POLICY NUMBER:
500.05
ADOPTED:
6.6.2023
Board Policy
- The Board of Education is committed to providing a safe and orderly environment for all students that engenders respect, civility, and dignity. To assess student safety, the Board recognizes the requirement to designate school safety specialists and to conduct threat assessments as outlined in state law for each primary and secondary school in the District.
- The Board of Education also recognizes the interest and welfare of the public is best served by agreements with respective law enforcement jurisdictions to allow for joint and cooperative action with school resource officer (SROs) to maintain safe, healthy, and productive learning environments. The Board is committed to cooperation with law enforcement authorities in carrying out official duties, such as investigating crimes, serving subpoenas and issuing warrants to protect the safety of students. In accordance with state law, the Board of Education will enter into agreements with respective law enforcement jurisdictions to govern procedures and the relationship between the District and school resource officers (SROs).
- The purpose of this policy is to establish and authorize student safety notifications to administration, staff, and parents in accordance with state law, conduct threat assessments, and to establish contracts with respective law enforcement jurisdictions.
- The Board authorizes the Superintendent and the District Administration to establish administrative regulations consistent with this policy
ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION:
500.05-1
APPROVED:
6.6.2023
Definitions - 500.05-1
- Abusive Conduct: means verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct of a parent or student directed toward a school employee that, based on its severity, nature, and frequency of occurrence, a reasonable person would determine is intended to cause intimidation, humiliation, or unwarranted distress. A single act does not constitute abusive conduct.
- Bullying: means a school employee or student intentionally committing a written, verbal, or physical act against a school employee or student that a reasonable person under the circumstances should know or reasonably foresee will have the effect of:
- causing physical or emotional harm to the school employee or student;
- causing damage to the school employee’s or student’s property;
- placing the school employee or student in reasonable fear of:
- harm to the school employee’s or student’s physical or emotional well-being; or
- damage to the school employee’s or student’s property;
- creating a hostile, threatening, humiliating, or abusive educational environment due to the
- pervasiveness, persistence, or severity of the actions; or a
- power differential between the bully and the target; or
- substantially interfering with a student having a safe school environment that is necessary to facilitate educational performance, opportunities, or benefits.
- Cyberbullying: means using the Internet, a cell phone, or another device to send or post text, video, or an image with the intent or knowledge, or with reckless disregard, that the text, video, or image will hurt, embarrass, or threaten an individual, regardless of whether the individual directed, consented to, or acquiesced in the conduct, or voluntarily accessed the electronic communication.
- Hazing: means a school employee or student intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly committing an act or causing another individual to commit an act toward a school employee or student that
- endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a school employee or student;
- involves any brutality of a physical nature, including whipping, beating, branding, calisthenics, bruising, electric shocking, placing of a harmful substance on the body, or exposure to the elements;
- involves consumption of any food, alcoholic product, drug, or other substance or
- other physical activity that endangers the mental or physical health and safety of school employee or student; or
- involves any activity that would subject a school employee or student to extreme mental stress, such as sleep deprivation, extended isolation from social contact, or conduct that subjects a school employee or student to extreme embarrassment, shame, or humiliation; and
- is committed for the purpose of initiation into, admission into, affiliation with, holding office in, or as a condition for membership in a school or school sponsored team, organization, program, club, or event; or
- is directed toward a school employee or student whom the individual who commits the act knows, at the time the act is committed, is a member of, or candidate for membership in, a school or school sponsored team, organization, program, club, or event in which the individual who commits the act also participates.
- School safety specialist: means a school employee who is responsible for supporting school safety initiatives including a threat assessment as defined in 53G-8-802 (2)(g)(i)
- Threat assessment (individual): Evidence-based procedures for the identification, assessment, and intervention of an individual whose behavior poses a threat to school safety. (See, Utah Code 53G-8-802 (2)(g)(i)).
- Threat assessment (building/facilities): Means the infrastructure and protocols for ensuring building safety during an incident when an individual(s) or an event poses a threat to school safety (See, Utah Code 53G-8-802 (2)(g)(i)).
ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION:
500.05-2
APPROVED:
6.6.2023
Notification - 500.05-2
- The Office of the Superintendent authorizes the District Administration to adopt procedures for notification and reporting student safety.
- A school shall notify a parent/guardian:
- If a student threatens to commit suicide; or
- If a student is involved in an incident of bullying, cyber-bullying, hazing, abusive conduct or retaliation, of the incident involving each parent’s student. (See, Policy—500.02).
- If a school notifies a parent of an incident or threat, the school shall maintain a record that verifies that the parent was notified of the incident or threat.
- As part of the notification and record, the school shall provide the parent with suicide and prevention materials and information on ways to limit the studeent’s access to fatal means, including firearm or medication (See, Utah Code 53G-9- 604).
ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION:
500.05-3
APPROVED:
6.6.2023
Management of Notification Records - 500.05-3
1. A record is required to be maintained securely and confidentially by the school, consistent with Utah Code §53G-9-604, following parent notification of a student suicide threat, or following notification of the parents of each student (victim and perpetrator) involved in an incident of bullying, cyber-bullying, harassment, hazing, abusive conduct, or retaliation against a student involved in any of the above. (See, Exhibit—1).
2. A school shall provide a copy of a notification of incident or threat record that relates to the student if the student requests a copy of the record.
3. As school shall expunge a notification of incident or threat record that relates to a student if the student has graduated from high school; and requests the record be expunged.
4. A school may not use a notification or incident or threat record including any information obtained to prepare the record, for the school’s own purposes, including for a report or study; for a statistical analysis; or to conduct research.
ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION:
500.05-4
APPROVED:
6.6.2023
Threats of Assessments - 500.05-4
- The Director of Student Services or designee is responsible to train school safety specialists regarding threats and threat assessments.
- School safety specialists will conduct threat assessments. For more information regarding threats and threat assessments, please refer to Policy-500.02-Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures and associated Exhibits.
ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION:
500.05-5
APPROVED:
6.6.2023
School Resource Officer Agreements and Contracts - 500.05-5
- In accordance with state law, the District may enter into an interlocal agreement or contract with a local law enforcement agency to provide school resource officer (SRO) services.
(See, Utah Code 53G-8-703). - An interlocal agreement or contract with the law enforcement agency to provide school resources officer (SRO) services shall include, but it not limited to the contractual provisions outlined in Utah Code 53G-8-703, and all other procedures and requirements governing the relationship between the District and an SRO.
- The statutory elements of a School Resource Officer Agreement are outlined in Exhibit 2.
- All School Resource Officer (SRO) agreements or contracts shall be reviewed by the District’s Legal Counsel and Business Administrator for signature and approval.
- The Department of External Relations will coordinate annual training for School Resources Officers (SRO) for the District.
Forms
None
Document History
Revised – 6.6.2023.
H.B. 61 – School Safety Requirements (2023) H.B. 61 requires each district is to develop an SRO policy regarding School Resource Officer (SRO) agreements. Policy 500.05 was updated to contain required language for School Resource Officer (SRO) agreements and designating school safety specialists as outlined in H.B. 61. Definitions regarding abusive conduct, bullying, cyberbullying, hazing, school safety specialist; and threat assessments for individuals and buildings/facilities were added. An Exhibit was prepared to outline those elements required for School Resource Officer (SRO) Agreements and Contracts (See, attach redline and Exhibit).
Adopted– 9.17.2013.
This online presentation is an electronic representation of the Canyons School District’s currently adopted policy manual. It does not reflect updating activities in progress. The official, authoritative manual is available for inspection in the office of the Superintendent located at 9361 South 300 East Sandy, UT 84070.
