Section 4-07 – Safety and Security Procedures
State and Federal laws require employers, schools, and places of public assembly to provide an environment that is healthy and safe for all. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles is committed to ensuring that all staff, parishioners, students, and guests can work, worship, learn, and visit without encountering known health hazards or dangerous conditions. As ministers and the faithful, every clergy member, employee, and volunteer in our parishes and schools shall place the safety and welfare of the young and vulnerable above their own safety. Due to the multifaceted services the Archdiocese offers in different locations, and in deference to the canonical principle of subsidiarity, as a matter of Archdiocesan policy each location is separately responsible for providing a safe, secure and healthy environment for all.
Each location must follow the programs, policies and procedures of the Archdiocese as distributed or posted by the Archdiocese. Everyone at each location is responsible for maintaining overall environmental health and safety. However, certain persons are charged with specific responsibilities in this regard:
- The person in charge at every location must, in consultation and collaboration with others, develop and implement emergency programs and plans, risk management procedures and injury and illness prevention programs.
- Staff members should be trained to observe their surroundings and inform the person in charge of potential hazards, dangerous conditions, and people who may need attention.
- Students and other participants in school and parish programs should be taught the elements of safe conduct and environmental awareness.
Threat Assessment and School Safety Reporting
Any threat of violence, whether verbal, written, electronic, symbolic, or implied, shall be taken seriously. Students are expected to immediately report:
- Threats against individuals or groups.
- Weapons or dangerous objects.
- Threatening social media posts.
- Discussions of self-harm or harm to others.
- Suspicious or concerning behavior.
Students who make threats, even as a joke, may face immediate removal from campus, suspension, disciplinary review, mandatory threat assessment, and referral to law enforcement. Retaliation against any individual who reports safety concerns is prohibited.
Visitor Management
Visitor Check-In Procedures
The safety and security of our students, faculty, staff and visitors is a priority at Bishop Alemany High School. To help maintain a safe campus, all visitors mush check in through the Main Office before entering any area of the school during regular school hours.
Bishop Alemany High School utilizes an electronic visitor management system to verify visitor identification, print visitor badges, and assist in maintaining a secure campus environment.
Visitor Expectations
All visitors are required to:
- Enter the school through the Main Office.
- Present a valid government-issued photo identification upon arrival.
- Wear the visitor badge provided by the school at all times while on campus.
- Check out through the Main Office before leaving campus and return the visitor badge.
Visitors who are not wearing an authorized visitor badge may be directed to the Main Office or escorted from campus.
Identification Requirements
Accepted forms of identification include but are not limited to:
- State-issued driver license or identification card.
- U.S. or foreign passport.
- Permanent Resident Card.
- Military identification.
- Other government-issued photo identification approved by the school.
The visitor management system records only the visitor's name, date of birth, and photograph from the identification. No oher personal information is collected or stored. Visitors who are unable or unwilling to provide acceptable identification may be denied access to campus.
Visitor Screening
As partof the check-in process, the visitor management system compares visitor information with publicly available sex offender registries and school safety alerts, including court orders, no-trespass directives, custody restrictions, or other campus safety notifications.
If the system identifies a potential match, school administration will review the information before determining whether access will be granted. The existence of an alert does not necessarily meen the visitor is prohibited from entering campus as false matches may occur.
Parents and Legal Guardians
Parents and legal guardians remain valued members of the Bishop Alemany community. If a parent or legal guardian is identified through the visitor management system as requiring administrative review, school administration will determine appropriate campus access consistent with student safety, applicable law, and court orders.
The Administration reserves the right to deny access to any person whose presence may disrupt school operations or compromise safety.
Privacy
Visitor information collected through the visitor management system is maintained solely for school safety and security purposes and is handled in accordance with applicable privacy laws and school policies.
The Administration reserves the right to deny access to any person whose presence may disrupt school operations or compromise safety.
Emergency Communications
During emergencies, the school will communicate with parents and guardians through designated communication systems. Parents should ensure contact information remains current.
Parents should not report to campus during emergencies unless directed by school officials.
For safety purposes, students must obey the traffic signals at Rinaldi Street while crossing to the athletic fields.
Dances
All dances are for Bishop Alemany High School students only, unless otherwise announced. If guests are allowed, Guest Passes must be approved by the Deans prior to the event. Students are limited to one approved guest. The Alemany student is responsible for the good conduct of his/her guest. The policy regarding guests who have withdrawn or been dismissed from Bishop Alemany may be found below. All guests should be under the age of 21.
Dances are normally scheduled from 7:00 to 11:00 p.m. Students must be present from a half-hour after the starting time of the dance until a half-hour before the ending time. Prom is an exception to this rule since students must arrive and leave via school-provided transportation.
