Safety/Emergency School Closings
All schools are currently open and operating normally at this time.
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Severe Weather Conditions/
Transportation Services
Snow, ice, and extremely cold temperatures may affect bus pick-up
and drop-off times, sometimes causing buses to run late. The school
district has the serious responsibility of deciding whether to close
schools. Generally, schools will remain open except for extremely
inclement weather. When severe weather conditions exist, parents
must decide whether their children can get to school safely. Even
when the school district decides to keep schools open, parents should
review their own situation to determine if they should send their
children to school. If a parent decides to keep the child(ren)
at home, the absence will be considered “excused” and all
work may be completed when the child returns to school.
Inclement Weather Days/School Closings
On inclement weather days, the school district encourages parents
to check the District 15 Web site for up-to-date information
on school closings or listen to the radio or watch television for
closing information. School District 15 closing information
can be heard on WGN-AM 720, WBBM-AM 780, and television stations
CBS-2, NBC-5, ABC-7, WGN-9, FOX-32, and CLTV News. The announcement states: “District 15, Palatine, Rolling Meadows, Cook County.” Parents may also
call the district's main number at (847) 963-3000 for a recorded
message, or check the District's Web site at www.ccsd15.net.
In addition, PTAs/PTSAs have a telephone chain system in place
to notify parents when school closes or dismisses early. If the
possibility exists that a parent or older sibling will not be home, we encourage parents to designate an alternate destination for
their children if school dismisses early due to inclement weather
or an unforeseen circumstance.
Emergencies
It is extremely important that the school office have up-to-date home and work telephone numbers, addresses, and emergency contacts on file. Parents will be contacted in the event a child becomes sick or is injured.
Children will be released only to their parents or legal guardians during an emergency, such as a tornado warning. No child will be released to a non-family member unless the school has a letter from parents on file and then only with the principal’s approval.
To ensure the safety of our students and staff, District 15 schools perform various safety drills during the school year. During fire drills, each classroom has a prescribed fire emergency evacuation route and an alternate route for exiting the building. Children should follow directions, walk quickly to the assigned location, and wait quietly for further direction from teachers or administrators. At least once a year, schools also conduct tornado drills. Teachers will lead the children to the designated emergency shelter area. Schools also conduct lock-down drills to practice procedures which would be implemented in circumstances such as an environmental hazard, an intruder in the building, or other emergency situation. During lock-down drills, students will remain in their classrooms until an all-clear is given. In addition, twice a year students will participate in bus evacuation drills. Please discuss the seriousness of these drills with your child.
Caring, Safe, and Orderly Learning Environment
Community Consolidated School District 15 is committed to maintaining
safe and orderly schools. The district’s civic beliefs promote
mutual respect, civility, and orderly conduct among students, employees,
parents, and other community members.
The Board of Education expects the staff to treat students, parents,
and other community members with dignity and respect and expects
the same in return. This policy is not intended to deprive any person
of his/her right to freedom of expression to the extent possible
in a safe, harassment-free learning and working environment for
students and staff.
In the interest of district employees serving as positive role
models to students and the community, the Board of Education encourages
mutual respect and positive communication and discourages volatile,
hostile, or aggressive actions. District staff will seek community
cooperation in this endeavor.
Keeping Our Students Safe
The safety of your child is of utmost concern. Please review the
school’s general rules and safety precautions with your child,
putting particular emphasis on bus rules, bicycle rules and wearing a helmet, obeying the
safety patrol, and returning home immediately after school unless
other arrangements have been made. If you transport your child to
school by car, please use the areas designated by the school for
dropping off and picking up your child.
District 15 schools do not permit such items as knives, bean shooters,
hard baseballs, etc., to be brought to school. If items that are
hazardous to the student or others are brought to school, these
articles will be confiscated.
Student Name/Photo Release
A Student Name/Photo Release form must be on file for each student, and is valid as long as your child attends any District 15 school. If you choose to change your child's release status, you must submit a new form. Forms may be obtained from your child's school, or downloaded here (English Word 215KB, Spanish Word 215KB). Checking "yes" gives permission for your child's name and/or photo to be used in publications, presentations, videos, Web pages, or news releases produced by District 15 or by agencies working with the district. Checking "no" means that your child's name and/or photograh may not be used in any publication, presentation, video, Web sitre, or news release that is distributed outside of the school community. If parents do not return the form, it will be considered a "no" response. Annual school yearbooks are considered internal school publications and are not subject to these restrictions. If you don't want your child's name/photo included in the annual school yearbook, please notify the school principal in writing.
School Threats Taken Seriously
If students write or talk about injuring or killing another student, staff member, or any
other person or about using weapons through any media, these statements will be taken as
serious threats. All reports of such threats or statements will be fully investigated. If the information
is substantiated, the student(s) involved will be disciplined as appropriate under
district and/or building policies and local municipal ordinances. It is important for students
to think about what they say, especially when angry or upset. Teachers, social workers, administrators,
and services are available to assist students with behavioral or anger management
issues.
School Watch
Schools, like neighborhoods, need everyone's help to make them
safe, secure, and vital to the community's quality of life.
Schools need extra "sets of eyes" in the neighborhoods
to watch for problems that might arise such as vandalism, tres-passing,
theft, or mechanical break-down.
School
Watch, modeled after Neighborhood Watch, heightens awareness
of the school's neighborhoods to activities that should and should
not be occurring in and around school and encourages neighbors to
call the police. Residents whose homes have a clear view of the
school are encouraged to participate.
Communication, information, alertness to suspicious activity, and
willingness to call the police are important steps toward discouraging
senseless destruction of our schools and protecting our investment
in the community.
