the adult on duty include:

• Hitting or physical contact
• Threats
• Safety concerns (unsafe objects, people, or activities)