After a careful analysis of problems associated with underage students utilizing limousine services, Bishop Alemany High School joins many other high schools in the area in prohibiting the use of limousines and other chauffeur-driven vehicles at all Bishop Alemany High School dances and events. Such vehicles will not be allowed on campus. Students who arrive in such vehicles will be turned away at the gate and forfeit any kind of refund.
In addition, limousines or other chauffeur-driven vehicles may not pick up students after the Prom.
If any student is suspected of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol by any school faculty or staff member, he/she may be subject to a sobriety test. In addition, the parent/guardian will be called to take the student home. The student will be suspended pending disciplinary action.
Any student absent from school on the day of a dance or social event may not attend the event. Freshmen are not permitted to attend Prom. If any student owes detention hours, he/she may not be allowed to attend any dance, including but not limited to Homecoming and Prom.
Former Students
Any student who has been asked to withdraw or has been expelled from Bishop Alemany High School may not attend any extracurricular function sponsored by Bishop Alemany or those that take place on Bishop Alemany campus. The events that the former student may not attend include but are not limited to dances, athletic events, concerts, or theatre productions.
One calendar year from the time a student is asked to withdraw or is expelled from Bishop Alemany High School, that student may petition for permission to attend extracurricular activities sponsored by Bishop Alemany High School or those that take place on Bishop Alemany campus. Any request by a former student to attend a specific event or events must be made at least one month prior to the scheduled event. The petition must include:
- A signed letter from the former student requesting permission to attend activities sponsored by Bishop Alemany High School. The letter should include the reasons the former student believes he or she should be allowed to attend these activities, how the former student's behavior has changed significantly to warrant this permission, and what type of behavior the student will guarantee if given permission.
- Two letters of recommendation. If the former student is currently attending another high school, then one of the letters must be from a dean or counselor from the student's current school. The letter must address the student's discipline record at the current school. The other letter (or both letters if the former student is not currently enrolled in another high school) must be from adults who are not members of the former student's immediate family. The letters should describe the adult's relationship with the former student and comment on the former student's behavior and character.
- An interview. Bishop Alemany will assign a committee including an administrator and a Dean to meet in person with the student.
After all the requirements of the petition are submitted/completed, the student will be notified of the decision of the school in writing within two (2) weeks of the interview. This decision will be final and not subject to any further discussion.
If permission is granted to attend the petitioned event, the student will fill out any contract for the event (if applicable) and abide by further Bishop Alemany High School policy.
Normally, the only former students who will be given permission to attend Bishop Alemany sponsored activities will be those who were not on strict probation prior to the request to withdraw or expulsion and did not have a significant discipline record while a student at Bishop Alemany. It is up to the discretion of the Dean and administrator to determine if the appeal will be accepted.
Drug and Alcohol Policy
Students who seek help from the Administration or faculty for a drug or alcohol related problem will be given support and guidance. Bishop Alemany will work with families to free a student from substance abuse. This would include required counseling. However, students who do not seek prior help and are guilty of use, possession or distribution of drugs or alcohol will be liable for immediate expulsion.
Bishop Alemany considers substance abuse an extremely moral and personal problem. This rule will be strictly enforced. The Administration may require a test for illegal substances any time it suspects a student may be involved in drugs or other illegal substances. These tests will be performed at the parent/guardian expense. Tests may also be administered at school of the school Administration deems that there are sufficient grounds. Parents/guardians who allow substance abuse at parties or the like in their homes are advised that Bishop Alemany deplores this practice vehemently.
Use - Use implies that a student is reasonably known to have taken or to be under the influence of illegal substances while under the jurisdiction of school authorities. This includes such actions as smoking marijuana, using steroids, taking drugs, drinking alcohol, etc. Bishop Alemany High School does not recognize Medical Marijuana licenses.
Possession - Possession of drugs or alcohol implies that a student has on his/her person, or within his/her personal property, in the car he/she is driving, or has under his/her control any drugs or alcohol (including marijuana) on campus, in the immediate vicinity of the campus, at school activities or school functions. Bishop Alemany High School does not recognize Medical Marijuana licenses.
Distribution - Distribution of drugs or alcohol implies the transfer of such substances to another person, with or without the exchange of money or other valuables. Students in possession of drug paraphernalia, including a Medical Marijuana license, will be suspended and subject to dismissal.
Penalties - Students determined to be distributors of drugs or alcohol, as defined above, shall be subject to dismissal from school. In cases of drug possession and/or distribution, the police will be consulted. Students in possession of drug paraphernalia, including a Medical Marijuana license, will be suspended and subject to dismissal.
