EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

Periodically the school will have a practice Fire Drill and/or an Earthquake Drill (used in case of an earthquake or other disaster) to familiarize the students with emergency procedures. In addition, the students will practice a school-wide Lock-Down Drill to prepare them for a possible threatening situation occurring on the campus. Students and parents will also participate in a School-Wide Disaster Preparedness Drill periodically. 

In the event of an actual emergency, students will be kept under the school's supervision until called for by their parents or other responsible adult. Anyone picking up a child in an emergency must be authorized to do so by being listed on the family SPBS Emergency Card. (Photo identification may be required by the school prior to release.)

Should a serious and major disaster occur during school hours, please follow these guidelines:

• DO NOT CALL THE SCHOOL. Telephone lines must be kept open for emergency use.
• Parents should instead proceed to school to pick up their children as soon as is safely possible.
• Students will be grouped alphabetically by family.
• The school field will be the evacuation area.
• Release of students will take place following the guidelines outlined in our “SPBS Disaster Plan".
• Students will only be released to authorized adults listed on the SPBS Emergency Card; therefore it is imperative that parents keep forms up-to-date.
• Parents will be notified through our Emergency Notification System.
  
  If an emergency occurs outside school hours, please listen to your local radio station for instructions on school closures. As a general rule, SPBS will follow the same schedule as the public schools in the Conejo Valley School District (CVUSD), unless notified by the Principal. Each family will be notified of school closure by telephone, if operable. We will also make an effort to notify our school families regarding emergency school closures via email. 

SAFETY DRILLS

Fire Drills:

The Ventura County Fire Department regulations require that fire drills be held regularly. Compliance is monitored by the Ventura County Fire Department. SPBS has a current “Major Disaster Procedures Handbook" for Faculty/Staff. During the school fire drills, students and staff are taught to follow these guidelines:

• Rise in silence when the alarm sounds.
• Close windows and doors upon leaving the building if safe to do so.
• Walk to the classes' assigned place on the athletic field briskly, in single file at all times, and in silence.
• Sit or stand in a line facing the athletic field wall – away from the school buildings.
• Roll is taken.
• Return to building when signal is given, or it is safe to do so.
  
  Earthquake Drills:
  
  Earthquake drills are held periodically. Procedures include:

• Drop and cover head immediately.
• Crawl under desk or nearest table if feasible.
• Listen for further instructions.
• Exit the building as soon as it is safe to do so.
• Use assigned locations on the school field, and follow above fire drill protocol.​
  
  

EMERGENCY INFORMATION CARDS

Each student shall have an Emergency Card that is complete, current, and readily available to the school. The student's parent or guardian is required to inform the school when there are changes to a home, cell or work phone number or address, the names of persons to notify in case of an emergency, or to any medication prescription for a student. The Emergency Card indicates that the parent or guardian gives the school permission to choose a physician in an emergency.
 
In case of emergency, the Emergency Card will be shown to the paramedics or emergency room staff to authorize treatment, and to advise them if a student has any particular medical needs or is on medication. Therefore, it is imperative that the information be accurate, complete, and up-to-date on our Emergency Cards at SPBS. When a student becomes ill or is injured, the parent or guardian will be contacted immediately by the school. If the parent or guardian cannot be reached, another person listed on the emergency card will be contacted.
 
Only minor and very basic first aid will be administered to students at school; no secondary treatment, such as changing or removing bandages, will be administered. Parents or guardians will be contacted immediately if there is any question regarding the seriousness of or complications arising from an injury, or if there is a “head injury". No medicine of any kind, including aspirin, may be given to students without written permission from parents/guardians. See Medication Authorization and Permission Forms in the Forms section of this Handbook or on the SPBS Website.​

VIDEO SURVEILLANCE

SPBS has a digital video surveillance camera system at the entrance to the school, around the outside of the buildings and around the grounds and throughout the parish. Acts of vandalism, malicious mischief, and/or trespassing will be prosecuted to the full extent the law allows. All persons entering the school through the main entrance gate will be videotaped. This state of the art digital surveillance system also includes the hall, church, parish center and all parking lots. It is monitored by both our local security company and parish/school personnel daily for the safety of our students and families, and digital video records are retained for a limited amount of time.

VOLUNTEERS/VISITORS SECURITY GUIDELINES

Anyone wishing to enter the school facility during school hours must press a button at the main security gate, outside the school office. This will notify the school office of a visitor, and a staff member will make visual and/or verbal contact with the visitor prior to granting admittance. Photo identification may be requested. Upon entrance, the visitor must immediately proceed to the school office, and check-in with the school secretary in order to sign-in and receive an identification badge. Upon leaving the school premises, volunteers and visitors are to sign out and dispose of the identification badge. SPBS maintains a “closed" campus and reserves the right to deny admittance. All parents and visitors to our campus during school hours must sign-in at the office and wear a visitor badge issued by the office at all times while on campus. In addition, SPBS requires that all volunteers who regularly supervise students in our school conform to parish and Archdiocesan “Safeguard the Children" guidelines.​

ANIMALS AT SCHOOL

SPBS recognizes that animals can be an effective teaching aid. In addition, instruction related to the care and treatment of animals teaches students a sense of responsibility and promotes the humane treatment of living creatures. The only animals allowed at SPBS (outside of authorized classroom pets) for educational purposes are animals brought to school in conjunction with a Humane Education Program presented by any Animal Control Officer or Humane Society or a Police Canine Demonstration. Any student wishing to have an animal for a demonstration must first obtain the consent of the Principal. No family-owned pets shall be brought to school or on campus under any circumstances without the expressed, prior permission, of the Principal. Only Guide Dogs, Signal Dogs and Service Dogs, who are specially trained to provide assistance to individuals with a disability, may accompany students at school as provided by California Penal Code section 365.5(a). Parents should take care that these rules and precautions are observed while on the entire campus to protect our students.​