For more information or to sign up for the School Watch program,
contact your neighborhood school principal.
Student Help Line
A program for District 15 junior high school students, the Student
Help Line offers students a confidential way to contact the school
to request assistance with any and all school matters. The Student
Help Line is a voice mailbox messaging system that is reviewed by
a school counselor on a daily basis. The help line is available
24 hours per day, seven days per week. The Student Help Line will
be answered by a school counselor who will determine the best way
to provide help. Students can use the help line to report problems
with homework, other students, bus issues, neighborhood issues,
and other concerns.
Junior High School Police Liaison Officers
The village of Palatine and the city of Rolling Meadows have intergovernmental
agreements with the school district to provide a part-time police liaison
officer assigned to the junior high schools. The police liaison
officers’ purpose at school is to assist school officials
in maintaining a safe, orderly, and caring educational environment
for all students. The officers provide a variety of services to
students, parents, and staff and serve as a positive role model
for all students. They meet with individual students, small groups
of students, and entire classes to discuss various aspects of the
law and the procedures of the court system. They are available to
discuss specific situations with parents and staff. The officers
are also available to elementary school parents, staff, and students.
Accidents
Minor accidents occurring during the school day are treated by
the classroom teacher or registered nurse. If the injury appears
serious, the registered nurse will call the parent. If the parent
cannot be reached, the school then will call the emergency number
provided on the enrollment form. If the parent or the designated
emergency contact are not available and the injury requires immediate
aid, the child will be taken to the nearest hospital by paramedics.
Either the registered nurse, principal, or assistant principal will accompany the
child while school staff continues to try to locate the parent.
Bicycle Helmet Safety
District 15 encourages all students, regardless of age, who ride
a bike to school to wear a helmet. Bicycling without a helmet can
lead to severe head injuries. Consider the following statistics:
- Bicyclist injury rates are the highest between the ages of 5-15.
- Bicyclists who are hospitalized with head injuries are 20 times
more likely to die as those without head injuries.
Make sure that the helmet fits correctly, resting it low on the
forehead just above the eyebrows. Check that the chin straps are
comfortable, yet tight. Be sure that the helmet does not move when
pressure is applied to the front, back, or sides of the helmet.
And finally, children’s helmets may need to be replaced frequently
due to growth spurts or unusual wear-and-tear.
Sex Offender Registration Act
The Illinois Sex Offender Registration Act and Child Sex
Offender and Child Murderer Community Notification Law authorizes
release of names, addresses, and offenses committed by registered
child sex offenders. Parents may obtain this information from their
local police department or sheriff’s office. Information is
also available on the Cook County Sheriff’s Department Web
site.
Internet Safety for Students
Educational opportunities can be greatly enhanced by taking advantage
of the extended learning resources available on the Internet. School
District 15 has developed a program to allow student access
to the Internet. The district’s goal in providing this service
is to promote educational excellence by assisting in resource sharing,
creativity, and communication. With this educational opportunity
also comes responsibility. Before a student may have access to
the Internet, parents/guardians will need to read the Acceptable Use Policy/Network Use Guidelines letter (English/Spanish), and both parents/guardians and students must sign the Acceptable Use Policy/Network Use Guidelines/Authorization for Electronic Networks Access (student agreement) (English/Spanish).
The use of inappropriate material or language or violation of copyright
laws may result in the loss of the privilege to use the Internet.
Please remember that you are legally responsible for your child's
actions. School District 15 takes precautions and uses a commercial
Internet filtering program to prevent access to materials that may
be defamatory, inaccurate, offensive, or otherwise inappropriate
in the school setting. It is impossible, however, to control all
material, and a user may discover inappropriate material. Ultimately,
parent(s)/guardian(s) are responsible for setting and conveying
standards for their children. The school district supports and respects
each family's right to decide whether to authorize Internet access.
Community Consolidated School District 15 reserves the right to
publish in any format student produced work for the express purpose
of instructional demonstration, etc. Parents who do not wish to
allow Community Consolidated School District 15 to publish examples
of their child's work must notify the district in writing of their
desire.
Internet Tips
The Internet is becoming a valuable educational tool for children
and adults alike. As students explore, they open themselves to a
world of wondrous possibilities and will be exposed to a wealth
of information. The Internet continues to grow—doubling in
size nearly every three months—as more individuals, schools,
and businesses make their presence known in cyberspace. One reason
the Internet continues to expand is because it serves as the largest
forum for public discussion and posting of information. While students
will find many useful sites and helpful people throughout the world
to help them in their learning journeys, all of us need to understand
some basic rules when visiting sites or communicating with people
on the Internet. Below are some basic guidelines for students to
follow when using the Internet.
- Use only your first name. In e-mails, chat rooms, and at Web
sites, please do not share personal information, such as your
last name, address, or phone number. Only share your e-mail address
with those people you want to respond to you.
- Do not share your account password with other students or friends.
- When writing or speaking with people, please be respectful
at all times—the person on the other side of the computer
has feelings just like you.
- If you become uncomfortable with anything you see or read online,
simply leave the site or delete the file. Please tell your teacher
or computer aide if you need assistance.
- Do not download pictures, text, or files unless you have permission
from your teache—images may contain computer viruses and
could be harmful to the computer.
- You can’t believe everything you read, especially in cyberspace.
If you are using the Internet for research, be sure to confirm
your facts to ensure accuracy.
District 15 has produced “A
Parent’s Guide to the Internet” (PDF - 341KB)
which outlines strategies for using the Internet.
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